5 Bites Of Buenos Aires

The bustling city of Buenos Aires is one that showcases the authentic cuisine of South America. Argentinean cuisine has many Mediterranean influences, namely Italy and Spain, and many dishes showcase items like jamon and prosciutto as well as some of the spices and flavors they use in flavoring and preparing dishes.

On my first trip to the continent, I had done my food due diligence prior to my arrival. I wanted to experience a mixture of fine dining cuisine at world-renowned hotels but also embrace the local food and nightlife experience.

What I found was that the city of Buenos Aires loves its meat — and meat in many varieties. Some chefs take the traditional route at restaurants like Miranda, where their mixed grill plate with a side of potatoes is the only way to go. The meat is grilled over charcoal and seasoned simply, but to perfection.

At the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires the cuisine is on an elevated plane. The newly renovated hotel offers several outstanding dining concepts where you can have the best of both worlds. In its fine-dining restaurant, Elena, the squid ink paella for two was packed with spices, flavor, and much appreciated seafood (which I didn't get too much of on this trip). It was one of the more memorable meals of my life.

For a more boutique-like atmosphere and farm-to-table cuisine, I had the pleasure of dining at the HG Restaurant at Hotel Fierro in the Palermo district of the city. There, the chef crafts menus that showcase fish, fresh vegetables, fruits, and the like in unique and exciting ways. The presentation is just as good as the quality and taste of the ingredients.

While this South American city is much grounded in its traditional cuisine, there are a number of talented chefs and restaurants who are pushing boundaries and crafting unique culinary experiences that still pay homage to the very much adored cuisine of the region.

Here are five excellent dishes to try while in Buenos Aires:

Squid Ink Paella with Baby Squid, Rabbit, and Shrimp

The dimly lit Elena in the newly renovated Four Seasons Buenos Aires Hotel offers hungry eaters a variety of menu options ranging from rotisserie items like suckling pork to a sampling of charcuterie to appetizers like grilled octopus with truffled potato broth. I split the squid ink paella with baby squid, rabbit, and shrimp with my sister the last evening of our trip. The dish was presented in a large black cast-iron pan that was so hot, I was afraid to go near it. It was served to us gracefully by our server, who commented on the amazing aroma that was steaming from our plates. After just a bite, I knew this dish was magical, as it married the seafood with the rabbit with the flavorful rice.

Mixed Grill, Flank Steak, Lamb, Chorizo, Papas Fritas

For a traditional Argentinian experience, look no further than Miranda in Palermo. It was suggested by our hotel concierge shortly after arriving at our hotel after traveling for nearly 24 hours. Suffice it to say, we were ready to chow down. We ordered two platters, one being the mixed grill with a side of those delicious papas fritas. The meat was grilled over an open fire, giving the meat the smokiness that any red-meat-eater should crave. Each bite was intensely satisfying and certainly set the tone for the quality of food we would sample in Buenos Aires.

Egg at 63 Degrees, Baked Turkish Lentils, Cuartirolo Cheese, Bacon, and Roasted Vegetable Juice

One of the most inventive dishes I sampled in Buenos Aires came from the HG Restaurant in a boutique hotel in Palermo, Hotel Fierro. The restaurant serves local and seasonal dishes that aren't always focused on meat, a nice departure if you've been sampling the authentic cuisine of the region. The Egg at 63 Degrees was a mixture of flavors perfectly paired with the baked Turkish lentils. Each bite was magical and I secretly wished for more as I cleared my plate. And not to be forgotten, the delectable dish was served with a spork, the most underrated kitchen utensil out there.

Osso Bucco Risotto

One of the swankiest hotels in Buenos Aires is the Faena Hotel, which is home to some of the more upscale dining establishments in the entire city. El Mercado is the hotel's casual dining concept, great for those looking to take a break from the bustling nightclub scene found in the velvet-themed hotel. El Mercado is warm in terms of its rustic décor as well as the heat rising from the open kitchen and rustic adobe oven. I was looking for a dish that deviated from the original meat and potatoes plate. My love of risotto led me to taste the osso bucco risotto. The meat was slow-roasted and melted perfectly into the warm rice. It had a great creamy texture and served piping-hot right out of the kitchen.

Jamon with Asparagus Topped with an Egg

Prior to a night out on the town, our local Argentinean tour guides brought us to one of their favorite restaurants, Sucre. The restaurant had a nightclub-like vibe, reminding me of something very similar in New York's Meatpacking District. The mood lighting, music, and overall swankiness of the décor only heightened the experience. By the time our trip was coming to a close, I looked for lighter, appetizer-sized dishes to help combat the plates of meat I had eaten earlier in the week. We sampled several delectable appetizers at Sucre from its tapas menu, with my favorite being the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus topped with a small egg. Classically simple and perfectly executed, the wetness of the egg and the saltiness of the jamon were paired well with the asparagus. I tasted deliciousness in every small bite. 

All photos courtesy of Kristen Oliveri