Spoiled girl that I am, I am enjoying the sights, tastes and sounds of “Paris of the South” for the second time. Below will be a few pictures of Lance and my time, but for historical info and a full display, please see the “Categories” tab on the left and click on “Argentina.” Otherwise, here’s the 411:
Landed Friday and dropped everything off at the hotel. Put our feet up for about an hour, then set out for Michael’s favorite coffee house: Lab Tostadores. So many ways to have the Java prepared, we each tried one.
What you see there is the Kalita. We then set out and walked the hood (and then some) for about 4 hours before we sat down at I Latina, for our 6-course tasting menu. It’s located in a private home, and you must wait for the maitre d’ to come and let you through the security gate:
Similar to the last experience (the menu), I loved the starter, particularly the beef cheek mole on a blue corn tostada chip in the center:
But when I stood up to peer over the ledge to watch kitchen prep, I was invited in….and off I flew. I watched preparation of the ceviche course:
While chatting up the staff. You know the drill. The entree, braised pork shoulder with a sugarcane-Brazilian coffee reduction, was beautiful:
And of course I inquired as to the recipe so I can give it a whirl on the Big Green Egg. Doodled through 2 desserts and ceremonial coffee:
And then another hour walk back to the hotel, tummy way too full.
Next day was the usual suspects on the one-day Centro tour. Colorful, poor La Boca, home of the tango, and tenements that jammed more families in them than the lower east side of Manhattan in the 1940’s:
Of course the cemetary in Recoleta (expensive neighborhood and resting place of Evita):
Playa Mayor, the Pink Palace, the church where Pope Benedict worked and General Martin, the liberator of Argentina, Peru and Chile lays, and some nice street art (but no Sao Paolo, that’s for sure):
Before ending up at Il Brigadero for an authentic parilla experience:
That night was a mediocre act at Thelonius Jazz club. To bed late, and Lance not feeling well next day (airplane mask for him going forward!!), so it was a quiet day of accumulating pesos for days ahead and watching the superb tango show of Rojo Tango before heading out to El Calafate on Monday.