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Contents

Time Out Buenos Aires Published by Malacara Publishing SA Pasaje Soria 5012, 1a C1414BLD Buenos Aires +54 11 4831 1539 info@timeoutba.com

Published under the authority of and in collaboration with Time Out International Ltd London UK. The name and logo of Time Out are used under license from Time Out Group Ltd, 251 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 7AB, UK +44 (0)20 7813 3000 www.timeout.com © Copyright Time Out Group Ltd 2015 Time Out Buenos Aires Team Director Mark Rebindaine Director Gonzalo Gil Editor Emily Jensen – editor@timeoutba.com Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder Food and Drink Editor Allie Lazar Wine Editor Sorrel Moseley-Williams Proofreader Emma Clifton Fact-checker/Intern Sarah Feneck Graphic designer Sofía Iturbe Distribution Mau Banach – mau@timeoutba.com Administration Mau Banach – mau@timeoutba.com Time Out Group Founder Tony Elliott Chief Executive Officer Tim Arthur Chief Financial Officer Matt White Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Bartlett Chief Technical Officer Dave Cook International Managing Director David Woodley Global Editor-in-Chief Marcus Webb Head of Global Content Chris Bourn Art Director, Brand Anthony Huggins International Account Manager Will Salmon Contributors Vik Arrieta, Matt Chesterton, Adam Corl, Sarah Feneck, Joseph Foley, Rosie Hilder, Emily Jensen, Sam Kelly, Allie Lazar, Clemmy Manzo, Caitlin McCann, Claire McKeever, Sorrel Moseley-Williams, Sorcha O’Higgins, Sophie Parker, Mark Rebindaine, Tom Rixton. Photography Ezequiel Poccard. Contributing Photographers Pablo Baracat, Adrien de Bontin, Mariano Brusa, Emily Anne Epstein, Carlos Furman, Facundo Gary, Rosie Hilder, Emily Jensen, Allie Lazar, Ana Luz Crespi, Florencio Rey, Nicolás Romero Escalada, Kyle Short, Lars Stephen, Lucy Valerio, Zattti.

Features

Out and about

4 City beat

17 Food & Drink

The word on the street in BA

6 Dates for your diary

The best festivals and events

8 You did what in Buenos Aires? Explore BA’s quirky delights

10 Eat like a porteño

Learn to love the porteño diet

12 Spanish guide

All the slang, phrases and gestures you need to speak like an Argentinian

OVER TO YOU We’d love to read your comments on this issue, or your thoughts on places we should consider including in the next one. Drop us a line at editor@timeoutba.com

18 Cafés 23 Restaurants 68 Food and drink index

69 Nightlife

70 Bars 82 Clubs 90 Nightlife index

91 Shopping

92 Shopping 108 Health and beauty 110 Markets 110 Shopping index

111 Arts & Leisure

112 Around town 118 Museums 121 Art 125 Film and media 127 Fitness and sports 130 Gay and lesbian

Additional Images The 5th Floor, Algodon Mansion, Alma Histórica Boutique Hotel, Astor, BAIS Argentina, Bernata, Biking Buenos Aires, La Carnicería, Casa Cavia, La Causa Nikkei, Chicco Ruiz, Chipper, Cocina Sunae, Cualquier Verdura, Elsi del Río, Fabulous Weddings, Feria Puro Diseño, Foto Ruta, Galería Union, Guaraní Porã, La Guarra, Julia Alvarez Joyería and Catalina Semilla, Leitmotiv, Liv, Mambo, La Mar, Meme, El Mercado, Mio Buenos Aires, Mishiguene, Monoblock, Niceto Club, Onda Vaga, Out & About Gay Pub Crawl, Own Grand Palermo Soho, Patrón, Pesqueira, Plata Nativa, Poetry Building, Puesto Viejo Polo Club, Studio Fotín, Tesla, Thames, Treintasillas, Uco, Unión Tienda, Verne Club, Violraviol, Vitrum Hotel.

133 Music 136 Performing arts 139 Tango

Illustrations Emiliano Guevara, Gustavo Guevara. Cover Photo Jocelyn Mandryk

143 Where to Stay 144 Hotels 156 Apart-hotels 157 Hostels 158 Telos 158 Hotels index

159 Getting Away

160 Mendoza special 162 Day trips 164 Estancias 165 Weekend trips

167 Resources

168 Useful information 169 Sticking around 170 City map 172 Transport and Subte map

©Copyright Time Out Group Ltd 2015 While every effort and care has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission of Time Out. ISSN 9771851562015 00020

Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 1

EMILY JENSEN

City Beat

A vision of Néstor Kirchner is about to loom large over Buenos Aires

Néstor lives With Néstor Kirchner’s legacy soon to be cemented in a massive cultural centre, Evita isn’t the only public figure haunting Buenos Aires

¡

Néstor vive! could be Argentina’s most ubiquitous graffito, adorning railway sidings, plinths and car parks since late 2010. It was in September of that year that doctors unblocked the arteries of former president Néstor Kirchner, and told him that he needed to slow down – or else. Kirchner chose option two. Three days after the procedure, he was guest of honour at a huge political rally in Buenos Aires. A month later he was dead. He was 60 years old. Kirchner is no Elvis; no one believes he’s out there somewhere. But the graffiti scrawlers have it half right: the legend lives and breathes. Chief tender of the legacy is his widow, current president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who succeeded her husband in 2007 (Néstor served from 2003), was re-elected in 2011, and is constitutionally obliged to step down in December 2015. Few major speeches pass without a mention of ‘him’ (only the pronoun is needed) and a reverential glance skywards. More tangible tributes dot the landscape, in the shape of Kirchner-branded facilities: abattoirs, statues, bridges, kids’ playgrounds, bus stations . . . the list is as endless and repetitive as the Argentinian plains. However, these are tossed-off eulogies next to the mother of all Kirchner tributes: the Néstor Kirchner Cultural Centre (Sarmiento 151, www.

culturalkirchner.gob.ar). Slated for inauguration on the auspiscious date of May 25, Argentina’s Independence Day, the cultural centre will be housed within the Correo Central, the former central post office designed in 1889, completed in 1928, and decommissioned in 2005. Typical of a building from Argentina’s golden age, this neoclassical pile is eclectic in appearance and vast in scale, with 110,000 square metres over which the cultural centre can sprawl. This will make it the largest venue of its kind in Latin America, with space that could accommodate two Colón Theatres and one-and-a-bit Pompidou Centres. Among the older features to have been restored and preserved are the post room, with its 5,000 boxes; the wing used by the Eva Perón Foundation in the 1940s; and the dome, which commands sweeping views of both river and city. But it’s the contemporary facilities spread across ten floors, three basements and 51 exhibition spaces that truly whet the appetite. The so-called ‘Ballena Azul’ (Blue Whale), for example, is a cetacean-shaped concrete structure sheathed in a bright metallic mesh; it will house a 2,000-seat concert venue and one of the world’s largest organs, whose nearly 4,000 pipes were built to order by a German firm. Visitors who prefer the visual arts can explore the ‘Chandelier’, a glass

4 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

construction suspended from the roof that will serve as a museum of modern art. These and other attractions still to be defined will determine whether or not the centre lives up to one of its official tag lines: ‘A great lighthouse capable of housing every expression of art and culture.’ Two ironies hover around this megaproject. The first is that Néstor Kirchner was either immune to the charms of culture or kept his susceptibility to them well hidden. This was the politician’s politician – a hard-driving habitué of smoke-filled rooms who was wheeling and dealing on the very night he collapsed. It’s as easy to imagine Néstor inside a real blue whale as inside a chamber music venue shaped like one. The second irony is that this ‘cultural lighthouse’ will cast its beam across the Argentinian city where Cristina and her late husband are least admired. The Kirchner brand of politics – populist, nationalist, raw and raucous – has never sat well with the self-conscious sophisticates of Capital Federal. But modern dance and cutting-edge multimedia? Bring it on! For many it will be a difficult circle to square, and somewhere out there the ghost of Néstor Kirchner is chuckling to himself at the awkwardness of it all. Just don’t expect him to haunt his namesake’s inauguration. – Matt Chesterton

Ballot box

A

s Cristina Fernández de Kirchner reaches her term limit in December 2015, the country anxiously awaits election day. Las primarias will take place on August 9 and determine each party’s candidate. The general election will be held on October 25, with a run-off scheduled for November 24 if no candidate wins the first round. One candidate from Kirchner’s party, the Frente para la Victoria (Front for Victory), is the current governor of Buenos Aires province, Daniel Scioli. Scioli has criticised Kirchner’s policies and claims he would do a better job fighting crime and inflation. Minister of the Interior and Transport, Florencio Randazzo, is the party’s other candidate, and as he is more closely aligned with the president, he would likely continue her policies if elected. The candidate for the Propuesta Republicana (Republican Proposal) party, known as PRO, is current mayor of the city of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri. While Macri’s centre-right, business-friendly policies are popular in the capital, he and his party have fewer supporters in the provinces. In an attempt to consolidate the conservative vote, PRO has agreed to form an alliance with the Unión Cívica Radical (Radical Civic Union), which has the support PRO lacks outside BA. The next president will inherit dwindling central bank reserves and unresolved debt issues, making the next four years a transition period for Argentina. Whatever happens over the next few months, the race to the Casa Rosada is sure to be unpredictable. – Rosie Hilder

In demand

T

he allure of rich red wines and succulent steaks at fractional prices never ceases to attract travellers and expats to Argentina, and with cheap housing, utilities and food, it’s a common mistake to assume everything comes at a discount. But strict importation policies mean many international products are either outrageously expensive or unavailable. Retail is one of the biggest falsefriends, with international clothing brands 45 percent more expensive than in neighbouring Chile or the US. iPhones are unavailable in Argentina, and Argentinians who splurge on fancy gadgets abroad will often bury an iPad at the bottom of their suitcase in an attempt to avoid paying heavy customs fees upon entering the country. Tampon smugglers were invaluable for women at the height of summer 2014-15 due to Argentina’s national shortage, and while normally the tampon shelves are stacked, selection is scarce and sin-applicator, so come prepared. And finally, if decadent alfajores aren’t satiating your sweet tooth, you may be happy to learn that the KitKat has finally arrived on Argentina’s shelves. – Sarah Feneck

Tango Festival and World Championships Tango performances and milongas are held at venues across the city. At the grand finale of the Tango World Championships, international professional dancers compete for the crown at Luna Park (see p134). Tickets to cheer them on are free, but expect queues to get them. Aug 12-25. Various locations (www.tangobuenosaires.gob.ar).

Dates for your diary

Torneo Inicial The kick-off to the First Division football season sees teams from all around Argentina play, and is sure to prompt passionate commentary. Aug-Dec. Various locations.

September

Vinos y Bodegas Vineyards from around Argentina exhibit at the country’s biggest wine fair. Grape connoisseurs can enjoy four glorious days of wine-swilling with over a thousand labels to sample, in addition to specialist seminars and demonstrations. Sep 29-Oct 31. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.expovinosybodegas.com.ar). Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente Animado This animation film festival is a hit with both big and little kids. Late Sep. Various locations (www. festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar).

Feria Puro Diseño

What’s on when Whether it’s film, art, wine or fashion, there’s always an excuse for a fiesta in Buenos Aires. Here are the events to mark on your calendar up until October 2015

May

Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires Bibliophiles flock to Buenos Aires for literary events and book stalls of leviathan proportions. Apr 21-May 11. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.el-libro.org.ar).

Feria Puro Diseño Local designers show off their creations at this annual design fair. May 19-25. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.feriapurodiseno.com.ar).

June

Festival de Polo Circo There’s plenty of clowning around at this circus festival’s fun and innovative performances. May 12-17. Various locations (www. polocirco.com/festival).

ArteBA BA’s prestigious art fair is the place to see new Latin American talent. Jun 3-7. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.arteba.org).

International Museum Day Museums and galleries throughout the city open for free late into the night. May 18. Various locations (www.buenosaires.gob.ar/museos).

Ciudad Emergente This festival showcases fresh local bands, dance and poetry. Jun 17-21. Centro Cultural Recoleta, Junín 1930 (www.ciudademergente. gov.ar).

6 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

July

Exposición Rural For a gaucho (cowboy) experience without leaving the city, catch parades, showjumping and cattle auctions at this annual fair. Jul 23-Aug 2. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.exposicionrural.com.ar).

WHAT’S ON

Follow TOBA on Facebook (www.facebook. com/timeoutba) for info on local events.

August

Buenos Aires Fashion Week A biannual event featuring the new spring and summer collections from a host of local independent designers and Argentinian brands. Aug 12-15. La Rural, Avenida Santa Fe 4201 (www.bafweek.com.ar).

Filba Internacional Authors from around the world convene simultaneously in BA, Santiago de Chile and Montevideo, Uruguay for talks and workshops at this literature festival. Late Sep. Various locations (www.filba.org.ar).

October

Festival Buenos Aires Danza Contemporánea Offering four days of non-tango dance, this festival features national and international contemporary acts that perform in a range of exciting spaces around the city. Early Oct. Various locations (www. festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar). Feria Masticar The city’s best restaurants set up food stalls at this popular food fair. There are also talks, classes and a chance to try various wines. Mid Oct. El Dorrego, Zapiola 50 (www.feriamasticar.com.ar).

Public holidays 1 May Labour Day 25 May Anniversary of the first national government 20 Jun Flag Day 9 Jul Independence Day 17 Aug Anniversary of the death of General José de San Martín 12 Oct Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity

Caitlin McCann uncovers Buenos Aires’s unexpected delights

T

o explore the quirky side of Buenos Aires, all you’ll need is an appreciation for the bizarre, and quite possibly some hand sanitiser. BEYOND BEEF If you’ve eaten your way from a cow’s tongue to tail and are ready for a new kind of protein, head to El Baqueano (see p30), a restaurant specialising in meats native to Argentina. Voted one of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2014, it’s the only place in town serving alligator brochette, chinchilla in filo pastry and llama carpaccio. If you’d prefer criollo food in a kitsch atmosphere, order the bondiola (pork shoulder) with a side of populist fervour at Perón Perón (see p42). Here, a shrine to Eva Perón and paintings of power couple Cristina and Néstor Kirchner adorn the walls, and the jukebox blasts the Peronist march every hour. Most diners sing along with gusto, but if you don’t know the words, vigorous clapping will do just fine. All that food has to go somewhere, so why not aid digestion with a stroll in and around the Palacio de Aguas Corrientes (1st floor, Riobamba 750, 6319 1104)? The ornate exterior belies this building’s real purpose as a water pumping station. It also houses a free museum (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm) on the history of BA’s water sanitation centred on plumbing, engineering and yes, even toilets.

SAINTS AND SINNERS Those who don’t want to take ‘down and dirty’ quite so literally can spend an evening enjoying more carnal pleasures at sensual theatre and restaurant Te Mataré Ramírez (Gorriti 5054, 4831 9156, www.tematareramirez.com). Watch a burlesque show, sample aphrodisiac gastronomy, peruse the erotic art gallery or learn some skills at a striptease class taught by the pros. When things start to heat up, you could join the adolescents groping in the park, or head to a telo, a sex hotel that charges by the turno (from one hour to a whole night). Hotel del Bosque (Castañeda 1848, 4783 7846, www.hoteldelbosque.com.ar) offers clean rooms and is conveniently located near the infamous section of the Bosques de Palermo (see p116), where transvestite prostitutes ply their trade. Outside of the city, Los Jardines de Babilonia (see p158) offers luxury suites with full amenities, and has two-for-one turnos on Tuesdays. Any good Catholic would feel guilty after so 8 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

much hedonism, so repent for the previous night’s sins at Tierra Santa (see p118), a trippy religious theme park that feels more like a Holy Disneyland than Costanera Norte. Nothing says spiritual devotion like a laser show behind an animatronic Adam and Eve, or a giant plastic Jesus resurrecting every hour to the sound of Hallelujah, as planes from nearby airport Aeroparque (see p172) fly above. Pope Francis approves at least – he blessed the park at its opening in 2000, when he was still the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. If all the talk of sex and religion has your head spinning, unload those neuroses on the couch. Argentina is the country with the most psychologists per capita, and the area around Plaza Güemes is known as Villa Freud. Join the trend and contact Dr Graciela Marquevich (4823 3026), a bilingual psychologist who has years of experience treating patients in English. Going rates run anywhere from AR$100 to AR$1000 an hour. FAR EAST IN THE FAR SOUTH This city of immigrants is home to many ethnic groups, and the influences of the Spanish, Italian, British and Lebanese can be found across BA. There is also a sizeable Jewish community, strong enough to support the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel, located on the third floor of the giant shopping centre Abasto de Buenos Aires (see p107). Furthering Buenos Aires’s diversity are the city’s vibrant Asian communities. A decorative gate marks the entrance to Barrio Chino (see p117) in Belgrano, full of grocery and trinket stores and Chinese restaurants such as Hong Kong Style (see p66). Further afield in Flores is Barrio Coreano, with its strip of restaurants, supermarkets and karaoke bars, although getting into the latter can be tricky without

a member of the local community. The Korean BBQ at Una Canción Coreana (Carabobo 1549, 4631 8852) is well worth the trip, but always get a taxi to and from the area, as its surroundings have a bad reputation. While there’s no Japantown, the lovely Japanese Garden (see p116) in Palermo functions as a cultural centre where visitors can feed koi, eat sushi or buy a bonsai. KOOKY KEEPSAKES When your time in BA comes to an end, forgo the tacky Evita or tango memorabilia for a more unique reminder of your visit. If you’re willing do to some digging (and haggling), head to the weekend flea market at Parque Centenario (see p118), which is a vintage and kitsch lovers’ gold mine. For the more visually inclined, put down your selfie stick and opt for a one-of-a-kind ambrotype portrait session at Studio Fotín (Bolívar 890, 4195 3403, studiofotin.com). The charming owners explain the wet plate collodion process – which dates back to the 1850s – before you sit for your long-exposure portrait then watch it develop in the darkroom. You’ll walk away with the original glass plate, custom prints and, of course, an Instagrammable digital version. If you’re looking for a gift for a furry friend, try Bien Fifi Pet Boutique (Cabrera 5050, 4899 1924, www.bienfifi.com. ar). Bien Fifi translates to ‘well posh’ and the store stocks all you need to dress your dog or cat for its busy social schedule. Buy a leopard-print lead, pair of cat trainers or an Argentinian football shirt for your pooch. Run out of room in your suitcase? Sign up for an iPhoneography tour with Foto Ruta (www. foto-ruta.com) to learn how to artfully capture Buenos Aires’s most weird and wonderful on your smart phone. After all of that, there really is no excuse for boring your friends with dull holiday snaps.

The latest food trends like fusion cuisines, gourmet fast food and miniaturised dishes always make their way to Buenos Aires (or at least Palermo) eventually. And while plenty of locals make a go of trying every cuisine available to them, many porteños never stray outside the classic dishes they know and love best. Devote a day to following the local diet and perhaps you’ll leave the trendy cuisine behind as well

SNACK (ANY TIME YOU LIKE) Empanadas are found all over Latin America, but Argentinians in particular love the filled pastry snack. Here, empanadas are made with a wheatbased dough and can be stuffed with meat, vegetables or cheese, and then baked, fried or grilled atop a parrilla. A beef empanada fresh out of the oven is always a winner; try it and a number of other varieties at La Fachada (Aráoz 1283, 4774 6535) or El Fortín Salteño (Avenida Cabildo 4702, 4702 2413).

LUNCH (1PM) You’d be hard pressed to walk a few blocks in Buenos Aires and not come across at least one pizzería, which means pizza is an easy lunch option for many across the city. This isn’t the thin-crust fare of New York or the classic margherita of Naples, however. Argentinian pizza is a doughy, cheesy affair with its own flavours like napolitana (mozzarella topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs) and fugazzeta (layers of cheese and onion). Try the former at El Cuartito (see p26) and the latter at La Mezzetta (Avenida Álvarez Thomas 1321, 4554 7585). 10 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

BREAKFAST (9AM) For most residents of Buenos Aires, the first meal of the day is light on protein and heavy on carbs and caffeine. Many enjoy medialundas (literally ‘half moons’), the sweeter, denser equivalents of the croissant, with a café con leche. To try the meal in a traditional setting, head to classic café Las Violetas (see p22). Porteños will eat more or less the same meal of coffee and pastries later in the afternoon, when it’s known as merienda.

MERIENDA (5PM) Essential for tying you over until dinner, the merienda is a bit like afternoon tea, but usually with maté or coffee instead of tea, and toast or medialunas instead of scones. Tostadas are spread with a mild cream cheese and then a layer of jam, or dulce de leche. Just about every café has an array of merienda options, but maté is usually enjoyed at home rather than at cafés or restaurants. You can, however, try the herbal infusion with your merienda at places such as La Hormiga (Armenia 1680, 4834 6906) and Las Cabras (see p41).

DINNER (10PM) A slab of beef may not be an everyday meal for Argentinians, but it certainly is a favourite for most. The default for steak is well-done (cocido), so ask for jugoso if you like it bloody, or a punto for medium. Most parrillas will have just about every cut of beef on the menu, along with plenty of offal, but ojo de bife (rib-eye) and bife de chorizo (sirloin) are always reliable choices. The city is packed full of parrillas of varying quality; contemporary steakhouse Miranda (see p42) in Palermo is an excellent bet.

DESSERT (ANY TIME YOU LIKE) This is a country where you can have a kilo of ice-cream delivered to your door at midnight, so it goes without saying that desserts are big here – and don’t feel bad about skipping your vegetables beforehand. Helado is a favourite no matter the season, with the trio of chocolate, strawberry and dulce de leche a popular choice. Heladerías are just as prolific as pizzerías, and most offer the same flavours, but for unique options, try Jauja (Avenida Cerviño 390, 4801 8126, www.heladosjauja.com.ar) or Occo (Dorrego 1581, 4777 9302).

Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 11

I

n The Innocents Abroad Mark Twain quips that, when in Paris, he and his fellow travellers ‘never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.’ Chances are, if you address a porteño (an inhabitant of Argentina’s capital) in carefully enunciated Castilian Spanish they will understand you, but they may offer a free lesson in the distinctive local dialect. While regional differences exist in Argentina, it is castellano rioplatense – from around the River Plate basin and currently spoken in Buenos Aires, Montevideo and their surrounds, as well as in Rosario, Santa Fe, Patagonia and parts of Paraguay – which is recognised as Argentinian Spanish. Porteños are obsessed with many things – football, sex, sensación térmica – and their language is just one more topic that gets them going. It’s not unusual to hear parents complain that their kids are parroting the neutral Spanish heard in cartoons, yet they themselves may use English nouns like ‘shopping’ (for shopping centre), ‘shock’ and ‘chance’ (pronounced chan-say). A meal can be ‘light’, an exclusive venue ‘top’ and you can be ‘a full’ (busy) with work or other activities. Spanish verb endings sometimes get tacked onto words– flashear is to be amazed by something or imagine something unlikely; lookearse is to doll yourself up. Inverting letters to produce terms such as telo (a ‘love hotel’, from hotel, see p158) and jermu (from mujer, woman) in so-called Vesre (from revés, reverse) is also part of the linguistic hijinks. This malleability of language is hardly surprising in a region that was a melting pot of cultures thanks to massive immigration, particularly from Europe, during the latter half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th. Incoming linguistic elements merged with criollo Spanish and indigenous tongues, with this fusion evident today. Consider a typical Saturday night tableau: a pibe (guy) fresh from the 12 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

cancha (football pitch) is chupando una birra (drinking beer) and attempting to chamuyar (chat up, sweet-talk) a mina re-cheta (very snobby girl) in a tight suéter (jumper) at a boliche (disco). Describing such a scene involves contributions from languages like Catalan, Quechua, Italian, Spanish caló and English. Italian immigrants had the most obvious influence on the local tongue, helping mould it into the melodious Spanish spoken today. Cocoliche, a verbal Italian-Spanish hybrid, evolved among first generation workingclass Italian immigrants and then died out as their Argentinian-born offspring picked up Spanish as a native language. But enduring Italian contributions include numerous words – fiaca (idleness, laziness), afanar (to steal/ swindle), laburar (to work), to name just a few – enshrined in Lunfardo (see p13), the characteristic slang of Buenos Aires, as well as the animated hand gestures (see p13) beloved of many porteños. But let’s get to grips with some basic grammar: in spoken Rioplatense Spanish, the preterite (llamé, I called) replaces the present perfect (he llamado, I have called). The verb ir (to go) plus the preposition a (to) and a verb in the infinitive (voy a llamar, I’m going to

call) is used instead of the simple future (llamaré, I will call). The voseo or use of vos for the second person singular pronoun is a major feature of castellano rioplatense: tú bailas/comes/vives (you dance/eat/live) become vos bailás/comés/vivís; tú eres becomes vos sos. The prepositional pronoun ti also becomes vos; contigo (with you) becomes con vos. Ustedes (bailan/comen/viven) is the second person plural, for both formal and informal adresses. The voseo, with its working-class associations, was decried by academics across the Spanishspeaking Americas. Combined with Catholic and political influences in Argentina, this meant tú was the preferred form in classrooms and on the radio for a time. In playgrounds and in tango lyrics, however, the voseo survived and is notable nowadays in Argentina for its generalised use by all social classes, as well as in literature and the media. Ral Veroni, an artist and writer with a keen interest in his native language, suggests the voseo’s prevalence is due to his country-folk’s ‘natural tendency towards disobedience’. If po-faced purists wanted to ‘clean up’ the Spanish spoken around the River Plate, Argentinians were going to stick it to the establishment, linguistically speaking. Show your allegiance to the local lingo by referring to it as castellano rather than español. And, if you’ve come armed with a knowledge of Peninsular Spanish, stock up on synonyms for its catch-all verb coger to save embarrassment: in Argentina coger means to fuck. To add Argentinian authenticity to your accent, master yeísmo, the pronunciation of both ‘ll’ and ‘y’ as a single sound, like the ‘s’ in ‘measure’. Cross-dressing comedic duo Los Quintana’s performance of ‘Jessica Yolanda’ on YouTube may be helpful. All together now: Yo me llamo Jessica Yolanda, voy a la playa con malla amarilla… (My name is Jessica Yolanda, I go to the beach in a yellow swimsuit…). And if you’re still met with the same response that Twain describes, there are always hand gestures. – Sophie Parker

Lunfardo

Lunfardo, the characteristic slang of Buenos Aires, has gone from being pooh-poohed by Borges as ‘the language of thieves’ to being studied and celebrated: in 1962, the Academia Porteña del Lunfardo was created and every September 5 is Lunfardo Day. A mash-up of native terms and borrowings from European languages (particularly Italian) that arrived in the region with 19th and 20th century immigration, Lunfardo originated in the poorest neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires and was initially associated with criminals. Today, many of the colourful colloquialisms including quilombo (mess), morfi (food) and boludo/a (idiot) are heard – or at least understood – in informal conversation among all social classes. This is mostly thanks to diffusion through tango lyrics and, more recently, those of rock and cumbia villera, which have also contributed to the evolving lexicon with fumanchero (pot-smoker), federico (policeman) and alto/a (adj. great/important/ of excellent quality), among other examples. Beyond strolling the streets of Buenos Aires, you can pick up on plenty of Lunfardo in movies, music and books. Popular local films like Nueve reinas, Relatos salvajes, Metegol and Un novio para mi mujer feature plenty of fast-talking porteños. Musicians like Daniel Melingo, Los Auténticos Decadentes and Damas Gratis often use Lunfardo in their lyrics. For Lunfardo infused literature, check out El juguete rabioso by Roberto Arlt and El origen de la tristeza by Pablo Ramos. The Nuevo Diccionario Lunfardo by José Gobello is exactly what it sounds.

¿Cómo aprendo castellano? Buenos Aires is bursting with places to learn Spanish. In the heart of Palermo, the friendly teachers at Ayres de Español (see p169) offer individual and small group classes, as well as specialist Spanish and tango classes, literature courses and a free weekly conversation group. Recoleta’s VOS (see p169) also has various programmes, including a 100% Porteño course, which merges classes on Argentinian culture with social events in the city. The University of Buenos Aires’s Laboratorio de Idiomas (see p169) has one- or two- month courses for foreigners learning Spanish, while International Training (see p169) offers free courses taught by trainee teachers. Once you’ve grasped the basics, you can show off your new lingo by swapping your English for Spanish. At Spanglish (see p169), you’ll meet five different people for ten minutes each; the idea being that later on you can chat more with the people you connected with most. You can also mingle with an international crowd at one of Mundo Lingo’s (www. mundolingo.org) events, or create a profile on Conversation Exchange (www.conversationexchange. com) to find a one-on-one language exchange partner. Another excellent way to improve your castellano is to learn a skill in a class full of locals; BA’s cultural centres have affordable courses on all sorts of pursuits. The Centro Cultural Recoleta’s (see p120) courses include photography, how to interpret art and theatrical improvisation. In the centre, the Centro Cultural Borges (see p120) offers literature, dance and cinema courses, while Almagro’s La Huella (Bulnes 892, 2066 1153, www.lahuellaespaciodearte.blogspot. com.ar) has flamenco and storytelling classes.

Che, estamos remando en dulce de leche Once your castellano is up to par, drop these colourful phrases into conversation and you’ll be mistaken for a born and bred porteño (until you commit a cultural faux pas like not passing the maté around that is) Estar al horno (con papas) Saying you’re in the oven (with chips) is a sure-fire way to indicate you’re in trouble. Add various root vegetables to the horno for emphasis. If the situation gets really sticky, shout ‘¡Estoy remando en dulce de leche!’, (I’m rowing in dulce de leche!) and hope that someone hands you a metaphorical paddle. Tener/ser mala leche Tener mala leche is to be unlucky, ser mala leche is to be someone who wishes bad luck on others and doesn’t want them to succeed. A person with both traits should be avoided at all costs. Ir a los bifes To ‘go to the beef’ does not mean that you should quickstep down to your nearest parrilla and devour half a cow, but rather that you should get to the point. To tell someone to stop beating around the bush, say, ‘¿Vamos a los bifes?’ Levantarse a alguien The equivalent of ‘to pick someone up’, levantándose a alguien will probably end in a trip to the nearest telo (sex hotel). Add extra local flavour to this phrase by replacing ‘alguien’ with Lunfardo for boy (chabón, pibe) or girl (mina, piba). Estar al pedo/en pedo/ni en pedo A number of Argentinian phrases relate to pedos, or farts. Being al pedo means you’re not doing anything, while en pedo means you’re drunk and ni en pedo means ‘not even if I was drunk!’, and is castellano’s equivalent of ‘no way!’ Tener fiaca Tener fiaca (to have laziness) is the perfect excuse to get you out of doing almost anything in Buenos Aires. Want to cycle to Tigre with me? Tengo fiaca. We’re off to tango class, do you want to come? Tengo fiaca. Want to go for a steak? Tengo fi–, err... hell yeah I do. No calientes la pava si no vas a tomar mate This phrase translates to ‘don’t put the kettle on if you’re not going to drink maté’ and basically means, stop being such a tease. Ladies, if a man says this to you, you’d be wise to put the kettle on, and then pour its boiling contents all over your (ex)bloke. Mandar fruta Mandando fruta – throwing fruit – is the favourite pastime of the chamuyero, a smooth-talking male specimen. Tell someone to stop talking bull by saying, ‘¡Dejá de mandar fruta!’, or by throwing fruit firmly back with your own mistruths. La concha de la lora Though it literally means ‘the parrot’s vagina’, this phrase is used as a general ‘fuck’ or ‘fuck you’. You may hear this from taxistas when other drivers cut them up, or bellowed from the lungs of footie fans as their team misses a penalty kick.

¿Qué te pasa boludo? Argentinians are very expressive. When words escape them, sometimes a simple gesture is all that’s needed. Illustrations by Emiliano Guevara CORTADO meaning ‘a small coffee please’. Hold finger and thumb out about 5cm apart on one hand. No words necessary, but a quick nod and a smile won’t go amiss. OJO meaning ‘to be careful’ or ‘watch out’. Place one index finger directly beneath one eye and pull skin ever so slightly downwards. Purse your lips for extra effect. QUÉ TE PASA? meaning ‘what’s your problem?’ Bunch your fingers together on either hand and shake hand up and down in front of you two to three times. Hands should be held at chest level. NI IDEA meaning ‘I haven’t got a clue’. Flick back both or one hand outwards, gently scraping your chin. Turn the corners of your mouth down at the same time.

FIERITA meaning ‘we understand each other’. Hold out your index finger and thumb in an ‘L’ shape and shake back and forth at chest level.

LA POSTA meaning ‘the absolute best’. Place the index finger and thumb of one hand together and move up and down in front of you two or three times. There are some variations on the gesture, but this is the most popular.

Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 13

A-Z

of Argentinian Spanish IS FOR AFANAR literally means ‘to work hard’, but is usually used to mean to steal or overcharge. ¡Ese pelotudo me afanó! That idiot ripped me off!

IS FOR INFLACIÓN

IS FOR RE

inflation; used in Argentina very frequently.

a prefix meaning very; can be attached to any adjective for emphasis.

Con inflación, una empanada subió a quince pesos. Thanks to inflation, one empanada now costs 15 pesos. IS FOR JODA a joke, good time or party; derived from joder, which can mean to fuck. Calmate, solo te estoy jodiendo. Calm down, I’m just messing with you.

Ese lugar es cheto, cheto, re-concheto. That place is very, very snobby. IS FOR SALAME a stupid person; one of many food-related terms in Argentinian slang. Su nuevo novio es un salame. Her new boyfriend is a loser.

IS FOR BOLUDO

IS FOR KIRCHNERISMO

IS FOR TRUCHO

idiot, derived from bolas, meaning testicles; also often used to greet friends; can be used as a verb, boludear. ¿Que hacés, boludo? What are you up to, mate?

the political philosophy of Cristina and Néstor Kirchner; also represented by the letter ‘k’.

literally a trick, but usually means false, imitation or bad quality.

El kirchnerismo divide a la gente. Kirchnerism divides people.

La ropa en Once es re-trucha. The clothes in Once are very bad quality.

IS FOR CHE

IS FOR LABURO

IS FOR UNDER

hey or mate; an all-purpose way of referring to someone.

work, job; derived from the Italian word for work, lavoro.

Che, tomamos unos mates? Hey, shall we have some maté?

Esta semana estamos a full en el laburo. We’re really busy at work this week.

a truncation of the English word underground; used to mean something hidden or cool.

IS FOR DESUBICADO

IS FOR MACANUDO

IS FOR VOS

out of place, lost.

very cool; also the name of a popular comic strip by Ricardo Liniers.

the informal you; used in Argentina and Uruguay instead of tú.

Ese pibe es muy macanudo. That guy is really cool.

No, el boludo sos vos. You’re the idiot, not me.

IS FOR EMBOLE

IS FOR NENE

IS FOR WACHITURRO

annoying, boring.

baby, little kid; nena can also be used to address adult women in an infantilising way.

a young person from the villa (slum); often used offensively.

Es muy desubicado ese chabón entrando al boliche con shorts. That guy going into the club in shorts is very out of place.

Qué embole es ir al correo con tanta fila. It’s a pain to go to the post office when there’s such a long queue.

Es un boliche under. It’s an underground club.

Hoy los nenes entran al cole. Today the kids start school.

A los wachiturros les encanta la cumbia.The kids from the slums love cumbia.

IS FOR FORRO

IS FOR ORTIBA

IS FOR XENEIZES

a condom, often an insult; forro pinchado (perforated condom) also means useless.

a person who rats others out, derived from reversing batidor; a police informant.

nickname for football club Boca Juniors; a nod to the Genoese community in La Boca.

Es un forro total. He’s a total idiot.

Esa ortiba arruinó todo. That snitch ruined everything.

¿Viste ese gol de los Xeneizes? Did you see that Boca goal?

IS FOR GUITA

IS FOR PUCHO

IS FOR YANQUI

a colloquial term for money, used to refer to peso notes or centavos.

a cigarette or a cigarette stub; a little bit of something.

yankee, American; often used to describe something in a disparaging way.

Gasté toda mi guita en birra. I spent all my money on beer.

Dónde están todos? Afuera fumando unos puchos. Where is everyone? They’re outside smoking.

Hoy en día, Palermo es como yanqui landia. These days, Palermo is like yankee land.

IS FOR HISTÉRICA

IS FOR QUILOMBO

IS FOR ZAFAR

hysterical, insane; in Argentina, usually used to describe a romantic partner.

a mess; once used to describe African slave settlements.

to scrape by; to get away with.

¡No la estaba mirando! No seas histérica. I wasn’t looking at her! Don’t be crazy. 14 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

Por el paro del Subte, la ciudad es un quilombo. The city is a mess because of the underground strike.

No estudió nada, pero zafó el examen con un seis. He didn’t study at all, but scraped through his exam with a C.

Food & Drink

Photograph: Cocina Sunae

CafĂŠs

18

Restaurants

23

Food & Drink index

68

FLORENCIO REY

Cafés

Bar de Cao, member of Los Notables group

Classic brews Sarah Feneck dives into Buenos Aires’s traditional café culture

A

real porteño café isn’t about the coffee, and its brews most certainly aren’t served to go in a styrofoam cup. While trendy spots stuffed with mismatched furniture, smoked salmon bagels and cupcakes populate Palermo, elsewhere a café culture that has changed little since the late 19th century continues to thrive. More than 70 historical cafés, known as Los Bares Notables, are scattered across Buenos Aires. An integral part of the city’s cultural heritage, these institutions are packed to the rafters all day long, and often well into the night too. If you’ve walked down Avenida de Mayo (see p114), you’ll have noticed the queue of tourists snaking out of the door of BA’s oldest and most famous café, the opulent Café Tortoni (see p19). Once an intellectual refuge for Argentina’s leading literary and artistic figures, Café Tortoni is still well worth a visit (try the hot chocolate and churros), though it’s the other Bares Notables frequented by locals that provide an insight into today’s café culture. Spots like San Telmo’s Bar Británico (see p19) have weathered war and

cultural uprisings – the iconic bar-cum-café changed its name to El Tánico during the Malvinas (Falklands) war. Over in Almagro, Las Violetas (see p22) has stood on a corner of Avenida Rivadavia for over 130 years. Former president Carlos Pelligrini was welcomed at its opening in 1884, and it’s easy to imagine that nothing has changed since. In reality, the café has experienced a turbulent history complete with revolution, squatters and a cake named after a Uruguayan jockey, but you’d never know by the look of it. The grandiose 19th century architecture – with its high ceilings, impressive marble columns and vivid stained glass – draws in snap happy tourists, while the local clientele simply position themselves by the window and get gossiping. For the full experience, order the María Cala, a tray of sweet and savoury goodies perfect for sharing at la hora del té (teatime). This ritual is, naturally, best shared with a newspaper rather than an iPad.

18 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

Further down Avenida Rivadavia is Café de los Angelitos (see p142), which opened in 1890. By day it’s a regular café, but at night, the back room comes alive with an atmospheric tango show, complete with the obligatory doses of passion. Legendary tango singer Carlos Gardel was once a regular here and Uruguayan composer José Razzano was so inspired by the café that he wrote a song about it. The name, however, is drenched in irony. Those ‘little angels’ actually refer to the younger thugs that shuffled though the café’s doors in the late 19th century and were left undisturbed by the easily bribed police. On a corner of the cobbled streets of San Telmo, lies bohemian La Poesía (see p72). In 1982, Ruben Derlís created this literary café as a place that welcomed discussion and debate on politics, music and literature. Poetry workshops such as La Poesía Lunfarda blossomed here, as did the love between tango lyricist Horacio Ferrer and his Lulu, to whom he

Chatter is encouraged, if not mandatory

wrote a poem that was later adapted into a tango waltz. Like fellow San Telmo café El Federal (see p19), the bare wooden tables, brick walls and collection of dusty bottles may lack elegance, but that’s precisely what gives these joints heaps of character. La Poesía and El Federal are two of five cafés that comprise the cultural group Los Notables (www.losnotables.com.ar), whose establishments frequently house artistic and musical events. Check the group’s Facebook page for details. As Romina Metti, director of Nashi Contenidos, PR agency for Los Notables, explains, while older male customers move between the tables of these cafés to energetically discuss horse racing, women and politics, the warm murmur of chatter is ‘encouraged, if not mandatory’. Metti also stresses how for many cafés, it’s the specific corner they sit on that makes them unique. Relatively new café and member of Los Notables, Café Margot (Avenida Boedo 857, 4957 0001, www. cafemargot.com.ar) opened its doors in Boedo in 1993. Its history, however, is directly linked with good food, a constant on this corner since 1904, when Italian immigrant Lorenzo Berisso originally constructed the building. Since then, the establishment has changed hands and reinvented itself over and over, changing from sweet to cake shop, to restaurant to pasta factory. Visitors today can admire the plaques paying homage to Café Margot’s history, including one dedicated to Don Gabino Torres and his wife who gave the café the classic recipe for Boedo’s pride and joy, the pickled turkey sandwich. This atmospheric joint is an excellent spot to relish some pickled joy and a refreshing craft beer as you watch the world go by, before heading to nearby tango hall Club de La Independencia (see p140). But these cafés are not indestructible. The closure of literary café La Confitería Richmond in 2011, which had served prominent high society figures for over 100 years, was a huge blow to BA café culture. It reminded porteños how easy it is for venerable establishments to crumble away, and in this instance be replaced by a new Nike store. As newspapers are swapped for Wi-Fi, conversations for frantic WhatsApp exchanges and more and more porteños develop a finer palate for coffee, what is it that keeps the rest of the Bares Notables in business? ‘While tourists are likely to sample several cafés once they discover the delights of one, the locals stick with what they know,’ says Metti. ‘They have their tables, their rituals and they don’t need to look at the menu to know what they want.’ So do as Los Notables recommends, and find yourself a spot to ‘waste time with dignity’. That’s certainly the best excuse for a medialuna Time Out’s ever heard.

The basics

HOW TO USE THE LISTINGS This section presents our selection of the city’s best cafés. !denotes a place we particularly recommend. NEW is for a café that has opened in the last six months or so. Dsignals free Wi-Fi for customers.

The Centre Café Tortoni Argentina’s oldest café is everything you’d expect it to be: grand and charmingly ceremonial. Since opening in 1858, this glorious place has played host to the depths of BA’s bohemia, the heights of its literati and the full political spectrum. Today, it’s teeming with camera-wielding tourists, but Café Tortoni is still a must. Beyond the wooden tables and marble floor, a salon hosts tango shows every evening at 8.30pm and 10.30pm (AR$240). Avenida de Mayo 829, entre Piedras y Tacuarí (4342 4328/www.cafetortoni. com.ar). Subte A, Piedras/bus 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 64, 86, 111, 126, 129 146. Open 8am-midnight daily. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map C4. D Grand Café Adding a splash of colour and panache to the Plaza San Martín area, this New York-style café, opened by the owners of Gran Bar Danzón (see p38), is primarily aimed at office workers. A pot of French press coffee and a dulce de leche éclair is just one of the many merienda (tea) options, while on the savoury side, the chalkboard menu promises falafel veggie burgers, smoked salmon sandwiches and fresh salads for lunch. Basavilbaso 1340, entre Juncal y Avenida del Libertador (4893 9333/ www.grandcafe.com.ar). Subte C, Retiro/bus 10, 17, 28, 92, 93, 100, 101. Open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri; 10am-4pm Sat. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map D6. D

Cafés

As our café feature (see left) suggests, BA’s traditional café scene isn’t about to change anytime soon. While there’s nothing quite like a quintissential café con leche y medialuna surrounded by historic plaques and local customers who look like they haven’t moved in several decades, a host of cafés, mainly in Palermo, are offering almost the opposite experience. The coffee experts at Full City Coffee House (see p20), Birkin Coffee Bar (see p20) and the recently rennovated Lattente (see p20) are already firm favourites for Palermo’s discerning caffeine addicts, and new addition to the scene, LAB Tostadores de Café (see p20), is set to become the city’s coolest place for a brew. Just down the road, other new joints are causing a stir. Café-cumalmacén Il Posto Mercato (see p22) is spicing up the sandwich and picada scene and Meme (see p22) is bringing tasty soups and rolls to an excited crowd of already loyal regulars.

NEW Pani Pani’s decadent delights are poised for a citywide takeover. The café chain has opened its latest location on a beautiful corner of the Galerías Pacífico shopping centre (see p93). The café is filled with cushioned banquets, velvet curtains and has a fully-stocked bar, but the stars of the show are still Pani’s signature cakes, brownies and just about every other sweet under the sun. Snag a seat up against the windows and dig into a slice of cheesecake studded with Oreos and dulce de leche. In case it wasn’t obvious already, minimalism is not in Pani’s vocabulary. Viamonte 501, y San Martín (4516 0665/www.pani.com.ar). Subte B, Florida/bus 20, 45, 152. Open 9am-10pm Sun-Thu; 9am-11pm Fri, Sat. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map C5. D Other locations Vicente López 2065, Recoleta (4804 3210); Nicaragua 6044, Palermo (4772 6420).

San Telmo Bar Británico Bar Británico has sat proudly on an iconic San Telmo corner since time immemorial – that is, for pedants, since 1928. Named after the British railway workers who frequented the bar in its early days, it briefly changed its name to El Tánico during the Malvinas (Falklands) war. Days blur into nights at this BA café-bar, where you can nurse a coffee or beer for as long as you like, while you and the taxi drivers watch the world go by through huge picture windows. A change of ownership and a refurbishment had the whole barrio up in arms a few years back, and though it’s not exactly as it once was – the old-school, Spanish Civil War waiterowners are gone, and the toilets are now fit for use – this place still, without exaggeration, encapsulates the very essence of BA café culture. Brasil 399, y Defensa (4361 2107). Bus 22, 24, 29, 61. Open 6ammidnight daily. No credit cards. Map A4. Bar Plaza Dorrego With outdoor seating in atmospheric Plaza Dorrego, this century-old watering hole perfectly embodies the tanguero spirit of San Telmo. Inside, a pale lemon hue is cast over the dusty bottles and etched walls, while tango crackles out over black-and-white images of the one and only Carlos Gardel. It’s an ideal spot to drain a frosty chopp (a small glass of draught beer) while dismembering handfuls of complimentary monkey nuts. Defensa 1098, y Humberto 1° (4361 0141). Bus 9, 195. Open 8am-11.30pm Mon-Thu; 8am-3.30am Fri-Sun. No credit cards. Map B4. D !El Federal Having celebrated its 150th year in business in 2014, El Federal is one of BA’s most historic bars, with magnificent cash registers, faded lamps and a collection of old advertising posters. There’s a standard set of coffees, beers and spirits and a long list of snacks and Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 19

Cafés

Winter warmers Buenos Aires is far from the tropical South American paradise some tourists imagine it to be. If the chilly winter days are getting you down, spend the afternoon at one of these cosy cafés. Libros del Pasaje There’s nothing quite like curling up with a book on a cold day. Peruse the shelves at this bookshop/café for reading material to enjoy with a café con leche on the comfy sofa. See p100. Juan Pablo Repetto The beautiful ceramics at this sweet, homely café are hand-painted onsite. Order a submarino – an Argentinian classic of hot milk with a dunk-it-yourself chocolate bar – to enjoy as you sit back and admire the charming decor. Niceto Vega 4977 (4776 3292/www. juanpablorepetto.com). Anima Cakes What better way to beat the winter blues than with tea and cake? Wash down one of Anima’s sweet treats with a cup of Tealosophy tea; varieties include Pear Spice, Monsoon Wedding, Cherry Blossom and Red Earl Grey. Peña 2665 (4805 8005). Meme Soup doesn’t have a good reputation in Argentina; even the nation’s favourite comic strip character Mafalda abhors the stuff. But Meme is here to change all that, and its fresh, healthy soups are just the thing to warm you up. See p22. Ceffyl Casa de Té Galés This Welsh café boasts four tearooms, each replete with an air of refined, traditional sophistication. Wile away the afternoon sipping from bone china teacups and succumb to the temptation of freshly baked scones, cakes or a hearty slice of apple crumble. Humboldt 2028 (4774 0190/www.ceffyl. com.ar). sandwiches – the lomo completo beef sandwich comes with all, and we mean all, the trimmings. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch an ad hoc performance of tango standards; if you’re really lucky, it’ll be by Ana, one of the finest singers in San Telmo, who sings bar to bar, hat in hand. Carlos Calvo 599, y Perú (4300 4313/ www.barelfederal.com.ar). Bus 9, 10, 17, 24, 29, 86, 93, 126. Open 10am-midnight Mon-Sat. No credit cards. Map B4. D Mercadito Latino This bright café is in a prime people watching spot right opposite San Telmo’s market. Here you’ll find flavoursome food and drink influenced by all things Latin. Start the day with a feast in the form of the huevos rancheros: a crunchy tortilla topped with two fried eggs, chips, a fresh avocado salad and butter beans mixed with chorizo and bacon. Stop in later for the daily lunch special (AR$95), or a taste of the tropics in the form of fresh fruit

juices and arepas. With all that and more on the menu, Time Out is thankful this spot is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. Carlos Calvo 488, y Bolívar (2004 1056). Subte C, Independencia/bus 24, 29, 93, 126, 152. Open 10ammidnight Tue-Sun. No credit cards. Map B4. D

Recoleta La Biela A stone’s throw from Recoleta Cemetery, the terrace of this historic, Parisian-style café is a good bet for people-watching. It’s named after the connecting rod in car engines, testimony to the fact that famous motor racing drivers hung out here in the 1950s, as are the framed pictures of race cars still hanging on the walls. Nowadays, the massive rubber tree outside shelters a terrace packed to the brim with tourists and Recoleta’s most monied residents. Avenida Quintana 596, y Ortiz (4804 0449/www.labiela.com). Bus 10, 17, 59, 60, 101, 108, 110, 124. Open 7am-2am Mon-Sat; 8am-2am Sun. Credit AmEx, V. Map E5. D Be Juice This bright and stylish Recoleta café has a range of revitalising juices, smoothies and flavoured waters. Sit at the yellow communal table and flip through art and architecture magazines or use the solar-powered charger to power up your phone while sipping a Super Vitamin juice and enjoying a freshly made salmon, avocado and rocket sandwich. After all that healthy goodness, there’s room to indulge in a slice of decadent passionfruit cheesecake or beetroot and chocolate cake. Barrientos 1586, y Pacheco de Melo (4806 7712/www.bejuice.com.ar). Bus 10, 110. Open 9.30am-8pm Mon-Sat. No credit cards. Map E5. D

Palermo

10am-9pm Sat, Sun. No credit cards. Map G4. D

La Alacena A little off the main tourist route of Palermo, La Alacena is stylish and homely. On the menu, you’ll find an array of light lunches with twists on the traditional. Highlights include the courgette, broccoli, goat’s cheese and almond toasted sandwich, and Saturday’s brunch option of organic poached egg with potato gnocchi, spinach, smoked panceta, pecorino cheese and mint. Finish off a meal with a dark chocolate and sea salt mousse straight out of the oven, and you may want to consider taking a piece of La Alacena home in the form of the tasteful ceramic crockery or delightful home-made jams. Gascón 1401, y Honduras (4867 2549). Bus 36, 39, 106, 110, 111, 140, 151, 168. Open 9am-7pm Mon-Fri; 10am-6pm Sat; 10am-5pm Sun. No credit cards. Map F3. D

!Full City Coffee House Buenos Aires isn’t exactly known for its quality service or coffee. Full City Coffee House filled that void and became the caffeine addict’s favourite locale when it opened in Chacarita, and fans anxiously awaited its re-opening in Palermo Soho in 2013. The English-Colombian owners are bona fide coffee connoisseurs, importing full-bodied arabica beans from Colombia and roasting them in Buenos Aires. Coffee is the star here, but fresh juices made from exotic Colombian fruits, arepas, paninis and salads are equally delicious. Thames 1535, y Pasaje Soria (4833 6774/www.fullcitycoffeeco.com). Bus 34, 39, 151, 168. Open 10am-8pm Tue-Fri; 10.30am-8pm Sat; 11am-6pm Sun. Credit MC, V. Map G2. D

Bartola Every weekend Bartola’s inviting pink and blue patio chairs are filled to the brim with chatty locals and foreigners. The colourful exterior may be responsible for attracting the crowds, but the friendly staff, jugs of the best lemonade in town and all-round buena onda keep them coming back time and time again. Highlights include juicy hamburgers with caramelised onions or pillow-soft ciabatta sandwiches stuffed with grilled chicken, rocket, guacamole and cream cheese. Lighter appetites will be satisfied by a dazzling array of fresh salads. If this spot is full, try the other member of the Bartola family across the street (though these days both are likely to have a queue snaking out the door). Gurruchaga 1795, y Costa Rica (4833 6522). Bus 39, 41, 67, 93, 152. Open 9.30am-9pm Mon-Wed, Sun; 9.30am2am Thu-Sat. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map H3. D Other location Gurruchaga 1806, Palermo (4831 3079).

Florencio Among the exclusive buildings on an almost !Birkin Coffee Bar hidden Recoleta street BA café culture is is a tiny patisserie with Sweet or savoury? something of a superlative pastries and There are two types of paradox: there are cakes. Food lovers will croissant in BA. Medicharming cafés on travel for miles to sink alunas de manteca are every street corner, two their teeth into a buttery and sweet, while meals a day are berry-topped medialunas de grasa are dedicated to coffee and cheesecake or savoury treats. sweet treats (breakfast caramelised pear tart made and merienda to the by occasional TV celebrity chef uninitiated) and yet, the coffee is María Laura D’Aloisio. If you terrible. Birkin Coffee Bar is an favour something savoury, try a exception, with the richest, strongest sandwich in home-made ciabatta or cappuccino in town. Oh, and there are reserve a spot for dinner on also fresh pastries, old school marble Wednesday and Friday evenings. countertops, zigzag tiled floors, cushy Adventurous bakers can try recreating banquet seats, decadent brunch options Florencio’s divine desserts at home, as and a rack of fashion glossies to flip D’Aloisio also shares recipes on her through while you merendar. There’s a Facebook page. small selection of wine and aperitifs for Francisco de Vittoria 2363, entre the happy hour crowd, an all-round cool Guido y Agote (4807 6477). Bus 10, vibe and good food, but it’s all about the 17, 37, 41, 60, 102, 110. Open coffee here. 9am-8pm Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat; República Árabe Siria 3061, y Cabello 9am-midnight Wed, Fri. No credit (4843 7470). Bus 10, 57, 60, 93, 160, cards. Map E5. 188. Open 9am-9pm Tue-Fri;

20 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

TOP TIP!

In Bocca al Luppo The name, the coffee, the menu and the radio are all Italian at this unpretentious café. Inside, it’s all psychedelic sofas, quaint teacupshaped lights, cream walls and that comforting hum of an espresso machine at work. But it’s the interior patio that really makes this little spot special, with its exposed brick walls and sunshine – a perfect oasis in the middle of Palermo Hollywood. The lasagne and panini make for a delightfully filling lunch, while the custard-filled cornetti (Italian croissants) accompanied by Illy coffee are the perfect morning pick-me-up. Bonpland 1965, entre Costa Rica y Nicaragua (4774 3692). Bus 39, 93, 108, 111. Open 9am-11pm Tue-Fri; 9.30am-9pm Sat, Sun. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map H3. D

NEW LAB Tostadores de Café This ultra-modern café is an asset to Palermo’s buzzing coffee scene. With an extensive collection of freshly roasted beans and five different brewing methods to choose from, LAB ensures coffee connoisseurs a perfect brew every time. Treat yourself to a freshly baked pastry to accompany an espresso; Time Out couldn’t resist the scrumptious white chocolate and raspberry cookie. To learn the tricks of the trade, opt for a Barista Amateur Class (AR$400), or for those with more advanced skills, the Experiencia Espresso Class (AR$900). Humboldt 1542, entre Gorriti y Cabrera (4843 1790/www.labcafe.com. ar). Bus 34, 108, 111, 168. Open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri; 10am-8pm Sat, Sun. Credit AmEx, V. Map H2. D Lattente Fresh from its recent makeover, this bright little café still serves its smooth-as-Fonzie Colombian roast, whipped up by Argentina’s champion barista Daniel Cifuentes. Lattente is one of the few places in the city where you can get a top-class (and takeaway) cappuccino, macchiato, mocha, flat white and Americano. Along with arty doodles on top of your cuppa Joe,

Magendie With a country farmhouse feel, Magendie is a sweet spot for a relaxing lunch. Pretty crockery adorns the walls and a blackboard describes Magendie’s health food philosophy, which aims to offer nutritionally balanced meals. The sandwiches are hearty, wholesome affairs, and come on freshly homemade bread with a side of chunky papas rústicas. Save some room for the tangy orange flan with dulce de leche and consider browsing the almacén for health food items, a bottle of vino or home products like cute aprons and recipe books. Honduras 5900, y Ravignani (4772 0022). Bus 39, 57. Open 9am-8pm Mon, Wed-Fri; 10am-8pm Sat, Sun. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map H2. D Mark’s Deli & Coffee House This long-time Palermo favourite occupies one of the best corners in the neighbourhood – and shows no sign of giving it up. Whether you come for the rich slices of cake, ice-cold lemonade,

or the corner view of Palermo’s hustle and bustle, Mark’s is the perfect place to loiter away an afternoon. For a heartier lunch, sink your teeth into a large smoked salmon sandwich, or munch on giant chocolate-chip cookies and moist budines while watching the massed ranks of MacBook-owning foreigners and fashion identicats – mostly young, female and leaning towards the uppermost end of the beauty spectrum. El Salvador 4701, y Armenia (4832 6244/www.markspalermo.com.ar). Bus 15, 34, 36, 39, 55, 106, 140. Open 8.30am-9.30pm Mon-Sat; 10.30am-9pm Sun. No credit cards. Map G3. D Ninina Bakery This stunning Palermo bakery uses minimalist, New York-style decor to create a delightful spot for sipping on excellent coffee or unusual juices in healthy combos like carrot, orange and ginger. Building on the popularity of main dishes like the to-die-for vegetarian burger, which comes with about 50 different topping options, Ninina Bakery is now open for dinner. Gorriti 4738, entre Malabia y Armenia (4832 0070/www.ninina.com). Bus 15, 39, 55, 57, 140, 151, 168. Open 8am-midnight Mon-Thu; 8am-1am Fri; 9am-1am Sat; 9am-midnight Sun. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map G2. D Oui Oui This gorgeous French-style café is one of the nicest places Time Out knows for breakfast, lunch, tea or any of the

other possible daytime repasts. The main draw is undoubtedly brunch, which thanks to its generous portions and a well-priced menu, sees queues out the door and plates of eggs Benedict, French toast and waffles flying out to every table. Croissants, baguettes, salads and pain au chocolat are all listed on the blackboards that preside over the jolly, pastel-painted interior; and despite the cake stands and floral prints, there’s nothing overly twee about this place. Nicaragua 6068, entre Arévalo y Dorrego (4778 9614/www.ouioui.com. ar). Subte D, Ministro Carranza/bus 39, 41, 57. Open 8am-8pm Tue-Fri; 10am-8pm Sat, Sun. No credit cards. Map H3. D Other location Nicaragua 6099, Palermo (4776 4442). Pain et Vin Stocking boutique Argentinian vintages from wineries such as Altos Las Hormigas, Bodega del Desierto and Domaine Bousquet, Pain et Vin offers up the perfect drinking scenario: relax with a bottle around the communal table while tucking into a still-warm loaf baked from scratch. The varieties of bread – choose from farmhouse, olive, nut and rye – are all baked in a wood-burning oven that the husband-and-wife team built. Drop by for a lunchtime BLT sandwich on rustic country bread or pop in for an ‘it’s uncorking time’ splash of the sacred grape with some bread and cheese on the patio.

Gorriti 5132, y Thames (4832 5654). Bus 39, 108, 140. Open 9am-9pm Tue-Sat; 10am-7pm Sun. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map G2. D Le Pain Quotidien The rustic chic decor and communal table concept of Le Pain Quotidien may be nothing new to the international traveller, but the Belgian chain is a welcome addition to Palermo’s merienda scene. Your bread basket will still come with dulce de leche, but you’ll find salmon tartines and flaky croissants in favour of tostadas and medialunas. You can choose an individual table over communal, but the weary single traveller may appreciate the company of fellow diners. In any case, be sure to grab a fresh baguette or pistachio-pear madeleine on the way out. Armenia 1641, entre Honduras y El Salvador (4831 5709/www. lepainquotidien.com.ar). Bus 36, 39, 140. Open 9am-9pm daily. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map G3. D Other locations Jeronimo Salguero 3075, Palermo (4807 2098); Sucre 2151, Belgrano (4788 4738); Posadas 1402, Recoleta (4811 6391). Voltaire This cosy country kitchen, located on the corner of its pretty namesake street, serves up simple, tasty and reasonably priced nosh for breakfast and lunch. The fresh pumpkin salad with poached egg and sun-dried tomatoes might just be one of the best

Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 21

Cafés

Cifuentes has been known to do spiked versions with Baileys, Malibu and sambuca. While Lattente doesn’t serve food at the weekends, keep your eyes peeled for vendors lurking outside selling freshly made cannoli and New York-style bagels. Thames 1891, entre Nicaragua y Costa Rica (4833 1676/www.cafelattente. com). Bus 34, 39, 55. Open 9am-8pm Mon-Sat; 10am-8pm Sun. No credit cards. Map G3.

Cafés

Serrano 789, y Aguirre, Villa Crespo (4774 2563/www.malvonba.com.ar). Bus 19, 34, 55, 65, 71, 76, 90, 106, 109, 110, 127, 141, 166. Open 9am-1am daily. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map G1. D Other location Lafinur 3275, Palermo (4807 1458). Las Violetas Opened in 1884, used as a secret meeting place for political revolutionaries in the ’80s, abandoned by its owner and taken over by squatters in the ’90s, only to be reclaimed by the neighbourhood and completely revitalised just before the 2001 crisis – well, needless to say Las Violetas has an interesting history, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. Soaring ceilings, exquisite stainedglass windows and pristine whitejacketed waiters combine to make this an extra-special café spot. Avenida Rivadavia 3899, y Medrano, Almagro (4958 7387/www.lasvioletas. com). Subte A, Castro Barros/bus 5, 86, 104, 105, 128, 132. Open 6am-1am daily. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map E1. D

New in town Meme

Meme fills a gap in the Buenos Aires lunch scene with its tantalising array of globally inspired soups and rolls, all of which are made to order and accompanied by little bowls of dressing, sauce or spice. Time Out particularly enjoyed the leche de tigre, a delightfully tangy ceviche soup, the gazpacho topped with shavings of parma ham and the crispy Vietnamese rolls, which are stuffed full of juicy shredded pork, mushrooms, rice noodles and crab paste. Can’t decide what to try? Order a desgustación sopaholic of three soups of your choice with a home-made lemonade or iced tea. With all of that for under AR$100, it’s no wonder the locals keep coming back for more. Gorriti 5881, y Ravignani (4770 9234). Bus 39, 57, 93, 108, 111, 140, 151, 168. Open 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat. Credit V. Map H2. D

light meals available in the city. There’s a cute café on every corner of this barrio, but fortunately Voltaire’s food and drink is as charming as the location. For, as Voltaire himself once wrote, ‘Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.’ Carranza 1946, y Voltaire (4777 4132). Bus 39, 57, 93, 108. Open 9am-6pm Tue; 9am-7pm Wed-Sun. No credit cards. Map H3. D NEW Il Posto Mercato This sandwich joint, almacén and butchers is a one-stop shop for all your lunch and picada needs. The deli sources the highest quality cheeses and cured meats the city has to offer, and what the selection of sandwiches lacks in options, it makes up for in quality. Highlights include the red pepper baguette, which is layered with mortadella (a pork-based Italian sausage) and cheese. Whether you order your food to take away or enjoy it on the patio with a glass of wine, if you live nearby, you may soon find yourself visiting Il Posto regularly. Soler 5502, y Humboldt (2067 8882/ www.ilpostomercato.com). Bus 34, 39, 57, 93, 95, 108. Open 11am-9pm Mon-Wed; 11am-10pm Thu-Sat. Credit MC, V. Map H3. D

Almagro and Villa Crespo

Café Crespin On any given day, this sign of the trendification (or Palermification) of Villa Crespo is packed with a tribe of twenty- to thirtysomethings clicking away on MacBooks and young parents out for a leisurely brunch with the baby. Maybe they come for the diner decor and the free Wi-Fi, but Time Out’s betting the menu has something to do with it. The intriguing mash-up of greasy-spoon hangover food is mixed with a healthy selection of breakfasts, salads and sandwiches. Crespin’s crowning accomplishment is the American bakery, highlights are the New York-style cheesecake and cinnamon rolls. Fans of Café Crespin should try sister café Don (Vera 601). Vera 699, y Acevedo, Villa Crespo (4855 3771/www.cafecrespin.com.ar). Sube B, Malabia/bus 15, 19, 24, 106, 109. Open 8am-8pm Tue-Fri; 9am-8pm Sat; noon-7pm Sun. Credit MC, V. Map G3. D !La Crespo Despite boasting the world’s seventh largest Jewish population, Argentina lacks solid options for homesick Jewish-cuisine aficionados (the Kosher

22 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

McDonald’s in Abasto Shopping Centre doesn’t quite cut it). Luckily, there’s hope in this hidden Villa Crespo gem of a café. One of the few places in the city to offer a decent bagel, La Crespo serves up house specialities like knishes (dumplings), strudel and potato latkes. The hot pastrami sandwich is a must: stacked high with 200g of thin pastrami slices, served with pickled cucumbers, caramelised onions and Dijon mustard – all on multigrain bread. Thames 612, y Vera, Villa Crespo (4856 9770/www.lacrespo.com). Bus 19, 34, 55, 65, 71, 76, 109, 127, 166. Open 11.30am-8pm Mon-Fri; 11.30am-6pm Sat, Sun. No credit cards. Map G1. D !Malvón This café-cum-bakery’s eclectic menu covers both the sweet and savoury, with nutella-filled French toast for the former and New York-inspired pastrami sandwiches and bagels for the latter. Malvón also has a second location in the gorgeous Palermo Botánico neighbourhood, meaning you’ll be able to walk off a weekend brunch with a stroll through the leafy streets. Both cafés are open late, so what started as a merienda can easily turn into dinner and drinks till the small hours.

!Yeite Bringing a breath of fresh air to a slightly downtrodden area of Villa Crespo, stylish and modern Yeite is the creation of pastry specialist Pamela Villar and has a star-studded list of collaborators – designer Jessica Trosman, whose shop JT (see p108) is next door, and top chef Fernando Trocca of Sucre (see p66) to name but two. Yeite’s menu changes fortnightly and focuses on fresh, seasonal ingredients combined in unusual and exciting ways. Whatever you choose from the pick-and-mix menu, be sure to save some space for Villar’s stunning desserts. Past creations include an exquisitely tangy orange tart and melt-in-your-mouth pistachio, lemon and mascarpone profiteroles. The secret is out on this charming café; be prepared to queue during the weekend brunch rush. Humboldt 293, y Murillo (4855 6777). Subte B, Dorrego/bus 19, 34, 42, 55, 65, 71, 76, 93, 109, 111, 166, 176. Open 9am-7pm Tue-Sun. No credit cards. Map H1. D

Belgrano Nolita While esconsed at a corner table enjoying a cup of Illy coffee and a freshly baked blueberry muffin, imagine yourself teleported from the sleepy streets north of Buenos Aires’s Barrio Chino, to happening NYC district North of Little Italy – this cosy café’s namesake. With a variety of deli-style sandwiches and a trendy redbrick and recycled thrift-wood interior, Nolita and all its elements are true to its New York theme. Franklin D Roosevelt 1806, y 11 de Septiembre (4786 8690/www. nolitabakery.com). Bus 15, 29, 42, 107, 114, 130. Open noon-8pm daily. No credit cards. D

Restaurants

Bernata’s elegant tapas menu helped pave the way for the small plate trend

A small revolution The small plate trend is the next big thing in BA, writes Emily Jensen

T

he most emblematic of Argentinian meals is surely the asado. A feast of super-sized proportions consisting of beef, bread and perhaps the occasional vegetable, it’s the kind of meal where that one extra bite of bife de chorizo can easily tip you over from a pleasant sense of fullness to a food-induced coma. That’s as it should be, and is partly why the asado’s popularity endures every Sunday afternoon. But dining on monster-sized servings of beef is not the only style of eating to be found in Argentina. More and more Buenos Aires restaurants are turning away from enormous main courses to menus of smaller portions that let diners sample a multitude of dishes. The small plate trend has already made its mark in major cities like London, New York and San Francisco, but is only now finding its footing in the Argentinian capital. With savvy diners the world over sharing, tweeting and Instagramming their every bite, it’s no wonder chefs want to give them as many dishes to capture as possible.

Small dishes for sharing sounds like an oxymoron, but the advantage to offering reduced portions is that it allows diners to sample a more eclectic range of food than at traditional eateries. Such is the case at Blanch (see p50), which relocated from Las Cañitas to Palermo in 2014. Bored of the traditional appetiser, entrée and dessert format, owners Diego ‘Tatu’ Rizzi and Alejandro Naon chose instead to offer diners a medley of Thai, Southeast Asian and Indian-inspired plates in portions of tapas or raciones. According to Naon, the two grew up in homes where the dining table was always covered with numerous dishes, which ‘transformed dinner into an excuse to chat and connect, with lots of people, lots of dishes and lots of conversation.’ The drinks at Blanch are also for sharing. Skip the traditional cocktail and order one of the jarritos of aperitif concoctions. Gran Dabbang (see p52), which also arrived on the Palermo scene in 2014, follows a similar style with an ever-changing menu of Mediterranean, Indian and Middle Eastern fare. Dishes are labelled as

either platitos or medianos and fortunately this is the kind of restaurant where the prices match the portions, meaning large groups can easily feast on a variety of plates for less than AR$200 a head. A host of newly opened eateries and bars is ensuring the small plate trend will take hold in Buenos Aires. Palermo’s Comité (see p50) is a restaurant, pastelería, wine shop and café all rolled into one, but the stand out is its tick-the-box tapas menu. New bars Shout (see p72) and Tesla (see p74) specialise in a tasty selection of appetisers and tapas for sharing. A fashionable crowd makes its way to Brac (Humboldt 1864, 4775 3066, www. brac.com.ar), which serves finger food in a chic as can be Scandinavian-inspired setting. Brac’s menu lets the elements do the talking; agua (water) encompasses all things seafood, tierra (earth) is the domain of vegetables and fuego (fire) offers grilled meat-based plates. Prices are steep relative to the dainty portion sizes, but then again part of the bill is footing the Nordic-chic decor.

On the brunch circuit, La Alacena (see p20) rejects the American-style brunch of stick-to-your-ribs portions of eggs, meat and carbohydrates. Its menu instead offers picoteo (snacks) of home-made pickles and Greek olives, antipasti options including grilled tomatoes with feta cheese, and adicionales (side dishes) like fried yucca with a drizzle of lemon. The small portions are best sampled and shared among a group, but stick to the egg dishes made with huevos orgánicos if you want a satisfying meal for one. Since opening in 2014, Yeite (see p22), has been attracting porteños to a forgotten corner of Villa Crespo in droves. Chef Pamela Villar and her sister Josefina opened Yeite in collaboration with designer Jessica Trosman, whose stylish shop JT (see p108) is connected to the café. The menu changes fortnightly, and though there are heartier options, Josefina says side dishes and salads are served in small portions ‘so that each person can build their own plate and try various items.’ The small plate trend may be modern in its current interpretation, but the concept of a selection of small portions to be shared has a much more traditionalist relative in the typical Argentinian picada. Found across the city at fiambrerías, bars and cafés, the picada gets its name from the verb picar, which means ‘to snack.’ A local picada typically consists of a variety of cold cuts, cheeses, pâtés, olives and bread, but creative interpretations can be found at spots like Verne Club (see p80), which decorates its picadas with the likes of fried camembert, houmous and smoked salmon. Sometimes though, tradition wins out. Time Out loves the build your own picada menu at Cervecería Nacional (see p76), which offers an affordable selection of traditional cazuelas of sausages, olives and cheeses, all of which are perfectly complimented by a pint (or two) of artisanal beer. Though its name is Spanish, the Argentinian picada has more in common with the Italian antipasti than Spanish tapas – and indeed many porteños enjoy the meal with an Italian aperitif like Cinzano or Campari. If a taste of traditional tapas españolas is what you’re after, head to La Esperanza de los Ascurra (see p62). A huge menu includes the traditional Spanish tortilla, papas bravas and salmon in a saffron sauce. Order each dish either as a tapa, media ración, or ración to suit your hunger level. For a more modern interpretation of tapas, try chic bar Bernata (see p76), which has been serving up tapas on a Palermo corner long before the small plate trend came to BA. And if you find the small plate trend too dainty for your tastes, just wait until the Sunday afternoon asado rolls around, when you’ll be able to feast on a bife de chorizo the size of your head.

Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015 23

Restaurants

The essentials

Both well-known chefs and culinary newcomers recently have taken it upon themselves to liven up the Buenos Aires dining scene. Gastón Acurio, one of Peru’s most illustrious chefs, has opened a branch of his award-winning La Mar (see p40) in Buenos Aires, while Matías Kyriazis of Paraje Arévalo (see p46) has ventured into the realm of puertas cerradas with Barraco (see p48). Pedro Peña isn’t exactly a culinary newbie, but the Colombian chef has certainly raised his profile by opening the modern parrilla La Carnicería (see p42). The chefs at Butchers (see p50), on the other hand, have had a huge success on their first foray into the world of restaurants thanks to their creative take on simple sandwiches and salads. If the new restaurant arrivals of 2015 prove anything though, it’s that Palermo shows no signs of being unseated as the culinary epicentre of Buenos Aires. It’s with good reason that innovative newcomers like Mishiguene (see p56) and Comité (see p50) chose the barrio as their home, but there are other areas in the city with a concentration of gourmet delights (see p47, Top dining streets). Should you get tired of all the fancy Palermo cuisine, forget the modern fare and stick to the classics. Learn to follow the local diet with our feature on how to eat like a porteño (see p10).

HOW TO USE THE LISTINGS This section brings together our pick of the city’s restaurants. Prices are represented by peso signs: $ indicates a rough range of under AR$100 for main courses, although some restaurants have special dishes on their menus that can be much more expensive; $$ is AR$100-$150; $$$ is AR$151-$200; and $$$$ indicates AR$200 and above. Prices given here do not include extras such as wine, starters, dessert or coffees. ! is for restaurants we particularly recommend. NEW signals a restaurant that has opened in the last six months or so. A marks a restaurant whose bar is worth a visit on its own, whether or not you stay for dinner. ! marks our top spots for bargain dining – they’re not always the cheapest places, but they nevertheless represent good value for money. V is for restaurants with good options for vegetarians, or which are entirely veggie.

The Centre

ARGENTINIAN – TRADITIONAL

Club del Progreso Dating from 1852, this hidden treasure in the heart of Congreso features a menu based on traditional dishes that have been reinvented for modern times and are served in an unassuming paradise. In fine weather, relaxing in

El Mercado (see p36)

24 Time Out Insiders’ Guide to Buenos Aires 2015

the lovely garden is an excellent option. Try the suckling pig cooked in the outdoor adobe oven, or opt for the succulent salmon. Sarmiento 1334, entre Talcahuano y Uruguay, Congreso (4372 3350/ www.restorandelprogreso.com.ar). Subte B, Uruguay/bus 5, 12, 24, 60, 100, 111, 115, 129, 140, 146, 150, 151, 168, 180. Open noon-4pm, 8pmmidnight Mon-Wed; noon-4pm, 8pm-1am Thu-Sat. Main courses $$$$. Lunch AR$130. Credit AmEx, MC, V. Map D4. A ARGENTINIAN – MODERN

!Dadá Dadá is one of the hottest spots in the city and is also one of the most frequently recommended places to chow down. Set in a small and cheerful space, the owner Paolo and his family weave their magic, managing to charm and serve clients with a menu that is as imaginative as the lighting and furnishings that adorn the restaurant. The menu often changes but the classics remain. If you are looking for a light bite, the delicious houmous and guacamole dips are fabulous finger foods, or if you’re feeling a little bit more peckish, the lomo Dadá or the salmon with polenta never fail. Chilled lagers, good cocktails and a fine boutique wine list complete a very pretty picture. San Martín 941, entre Marcelo T de Alvear y Paraguay, Microcentro (4314 4787). Subte C, San Martín/bus 5, 6,