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Buenos Aires Rama Tours and Rama Food for IPhones
(Photo by reflectification)
Rama Tours is an iPhone app for travelers offering different city tours prepared by enthusiasts and connoisseurs. In 2010 the BBC picked it as one of the leading iPhone travel apps.
The tour on offer for Buenos Aires by Kate Stanworth is called ¨Heart of Buenos Aires¨ and is a great introduction to the city’s political and historical quarter centered arround Av.de Mayo.
Recently Rama also launched city food tours, and of course Buenos Aires had to be featured!
For breakfast and pastry lovers, Frank Almeida from Sugar&Spice (responsible for the delicious cookies at Fierro’s mini-bars) went on the quest for the best medialunas in town.
Dan Perlman from renowned closed door restaurant Casa Saltshaker was in charge of the San Telmo and Recoleta food tours featured in the app.
Finally Maria Carrá from BA Foodies prepared a tour of 5 recommended Palermo bars that due to their character have withstood the test of time as some of the neighborhood’s hottest go-to places.
The application, available from iTunes here, is a perfect way for gadget enthusiasts and people stopping for a short visit to get an overview of the city.
The Choripan: A True Argentine Staple
(Photo by longhorndave)
Eating a choripan on your trip to Argentina is mandatory if you truly want to know what the locals are all about.
What is a choripan? It’s grilled chorizo sausage (that’s the chori bit) in a bun (the pan).
This caloric and flavorful sandwich is frequently an asado appetizer, a construction worker or taxi drivers lunch, a football game hunger killer (for the cheering crowds), and a political gift for attendees at rallies and events. As those who know Argentina can testify to, a very local picture.
So where can you get a choripan? Basically anywhere in the city! In a parrilla of course, outside football matches, along side the costanera in front of Aeroparque, in Palermo close to the Planetarium, alongside the ecological reserve, at the San Telmo fair, the Mataderos fair, and the list goes on and on.
A good option is EL PUESTITO DEL TIO, a parrilla cart on Dorrego 4050, Palermo, and of course don’t forget to complement with some typical Chimichurri sauce!
Argentina Christmas Cuisine
The local Christmas menu has incorporated recipes from many of its different immigrants. Because it is summer in Argentine during the holiday season, there is usually a spread of cold cuts (including cold chicken and turkey, cooked the day before) and salads, whilst asados are also very popular. The midnight toast is traditionally done with cider and accompanied by sweets. Below is a description of the most typical local Christmas dishes.
Asado: Alright, saying that asado is a typical Christmas staple might be an overstatement considering asado is a local staple period! But on Christmas Eve, the parrillas get going and the city streets are filled with the sizzling aroma of the Argentine barbeque. Additionally, the Christmas asado is often more elaborate than the usual and it is common to find roast suckling pig on the menu.
Vitel Thoné: This is probably THE most typical holiday platter in Argentina and is predictably an imported recipe from Italy. The cold dish consists of sliced veal covered in a sauce made from anchovies, tuna, mayonnaise, cream and capers. Recipe here.
(Photo by manusmenu)
Piononos: The origin of this dish is not quite clear although there is a sweet version of pionono in Spain. In Argentina they are made in both sweet and salty variations and consist of a thin flat sponge cake which is filled with ham, palm heart, mayonnaise, and other variations for salty versions (with the contrast of the sweet dough), and with dulce de leche (what did you expect?) and fruits and whipped cream for sweet versions. Once the ingredients are layered on the sponge cake it is rolled up and voila! Recipe here.
(Photo by From Argentina with Love)
Pan Dulce: Like Vitel Thoné, Pan Dulce is another really typical holiday staple that was also imported by the Italian immigrants. The brioche like high-rise dough filled with dried fruits and nuts is the perfect complement to the sweet cider brought out at midnight on Christmas Eve. Recipe hereand add some drops of orange blossom water to that for the special local flavor!
(Photo by Gabriela Sellart)
Turrón: The popular Spanish Christmas specialty was incorporated into the local traditions, where it is common to serve peanut and honey turron with the pan dulce at midnight.
(Photo by formalfallacy)
Buenos Aires Gastronomic Week
(Photo by simenon)
Eating is one of the most enjoyable daily experiences people share. The satisfaction of satiating hunger, the nourishment derived from food, the aromatic stimulation of taste buds, the visual appeal of colorful edibles, and also, the cultural aspects of eating including how it is shared, its preparation and how different flavors are combined, make up the culinary world, which many consider an art.
This week, the city celebrates its gastronomic expressions with a variety of events, promotions and tasty bites. Below are some recommended activities.
Wednesday
Chef Soledad Nardeli from Chila will dictate a free cooking class at 6pm at Aguero and Libertador in Recoleta.
Also in Recoleta at 6.30 Pm in traditional café La Biela, Haroldo Darnauchans, will be speaking about the history of coffee.
Thursday
Tour the city’s pizzerias and try your favorite slices at the very best venues in town. More information on the participating pizzerias here.
Pura Tierra’s chef , Martín Molteni , will dictate a free cooking class at 6pm at Parque Centenario.
Bartender Inés de los Santos will present her new book on cocktails at 7pm at Café Restó Los Pastizales. (check out her book on Buenos Aires Bars, available at the hotel library).
Friday
Chef Patissier Osvaldo Gross, who is also releasing a book on chocolate, will dictate a free cooking class at 6pm at Plaza Gral. Manuel Belgrano.
Saturday
Take advantage of the special 2×1 on cocktails and drinks in Franks Bar and Chez Nous from 6pm onwards or on a 5óclock tea at the traditional Confiteria La Ideal (from 4pm-7pm).
More information on Buenos Aires Gastronomic Week here.
The History of Empanadas
(Photo by cheeseweese)
When one thinks of local Argentine food there are two immediate images that come to mind; one is ‘asado’ and the other, the empanada.
However, as almost everything local, the delectable empanada was not born in Argentina but brought here by the Spanish. The Spanish in turn had incorporated these delicacies from the Arabs. who prepared them with lamb, bulgur and spices and called them ‘esfigha’ and ‘fatay’. Further back, the empanada can be traced to the Greeks who had come up with phillo dough and to what was once Persia, where there was a similar dish centuries before Christ.
In Latin America this tasty pastry filled with different combinations of meats and vegetables became very popular and in Argentina it acquired its own identity with regional variations. In Salta for example, the meat filling is cut in cubes and previously boiled, then mixed with potato, egg, scallion, cumin and cayenne pepper. In Tucuman they incorporate raisins to the filling whilst in Cordoba they are coated with egg and sugar. This way each place makes its own variation imprinting it with the local identity.
More information on where to try the best empanadas in Buenos Aires here.
To make your own, we suggest you try our chef Hernán Gipponi´s recipe for rabbit empanadas, available here. (Don´t forget to order some while you´re at the hotel!)
Top 5 French Restaurants in Buenos Aires
(Photo by Larryhalff)
La Bourgogne- The city’s most distinguished French Restaurant, in the city’s most distinguished hotel, the Alvear Palace, offers one of the best, albeit pricy, dining options Buenos Aires has to offer. Ayacucho 2027, Recoleta. 4808-2100. labourgogne@alvear.com.ar
Brasserie Petanque: This San Telmo based French Brasserie offers great quality, abundant servings, amicable service and a wonderful selection of wines. We recommend their sweetbreads! Defensa 596, San Telmo. 4342-7930. info@brasseriepetanque.com.
Chez Nous: This bright and elegant restaurant in the Recoleta based Algodon Mansion offers a great menu of French-Argentine fusion cuisine. Plus they have an annex cognac bar and a glass-covered patio with a fireplace that is great for winter! Montevideo 1647 – Recoleta, 3530-7777
La Maison: A hidden gem in the bustling Palermo scene owned by a friendly French Mademoiselle from Lyon. The at home feel of this lovely recycled house, the welcoming service, and great drinks and food make La Maison a place worth revisiting. Honduras 5774, Palermo. 3979 2970. info@lamaisonba.com
L’Atelier: Way off the beaten path, in La Lucila neighborhood is one this suburban favorite. Savory dishes and a great wine list to complement ensure this lovely French restaurant is here to stay. Av. Libertador. 3836, La Lucila. 4005-5244
Top 5 Places for Empanadas in Buenos Aires
(Empanada “repulgue” detail by Victor(“,)/life)
Empanadas are a popular traditional food that is not only delicious but also easy to eat on the go. As you walk through the city streets you will be sure to find these savory bites in almost every restaurant, and pizza parlor. The fillings vary as does the dough, they may come baked or fried, and each is characterized by their own special “repulgue” (the sealing of the dough). The typical fillings you are likely to find in most places in include meat (made from ground beef, or meat cubes, spicy or mild), chicken, corn and béchamel (humita), ham and cheese and onion and cheese. Other variations are usually served in specialized empanada houses and may include bacon and plum, caprese, and pumpkin to name a few.
For a taste of the best empanadas in the city we recommend you try the following places:
Defined by their slogan which reads “Eating is a biological action, eating at El Sanjuanino is a cultural one,” this regional restaurant offers top quality empanadas in a cozy traditional setting.
Their empanadas contain mild meat, spicy meat, ham and cheese, corn, chicken, vegetable, mozzarella, tomato and basil and Roquefort fillings.
Posadas 1515, Recoleta
4804-2909
Another traditional restaurant that offers a larger variety of empanadas and has a unique setting decorated with retro toys, advertising and games from the 50’s-80’s.
They offer mild meat, spicy meat, chicken, tuna, ham and cheese, plum and bacon, chard, Roquefort and celery amongst others.
Larrea 1336, Recoleta
4821-6349
Owned by legend folk singer Mercedes Sosas family, this regional restaurant offers Tucuman style empanadas characterized by being made of chopped meat, potatoes and various spices including cumin amongst others.
Rivadavia 776, Downtown
4345-6588
This recycled house in Palermo serves pizza and a very large variety of empanadas including both traditional and unique fillings. Their menu includes empandas filled with red bell peppers and ham, eggplant, and anchovies amongst others.
Araoz 1283, Palermo
4774-6535
A traditional restaurant that specialize both in regional empanadas and in one of a kind varieties, which they claim, are the best in Buenos Aires. What can you find here?
A 7 cheese + Roquefort variety, an 8 vegetables kind, and an oversized Italian empanada filled with everything from pepperoni to olives to red bell pepper.
Bilinghurst 1862, Recoleta
4827-9477
If you would like to make your own empanadas don’t miss on one of these great cooking classes.
Top 5 Closed-Door Restaurants in Buenos Aires
(Photo by christopherhannah)
Closed-door restaurants have a special appeal to them. The ever-changing menus, the social experience of dining with strangers of different cultures, the individual touch that each chef brings to the table with them makes the closed-door experience unforgettable.
The goal of Chef Mun in this intimate closed-door restaurant is to create a sense of community amongst the food lovers sitting at his grand table. His own passion for cuisine began at a young age and was inherited from his mother and later developed into a full time activity after studying under the likes of celebrity Chef Makota Okuwa amongst others. The dining experience he shares with his visitors include Japanese, Korean, Chinese and California cuisines and prove to be not good for both the palate and the spirit.
15-3356-0092
The informality of Casa Salt Shaker makes for the lively ambiance and a fun evening under the influence of what they define as homemade cooking with a twist. Their five course tasting menu is continuously changing so that every dinner is a one of a kind experience.
casasaltshaker@gmail.com
Christina Sunae opens her house to guests (with prior reservation) every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night with the aim of sharing her knowledge of Asian Cuisine. Her fours step tasting menu is ever changing and is a culinary expression of her cultural background and of the knowledge she acquired whilst working in New York restaurants.
cel. 15.4870.5506
This closed door restaurant is run by a couple who lived over ten years in France having worked in top notch places such as L’Auberge de I’lll (3 Michelin stars) and having run their own gourmet rotisserie in Alsace. Their tasting menus offer, as is to be expected, the best of French cuisine for a reduced group of happy customers.
chez_rest@yahoo.com.ar
Casa Felix is a private restaurant part of Colectivo Felix, an interesting eco-gastronomic project that aims to promote local cultures and support small scale and eco-food producers through their cooking tours, research and restaurant. The restaurant, open a few months of the year, serves a five-course pescetarian meal (which you can request to be vegetarian or vegan) featuring original flavors and spices from their research on their travels across the country. Access to the restaurant is through reservation only.
4555-1882
info@colectivofelix.com
Local Specialties to Indulge your Sweet Tooth.
Grey cold days like the ones we’ve been having lately are great for comforting afternoon snacks in traditional teahouses such as Las Violetas in Almagro or Confiteria La Ideal downtown. Here are some local specialties to sweeten the afternoon.
Dulce de leche: Probably the most famous of Argentine sweets, this caramel cream is used in pastries, spread on toast, eaten by the spoonful and included in all kinds of desserts.
Alfajores: A typical sandwich like snack made up of two “cookies” usually filled by, you guessed it, dulce de leche, (although there are variety’s filled with fruit jams and chocolate as well) and covered in chocolate, confectionary, sugar or coconut. More information about alfajores is available here.
Rogel Cake: A very sweet cake made with alternating layers of puff pastry and dulce de leche and topped with meringue.
Pasta Frola Quince pie: Another typical sweet used in pastry’s and deserts is Quince paste (dulce de membrillo) and candied yam jam (dulce de batata), which are often combined with cheese for dessert. Quince paste also the main ingredient of Pasta Frola, a fruity pie that goes well with coffee.
Medialunas and Facturas: The local croissants and pastry’s come in many varieties. There are two types of medialunas (croissants), de grasa (made with lard) or de manteca (made with butter). The first is crunchier and thin, the second puffy and moist. Amongst the pastries you will find varieties with dulce de leche, with quince and yam jam, and with custard (crema pastelera).
Vainillas: These very lightweight airy “cookies” made from egg, vanilla and sugar are the favorite of many local children (and adults who wont admit it) who dunk them in milk as an afternoon snack.
Submarino: Another thing Argies like to dunk is a bar of chocolate in a cup of hot milk for a local take on a typical winter comforter.
Top 5 Italian Restaurants in Buenos Aires
(Photo by Katrina Parks)
The Italian influence on the city has been imprinted in the culinary trends of Buenos Aires where Italian restaurants abound. Of the many, we´ve picked five well worth trying to satisfy the craving of a hot plate of succulent pasta to warm up to in the winter!
Set on the second floor of an old house with a balcony overlooking Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo, this charming restaurant is a favorite amongst tourists and locals alike. Their fresh ingredients and traditional Italian cooking methods ensure the quality of their dishes which is complemented by the excellent service.
Defensa 1072, San Telmo
4362-5562
Open Tue-Sun 8am-Closing
The Hyatt in house Italian restaurant offers modern Italian cuisine in an ample seating space overlooking the stunning Duhau palace and gardens. An additional plus is the Hyatt Vinoteca and cheese room where you can taste local and foreign wines and a wide selection of premium cheeses served with fresh baked breads, chutneys and dried fruits.
Posadas 1350, Recoleta
5171 1330
Open every day from 6.30Am to midnight
This traditional restaurant is the perfect place to sit in on a winters day. Cozy and warm, it is frequented by the local clientele and favored by the aristocratic ladies of the Recoleta area. The food is fresh and abundant and their desserts, specially their chocolate semi-fredo and ice cream (which they make), are outstanding.
Av. Libertador 1098, Recoleta Alicia de Moreau Justo 176, Puerto Madera
4807-6691 4313-1199
Open everyday from 12-4pm and 8pm-closing.
Doppio Zero
This intimate restaurant in the Cañitas area prides itself on its simple but exquisite Italian cuisine, made with few ingredients and an emphasis on quality. Offering a 7 step tasting menu, and a wonderful wine selection by owner and sommelier Mariano Akman, Doppio Zero is an undisputed pleaser.
Soldado de La Independencia 1238, Las Cañitas
4899 0162
Open Tue- Sat 8.30pm- closing and Sun 12.30pm-4pm
Broccolino
Brocolino is a traditional Italian trattoria like restaurant with abundant, well priced and delicious homemade pasta. Their extensive menu, and the boisterous cheerful atmosphere bring both the Italian flavor and spirit to the table.
Esmeralda 776, Dowtown
4322-9848
Open every day from 12-4pm and 8pm-closing.
