Argentine steak, empanadas and pizza play a big role in the country’s cuisine, but there’s much more to food in Argentina. From asado (barbecue) to the stew-like national dish of locro, our Argentina food guide offers an extensive list of traditional dishes, European-influenced Argentine food favorites, desserts and wine. And it’s drawn from our travels across Argentina for four months, including meals in family homes, cafes, wineries and restaurants.

When I think about my first contact with the concept of Argentine cuisine, I recall a discussion twelve years ago with an unassuming foodie friend in San Francisco.

“I bet the food in Argentina is great!” I offered with blind optimism as visions of gauchos stepping to a tango beat danced in my head. Argentina seemed so damn far away; therefore the food must be exotic and varied.

My food-wise friend brushed off my enthusiasm without skipping a beat, “Yeah, if the only thing you like is steak and wine.”

Twelve years later Audrey and I arrive in Argentina to find out for ourselves about its food.

Four months traveling in Argentina, we have some experience. We have some answers about Argentine food, but a few questions linger:

Did the spice trade ever make it to Argentina?

What happened to the vegetables?

Can man live on steak alone?

Let's dig in.

Note: This post was originally published on August 18, 2010 and updated on November 4, 2018.

Argentine Steak: How to Choose and Order

Man cannot live on steak alone, no. But a steak a week is an easy pull in Argentina. And since steak is such an important part of the cuisine in Argentina, it garners its own section.

Argentine cattle are grass fed (in contrast to more common grain-fed beef typical in the U.S.). As a result, Argentine beef is not only a better taste experience, but also an easier digestive experience. To boot, Argentine steaks are charcoal grilled on a parrilla (i.e. a giant grill; parrilla is also the word used to denote grill-style restaurants).

Although Argentine steak is rich and flavorful enough on its own, that doesn't prevent most restaurants from offering chimichurri, an olive oil and spice rub sauce to pick things up even more. In our opinion, when the meat tastes this good on its own, there's no need to dress it up with any sauce.

Steak servings in Argentina are typically large, tipping the scales at 400 grams or almost one pound a portion. So it's not a faux pas to share one steak between two people at a restaurant.

To balance out the meal, we typically ordered a salad to go with our steak. We always left satiated, but not overly full. If you are ravenous or eating in a larger group, consider ordering a provoleta (a small round of herbed, grilled cheese) as an appetizer to kick things off.

A few tips to navigate an Argentine steak restaurant and menu:

Typical cuts of meat in Argentina:

• bife de lomo (sirloin) – a very lean cut and usually the most expensive. Our favorite choice.
• bife de chorizo (strip loin steak) – fattier than the bife de lomo, but some prefer it because it's juicier.
• matambre (flank steak) – more fat and less expensive, still.
• vacio (London broil)

How to order your meat cooked in Argentina:

• jugoso – rare (literally translated as juicy). This is what we would recommend. Actually muy jugoso, or very rare, is what we usually asked for.
• a punto – medium rare
• bien cocido – well done

Traditional Argentine Food

Mixed Asado (Traditional Argentine barbecue)

Argentine asado, the sacred weekend barbecue ritual of Argentine families, goes well beyond steak. The grill and cooking style used is similar, but an asado selection might include other cuts of beef, sausages, mollejas (thymus glands) and other offal, pork, and chicken.

If you are not fortunate enough to have Argentine family to hang out with like we did, you can find asado plates offered at most parrilla restaurants.

Many hostels also offer an asado dinner option once or twice a week. Another approach: crash a village cowboy/gaucho festival like we did.

Locro (Traditional Argentine Stew)

A dish hailing from Argentina's Andean northwest, locro is like a stew or soup filled with grains, meat, vegetables and corn. What some might consider the traditional national dish of Argentina, it’s a hearty, heavy comfort food.

Milanesa (Argentinian Schnitzel)

Milanesa sits atop many “typical Argentine food” lists. A milanesa is a pounded piece of chicken or beef breaded and fried or baked. Milanesa can be considered an Argentinian version of schnitzel, the traditional dish you'll find across Central Europe.

Milanesa is a common lunch menu item and is usually served with fries or potatoes, or slapped between bread to make a sandwich. Considering we had eaten milanesas for months during our travels throughout Latin America — from Guatemala on south — we admittedly didn't often seek it out while snacking in Argentina.

Empanadas

Empanadas, the ubiquitous Latin American savory turnover. Flaky or doughy, empanadas come stuffed with just about anything: spinach, cheese, acelga (Swiss chard), mushrooms, ground beef, chicken, even seafood.

On balance, Argentine empanadas are usually baked. You'll occasionally find them fried, especially in the north. Empanadas are the perfect traveler food — they are cheap, quick, high comfort and often oozing with cheesiness.

Argentina's Salta region claims the best empanadas. We agree.

Salteña empanadas are smaller and tastier; there's something special about the dough. Salta also gets extra points for serving their empanadas with a hot sauce. Outside of Salta, we recommend packing your own bottle of hot sauce heat. The flavor of a homemade hot sauce can often transform a mediocre empanada eating experience into something bordering delicious.

Keep your eye out for empanadas arabes (literally, Arabian empanadas) stuffed with cumin-herbed ground meat and lemon rind. When done well, they offer a new set of flavors to wake up tired taste buds in Argentina.

Tartas

When you think Argentine tarta, think quiche with less egg and more filling. Our favorite Argentinian tartas included tomato/mozeralla/ham/basil, mushroom, pumpkin/squash, and zucchini. Tartas can also offer a safe bet for vegetarians traveling in Argentina.

One small tarta (typically 4-5 inches across) was usually rich and filling enough to feed the two of us for lunch. Have the deli where you purchase your tarta heat it up for you, find a park bench nearby and enjoy a picnic lunch.

Italian Specialties in Argentina

Argentine Pizza

Pizza in Argentina typically falls into one of two categories: thick crust “pizza de molde” and thin crust “a la piedra (stone-cooked).”

No matter its classification, we found most pizzas in Argentina erring on the side of thick crusts, scant tomato sauce (one example featured an after-thought teaspoon of sauce in the middle of the pie) and and loads of cheese.

Pizza aficionados, manage your expectations.

We offer two recommendations when ordering pizza in Argentina:

1) Ask for extra sauce on your pizza. Yes, you will look the crazy tourist for this one but who really cares if it improves your eating experience.

2) Order the Napolitana pizza which features sliced tomatoes on top. This way, if the sauce is non-existent, the tang from the tomatoes will help to balance the rich, fatty mounds of cheese.

Other things to try at an Argentine pizzeria:

– Fugazetta: Pizza crust covered (or sometimes stuffed) with sweet onions. Depending on the version, fugazetta resembles focaccia or stuffed white pizza. No tomato sauce involved.

– Fainá Argentina (Farinata): A thin flatbread made from chickpea flour. It’s often served in addition to (or on top of) a slice of pizza, but we preferred to eat it separately.

Argentine Pasta, Ravioli, and Sorrentinos

Thanks to a profound ethnic Italian influence, Argentina features fresh pasta shops offering ravioli and their oversized brother, sorrentinos, on almost every city corner. Although there's no shortage of Italian restaurants in Argentina, we often opted to buy fresh ravioli from the grocery store or deli (shockingly inexpensive) and cook it ourselves at home.

Argentine Desserts and Sweets

Medialunas (Argentinian Croissants)

Although usually eaten in the morning, medialunas (small croissants) are often sided with coffee throughout the day. Medialunas (literally “half moons”) come in two broad categories – grasas (salty) and manteca (slightly sweet). When you find a good medialuna, you'll know it instantly: it melts in your mouth.

Perhaps the best medialunas in all of Argentina were made known to us thanks to a distant relative baker (Audrey's mother's cousin's daughter's husband…if you figure out the term, let us know) in La Falda. Unfortunately, we can't remember the name of the place, so just ask someone in La Falda which medialuna is so good it will bring tears to your eyes.

Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche (literally “sweet of milk”), is a caramelized liquid made from thickened, sweetened, boiled cream. While many find it overly sweet, we enjoyed it. If you don't enjoy the stuff, you may have a difficult time navigating desserts in Argentina and the roster of Argentine sweets.

Alfajores in Argentina

When it comes to alfajores, we prefer simple and traditional: two shortbread style cookies stuffed with dulce de leche and maybe rolled in a bit of shaved coconut.

Alfajores come in oodles of varieties, including chocolate-dipped. Although the Havanna cafe chain is well-known for its alfajores, we found their cookies a bit dry and airy, a little off in the way of density.

Our favorite alfajores: Cachafaz. These cookies are sold at corner kiosks for a little more than $1. They may not look like much from their packaging, but looks can be deceiving. The cookie crumbles just right and the dulce de leche filling is adequate. It is so rich, you can share it by cutting it into tiny pie-like wedges.

Rumors are that Cachafaz was founded by the original owners of Havanna so they could maintain the tradition of their original alfajores after selling the original business. We have no proof of the validity of this tale, but it strikes us as a good story.

Gelato (Argentinian Ice Cream)

Argentina fortunately takes its ice cream cues from Italy. Heladerias (ice cream shops) hail on every other corner, making it far too easy to pick up a hand-packed three flavor half-kilo container of gelato on your way home from dinner.

Argentina Wine and Drinks

Wine Tasting in Argentina

We won't cover Argentine wines in depth here because we address wine tasting at wineries in the major Argentine wine-producing areas in the following articles: wine in Mendoza, wine in Cafayate and Patagonian wine.

However, a solid, locally-fit red wine varietal like Malbec is just about as perfect a pairing as you can get with a nicely grilled Argentine steak. It's as if they were made for each other.

If wine is of interest to you, it's worth seeking out wine bars in Buenos Aires, Mendoza and other cities where you can undertake a series of Argentine wine tastings and learn about the different varietals and characteristics of each of the country's wine-producing regions. In addition, you can find very drinkable Argentine wine at grocery stores or wine shops throughout the country for $5-$10. This approach provides an excellent and cost-effective method to taste and explore wines in Argentina.

Mate (Argentina Yerba Mate)

Mate is the general name for the strong tea made from infusing yerba mate (dried tea leaves) in a water-filled gourd (technically called a mate) and drinking the result through a bombilla (like a metal straw with a sieve at the end). Audrey remembers taking swigs of mate from her Argentina-born grandmother's bombilla when she was young and thinking, “Wow, this is bitter.”

While we enjoyed the social element of mate — passing around the gourd and methodically refilling the water inside — we didn't particularly enjoy the taste of mate itself. This is just a personal preference. Millions of people adore mate, so try it for yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Argentina Restaurant Recommendations

The following are a collection of our recommended restaurants and eating experiences from the four months we spent traveling around Argentina. So as to not overwhelm this article, we published a separate article devoted entirely to our Buenos Aires restaurant recommendations.

Restaurants in Puerto Iguazu (near Iguazu Falls)

Colors Restaurant on Av. Córdoba 135 looks touristy at first glance, but it served up our most memorable bife de lomo in Argentina. The owner took us back into the kitchen and allowed us to choose our cut of meat. The price for a 400 gram steak, bottle of Reserve Malbec, substantial arugula salad and sparkling water: around $20.

Restaurants in Salta

Casona de Molina on the corner of Luis Burela and Caseros Streets. A “2-person” asado — with its variety of meats and sausages — is truly enough for four hungry people, runs $15. Empanadas are also top notch.

Note: Thanks goes to Leigh and her family for introducing us to these Salta restaurants.

Restaurants in Cachi (Salta region)

The Cachi wine bar and cafe stands about 10 meters down the hill from the church. Their empanadas combine a blended cornmeal crust with goat cheese filling to put them at the top of our list. The accompanying homemade salsa is pretty fantastic, too.

Restaurants in Cafayate (Salta region)

Casa de Empanadas: 12 kinds of empanadas, from four-cheese to chicken, made fresh to order. Vegetarians will love the wide variety of veggie options. We paid a daily visit during our stay in the town of Cafayate.

Alfajores Calchaquitos: Near the main square on Catamarca 253. For some reason, this alfajoreria (we're aware this is probably not a word) does not sell traditional alfajores. Despite this, the chocolate alfajores are pretty exceptional.

Restaurants in Bariloche

Almazen: A delightful little restaurant (20 de Febrero #40) specializing in daily specials like chicken curry or ravioli with cherry tomatoes and forest mushrooms. Some of the most unique and fresh food we found in Argentina. The lunch menu features about 8-10 specialties while the evening menu is focused on tapas dishes. Highly recommended.

Mamushka Chocolates in Bariloche: Much of the chocolate we found sold in stores throughout Argentina was waxy and not very good. But, Bariloche makes up for that with a main street dotted with chocolate shops. Though each chocolateria has its specialty, our overall favorite: Mamushka.

Gluten Free Eating in Argentina

If you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance there's good and bad news about Argentine food. On the positive side, one of the main specialties of Argentine cuisine — steak — is naturally gluten free. On the negative side, all those empanadas, pizzas, and pastas are not.

To help you navigate Argentine food so that you can eat gluten-free and feel confident about not getting sick check out this Latin American Spanish gluten-free restaurant card created by our friend, Jodi. This card explains in detail, using local food names and language, your needs as a strictly gluten free eater so that you get the meal you want and need. (Bonus: This card is sized for your smartphone and it can also be used in any Spanish speaking Latin American country, from Mexico to Chile.)

Jodi has celiac disease herself so she understands first-hand the importance of being able to communicate gluten-free needs in detail and educate waiters and restaurants on what this means in practice. She created her series of Gluten Free Restaurant Cards in different languages to help celiac and gluten-free travelers eat local with confidence, and without communication problems or getting sick.

Note: These gluten free restaurant cards are not part of an affiliate plan or a way for us to make money. We are extremely fortunate that we can eat everything, but we've seen the challenges of others who are celiac or have food intolerances where every meal can potentially make them sick or cause pain. These detailed gluten free cards were created to help prevent that from happening and make eating out when traveling fun, enjoyable, and safe.

Variety in Argentine Cuisine

By this point, you are probably wondering, where's all the bad food?

There isn't anything bad about food in Argentina, but there just isn't a lot of variety (e.g., compared with Peruvian food). Let's just say that after a couple of weeks, eating Argentine food can feel like hanging out at a piano bar with One-note Charlie.

And what about those vegetables? They are there, but someone seems to be hiding them, for Argentina certainly has the capability to grow just about anything.

And the spices? They are there too. But the European-dominated palate seems to have flattened any of the highlights carried down the cone from the Andes.

That said, if you do believe man can live on steak alone then it's time to book your tickets to Argentina.

The post Argentina Food: A Culinary Travel Guide to What to Eat and Drink appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Maybe you'd like to visit wine country in Argentina. You've heard about Mendoza, but you wonder: How to I go about wine tasting and touring wineries there? The options are many, but if you'd like to have a meaningful, enlightening wine tasting experience and an awesome time, here are a few tips on how to do so without blowing a ton of cash.

When we visited Argentina, we saved Mendoza, the country's oldest and best-known wine region, for our last stop. Mendoza is one of those familiar names — it's the epicenter of Malbec, Argentina’s most famous red wine varietal, and as the autumn harvest begins to fade into winter, the snow-covered Andes frame something simply stunning.

But there's always hype, isn't there? Due to feedback from other travelers, we'd tempered our expectations of Mendoza prior to our visit. In actual experience, we were pleasantly surprised to find not only some excellent wines but also some warm, passionate people working in the industry who were keen to open their world to us.

How did we do this? We took a three-pronged approach: seek out a tasting room for orientation, go deep with a public transport tour of Lujan de Cuyo, and wind things up on a bicycle down the wine roads of Maipu Valley. For sure, we'd taste Malbec, but we also went offbeat with Cabernet, Bonarda, Petit Verdot and Viognier, too.

Whatever you choose to do in Mendoza and wherever you choose to go, we offer this general bit of advice: show your curiosity, don't be afraid of exposing your inexperience, ask lots of questions and always seek out tastings beyond the standard offer.

Note: Many wineries close down over the weekend. If your stay overlaps with a weekend, do your research or call in advance to be sure the winery you want to visit is indeed open.

1) An Orientation: Vines of Mendoza Tasting Room

When you first arrive in Mendoza, make a beeline to this place. With close to 100 wines by the glass served by savvy sommeliers, Vines of Mendoza Tasting Room is the place to go for an orientation on Mendoza wine regions, wineries, wines and varietals. However deep or broad you'd like to go, Vines of Mendoza is thorough and approachable.

Take a seat at the bar up close to the action, and let the fun begin.

In our experience, the bartender-sommeliers are what seal the experience. The ones we'd spoken to weren't just trying to push the most expensive glasses of wine our way. They spoke intelligently and passionately, but never to the point of overdoing it. They had fun and so did we.

Tell them what you’re looking for in a wine and they'll usually recommend three to four wines to try. If you ask nicely, they will give you small tasting of each (a sort of mini-flight) so that you can choose the one you like most. Buy a full, generously poured glass. You’ll be surprised; it’s often not the most expensive wine you’ll choose. The whole process works particularly well for couples and small groups.

On our first day, we were drawn to a Viognier, a white wine varietal. An unlikely pick in a country known mainly for its reds, but that Viognier (Lorca Poetico 2008, 40% oaked) would remain with us as one of our favorites. We made our way through various styles of Malbecs (we had to, didn't we?) and we went further afield to Bonarda, a traditional blending varietal we'd become fond of.

The standard tasting flight costs 60 pesos ($15), while wines by the glass run from 15 pesos ($4) upwards to 80 ($20) pesos. Although flights offer an overview, wines by the glass (particularly those that happen to be on daily special) are ones that will likely leave a chop-licking impression.

Vines of Mendoza also hands out nifty maps of Maipu and Lujan de Cuyo which include recommended wineries and restaurants. The Vines of Mendoza staff will even give hints as to which vineyards to visit, depending on what type of wines you are looking to experience.

If you really adore a specific wine or winemaker, they can also arrange shipping around the world.

Address: Espejo 567, Mendoza; tel: +54 (261)4381031

Helpful Tips:
– Time your visits to Vines of Mendoza on Happy Hour evenings, from 7-9 PM which feature a 50% off list of select wines by the glass. Happy Hour days change (Wednesday and Saturday during our visit; last we heard, Tuesday and Friday), so call in advance to confirm.
– Visit the Vines of Mendoza location at the Hilton Mendoza on Thursday nights for all you can eat tapas and two glasses of wine for 45 pesos ($12). A terrific value — and an experience that left us feeling spiffier and more refined than we actually are.

Tasting highlights:

• 2006 Bonarda Marrena: red fruit and a hint of spice
• Sagre de los Andes, Malbec 2008: smoke, leather, flowers, even a faint essence of elastic bandages (we kid, sort of)
• Rothschild, Flecha de los Andes, 2008 Gran Malbec: mmm, chocolate
• Lorca Poetico, 2008 Viognier: fresh hints of citrus fruit, 40% aged in oak barrels, lending the wine body and firmness

2) Wineries in Lujan de Cuyo

Outside of Uco Valley, Lujan de Cuyo is the highest quality wine-growing sub-region in Mendoza. It's also a place where a slew of mid- and high-end wineries operate. Although having a car will make things easier, it is possible to get to Lujan by public bus from Mendoza (just ask at your guest house or hotel). After the bus drops you off in town, things can get a bit tricky. This is where you'll have to walk and ask questions for wineries in town, or hire a taxi to take you to the vineyards on the town's outskirts.

If you plan to visit several wineries, our suggestion would be to hire a taxi for the day to drive you around as distances between wineries can be vast.

Among the Lujan wineries we visited below, all export wine abroad, with Alta Vista wines being the easiest to find in the U.S.

Achaval Ferrar

Achaval Ferrer is an example of one of the boutique high-end wineries emerging in this area. The Argentine owners came from backgrounds altogether different than wine (the cement business), but they decided to follow their passion. They understood their limitations and brought in talent from Italy and Argentina to craft the high-end wines they envisioned.

Achaval Ferrer operates vineyards in both Lujan and Uco Valleys, their wines drawing characteristics from old vines, distinct soil types and high-altitude climates — all of which find expression in a more subtle French style rather than the bold, fruit-forward one common to many Argentine wines. Achaval Ferrer wines are geared toward longevity and export, so the winemaker keeps alcohol levels low.

Achaval Ferrer seems also to be on the itinerary of big wine buyers and spectators (i.e., those with private drivers and deeper pockets), but the atmosphere was not at all stuffy. The hosts were very welcoming to two independent travelers like us who showed up at the door without a reservation. And there is a nice personal touch: one of the owners led us on the tour and through the tasting.

Tour and Tasting: Call ahead to make a reservation or find out when tours are scheduled. We lucked out and arrived five minutes before a tour was set to begin. English language tours are available. Our tour was free, but the Achaval Ferrer website now indicates that tastings cost $10.
Tasting highlights: Quimera Blend (Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot),
Contact information: Calle Cobos 2601, Pedriel (about 10 km outside Lujan de Cuyo), tel: +54 9 261 5 53 55 65 (Patricia Lambert)

Carmelo Patti

Running a one-man-show winery doesn't leave much time for the details, including putting up a sign outside. But if you are looking for character, story and some unique quality wine, you'll have to pay Carmelo Patti a visit. Just as we entered the courtyard, Carmelo walked out from a garage with a thief full of young Cabernet Sauvignon taken straight from the barrel. Without skipping a beat, he handed it to Audrey as if they'd been old friends: “Try it. It will be a good wine, but it needs time. Maybe another year or more.”

He was of course right in all respects.

As Carmelo explains it, his marketing is all boca a boca (word of mouth); it’s the quality of his wines and the energy of charismatic personality that has thrust his one-man operation into the pages of the major press and wine magazine circuit.

Even after working his whole life in the wine industry (and working very hard, if our visit was any indication), Carmelo Patti struck us as passionate as ever about wine. To age like this, the stuff of dreams.

Tour and Tasting: Free. Show up during the day and Carmelo will take you around the entire operation (he and his helper were cleaning the tanks from the crush when we arrived). Carmelo doesn’t speak much English, although he’s so friendly that we imagine language is hardly a barrier to non-Spanish speakers.
Tasting highlights: Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($17) – smooth, sophisticated, and very much a product of the soil the vines are grown in.
Contact information: San Martin 2614, Lujan de Cuyo, (0261)498-1379/155601020

Alta Vista

AltaVista was by far the largest of the wineries we'd visited that day. We arrived late and had seen more than our share of winery facilities that week. We skipped the tour and went straight for the tasting, which included four wines in the low and mid range of AltaVista's vast offerings. This was OK, but we asked some questions to poke around the possibilities of tasting something else by the glass.

We're glad we did.

Sensing our curiosity, our hostess told us about Los Escasos, a limited line of inexpensive estate wines. The line was a result of deliberate experimentation — winemakers had free range to create their dream wines. Each label was designed with a character to express the personality of the varietal inside. We were intrigued, but unfortunately the wine we wanted to try most – the Petit Verdot – was not on the wines-by-the-glass menu.

Sensing our disappointment, our hostess looked around, shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “What the heck?” and reached for the corkscrew.

She poured herself a glass as well. As she swirled it and took in the aroma, you could tell she was thoroughly enjoying herself. She confided with a smile, “This is a really unique wine, my favorite of the group. Good choice.”

Tour and Tasting: Standard tasting is 30 pesos. Tours available throughout the day.
Tasting Highlights:

• Terrior Selection, Malbec 2007: nice body and tannins, a good reliable Malbec
• Los Escasos Petit Verdot 2004: tropical, red fruit, lot of tannins, needs time to open
• Los Escasos Cabernet Sauvignon 2005: unique and fruity. We shared a bottle of this with a Mendoza-based caterer who prepares dishes expressly for wine-pairing. And judging by his reaction, he was quite impressed. Not bad for a $10 bottle.
• Alta Vista Temporal Blend 2007: tasty, well-balanced tannins and fruit ($15)

Contact information: Alzaga 3972, Lujan de Cuyo; Tel: +54 261 496 4684

3) A Leisurely Cycle-and-Taste in Maipu Valley

Biking from winery to winery, with tastings in between, is fun and oddly amusing. Keep in mind, however, that we recommend this more for the overall experience rather than the quality of many of the wines you’ll taste along this route.

The truth is this: because of the large quantity of travelers taking this route, tours and tastings can be crowded. We also found that many of the groups of travelers we ran into seemed more interested in the quantity of wine they could down, rather than the quality of wine they'd be exposed to. The wineries obviously understand this and many often serve their lowest quality stuff.

Can you really blame them?

So if you have a sincere interest in wine tasting and getting a better feel for the wines in Maipu, ask for a wines-by-the-glass menu (often reasonably priced), allow the crowds to scatter, and enjoy a taste or two of something a bit higher quality.

Whatever wineries you choose to visit on your biking path, consider stopping off at Tempus Alba for lunch. Their rooftop restaurant features a nice view of the vineyards, a calm atmosphere and a rather excellent lamb burger and steak sandwich.

Order a tasting flight to go along with your meal and enjoy a nice break (we particularly enjoyed the Tempus Pleno — a Cabernet-Malbec blend — and a rather unusual Malbec Rose). Beware though; you may not be able to leave without a barrage of kisses and hugs from Christian, one of the winemakers.

Uco Valley

If we had more time in Mendoza, we would have gone to Uco Valley (and probably done so first). It's a bit further afield, but because of the high altitude, wines made from grapes grown here are said to generally be among the best that Mendoza has to offer.

Rent a car or driver for the day or book tickets on the Bus Viniviticola that visits several wineries in the course of the day for 100 pesos ($25).

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Mendoza could indeed keep you for weeks with its collection of wineries and wine bars. Even if you only have a couple of days, you can still get a solid overview and taste of some excellent wines. And the whole experience just might change the way you think about the sophistication and diversity of Argentine wines.

In fact, you may just find that there's more to Mendoza than Malbec.

The post Wine Tasting in Mendoza, Argentina: Going Beyond Malbec and Loving It appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Red rocks and desert. Doesn’t sound like the right conditions for a wine region, does it?

The name Cafayate, another of Argentina’s winemaking regions, doesn’t quite have the same ring as Mendoza. But there’s something about the sandy soil — good for irrigation control and filtering – that finds expression in the local grapes, including the local white wine varietal of choice, Torrontes.

So when we rented a car with friends and drove around northwestern Argentina for a week, we made sure to spend a little time sampling the local vintage in Cafayate. The outskirts of town is flush with vineyards while Cafayate itself is scattered with tasting rooms.

Torrontes: A Nice Surprise

While Mendoza is known for its Malbec and Patagonia for its Pinot Noir, Cafayate is known for Torrontes, a white wine varietal closely identified with the region.

Upon first sniff, the Torrontes aroma is virtually unmistakable. Jasmines, peaches, roses and bits of citrus hints are so aromatic and fresh that you might be tricked into thinking you are about to drink something sweet. The result: something understated and dry.

Refreshing and unique, Torrontes is fast becoming one of the new adored babies of the wine tasting world.

Wine Tasting and Winery Visits in Cafayate

Although Cafayate is experiencing a bit of a tourism boom and appearing on more and more itineraries these days, there’s still a markedly laid back feel to it. When we approached the local tourism office, we found a woman half asleep at a table outside the office kiosk in main square. We inquired as to wine tasting opportunities; she laboriously lifted her index finger and pointed to a faded photocopy list of wineries and tasting schedules taped to a side window of the kiosk.

Sun-bleached and dated, the paper didn’t look very reassuring. So we coaxed a winery map from her and she was kind enough to note wineries nearby that offered daily tastings.

Here's what we found.

1. Bodegas Etchart

One of the largest and oldest wineries in the area with production dating back to 1850. Although the facilities are imposing, the tour and tasting makes Bodegas Etchart worth a stop. Their standard tastings don’t feature any of their reserve wines, but you’ll have the opportunity to understand the Cafayate approach to winemaking and sample several wines made from an array of grape varietals.

If you arrive at the same time as a large group of locals (as we did), ask for a tour in English and you’ll likely be treated to a more intimate personal tour.

Cost: Free
Location: Route 40, KM 1047 (south of Cafayate). A couple of kilometers outside of town towards Quilmes. Rent a bike, walk or take a taxi.
Times: Monday-Friday: 9-12, 13-17, tours start at 13:15, 14:15, 15:15; Saturdays: 9-12
Highlights: Cafayate Reserve Torrontes 2009. Light and fruity aroma like a Gewurtzteminer, but a dry and bodied taste.
Malbec: OK, but not aged in Oak
Cafayate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: More body & tannen
(Note: Some of these lines change names and labels for export)

2. Bodega Nanni

A small, organic winery that runs its winemaking operations right in the middle of the town of Cafayate. Our friends in Salta had introduced us to Nanni wines and we were curious to taste more.

Cost: 5 pesos, but if you buy a bottle this can be used toward a purchase. Note: Nanni offers the option to take a tour, taste wines or both.
Location: Silverio Chavarria 171, Cafayate (a few blocks from the main plaza)
Times: 14:30 – 18:30
Highlights: The Rose was the best of the tasting. The Tannat is also good and unusual.

3. El Transito

The night before visiting El Transito, we purchased a bottle of their Pietro Marini Malbec from a local wine shop (yes, we were somewhat drawn by the old man on the label) and had really enjoyed it.

So we decided to pay the winery a visit to see what else they offered.

We asked about the man on the label and were told that this was indeed Pietro Marini, the great-grandfather of the current owner of the winery. He had come to Argentina from Italy in the late 19th century and built a winery in Cafayate. He obviously remains an inspiration as his image is just about everywhere in the winery and on its labels.

While we enjoyed some of their wines, the tasting was so stingy as to almost be absurd. It would have been impossible to pour any less into our glasses. And, when we asked about tasting reserve wines — even offering to pay for a glass – our request was met with a stiff, resolute “not possible.”

Cost: Free
Location: Belgrano 102, Cafayate
Times: 9-13:00, 15-20:00
Tasting highlights: Our favorite here is the 2007 Pietro Marini Malbec. Smooth, nice fruit and a decent finish for a relatively inexpensive bottle. The 2007 Cabernet, while not quite on the level of the Malbec, exhibited even more fruit.

We bought the oaked (Roble) Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend at the tasting room out of curiosity and found it disappointing and flat in comparison to the unoaked Malbec. Another lesson in “Never judge a wine by its price.”

4. El Porvenir

We had tried a bottle of El Porvenir wine the week before with our friends in Salta and thought it was excellent. The 2005 Amauta Cabernet Merlot blend is one of the best wines for the money ($10) and one of the best we’d tasted during our time in Argentina.

While at the tasting room, we chose to skip the tasting – the price was high (more than $20 for the two of us) and the ambiance was non-existent. Instead, we bought a bottle of the 2006 Amauta Cabernet Merlot blend, which didn’t quite live up to the beauty of its 2005 predecessor.

A few weeks later we ran into a French couple working in the wine industry and they highly recommended a wine tasting at El Porvenir, indicating that only its highest quality and reserve wines are served. Based on the reliability of their other recommendations (in Mendoza), next time we’ll be sure to incorporate an El Porvenir tasting into our itinerary as a splurge.

Cost: 40 pesos
Location: Córdoba 32, Cafayate
Times: 10-13, 15-18:00
Tasting highlights: Amauta, Laborum.

Other Cafayate Wineries:

Bodega San Pedro de Yacochuya: The original family behind Bodegas Etchart. We’re told the trick is to book in advance to enjoy a wine tasting lunch with the family.

—

Touring Wineries in Cafayate: The Upshot

Cafayate offers the opportunity to learn about and taste its wines without the logistical headache of coordinating a lot of transport. Get a map from the tourist office and plan your own little wine route. If you have a rental car, you can visit some wineries in the countryside. And if not, there are more than enough tasting opportunities in town.

Either way, retire with an order of empanadas in the evening and your favorite bottle from the day.

The post Red Rocks and Wine Tasting: Cafayate, Argentina appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Q: What’s the proper way to greet family you’ve never met before?

A: In Argentina: with kisses, warmth — and a heck of a lot of steak.

Earlier this year, with a visit to relatives in Argentina only days away, I received my first email in Spanish from my grandmother. This may not sound noteworthy, but the fact that she wrote it in her mother tongue transformed it for me from a simple letter into a welcome to a part of my family I hadn’t known before: the Argentine side.

My Soccer-Loving, Mate-Drinking Grandma

When I was growing up, there were a few things that made my grandma different from other grandmas. She wasn’t just the cutest grandma in the world, one that I called Oma. She really was a little different, in a good way.

During my visits with her in the suburbs of Philadelphia, she would drink this bitter herbal tea out of a hollow gourd using a funny sieve-like metal straw. Whenever I tasted it, I’d wince, and she’d laugh, “It’s just something you have to grow up with to like.”

This was mate: an Argentine beverage, an Argentine social institution.

She was also an avid soccer (football) fan, seeking it out on television whenever she had the chance. During my soccer games as a kid, she was usually the only grandma in attendance, cheering away on the sidelines. More than that, she actually knew something about the game.

She had a cute little accent, too. I didn’t pay much attention to it when I was growing up. After all, this was just how my Oma spoke. But her letters to me – written in English – were always flawless. I later found out this was thanks to my grandfather, a journalist and editor. Only when he was no longer able to edit did I begin to notice some grammar mistakes creeping into her letters.

All of this is a long way of saying: Oma grew up in a different culture, somewhere far from the United States.

A Gardener from Switzerland

Like many good stories of family history, this one begins with a man on a boat.

My great-grandfather was a gardener born and raised in Switzerland. In search of economic opportunity (Switzerland wasn’t always the land of abundance that it is today) for him and his fiancée, he boarded a boat from Europe to Argentina in the early 1900s.

Why Argentina? Family lore says that he couldn’t afford a visa to the United States; Argentina was the next best alternative within reach.

Aboard the ship, he happened to meet the owner of the Eden Hotel, a luxury retreat for the European elite tucked into the hills outside Cordoba, Argentina in a small town called La Falda. It was the sort of place where royalty vacationed for months on end and guests were allotted their own horse and stable.

With that conversation, he secured himself a position. My great-grandmother came over from Switzerland to get married and start a life together in Argentina. He worked for years as a landscaper and gardener and built a family home only a few blocks away from the hotel.

From Buenos Aires to the World

Years later, the family moved to Buenos Aires so as to provide more educational opportunities for the children. My grandma, the youngest of five, was born there.

When we visited Buenos Aires, I emailed Oma to ask about where she grew up. She responded instantly with an address, one apparently embedded in her permanent memory.

We took a trip there to see her old family home in Villa del Parque, a quiet, almost suburban, neighborhood in Buenos Aires. I tried to imagine what it must have been like for her to grow there in the 1930s.

A lot has changed: the family home has since been divided into apartments and a typical stand-alone Buenos Aires neighborhood has filled in around it. My grandmother could barely recognize it at all from the photos.

When my mother was still a toddler, the family moved to the United States. They’d move further still to India and then to Switzerland before again returning to the U.S. All the while, my grandmother was still close with her family. Wherever she was in the world, she’d find a way to return to Argentina every few years for a visit.

From Buenos Aires + Family = Asado

When you find yourself, like me, saddled with American-style inhibitions, contacting people who are technically family but with whom you have no active relationship can feel a bit awkward, to say the least.

But here’s the thing about family in this part of the world: if you’re family, you’re family.

My Argentine family roots are of Swiss origin, but the family structure is decidedly Latin: big families (4-5 kids each) who live near one another and see each other regularly (as in every weekend).

Our first encounters with family in Buenos Aires were in the midst of large family events: twenty people or more, spanning four generations. Everyone gathered together on the weekend for an asado, the traditional Argentine barbecue: long afternoons, relaxation, astounding amounts of meat, and wine to wash it all back.

Then I looked at our own lives in contrast, one that we have deliberately chosen: living thousands of miles away from our families. To all my Argentine kin, it must have seemed so foreign, so uprooted.

Full Circle: Family in La Falda

A few weeks later in La Falda, my mom’s cousin Chango invited us to an asado at his home, the same one my great-grandfather the gardener had built decades before. Just next door stood an adorable a-frame house that was built for a great aunt. It was home to another distant relative. On the outside it read Omi, similar to the name my brother and I called our own grandma (Oma).

As my family plied us with more meat — asado style (they told Dan he really could do with a few more kilos and did their best to act on it immediately) — we recounted our lives in broken Spanish. At the same time, we admired the family, the crowd and the fluidity between them all. We sketched family trees in our heads, drawing connections between the vast network of cousins, second cousins, boyfriends, girlfriends, children, stepchildren and everyone in between.

No more family awkwardness.

As we looked out from the balcony onto the grounds, the sun drew down over a spread of hulking trees with deep roots uplifted.

Chango observed, “Your great-grandfather planted many of these.”

The post Discovering Family in Argentina appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Patagonia: the home of otherworldly landscapes, uplifted granite, glaciers, unrelenting wind, and the toughened skin of a Pinot noir grape. At the region’s northern reaches, where fabled mountains yield to desert flatlands, there are wineries.

We couchsurfed and hitchhiked our way to find them, and when we did, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we had them virtually all to ourselves.

Adventurers, read on. For those of you interested in the details of do-it-yourself wine touring in this area, read Patagonia Wine Tasting, a How To.

Note: This is the first in our series about wine in Argentina. Next up: Cafayate, Mendoza, and how to choose a bottle of Argentine wine.

The Genie out of the Patagonian Wine Bottle

We had come to Argentina with a Patagonian wine itch to scratch. The region is very quickly coming on the world wine scene. But where to begin?

The answer would come on our first evening after crossing the border from Paraguay when an employee at a wine shop in Puerto Iguazu gave us an unexpected primer on three of Argentina’s wine regions – Mendoza, Cafayate and Patagonia.

“And Patagonian wines?” we asked.

“Good Pinot Noirs.” He said. “It’s a young wine region, but it’s getting better each year.”

Sold.

So we sampled some Patagonian wines during our two-month stint in Buenos Aires. A Pinot Noir here, a Malbec there. A Syrah, even a Cabernet Sauvignon. The more we drank, the more we liked, particularly of those Pinots. We wanted to know more.

En route from Bariloche to Cordoba, we stopped off in the town of Neuquen, the jumping off point for the Patagonian wine routes. Our goal: to tour some Patagonian wineries independently without renting a car. Unfortunately, the initial results of our online research yielded Twitter echoes (i.e., Google searches that yield your own tweets on the topic).

Florencia and Fabricio, our CouchSurfing hosts in Neuquen, were thankfully on the case. When we arrived, they’d put together all the public transportation information we’d need. But independence from a tour or rental car came at a price: two early morning buses to the base of the route and the choice to walk, hitchhike or taxi from there.

No problem, right?

To the Wine Road, the Open Road

Funny thing about the desert: early mornings are cold, really cold. That we were sleep deprived made our first bus to Cinco Saltos even more difficult. The bus was packed with locals on their way to factories and schools outside of town. Even in the best of conditions, we would have missed our stop. As it turned out, we missed it by a mile.

Or was it two?

We jumped off in the midst of fruit orchards and walked back along a highway, buses and trucks throwing the cold morning wind in our faces.

What did we sign up for again? Is this wine touring?

We cut across a series of dirt roads. “Excuse me. Where is Cincos Saltos main square?” we asked two local women on their morning walk.

“Straight…left, right…then straight,” they offered, chuckling. They were intrigued by the misplaced gringos and wondered how we had appeared, seemingly out of the middle nowhere.

When we found the main square and our bus to San Patricio del Chañar, we engaged the bus driver with concern: “Is this the bus to the wineries?”

“Don’t worry,” he said, amused at our anxiety. “I will tell you when to get off.”

He showed us the schedule for return buses so that we wouldn't get stranded. This man was our guardian for the day.

It turns out there were no wineries in San Patricio where the bus terminated, but a few taxis were available to take us the ten kilometers to our first winery, Bodega NQN. When our driver dropped us off, he grew protective, almost afraid to abandon us: “Are you sure? Here, take my number. Please call me. I’ll come and get you.”

We assured him we'd be alright and reluctantly he left.

Bodega NQN: Wild West Minimalism

Bodega NQN, at the northern end of the Ruta del Vino served as our first taste of Patagonian vineyard aesthetics and the philosophy of new minimalist simplicity. Wineries in this region were only about a decade old, but the sheen and modernity were striking. Wine tradition was out, high science was in.

If the Fountainhead’s Howard Roark owned a winery, this is where it would be.

The region is a desert, so there’s lots of sunshine; washout vintages are not an issue. Days are warm, nights are cool. The game here is about control and irrigation from canal systems that take runoff from the mountaintops. Because of the desert, fungus and insects, the usual vineyard vandals, haven't yet proven an issue.

We asked our guide, a young woman who took us around for over an hour and patiently answered all of our questions in broken Spanish, which years had been better than others.

“No bad years. As the vines age, each year is better than the next.”

Consistency from year to year is a blessing in the wine industry, but this dependability also precludes the odd exceptional year that everyone raves about.

Notable tastes at Bodega NQN: Viñedos de la Patagonia Malbec Malma 2007: Nice fruit, berries and tannin. Our favorite of the tasting. After tasting the young 2009 Malbec, and the fruit-forward Malma Merlot Reserve 2005, this was a relief.

Hiking to Fin del Mundo, the End of the World

Not yet courageous enough to hitchhike, we walked the seven kilometers to Bodega Fin del Mundo, the oldest (from 1999) and largest winery on the route. As we walked along the side of the road, our favorite neighborhood bus driver passed us, heading in the opposite direction.

In the middle of nowhere, his smile and wave made us feel oddly reassured.

Upon our arrival at Fin del Mundo, we were set up with a guide and a tour right on the spot.

During the tasting, our guide gave us an overview of the different labels and qualities that Fin del Mundo produces, from inexpensive table wines (Ventus & Postales del Fin del Mundo) to the mid-range (Newen) to its higher end Reserves and Special Blends.

This is one of the nice features of Argentine wineries: ranges are broad, and there's usually something for every budget and preference. The difference in price (and sometimes quality) is dependent on aging in oak barrels (and duration), selection of grapes, and how long it is kept in the bottle before being released.

When our guide learned of Dan’s preference for Pinot Noirs – a grape variety suitable for growing in this region because of the climate and well-drained soil – she opened up a few more bottles for us to taste. The tasting experience was laid back and comfortable; there was no sales push nor attempt to swiftly show us the exit.

Notable tastes at Bodega Fin del Mundo: Fin del Mundo Pinot Noir Reserva 2008: Light, smooth, a bit of smoke, presumably from the oak. Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva 2007: Smooth, round, nice fruit and a bit of velvet in the finish.

Experiments in Hitchhiking

As we considered the three kilometer walk we had ahead of us from the entrance to the main road, good fortune appeared. A group of employees from the Argentine Wine Testing Board exited the winery with boxes of wine under their arms.

This was the life.

We asked where they were headed, and when they realized we were without a car, they insisted we join them. We were both in admiration of each others' jobs.

“Taste wine every day?” That sounded pretty good to us.

“Traveling the world, writing about it and taking photographs.” That sounded good to them.

After agreeing to swap jobs one of these days, they left us at the main road and we continued our walk south.

When it comes to hitchhiking in this part of the world, using the entire hand (palm down) almost as if to slow down the car seems to yield better results than a waggle of an upturned thumb. Perhaps it also helped that our inhibitions about hitchhiking had vanished. One good interaction and a little tippling will do wonders for one’s hitchhiking confidence.

A few minutes later, a woman and her son picked us up. We hopped in the back of their car and shared our story, where we were headed.

She nodded. “My son is traveling around Europe right now. He’s doing what you are doing.”

In a karmic exchange, she offered safe passage right up to the front gate of the next winery, Familia Schroeder. Hopefully her son would find similar kindness to get him where he needed to go, halfway around the world.

A Final Taste, A Ride Home

Familia Schroeder’s best-known label, Saurus, refers to dinosaur bones discovered when the winery was being built. Amidst the displays of recovered bones in the cellar, our guide-sommelier explained the winery’s specialty, Pinot Noir.

“It’s because the days are hot, the nights are cold and there is a lot of wind, the grapes become strong and their skins thick. This is what makes Pinot Noirs in this region so unique.”

We tasted several vintages and agreed. We came away with an excellent bottle of Select Reserve Pinot Noir for our hosts. One of the appealing aspects of Argentine wines is a bottle costing anything over $10 could be considered expensive and is often of surprisingly high quality.

Notable tastes at Bodega Familia Schroeder:
True to their word, Familia Schroeder’s Pinot Noirs are their specialty.
– Saurus Pinot Noir 2008 and Saurus Pinot Noir 2007 (both barrel fermented): smooth and fruity
– Patagonia Select 2008: floral, berries and hints of the mineral-rich soil.

We left, bottles of wine in hand and walked the edge of the vineyards towards the main road. By this point, our pace was plodding, the sunshine and wine consumption having taking its toll. As a small car passed by, we feebly waved our hands.

Surprisingly, it stopped. We ran over and asked the driver, an older gentleman in a baseball cap who looked like he spent his days working outside in the sun, if we could get a ride to the main road or perhaps the town of San Patricio.

He smiled warmly, shook his head and asked: “How about I take you all the way to Neuquen?”

The transportation angels sang from above.

It turns out our ride was courtesy of a Familia Schroeder irrigation specialist. He once worked in the fruit business but now applied his talents in the vineyards. As we shared our itinerary in Argentina, he remarked, “You know, each region of Argentina has its own culinary specialties.”

“So what’s the specialty in this region?” we asked, genuinely curious to learn about something new in Neuquen.

“Hmm…asado.”

Then he started laughing, “It’s asado everywhere in Argentina, isn’t it?”

And with asado, a good red wine.

The post Patagonia: Hitchhiking the Wild West of Argentine Wine appeared first on Uncornered Market.

When we poked around Buenos Aires earlier this year, our food quests were focused not only on understanding Argentine cuisine but also seeking out various ethnic cuisines that we hadn't encountered much while traveling the Andes and Paraguay. A couple of times a week, we’d head out with a restaurant recommendation, a gigantic map of the city, and scribbled notes as to our bus route.

We often got lost. We always ate. And we discovered something.

There's some nice food in Buenos Aires. But mediocrity in the cuisine scene is well represented across various budget levels. It's easy to drop a bunch of money on a lackluster meal.

We understand that Buenos Aires is not the only city that suffers from this phenomenon. But perhaps because of the imagery that often precedes it, expectations rise. Particularly if you expect to spend a short time in the city (and food is important to you), it may just be worth doing a little more restaurant research than usual.

The following intends to capture a random culinary walk through the city and is meant to answer the “Where did you eat? What did you have? Anything of note?” questions we get all the time.

Now, let's eat!

Parrillas (Steak Restaurants)

Don Zoilo

Although the scene may appear a bit formal at first (e.g., waiters in aprons and bow ties), the atmosphere inside is that of a classy, but unpretentious, neighborhood restaurant where families and friends gather for a meal. Our waiter was exceptionally friendly. After noticing that we had a thing for photographing our food, he began to bring other peoples' orders to our table so we could take a shot.

Very good bife de lomo. If you need something to balance your meat intake, try the radish greens salad. All that, a recommended bottle of Malbec and dessert ran about 100 pesos ($28) for two. Go early (as in 8:30 or 9 PM) as this place fills up quickly. Address: Honorio Pueyrredón 1406, Villa Crespo

Parrilla Peña

A simple neighborhood spot that seems to have gotten its name into a couple of guidebooks, judging by the tourist crowd. But, it's still good. Nicely grilled provoleta (herbed cheese) and a solid bife del lomo serving large enough for three people. Prices are reasonable and staff are patient: we lost track of time, closed out the place and they didn’t fuss. Address: Rodríguez Peña 682, Recoleta

El Obrero

One part football (soccer) shrine, another part parrilla, El Obrero is a place for visual fun, what with all the Boca Juniors football paraphernalia. Large, juicy steaks won't empty your wallet. Leave room for the pave de vainilla sided with a daunting dollop of dulce de leche. Get a pull of espresso to balance out all that sweetness.

Stories of people getting mugged in La Boca are plentiful. During the daytime, it seemed fine — we walked the few blocks from where the bus dropped us off (the #64 bus from Barrio Norte is a terrific visual sample of BA, by the way). If you feel apprehensive, go while it's light or take a taxi at night.
Address: Agustín R. Caffarena 64, La Boca

El Caldon

Looking a bit more upscale than most restaurants we chose, El Caldon was a neighborhood favorite of a friend in Palermo. Service is good, if a bit over-the-top in a tourist courtship sort of way. Steaks are high quality and grilled vegetables done perfectly. Crockpot garlic spread cover is a nice touch. Very reasonably priced wine list given the all the above. A good experience and not quite as expensive as it may look at first glance. Address: Corner of Salvador and Armenia Streets, Palermo Viejo

Empanadas and Tartas

Spend any time in Argentina and you’ll quickly realize that not all empanadas are created equal. Here are a few places we'd recommend for freshness and variety.

No Name Barrio Norte Deli

This is the sort of place we live and die for. A take-out deli with a gregarious chef (often in a paper chef’s hat) behind the counter. He loves to talk, but his porteño accent makes it a bit difficult for newcomers to keep up.

Everything here is good, but the tartas are exceptional. Our favorites were the ham/cheese/basil/tomato and pumpkin squash varieties. The empanadas arabes, filled with spiced meat and topped with lemon rind, are a revelation. The giant beef empanadas do the salty-sweet thing like only grandmothers know how.

Very inexpensive and high quality – this is why you'll see both construction workers and businessmen in suits waiting for their food. We were regulars here several times a week to pick up lunch.
Address: 2907 Juncal Street (Bustamante cross street), Barrio Norte
Note: This place is open only at lunchtime until around 3-4 PM.

No Name Empanada Place on Scalabrini Ortiz

We stumbled upon this place in a food daze when we underestimated walking distances in the city. Freshly cooked empanadas heated to perfection were just the ticket. We returned several times. Up there in the top echelon of our Argentine empanada experiences.
Address: 1800 block of Scalabrini Ortiz (cross street is Nicaragua), Palermo

Pizza and Pasta

We’ve already written about keeping expectations at bay when it comes to Argentine pizza. Here are a few places that, for various reasons, were notable.

Thin Crust: Albamonte

The first time we dined here, our American friends joining us joked that everyone in the place did a double take when they first walked in.

The point: not many tourists make it out here. Though the neighborhood may look a little rough around the edges to some, it's fine. And Albamontes has a friendly put-your-arm-around-your-neighbor feel to it. More importantly, perhaps, the food is great – pleasing even the most discerning of our Italian-American friends. The pizza here is probably the closest you’ll come to pizza that resembles real Italian pizza – thin crust, ample sauce, and not kilos of cheese. The calamari is also very good. Not expensive. Address: Avenida Corrientes 6735, Chacarita

Thick crust: El Cuartito

The well-known, overgrown red-headed stepchild of Buenos Aires pizza joints, El Cuartito is almost universally panned by anyone doing the food critic thing. So why did we go? Our discerning landlord suggested we do so despite the bad reviews.

However, she recommended a strategy: understand that it's thick crust pizza and order the Napolitana. So we did. Although we're not usually awed by thick crust pizza, this one was sufficiently crispy and the sauce was flavorful. More importantly, the sauce:cheese ratio was balanced, perhaps because of the sliced tomato topping. Tables are graced with cans of olive oil and fresh oregano and roasted red pepper flakes — this behavior earns bonus points in our book.

El Cuartito is packed in the evenings with both tourists and locals. Go early or prepare to wait a bit.
Address: Talcahuano 937, Recoleta

Fresh Pasta at Coto Supermarket (Barrio Norte, Santa Fe location):

What?!?! A supermarket? We realize we may lose points among our foodie friends for recommending fresh pasta from a chain supermarket, but hear us out. At first, we were attracted to boxes of flour-dusted fresh pasta because of the price. How can you beat $2.50 for two sheets of fresh ricotta-filled ravioli, or $4 for a tray of spinach and ricotta sorrentinos?

A tad skeptical, we brought them home and cooked them. The taste and texture: spot on. We also tried other fresh pasta factories in the city to compare. As difficult as this may be to believe, Coto boxed fresh pasta beat out many of the corner store ravioli and sorrentino factories charging two and three times the price. If you are looking for a satisfying, inexpensive meal to cook at home, Coto fresh pasta is where it's at.

If you are renting an apartment in Buenos Aires, consider that a decent bottle of Tempranillo/Malbec/Cabernet/Syrah and a two-person serving of ravioli would run you about $5-$10.

Price is an indicator of nothing, except perhaps economy of scale.

Medialunas, Cafés, Gelato and Happy Hour

Buenos Aires' streets are literally lined with cafés. One of the city's defining features are its great cafes, in the sort that spill out onto sidewalks. Most coffee will come with a glass of mineral water and a little sweet treat. So beautiful, so civilized.

Café de Arenales

Does a great continental breakfast of café con leche and 3 medialunas for 10 pesos ($2.50). Coffee is stand-up and the medialunas even better. Address: Corner of Larrea and Arenales Streets, Barrio Norte

Medialunas del Abuelo

A bakery churning out big trays of medialunas and other facturas (pastries) day in and day out. Try both the grasa (salty) and manteca (sweet) varieties. There are several outlets scattered around town. Address: Juncal 2190, Barrio Norte

Lucio Café

Determined to find us the best medialunas in town, our landlord sent us to Lucio's. Their crescents are very, very rich — so buttery, they almost melt in your mouth. Decadent.Address: Scalabrini Ortiz and Güemes Streets, Palermo

Tienda de Café

This is a chain café, but the coffee is good and the little treats alongside are tasty, too. Free wifi is also a nice touch. Our favorite location was in Barrio Norte.Address: Juncal 2295, Barrio Norte

Un Altra Volta

One of the best gelato places in Buenos Aires. Try a combination of passion fruit mousse with dark chocolate. Address: There are many shops around Buenos Aires but the one at Santa Fe 1826 has a pleasant garden seating area in the back.

Milion Bar

A bar and restaurant in a converted mansion with an awesome outdoor garden area. Inside décor is also cool. Check out the stairways and you'll feel like you've gone back in time or stepped onto a movie set. Serves tapas as well as full meals. We usually went for the happy hour special from 7 PM onwards because the bar featured good deals on beer (something like $2/beer). A really nice place to meet friends in the evening. Make reservations on good weather days because the garden and other outdoor seating are likely to fill up. Address: Parana 1048, Recoleta

Hat tip to Jon Brandt for introducing us to this place.

Ethnic Restaurants (A break from steaks, pizza, pasta and empanadas)

Sarkis Armenian Restaurant

One of our favorite ethnic food spots in Buenos Aires. We recommend the jambra (roasted red pepper and walnut dip) and babaganoush to start. Follow it with an outstanding minced lamb kebab covered in plain yogurt and onions. Having been to Armenia, we can say that we wouldn't have left if the food was this good.

Delicious, reasonably priced and a good place for vegetarians. Arrive early because this place fills up quickly. Address: Thames 1101, Palermo Viejo

Panaderia Armenia

A great deli and sweets shop to pick up Armenian food for a picnic. Thick, Greek-style yogurt, babaganoush, hummos and an incredible selection of sweets. Buy your stuff and head to the nearby park in Palermo for an outdoor nosh. Address: Scalibrini Ortiz 1317, Palermo Viejo

Lotus Neo Thai

Not cheap by any stretch, but the Penang curry was spicy, full of flavor and just what we needed for our Asian food fix. Nice rooftop terrace where you can start your evening with cocktails and appetizers (recommend the satay beef skewers). Address: Arribeños 2265 (same street as Chinatown), Belgrano

Tandoor Restuarant

Surprisingly good Indian food for this part of the world. A good selection of vegetarian food and nicely spiced meat dishes (including saag/lamb). Tandoor also has a reasonably priced lunch menu. Address: Laprida 1293, Barrio Norte

La Fabrica del Taco

When you need a Mexican or street-food style fix, this busy place does the trick. Our favorite was the Volcan Taco, but all the grilled meat tacos were good. A decent selection for vegetarians, too. Don't forget to take advantage of the 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour each night. Address: Gorriti 5092, Palermo Soho

Buying Asian ingredients

If you happen to have your own kitchen and want to stock up on spices, fresh herbs, curry pastes, vegetables and anything else Asian you might desire, then head over to Chinatown on Arribeños street in the Belgrano neighborhood. Chinatown only stretches a couple of blocks, but it includes two big supermarkets specializing in foreign foods.

Sushi:

Skip it. Really. It's not worth it. Wait until you return home or book a flight to Lima, Peru. You'll probably save money if you do. Otherwise, be prepared to pay an arm and a leg and indulge in mediocre salmon swimming in cream cheese.

Recommendations for navigating Buenos Aires' restaurants

1) Check out Layne's Buenos Aires restaurant recommendations at TaxiGourmet. She tipped us off to some of her favorite restaurants that she discovered through her taxi cab adventures. Several of our recommendations are thanks to her.

2) Find reviews, average meal prices, addresses, maps, phone numbers, opening hours and loads more information for almost any restaurant in Buenos Aires at Guia Oleo. Very useful.

3) Taxis in Buenos Aires are relatively easy and inexpensive, but it can be fun to take on the city's bus system. Como Viajo is a great website to figure out your public transportation route to the restaurant. Just put in your start and end addresses. We found Como Viajo easier to navigate than the labyrinthine Buenos Aires bus guides. Just make sure you have coins to pay for your bus fare.

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We understand that this list is far from exhaustive. Buenos Aires is a huge city of over 13 million people spread out over close to 50 neighborhoods.

What is your favorite Buenos Aires food, restaurant or dining experience? Please add your own recommendations in the comments so that other visitors to the city may benefit.

¡Buen Provecho!

The post A Little Bite of Buenos Aires appeared first on Uncornered Market.

Some places are best suited to road trips. They speak: move at your own pace, get lost, stop off in small towns, have the flexibility to enjoy whatever experiences might come your way.

The area around Salta and Jujuy in northwest Argentina is one such chunk of perfect road trip territory. Listen and watch the audio slideshow below to find out why.

Audio Slideshow: Road Trip in Northwest Argentina

A special shout out goes to Jason and Aracely. We set off renting a car with them for three days. In the end, our trip lasted seven days, a reflection of both the quality of their company and some rather stunning scenery and culture.

Road Trip Itinerary: Salta – Cachi – Las Arcas – Cafayate – Quilmes – Cafayate – Campo Quijano – La Polvorilla Viaduct – San Antonio de los Cobres – Salinas Grandes – Purmamarca – Humahuaca – Tilcara – Jujuy – Salta

Practical Details for Planning a Road Trip Around Salta

• Renting a Car in Salta: Buenos Aires Street in Salta is chock full of rental car companies. Just take a walk down the street and pop your head into different shops to get a feel for prices and vehicles available. Negotiation is perfectly acceptable. If you are more than two people, we recommend getting a four-door car. We paid around 200 pesos ($55) per day for a four-door sedan. The tourist office will give you a list of “recommended” rental car companies and maps of the region to help you get started.
• Accommodation: We made absolutely no hotel reservations prior to hitting the road. We either stopped at the tourist offices for lists of accommodation options or asked people on the street for places to stay. Don't expect a lot of luxury. We stayed in simple guest houses and hostels that cost around 80-140 pesos ($20-$35) for a double room (usually including breakfast). Higher-end places (above our budget) are also available.
• Food: Local food (locro, empanadas, asado) is pretty tasty and relatively inexpensive throughout the region. Wine, both in shops and restaurants, is also plentiful and inexpensive. Dining options between towns are slim, so consider packing sandwiches or stocking up on empanadas before you take off for another long stretch of road.

The post Audio Slideshow: Northwest Argentina, Road Trip Style appeared first on Uncornered Market.

In a future incarnation, we will run world tours that seek to deliver extraordinary travel experiences through encounters with ordinary people. And when we do, a road trip in Northwest Argentina will be one of our first stops in South America.

After stumbling upon a dazzling gaucho festival on the first day of a week-long road trip, we figured our travel karma would have run out. Instead, our journey across the valleys outside of Salta featured interactions with engaging people open to odd encounters.

Here's a taste.

Dan and the Tobacco Pickers

After carving our way through the Quebrada de las Conches, my mind drifted to thoughts of supper and sleep. Clouds settled in, the sky no longer popped and I looked out the window thinking that even in the luxurious flexibility of a car, things outside zipped by much too quickly.

Then I saw it.

Giant leaves in turns of gold and green in the waning afternoon light, worked by cowboy-men in mesh aprons. This struck me as the sort of beauty reserved only for the eyes of masters.

I asked Jason if we could stop; I jumped out of the car, camera in hand, to investigate.

To me, the scene was stunning. I also felt very much like I didn’t belong there. But I figured “What the heck?” and engaged the men with my broken Spanish skills and curiosity. I broke the ice and chatted with them about their work and where they lived. It turns out these giant golden leaves were tobacco.

Instead of shooing me off, the men gave me an extended lesson in globalization through the story of a tobacco harvest — these leaves would eventually make their way to China and Japan for use in cheap cigarettes.

At the very end, Señor Guerrero approached me with a fatherly warmth. He explained the difference between the low-quality tobacco in his hands and the stuff where I came from. “It's cheap and easy, not like Virginia tobacco used in Marlboro cigarettes,” he suggested in an attempt to make a connection with my home country.

I thanked him, I shook his hand and waved to the rest of the men. They smiled.

I hope they had a story to tell over the dinner table that night. I departed with a memory that won’t be leaving me anytime soon.

Audrey and the One-woman Empanada Factory

At around midnight in Cachi, I searched for the owner of our guest house to help us with a fickle lock. Surprisingly, I found her in the kitchen hovering over dozens of freshly-folded empanadas queuing for the oven. Wishing to share this experience, I called Dan and our travel mates for the week, Jason and Aracely.

When we asked the woman her recipe, she just smiled. In her modesty, she insisted that making empanadas was easy, something we all could do. As she spoke, her hands moved methodically, tucking and pinching the edges of one after another perfectly formed bundle.

Empanadas in her hands: second nature, in the blood.

The reason for this midnight empanada fiesta: her children. They were adults and worked far from home, but that didn’t prevent a mother from trying to take care of her children from afar. Each week, she sent a batch of empanadas by remis taxi to their homes in Salta to satisfy a need – hers and theirs – that they eat at least a few hearty meals each week.

A mother’s desire to care for her children, even when they are grown, seems to be universal.

Dan and the Coffee Connection

There we were in little town Campo Quijano. It was 9:00 in the morning, the town was just waking up and we walked the streets in search of breakfast at best, coffee at least. We were crushed to find that the recommended café in town was closed. (Frankly, it was the only café.)

There had to be coffee somewhere. No need generates action like the need for caffeine. I approached several random people on the street, “Is there a café or restaurant where I can buy a coffee?”

After a few confused exchanges, the woman in the photo below proposed to me a rather simple solution: “Buy some pastries for breakfast at the bakery over there. Then, come to my house and I’ll make you coffee.”

A few minutes later, there we were seated at her dining room table — boiling water, instant coffee and sugar laid out. As we chomped on hard pastries (bread was not Campo Quijano’s strong point), our host told us stories of earthquakes come and gone through the cracks in her dining room walls. She explained her need for friends. She was this town’s social hub; she used to have her friends over for breakfast on their way to work each morning. These days, she doesn’t have the energy to cook breakfast, but friends still pop in to say hello and bid her good day.

Their looks of surprise – at a group of travelers having coffee at the table — were priceless.

If we shared more cups of coffee with one another, would the world be a better place? I think so.

By the way, if you go to Campo Quijano, make sure you find this woman. Thank her again for us. And be sure to get her name.

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Your turn: What sorts of interactions with ordinary people make your trips special?

The post Three Vignettes: Beautiful Everyday People of Northwest Argentina appeared first on Uncornered Market.

As our rental car began to drift atop a layer of windblown sand, I grabbed hold, down-shifted and noticed the hills around me were swirled in a peppermint twist. All those Ruta 40 signs in Argentina finally delivered on an implied promise: you’ll be impressed, and what once captured your imagination will now claim your full attention.

But it wasn’t the fabled Route 40 of Patagonia that would provide the exclamation point on our time in Argentina. It was a week-long road trip across the quebradas of Northwest Argentina, where chilies dry in the midday sun, llama comes served with wine pressed just down the road, and gauchos hold harvest festivals in the hills.

We had begun our road trip with a climb out of Salta on a Saturday morning. As midday approached and lunch options looked slim to none, we passed a hand-painted sign strapped to the side of a bridge. Neither of us recalls exactly what the sign said other than the mention of food, festival and gauchos (a cowboy, roughly)…and today’s date.

What more could we need?

After divining the turn-off on the unmarked road, we snaked our way over a well-underestimated 5 kilometers. En route, we helped a distressed local Argentine family push their aging wheels after they’d stalled in the middle of a hill.

When we arrived at the end of the road (both literally and figuratively), it was pretty well clear that we’d hit the cultural mother lode. This was a gaucho harvest festival, and it was stocked with people who had poured in from the hills.

Apparently not many foreigners make it to these parts. For our pluck and persistence, we were rewarded with curiosity and – with the passage of time – increasing interest and hospitality. We paid our 15 pesos ($4.25) at the door and were led into a tented area. This year’s corn and cowboy festival was sold out, and the capacity crowd gave us a look like we were, well, from places far away.

A grill covered in various cuts of cow smoked away in the corner. An all-ages crowd of men and women ladled servings of locro (a local stew made from beans, corn, vegetables and meat) from large white plastic buckets. Others worked various kettles and carved bits of meat, while teens performed bus duty, running plates and bowls back to the hungry crowd.

Stomachs rumbling, we awaited our turn in line, but the organizers hand-guided us to an empty space between the crowd and the stage, where in minutes they would set up a table especially for us.

Next came plates of asado (Argentine barbecue), bowls of locro, and a two liters of cola for the four of us, including Jason and Aracely, our fellow roadtrip buddies, to share. The meat was well-exercised, but we made our way through it while fielding questions from passers-by as to where we were from and how we discovered their annual village festival.

One man engaged us. “So, where are you from? How did you get here?”

“We're from the United States, but we drove from Salta today. We saw the sign for the festival on the side of the road.”

Then he offered the contrast of his own arrival. “Oh, that's good. I live 25 kilometers away. I don't have a car, so I came by horse.”

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

The emcee, a jovial man with salt and pepper hair peeping out under his broad-brimmed cowboy hat, shook our hands heartily and gave us a big, personal welcome before he took the stage. After a rundown on local issues – from the importance of maintaining gaucho traditions to protecting local land from outsiders (i.e., city folks) to the promotion of local agriculture – we were treated to the first of the day’s entertainment: live gaucho music. The full meaning of the words were lost us – what with our conversational Spanish — but the mood was proud and celebratory with hints of melancholy.

This is the song of the land.

Local children’s dance troupes and an adult troupe from Salta followed, with members of the crowd sneaking in from time to time to join their favorite dance. A man that looked like he’d walked out of a lineup of colonialists — a cross between a 400-pound Christopher Columbus and a character out of a de Bernières novel – captured my attention. He was pasty-white, bubbling of flesh and dressed in what looked like a period outfit. I wondered whether he wore it often – but I didn’t have the courage to ask.

Video: Where Gauchos Go To Party

The music and dance continued; the afternoon lazed away. We resisted the urge to stick around for the raffle: “You should stay. You could win 50 kilos of corn or flour.”

Instead, we handed our stubs to our neighbors and made the rounds to say goodbye. We left with handshakes, hugs and a warm invitation to return next year at the same time.

So the travel lesson of the day: next time you see a handwritten sign on the side of the road, follow it. You just may find a group of gauchos on the other side.

Photo Gallery of Gaucho Harvest Festival in Northern Argentina

The post Road Trip Northwest Argentina: Where Gauchos Go To Party appeared first on Uncornered Market.

On the topic of trekking in Patagonia, the two names most bandied about: Chile's Torres del Paine and Argentina's El Chalten.

Although their hunks of uplifted granite are similar enough, the prevailing style of hikes they offer are quite different.

Whereas the “W” and Circuit treks at Torres del Paine are mainly about the long haul, El Chalten's strength: its day hikes.

On the edge of Argentina's Glacier National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares), El Chalten also offers the thrill of nature at a lower cost than its Chilean neighbor — with the added feature of a microbrewery on the way home from the hills.

In other words, two Patagonian trekking centers; two rather different experiences.

El Chalten and Landscape Fatigue

Like so many Argentine Patagonian towns, El Chalten sprouted out of the vastness in the mid 1980s. Although the impetus for its existence was a border dispute with the Chileans, it now exists as a trekking center almost solely to serve tourists. As such, you don't come to El Chalten to immerse yourself in local history and indigenous culture — something already severely lacking throughout Patagonia. Rather, you come to El Chalten – nicknamed “The Trekking Capital of Argentina” – to trek.

In full disclosure, by the time we arrived in El Chalten we were experiencing a bit of landscape fatigue. We had just come off a trip to Antarctica, six days trekking around Torres del Paine, a look at Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate and a bevy of busrides across the vast, remote nothingness along Patagonia's Route 40 (Ruta 40). In spite of that, El Chalten turned out to be a pleasant surprise and struck us as a trekking compromise for someone who wants a taste of big nature with some creature comforts and apres-hike treats like local microbrew tasting and handmade pasta sampling thrown in.

El Chalten Treks – The Long and Short of It

Because the snowcapped peaks, lakes and glaciers are within several hours of the town, it's more than thinkable to sleep in, have a long breakfast, check your email, read a book, eat lunch — and then decide you want to get a bit of exercise and nature. Head out in early afternoon along the Laguna Capri or Laguna Torre paths for a half-day fix of exercise and shutterbugging.

For a longer walk after breakfast, tackle Laguna de Los Tres or Piedras Blancas a bit further afield. Don't be scared off by the estimated walking times on the maps and trail paths; you will likely complete the walks well ahead of the estimates (always nice for one's self confidence).

And for the hardcore trekkers out there, don't fear. If you're looking for more strenuous trekking or a camping experience, you can still don your backpacks and camping gear for one of the multi-day circuits around iconic Fitz Roy and Torre peaks.

Regardless of what you choose, one of the most refreshing aspects of El Chalten's treks: the price. Unlike Torres del Paine, you can hike and camp in the park around El Chalten for free, without being nickeled and dimed by entry and campsite fees along the way.

And you'll be happy for that since those nickels and dimes can go a good way towards a bock microbrew or two at El Bodegon Cerviceria on San Martin Street as you walk into town from a day of hiking in the National Park.

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