Treintasillas

The dining Trifecta is finally coming to a close with my final review of the last Buenos Aires underground spot. Treintasillas (translated to thirty seats), located in Colegiales (yet another spot that a cab ride is recommended) is in a typical BA apartment with a kitchen in the back.

The brainchild of all of this, Chef Ezequiel Gallardo, is, in my honest opinion, on to something really good. This humble spot blew me and David away. I usually ridicule the foodie photogs, but at this point wish I had pictures to share with my readers. Suffice it to say, this place should make it on your "must visit" list when traveling in Buenos Aires.

Here was our menu for the night verbatim:

1. Tomato Gazpacho; Marinated Scallops with White Truffle Oil and Coriander

2. Mushrooms; Red Onions; Fresh Oregano and Goat Cheese Tart

3. Roasted Pork Shoulder; Potatoes with Cumin Seeds, Avocado and Smoked Chipotle Pepper Sauce

4. Chocolate Cremoso; Vanilla Cream; Pumpkin in Vanilla Syrup and Kumquats with White Cardamom

There is not much to say aside from each and every one of these courses was both inventive and nuanced. Flavors that normally overpower dishes, enhanced the other elements of each ingredient....Take the white truffle oil in the gazpacho...each bite infused with the fragrance of the truffle, bathing the scallop and playing a perfect companion to the tangy tomato gazpacho.

I chose a wine pairing with each course, but this was not a meal based on wine. It was all about the food. I do promise in the future, dear readers, to note all wines and courses served and new posts will be more information dense.

Next up will be a post or two on San Francisco and then off to France and Spain...oh my :)

La Cocina Discreta

David and I booked a Saturday night table at La Cocina Discreta in the Villa Crespo district of BA. By map it appears to be right in super hip Palermo, but you have to walk a fair bit out of this district to finally arrive at the location. Villa Crespo is a semi-dicey hood, but the sketch factor is quickly remedied by stepping into the really hip apartment that this dinner is held in.

Once inside, we were seated in an open room that was divided into two and four tops. I don't know why, but the BA underground scene is all about keeping everyone separate. No communal tables to be seen. They really take the restaurant setup to heart. From what I heard, Chef Alejandro and his wife used to live in the space, moving all their furniture out of the living room every weekend, but have since moved on to another location.

The wine list was sparse, and expensive in Argentinian terms. After spending a week throwing down $15 for a truly amazing treat, looking at a menu of bottles hovering in the $30+ range was an adjustment. The adjustment period was over once our bottle of Malbec arrived and I took the first sip of the velvety, smooth goodness. I must say, any recommendation they make is well worth the money paid out.

The food was ok. I had a soup of some sort to start. Clearly underwhelming, otherwise it would have stuck in my mind. David had the mushroom tart, which was pleasant, with just the right amount of butter to infuse the mushrooms with earthy goodness.

The next course was a choice of chicken and beef. David was in a beef coma from our lunch, so he opted for the chicken and I took one for the team and went with the beef. This time the table turned. My beef was well prepared at a medium rare and I savored the primal act of consuming such a rare treat. David's chicken....meh.

Dessert was unmemorable, but I was still enjoying my wine too much to care.

Chef Alejandro was a welcoming host and his server ended up chatting with us about her hometown in Mexico. I gained useful information on the legal issues of having a Underground Dinner in BA, much for the benefit of my firm EatLawSF, with partner, David Barzelay.

Overall, although the food was a bit of a letdown, the wine and company made up for it.

La Vineria de Gualterio Bolivar

Sorry for the short hiatus in posting this review, but life has gotten the best of me and kept me from my duties. Without much further ado, I plan on devoting the next three posts to my dining experiences in Buenos Aires.

The first restaurant my boyfriend, David and I visited, could be designated as an "above-ground" spot, but given its relatively non-descript location and unassuming nature I am going to include it. The place is La Vineria de Gualterio Bolivar; the chef is Alejandro Digilio, formerly of El Bulli fame, working under Ferran Adria. As many of you know, or perhaps are not aware, this means this place is pretty heavy handed with the molecular gastronomy....for better or worse.

I am not going to go blow by blow through each of the over 10 courses, but sort of highlight those things that remain poignant in my mind to this very day. I recall a starter of three separate amuse bouche...the first two were unremarkable...one was a dehydrated veggie chip of sorts, but the one that just straight up didn't work was a ice made out of ceviche liquid and some portion of the fish in solid form. The ice cold briny-ness killed any flavor profile from the fish and basically went down in one quick swallow.

Have no fear, because the meal generally picked up from here. There was a sublime slow cooked egg dish....silken smooth goodness. Also, a pork belly from heaven. Needless to say, for an American that would have to pay well over $150 for a similar experience, the jaw dropping $60 for both food and a fair amount of wine was nothing. Even though there were a few minor misses, overall well worth the time and effort. Plus, this place is in the San Telmo district of BA...very artsy, lots of energy, and a fair amount of great restaurants. David and I stayed at the Cocker, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.

A little aside, but the wine that was paired for me was divine. This is a two to three man/woman operation, but front of the house was amazing. Super accommodating, friendly and not one ounce of pretentiousness (which is more than can be said for places like Paris, Rome, etc.).

All in all, our first stop in BA was a good one!