Where It All Began

I am not making any promises, but after some "careful" research I believe the underground scene may have started in the bustling neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, Argentina. In BA they are more commonly referred to as "Closed Door" Restaurants. From my conversations with the masterminds of some of these endeavors, it appears the economic crash of 2001 really served as a bloom for the underground scene.

Argentinians are a picky bunch and they demand quality and affordability from their underground spots. The underground owners really produce and at a large scale. Both dinners I attended met both of these requirements, but for some minor shortfalls in execution or creativity.

I thought Buenos Aires would be a great place to start my blogging. I planned a trip around dining. The boyfriend was nonplussed. It would be yet another trip of ours where food ran to the forefront of planning/dreaming/obsessing. Numerous hours were spent sitting at the computer screen, waiting for Chowhound queries to be answered, or in search of the truly unique. I had a lot of my work cut out for me, given the plethora of options in the city.

In the end I didn't go for the most over-the-top, or even the most out there. I picked two places whose past menus spoke to my rumbling stomach; (1) Treintasillas (http://www.treintasillas.com) & (2) La Cocina Discreta (http://www.lacocinadiscreta.com).

In retrospect, I may have added an additional spot to round out the dinners, but beginnings are always shaky and it served as a lesson for future abroad ventures. Pretty sure I got it down here in the States, but there is always a learning curve abroad. Reviews to come and then on to my home turf of San Francisco!