Campo Bravo - 292 Baez (Las Cañitas) 4514-5820

[Jaimito Cartero]

I´m trying to hit all the best steakhouses in town before I leave in a bit more than a week. Capt Dave had recommended Campo Bravo, so I thought I´d check it out.

I got the address and phone number off of a postcard they give with the bill. I think it´s the same address, or right next door (Card says, ¨Campo Bravo, espacio de arte¨).

I went over to Mo´s apartment, and we took a taxi from there (Close to the Obelisco). 10 pesos poorer, we get to the neighborhood. We had to ask to find the restaurant. There are lots of restaurants here, and since it was a weekend night after 10pm, it was crowded. We put our names on the list, and were told 30 minutes.

Mo and I had some interesting conversation, and I realized it had been 45 minutes. I went to the guy taking names, and he said something that I didn´t understand, (It was either, we already called your name, or Gee a table just opened), but we got a table.

Campo Bravo is a medium sized restaurant, but totally packed. I won´t even describe the difficulty it took me to get to the back to our table.

Nice furnishings, fairly loud music which seemed over the top for this restaurant. We got the standard rolls, and menus. We got some drinks, and waited to give our orders. Nothing is fast here. The restaurant is very dark, with just a small candle illuminating each table. I had to hold the menu pretty close to the candle to even read it.

We each order an empanada and Mo gets a smallish Lomo, after checking that´s going to be tender. I get a Ojo de Bife. Pricing is reasonable. I think 14 or 15 pesos each.

We get the empanadas in 5 minutes, and then another 25 or 30 minutes for the steaks. The Lomo for Mo is pretty small, but he seems happy with the quality. My Ojo de Bife is a bit bigger. Maybe 8 or 9 ounces. Good quality, and flavorable.

We skip desert, and pay the bill (42 pesos, I think). Cubierto of 1.5 or 2 pesos each is charged.

There are a lot of interesting restaurants in this area. I think I´ll come back during lunch and check some other ones out.

Food:8
Service:6
Ambiance:6 (Music too loud)

We take the bus back, and I get off in the general direction of the triangle to go to the Dickhead 100 in the Microcentro. I take a taxi the last amount, and then walk to Jaz Pub from the triangle (I thought it was a couple of blocks), only to find out that the DH crew were in the triangle. I got to walk alot, which if you´ve seen me, I certainly can use.

[Elvis]

I've eaten at Campo Bravo before, and if you want to avoid the loud music request the outside tables, but you'll have to arrive very early - like 8pm.

Last time we arrived at 8pm, got seated outside and after dinner we were drinking till 12-1am. Yeah, lots of glares from portenos waiting to be seated, but they got complimentary champagne for waiting. It does get crowded after 9 pm, but it's really excellent and cheap.

[Jaimito Cartero]

Hey long time no hear from. We waited at the outside table for our inside table, but were never offered it for dining. It was a bit chilly, so perhaps not the best option.

[Fitzgeraldo]

Reports to date do not accurately reflect the value or interest in this restaurant. Firstly the food is very good, Secondly, unlike the usual BA custom of dining late, this place is often full by 8:30pm, as all the trendy, and young of BA come here, or to the other restaurants on the same intersection. The clientele are the Argentines that you often meet in Europe, or associated with motor sport, rugby, sailing, tennis, and polo [the military polo club is quite close]. Having been here for a week, and having made the effort to get out and about, I could'nt find them until I went to Campo Bravo. While not representative of the Argentines that you meet normally within the city, they give it, its international reputation. The general area around the restaurant has other offerings worth inveestingating. For example, "Mambo", within short walking distance offers quite a good "musical show", worth enjoying for the entertainment. The intersection could be described as "chic"

Never mind the timid and unsure camera minding the door, look out for Aireal, a short camero with long hair and goatie beard, he's your man to get you sorted for a table, or the fellow with the shabby jumper and unshaven aspect[whose function remains unclear]. A bit if chat is enough to get Aireal's interest, and good tip will ensure he is more likely to recall you the next time.

Of interest to those with a sociological perspective, there were many groups of single men and women, dining seperatly, but known to one another, by the ritual exhange of kisses and greetings. I have found this to be the case elsewhere, in other restaurants and am curious as to the explantions. When I know more, I will revert.

Book this restaurant for aprox. 8-30/9pm.

Ftzg

[Rock Harders]

I ate dinner at this restaurant on two seperate occaisons, each time with a different Argentine non-pro chica. This place is a trendy place in a trendy location (Las Canitas) yet still remains more than reasonably priced. The first time I went, on a Sunday night in September, the place had not yet filled up as it was only about 8:30- I had a Bife de Lomo, tasty, but not large enough to really fill me up. The chica had some sort of Milanesa, which I think she enjoyed. Anyway, the kicker here is that the chica, Marcia, informed me that Campo Bravo is notorious as a place where groups of single late 20's / early 30's woman come to get picked up by rich businessmen.

[Moore]

I ate here once on a date and the food was nothing to write home about. I do rememeber, as Dirk commented, that the portions were relatively small. I get the impression that Las Canitas is a trendy place to be seen and to party but not a good place to eat. I've been to 4 restaurants in that zone that I can remember - 1 good (Campo de Fiori), 2 mediocre (Campo Bravo & El Portugues), and 1 awful (El Primo). El Primo was an embarrassment since I was there with American visitors and had told them how good the beef is here. The steak at EP was spoiled I think and the service sucked. It was one of the only shockingly horrible dining experiences Ive had here.

In BA, dont let the fact that a restaurant is always full fool you. A perfect example is a place called RodiBar on the corner of Ayacucho and Vicente Lopez, very close to my house. The place is a dive, the restaurant/servers are dirty, and most importantly the food is awful. Prices are about average. You almost always have to wait in line to get into this place and the patrons are locals. There are so many great restaurants within 3 blocks. I dont get it.