View Full Version : El Establo - Microcenter - Paraguay 489
EZE_Amante
10-20-03, 12:50
I just want to 2nd the what Roxy mentioned about El Establo. It is just a block or two from Orleans, and has very reasonable prices probably because they don't go overboard on the decor. This place was recommended to a friend of the board by the now MIA Sandy, and we all loved the food. Great steaks, good wine list, great place for a late lunch or early dinner. If you sit by the window, you can enjoy your meal and the beautiful Porteñas that walk by.
EZE :)
One Tree Hill
03-17-04, 16:41
El Establo
Corner of San Martin and Paraguay in micro center.
Had a great meal last night with D Rock. We had Bife de lomo and bife de chorizo ´"El Establo" which is to say a plate complete.
We each had full cuts of meat cooked very well - at least 24-30 oz of bife. Served with home style potatoes, green bean and carroots sauteed, and a fried egg of all things and a large thick slice of bacon - almost english rasher like.
Each plato completo was 23 pesos. Added a nice bottle of vino tinto - Valmont - for 18 pesos. Afterwards free aperatif de maison which is a lemon liquor, very sweet.
Definately recommended.
OTH
MeGustaBoliches
03-18-04, 08:35
One,
El Establo is one of my favorite downtown restaurants. If you are there in the evening, look around. Some of the women sitting at other tables are pros from nearby boliches. It is one of their favorites as well.
One Tree Hill
03-18-04, 16:23
MeGusta,
Very interesting. I will look a bit closer next time. My apt is only about 5 doors down San Martin!
Funny thing is that apparantly Dickhead was in there about the same time as D Rock and I and I did not know it!
Will eat there again fo sure.
JustGotBack
03-22-04, 21:01
So I decide to check out El Establo last night. I guess any restaurant can have an off night. It took over an hour for my food to arrive after I ordered it. I would have thought they forgot except the waiter kept coming by to appologize. That would have been OK if it was worth the wait. It wasn´t. I got the Bife Chorizo El Establo. It is a lot of food. I order apunto, rare, I got well done to the point of it being dry and chewy. I wasn´t the only one to have problems. While I was waiting a table across from me sent their steak back and while I was leaving, I heard the guy at the table next to me complaining about his steak as well. I would have sent mine back, but I didn´t feel like waiting around for another hour.
The good news, it got me downtown and hence to Catto´s. Read my report on the 2004 Reports section.
MeGustaBoliches
03-31-04, 10:13
Justgotback,
Sorry you had a bad steak at El Establo. I have been there many times and never had a problem. I guess you are right, any restaurant can have an off night....but I feel badly for recommending a place that does not deliver!
While it should not have resulted in a well done steak (bien hecho), "a punto" is medium rather than rare. Try "poco cocido" or "jugoso" for rare.
I really like this place. Always had a great steak, however, sometimes the wine was not up to par. Pepe is one of the old waiters who looks like he has been there for 40 years! Those old guys are crusty but cool. He suggested that my colleague and I order one large beef de lomo and then cut it in half. It was so tender that he cut it with a spoon! The veggies are not so good, overcooked. Just try to order the sweet potato fries. You probalby will not get them unless you speak Spanish and insist.
You always get a free lemon cello after dinner that really tastes homemade.
There seem to be two rooms, I always go to the side entrance and sit with the older guys. Great atmosphere.
EZE_Amante
02-12-06, 13:10
I have eaten at El Establo twice so far this trip, bife de lomo and bife de chorizo, and both times have been good meals (too much food though) excellent service, a family style atmosphere, and a decent price. This has long been one of my favorite places for a steak, and I still recommend it over the much higher priced places in Puerto Madero. I have never eaten upstairs, but I have been up there as that is where the bathroom is, and the decor is the same, not sure of the service, but I'm sure it is fine.
My only complaint is that my appetite isn't what it once was, and I haven't been able to finish a steak yet. Next time I will order a half portion of the steak and potatoes. I've noticed on the last couple of trips, that this has become quite popular with regular tourists, and have heard many English speakers at tables close by.
I'll eat here again at least once more this trip.
EZE:)
El Establo is just fine for food and service.
Very dependable. Papa Benito is completly wrong here.
Greetings everyone,
El Establo is somewhat more expensive that some other places you can find in BA, but it is cheaper that any place in Recoleta (except Yugos) or Puerto Madero.
They also have a professional waiter staff, something that isn't always true in some tourist area restaurants.
In addition, they are centrally located for a lot of people. I'm thinking about rendezvousing there for an AMA meeting.
I like the place: I think they serve a respectable steak, and they know how to saute mushrooms.
Thanks,
Jackson
I love this place. Eat there several times a month. The beef is usually excellent. I like their mashed pumpkin and potato dishes. I especially like the "de rucula" salad. (Arugula, I think, in the US.) I've eaten it many times before without incident.
However, on my last visit (back yesterday) I had rucula before I left and brought another order to eat on the airplane ride back to the US.
Today I have diarrhea, which pisses me off, since I bought a non-refundable ticket to a local tennis tourney today and could not go because of that fucking rucula.
YMMV
I ate here last night and continue to think it is mediocre. Not bad, not great. However, while they may have a "professional wait staff," our waiter annoyed me greatly by whispering in my ear, "The tip is not included," when he handed me our change. Also they charge a 3 peso per person cubierto, which is another thing I find annoying.
My trout was tasty enough but overcooked.
I ate here last night and continue to think it is mediocre. Not bad, not great. However, while they may have a "professional wait staff," our waiter annoyed me greatly by whispering in my ear, "The tip is not included," when he handed me our change. Also they charge a 3 peso per person cubierto, which is another thing I find annoying.
My trout was tasty enough but overcooked.Perhaps you should try the chuletas de lomo.
What does it take to become a senior member?
P. S. Do not sit at my table. As you walk in to the left. The very last table next to the side door. I like it when bernie is the waiter.
Lunch? So that we can clear the air? At the establo of course.
Let me know. OJALA ACEPTES MI INVITACION....ASI NOS PODEMOS TOMAR UNA COPA DE CUATE A CUATE Y A LA VEZ PRINDAMOS POR "NO LLORES POR MI ARGENTINA" O NI POR EVITA PERON....
Take care and may god bless you.
Armbia
I got a PM asking me how many times I have eaten at El Establo. The answer is three times. I was also asked to elaborate on what I thought was good and bad about it, and what I've eaten there.
The first time I was there I had bife de chorizo. It was overcooked and I think that was because it was of uneven thickness. I like my steak medium and only the thickest part was pink. I think most regular readers know I was a professional cook (not a "chef") for quite a while. When I was a broiler man, I would always "shape" my steaks at the beginning of the shift and that, I believe, was what was not done in this instance.
The second time I was there the evening was marred by an argument between two well-known mongers and by another monger's insistence on arguing over the price of everything. This monger, whose handle I do not know, is a real cock sucker who basically ruins every occasion he is involved with. I repressed this experience and do not remember what I ordered, but it was not steak. Actually I seldom eat steak, maybe once a month or so. I do remember there were some items on the bill that never arrived, and then a "discussion" about whether we should ask for them to be removed from the bill. I forget the outcome.
Last night I will say that we ordered three salads to share among five people and they were excellent and very good sized. Certainly the portions are ample at El Establo. I did not think the service was very good, maybe a C minus. Specifically, three of us got our main dishes and then there was a good ten minute lag before the other two guys got theirs. That is always awkward. Also, those who ordered ice in their drinks did not receive it. Another thing about the service was that one guy arrived just slightly late, like ten minutes, and the waiter came to take our order just a minute or so after he arrived. He (diner) still had his head in the menu and I asked the waiter for a little more time. He (waiter) pivoted rapidly on his heel and walked off without a word.
I really like the batatas fritas there; we had a side of them and they were excellent. OTOH my steamed or boiled potatoes, which came with my entree, were slightly undercooked. The two guys who ordered steaks both ordered them medium and they were definitely cooked correctly. Big son of a bitches too.
The bread is excellent there. The bathrooms are clean. I view the steaks as being slightly to moderately overpriced but I think for example the chicken dishes are bargain, as was my trout, which was quite large. I think the trout was around 16 pesos.
We did get complimentary limoncello after dinner. I guess I could just view the limoncello as costing three pesos and not complain about the cubierto. Works for me but one of the five diners does not drink and the other was downstairs and so did not get one.
I was basically of the mindset last night that I wanted to try the place one more time and if it was good, I would return and if it was bad I would not. It was neither. I would say I would not go out of my way to eat there again but would not avoid it either.
That is my unbiased review and is just the opinion of one fairly picky diner. Really, I am disappointed most of the time I eat in restaurants but certainly MUCH less so in BA than in SP where I had pretty much given up on eating out. Not to brag but I was a very good line cook by the time I had several years' experience and I can usually make whatever I would order in the average restaurant better than they can. I've fed a hell of a lot of mongers by now so if anyone who has tasted my cooking disagrees with that assessment, feel free to say so. So, dining out is mostly a social experience for me rather than a culinary one.
I have been going to El Establo (Paraguay and San Martin) since 2001 and I can recomend the place. I have noticed a significant increase in prices, but then again this has happened in most places. In the winter months (from mid May) they have at lunch a special daily menu of Spanish dishes which will cost you about Arg$30 pesos including a non-alcholic drink. In my opinion the best days are Thrusday and Friday. On Thursday they serve fabada, a dish made with big beans and cooked with chorizo, blood sausage and cured ham. It is very good. On Friday they serve cocido madrilleno, essentially a caserol of peas, which comes with all kind of boiled meats. This dish you must eat with at least another two persons as it is very large (ask for the 1/4 puchero)
Otherwise, today I had a bife de lomo and water and it cost Arg$55, not bad for developed country prices, but much more than it used to be.
Finally, I recomend that you ask to be seated in the lower section of the restaurant, as the guys there are much faster and friendly than in the other section.
Enjoy.
55 pesos is outrageous for a bife de chorizo, even if was exceptionally good. 15-20 is average, and 25-35 should get you a GREAT steak in a fancy place like Hereford or Aquillos Anos.
David
I eat here 2,3 times a week as I live in the 'hood. In fact I just left 45 minutes ago. The media lomo is 22p, and the full lomo is at 26p. There is a medallion of the lomo at 35p that is huge--too large for most to finish. These are the correct prices. Avoid the cubierto and eat at the bar in the downstairs and original dining room unless you want to get into the 'dining experience'. For me this is akin to my my local diner.
I should have said that the 55 pesos was the total bill including the table charge, the tip, and water. However, unless you go to the bar, this is what it will cost you.
My wingman and I had a wonderful supper at El Establo at the invitation of one of our Senior Member Mongers and his favorita. After a pleasant tour of his newly decorated apartment, we walked to the corner to dine at El Establo. Since I have been fortunate to eat there numerous times in the past with other mongers, I had a good idea on what I wanted from the menu. We were seated promptly and ordered in about 5 minutes. The food was good and we all had the chance to try out their own version of "steak sauce." It is a slightly spicey, vinegary tomatoe sauce they have on the table for the tourista to enjoy. Most steaks do not need this topping here but I decided to try it again. I had enjoyed it on one of my previous trip here and thought why not? It looks like a watery version on an american BBQ sauce. It was a pleasant addition to my steak. The food and the visit with our fellow monger and his favorita was very enjoyable. I recommend that if you get a chance to try El Establo, then do and maybe even the "steak sauce!"
Coach
Rockin Bob
09-13-06, 12:49
That sounds a lot like chimichurri to me, coach.
There's that and the diced up onions and tomatoes or whatever called salsa creole here and vinagaret in Brazil.
I prefer A1 frankly, but I've learned to live without peanut butter and iced tea so I'll continue to adapt.
And by the way, I'm a great fan of El Establo, I highly recommend it.
I had a good lunch today with a couple Forum members and enjoyed the "chimchurri" sauce on my 1/2 Ojo de Bife. The Salad was very good and fresh also. Another good experience in dining in BA, this time for lunch!
Coach
Stoker Star
12-05-06, 00:52
This place is very good and very reasonable. Worth going to. Several American pilots in restraunt said they go very trip.
Thomaso276
04-15-07, 17:15
Just got back Saturday from a long stay (one month) in sex prison and after some sleep told my GF we should just go out for dinner. Walked down to Establo and immediately noticed some price increases, but we were too hungry to go home and cook.
Prices seemed to have increased about 15 - 20%. I asked the waiter and he sheepishly said there had been increases. 2 average size pork chops were 23 pesos, soda or water 5 pesos, mixed salad 12 pesos. As I recall steaks started at 19 pesos (for the half portion) and I think full cuts were up to 29 or more. Chicken dinner (1/4 chicken) was 18 pesos. Table charge 3 pesos each. Think about this, when I was in the States Sonny's BBQ had a special all you can eat ribs for 14 dollars. If you wanted the salad bar with any dinner it was about $3.50 extra and there are alot more ingredients with the same or better quality than the simple mixed salad my GF got. Establo is not a first class place, it is a local restaurant with decent service and decent but not exceptional food. The meal was certainly not worth 100 pesos with tip that I paid.
So much for me going there for a reasonable meal. Cost was high without any liquor, desert or coffee and we ate a SIMPLE meal. I believe that tourists from surrounding hotels are continuing to drive prices. Didn't see too many "locals."
While in the States I loaded up on casual shirts, sneakers, jeans and shorts because the prices here for a pair of Nike or Reebok are about 50% more. Try to buy a Gap quality pair of jeans for 75 pesos or cotton casual shirts for 18 pesos (equivalent USA prices) anywhere other than Once. I was shocked at the price differences. Remember workers here are not making 10 dollars an hour. So what is driving inflation - Argie greed.
It is still cheaper here than the States but not the great bargain it was.
Cost was high without any liquor, desert or coffee and we ate a SIMPLE meal. I believe that tourists from surrounding hotels are continuing to drive prices. Didn't see too many "locals."I'm actually a fan of this place (corner of Paraguay & San Martin) though I can't really put my finger on why. I think it might be that it feels sort of like a homey like diner to me and I come here at least once a week and always feel oddly welcomed. It's lively and not overly full of itself and I almost feel like I'm in a trattoria off of some back alley in Milan (again, don't ask me why) I've caught myself a couple of times speaking to the waiter in Italian, too. Usually the times I go it's mostly locals in the place and I don't really go for anything fancy. I almost always get the Lomo Completo Sandwich (p$15) and a half a bottle of decent red wine and always really enjoy it. It does have a long menu, but I haven't really delved into it much. Since it's a block from Cafe Orleans (just follow San Martin towards the direction of Santa Fe) some of the gang might find it interesting.
P.S. No chica posts lately because I've been totally been tied up (literally) with a smokin' local porteña. Mind you, a report should follow tomorrow.
The bife de ojo was tough! And prices have gone up tremendously since my last visit.
I think I will stick with the Alliance when I have an urge to have steak. Ramiro's bife de lomo is still great.
Thomaso276
06-23-08, 11:08
Besides a rather mundane meal the other night I had a coffee there yesterday with a pilot friend. He pointed out that the place is living on a past reputation. I agree. The food is average and the prices are above average.
I'll take a coffee there on Sundays at the bar to avoid the silly 5 peso table charge but I won't eat any more meals there. There are better deals in the neighborhood (Kilkenny has 30% off dinners everynight) Bulners has better beer and sandwiches / finger foods and Alliance has the best steaks.
Hell, I don't go out for dinner much anyhow!
I believe their using cheaper cuts of meat, plus raising their prices.
Its to bad, the place used to be one of my favorites.
Exon
Thomaso276
06-23-08, 20:36
Not packed like the past. Many nights it is about 40-50%
I ate here with my lady friend last Sunday and was not all that impressed. Steaks were pretty good, service was good but the place was empty, and when the bill came it was pretty damn expensive. I had bife de chorizo ($35) lady had 1/2 lomo ($45) sauteed mushrooms, mixed salad, and half a bottle of cheap wine. Total bill was $165. $5 table fee was obnoxious.
Not worth it!
Disappointed here this trip. Higher prices to go with lower quality. The lomo tasted like a lower grade of meat. Maybe the higher number of unoccupied tables isn't just a sign of the tougher times.
Definitely has slipped in the last few years, quaility and cost-wise.
I still go there, but I live here and I know the waiters there somewhat - not buddies but they recognize me and I always get good service when I go (I tip well as long as I get good service - usually right at 10% and that buys a certain level of respect I don't think many Argentinos usually get as quickly); it's a friendly atmosphere.
I also don't order the the "standard" things like bife de lomo or bife de chorizo because those are expensive and no longer worth what you pay for. My feeling is that you can't always go to restaurants here ordering these items (unless the place is currently known for it), even though all parillas (and really just about any restaurant) make them. You hqve to find the things the current restaurant is actually good at making. This means experimenting sometimes and usually going for the less expensive, more common items because as we know the Argentine cooking is a bit without taste or imagination. The things that everyone else eats a lot are going to be better than the things only the foreigners eat a lot.
My favorite there is matambrito de cerdo which is a little more expensive than some places but almost always properly done. It's also the only place I've had it where they serve a banana pepper with it - just a tinge of spice and sweet pepper taste to go with it.
Another good choice for meat there is the mixed brochette (grilled shish-ka-bob - although I guess that translation may be redundant). Lomo and chicken, with bellpeppers and onions and panceta salado that has had most (but not all) of the salt taken out and almost tastes like real bacon. Usually pretty tasty.
They have a good lomo nepolitano, which is milanesa of lomo (usually very tender for milanesa) with ham, tomato sauce and cheese. I like they way they do the milanesa, which is a lot closer to what I know of as chicken fried steak (as far as how the meat itself is prepared) than this dry, tough, fried-to-leather-consistency coating that is milanesa here in BA. I just wish someone knew how to do a white milk gravy with a little black or cayenne pepper kick like we give it in Texas (and I'm sure other states!) The only time I get it is when I cook for myself.
The pizza is not bad at El Establo if you find yourself there with a group and don't feel like meat.
I also tasted my sister-in-law's four-cheese fettucine once and remembered it as being good, but never had any other pasta there myself.
The creamed spinach and the garlic-sauteed spinach, as veggie extras, I have found to be flavorable.
The place is still expensive, but it can have a decent atmosphere and if you choose something off the main stream you can get out for a bit cheaper and still have a decent meal. And it is a pretty good stepping off point for the Triangle and other parts nearby...
The place is usually reaonably crowded (though not full) when I've been lately. Weekdays 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm for lunch is about 1/2 to 2/3 full, while Thursday, Friday and Saturday (as far as I know - nights I usually go out) are at least 2/3 full. Of course, it's not as jammed as it used to be two years ago, but for a variety of reasons including the general rising prices which they are only a part of in the big city.
QuakHunter
02-01-09, 03:09
Very surprisingly, the Calamari here is as good as I have had anywhere. Except for maybe the El Gran Escape in Quepos, CR.
Very tender, not chewy and just the right amount of breading. They served it with some parmesan and lemons.
Unusual ranking for any seafood in Bs Aires.
The place is Pricey and so, so with high and miss quality, I eat there all the time.
Exon
Tried this place the other day and have to concur with recent posters that it is decidedly average. Being close to a bunch of hotels it has a ready made captive audience, which were in strong evidence the night I went, including a handful of Argy business types, a large noisy group of adult gringos and a couple of dykes. Still, out of the other options nearby, it was certainly the busiest.
The menu is extensive and it did occur to me that the chef could in no way be a master of all the dishes available.
The blond had pasta and reported it to be very good indeed. I chose the kidneys which I thought to be quite greasy, tasted as though they had been re-heated. I like my offal, but this was poor. Service was adequate. I guess they don't have to try too hard round here as most customers are short stay only.
Finished off with a glass of the lemoncello, which helped steady me a bit when he brought the bill. Conclusion. Very average and overpriced
Tried this place the other day and have to concur with recent posters that it is decidedly average. Being close to a bunch of hotels it has a ready made captive audience, which were in strong evidence the night I went, including a handful of Argy business types, a large noisy group of adult gringos and a couple of dykes. Still, out of the other options nearby, it was certainly the busiest.
The menu is extensive and it did occur to me that the chef could in no way be a master of all the dishes available.
The blond had pasta and reported it to be very good indeed. I chose the kidneys which I thought to be quite greasy, tasted as though they had been re-heated. I like my offal, but this was poor. Service was adequate. I guess they don't have to try too hard round here as most customers are short stay only.
Finished off with a glass of the lemoncello, which helped steady me a bit when he brought the bill. Conclusion. Very average and overpricedI have said and posted several times but everyone has to discover it for themselves. Newcomers to the board all think that the permanent residents in Bs As are dumb in regard to restaurants and what to eat. It is not true and the current spate of postings on Milion is a very typical discussion. It gets discovered anew every other year or so. Be warned. The 3 things to eat in Bs As are pasta, (as good as the best fresh pasta anywhere in the world but the sauces generally suck, bolognese is the safest sauce.; pizza and empanadas, (from the local owner-operator around the corner from where you are staying, not a chain. Keep it simple like a margarita or cheese and you will be safe.; and lastly parilla, (Grilled meat and go for the bifes, (Porterhouse and T bones) Lomo, (fillet steak) chorizos, (Sausages that are fantastic) There are plenty of other great cuts of meat but you need to know your way around. Deviate from the 3 Ps and you are dying for disappointment. Never fish or lamb, never anything with a sauce, never anything with pretensions of grandeur and apart from Peruvian restaurants, never any ethnic food. And small local restaurants are best. All else they will generally f u c k up and charge you plenty for the privilege. K I S S is the operative word. OK?
Argento
I have said and posted several times but everyone has to discover it for themselves. Newcomers to the board all think that the permanent residents in Bs As are dumb in regard to restaurants and what to eat. It is not true and the current spate of postings on Milion is a very typical discussion. It gets discovered anew every other year or so. Be warned. The 3 things to eat in Bs As are pasta, (as good as the best fresh pasta anywhere in the world but the sauces generally suck, bolognese is the safest sauce.; pizza and empanadas, (from the local owner-operator around the corner from where you are staying, not a chain. Keep it simple like a margarita or cheese and you will be safe.; and lastly parilla, (Grilled meat and go for the bifes, (Porterhouse and T bones) Lomo, (fillet steak) chorizos, (Sausages that are fantastic) There are plenty of other great cuts of meat but you need to know your way around. Deviate from the 3 Ps and you are dying for disappointment. Never fish or lamb, never anything with a sauce, never anything with pretensions of grandeur and apart from Peruvian restaurants, never any ethnic food. And small local restaurants are best. All else they will generally f u c k up and charge you plenty for the privilege. K I S S is the operative word. OK?
ArgentoTambien Argento,.
With Jacksons exception "Grants" which is the worst place in town.
Exon
Rockin Bob
09-11-09, 20:23
Man, a lot of bad posts on El Establo!
I eat here all the time and I don't have any problem with the place. I don't know where all the detractors go for better beef at a better price. I've been to a lot of steakhouses in BsAs and this is one of my favorites.
It's run by gallegos, so there's a kind of different feel to the place. Different sides on the menu than most places. Great salads, fresh red juicy tomatoes always. Great vegetable soup.
I said to a bartender today, I would rather have a Blenders with a good bartender than a single malt scotch with some boludo.
I like a good atmosphere when I eat. I like friendly, competent waiters. I am in a restaurant to eat, not watch TV or listen to music. El Establo has no music, no TV. Imagine, we might have to entertain ourselves with. My God, conversation!
Also they have a bar you can sit and eat at.
Ah well, there's no accounting for people's tastes. As somebody said, if we didn't have different tastes we'd all be fucking the same woman.
RB, I agree except for the bit about the price. A chorizo, a third of a proveleta and a main meal, with Pepsi to drink, for about 100 pesos turns away a lot of people who are more budget minded.
Also, a lot of people order things that, like many parillas in town, vary with the level of beef they happened to get in that day. In my opinion, there are places that serve as good an ojo de bife or bife de chorizo for a cheaper price.
But they make really good brochettes, matambrito de cerdo (a pork belly cut that when done right is VERY good) and an excellent milenesa which is different and tastier than most you can get in the city. Also, their creamed spinach is excellent.
I like the atmosphere too, and I like the waiters. Once they get to know you you do get a little bit better service and such.
Of course, one of the reasons it is a little expensive is the attraction to tourists. You can often find a number of foreginers in there. We went last night and sat behind two older ladies from the US, who I am sure got an earful of our riotous banter:)
Rockin Bob
09-16-09, 21:56
OK, you do spend a little more at El Establo.
What you do is, alternate with Ugi's across the street!
Deviate from the 3 Ps and you are dying for disappointment. Never fish or lamb, never anything with a sauce, never anything with pretensions of grandeur and apart from Peruvian restaurants, never any ethnic food. And small local restaurants are best. All else they will generally f u c k up and charge you plenty for the privilege.This may be the most accurate post in all of Argentina Private.
I deviated from this simple rule at lunch, and now I feel a little queasy. Mustard sauce. What the f was I thinking.
Lately, they are black burning (like a hardened crust) the outside of their steaks, which are consistently not good grade. I have really cut back on my meals there.
Quick report from last night at El Establo:
Took forever to get cocktails to our table.
Ask for Irish whiskey, got Scotch. (no Irish whiskey)
My order came out wrong first time, second time it was a re-do of first order!
My friend's beef was not even ¨select¨ grade, it was tough and overcooked.
I re-ordered my old standby, lomo, which took forever to get.
The place was packed (with tourist like us) but as for me, I'm looking for another place.
I tried La Posada 1820 at San Martin and Tucuman two nights ago. Bad food and really bad service. SOB waiter chased us out the door for an undeserved tip. First time that I have stiffed a waiter in a long time.
PS However, I will stop by El Establo for their grilled provelleta, it can't be beat.
Sincerely,
Latuna
You guys are doing it all wrong. Unless you're going to the restaurants in La Recova or Puerto Madero, the best restaurants (quality and quantity) are in Palermo.
Regards,
BM
I have said and posted several times but everyone has to discover it for themselves. Newcomers to the board all think that the permanent residents in Bs As are dumb in regard to restaurants and what to eat. It is not true and the current spate of postings on Milion is a very typical discussion. It gets discovered anew every other year or so. Be warned. The 3 things to eat in Bs As are pasta, (as good as the best fresh pasta anywhere in the world but the sauces generally suck, bolognese is the safest sauce.; pizza and empanadas, (from the local owner-operator around the corner from where you are staying, not a chain. Keep it simple like a margarita or cheese and you will be safe.; and lastly parilla, (Grilled meat and go for the bifes, (Porterhouse and T bones) Lomo, (fillet steak) chorizos, (Sausages that are fantastic) There are plenty of other great cuts of meat but you need to know your way around. Deviate from the 3 Ps and you are dying for disappointment. Never fish or lamb, never anything with a sauce, never anything with pretensions of grandeur and apart from Peruvian restaurants, never any ethnic food. And small local restaurants are best. All else they will generally f u c k up and charge you plenty for the privilege. K I S S is the operative word. OK?
ArgentoArgento for once I have to agree with you. Your post sums up the food situation perfectly.
If your idea of good meal is grilled steak, or other plain grilled meat, followed by ice cream, then you'll do fine in Argentina. If you are looking for interesting and imaginative cuisine you'll do better in many other countries. I don't even think the pasta is that great. Maybe they don't use the same kind of durum wheat as the italians, but I find the pasta a bit stogy and the sauces uninteresting. Pizzas are OK, notably the fugazza (plain onion pizza) you get in Pirillo, a little stand up place on Defensa. The thing is I happen to like spicy food, and by and large Argentinians hate spicy food. Peruvian restaurants are a welcome change when you want a spicy meal. Indian restaurants in BA are a disaster. When made properly, empanadas are a handy ubiquitous snack, and I also happen to like locro and lentejas. Some of the finest examples of these local specialities can be found in Pulperia N' Serapia on Las Heras opposite the park. The owner is from Salta.
When it comes to deserts, there is one simple piece of advice - stick to ice cream. The standards dessert menu in most restaurants is unimaginative and limited.
Like all generalisations, there are exception. I have had interesting dishes at some 'new wave' places in Palermo and wonderful grilled Dorado at riverside fish restaurants in Rosario.
Lysander
You guys are doing it all wrong. Unless you're going to the restaurants in La Recova or Puerto Madero, the best restaurants (quality and quantity) are in Palermo.
Regards,
BMI was doing a little research today and come across Bad's general Palermo recommendation. I have some family making their first trip to BsAs in November and will be held accountable for my restaurant choices. And, I know next to nothing about the restaurant scene in Palermo. So, give me. Give me dem restaurant recommendations in Palermo. I'm looking for the quintessential, sophisticated Argie place for red meat, red wine. Price should not be a hindrance. If that place is not in Palermo tell me that too.
Much thanks.
Wild Walleye
10-07-10, 13:03
Although I agree with much of the earlier statements about keeping it simple, I like Meridiano 58 in Palermo (Borges y El Salvador. It tries to do 'fancy' Argentine food and usually, they do it quite well.
There do seem to have been a lot of negative reports about this place but I have eaten here many times and never had a bad experience.
There are better steaks to be found in BA but only if you are willing to pay a lot more for it. This place (for me at least) strikes the perfect balance between quality and price. I live on the other side of town now but still try to find the time to swing over for a steak, salad and a huge draft beer.
Bundalover1
10-26-10, 04:52
I have said and posted several times but everyone has to discover it for themselves. Newcomers to the board all think that the permanent residents in Bs As are dumb in regard to restaurants and what to eat. It is not true and the current spate of postings on Milion is a very typical discussion. It gets discovered anew every other year or so. Be warned. The 3 things to eat in Bs As are pasta, (as good as the best fresh pasta anywhere in the world but the sauces generally suck, bolognese is the safest sauce. ; pizza and empanadas, (from the local owner-operator around the corner from where you are staying, not a chain. Keep it simple like a margarita or cheese and you will be safe. ; and lastly parilla, (Grilled meat and go for the bifes, (Porterhouse and T bones) Lomo, (fillet steak) chorizos, (Sausages that are fantastic) There are plenty of other great cuts of meat but you need to know your way around. Deviate from the 3 Ps and you are dying for disappointment. Never fish or lamb, never anything with a sauce, never anything with pretensions of grandeur and apart from Peruvian restaurants, never any ethnic food. And small local restaurants are best. All else they will generally f you see k up and charge you plenty for the privilege. K I S S is the operative word. OK?
ArgentoThis is not completley correct. The situation is worse than described above. In general the pasta and pizza in BsAs is substandard. Don't worry about the medicore sauce as the crust will be flacid and the pasta overcooked. There are exceptions every now and then but for a town of significant Italian descendants Italian sucks. Compare to NYC, or Rio and it's impossible to understand. Talking about 'safe' sauces will give you some idea of the level of expectations. Remember to bring a dog with you if you want pizza so you can throw the crap they serve onto the floor and at least one in your party will be happy.
Lamb when roasted is just as good as the parrilla red meats but not easy to find.
Seafood- hmmmmmmmm I guess they import the fish from Chile because it is not a large part of their diet. Considerring the ocean and coastline there is no excuse for the lack of variety except to say the locals are idiots with respect to fish.
They consider vegatables not worthy of cooking except the highly regarded pumkin. Salad? Whats that? Check out the waist lines of the porkers eating at the tables next to you. Under 240 pounds? He is a tourist.
Amantelondres
10-26-10, 07:10
In broad terms I agree with Argento's 3 P's though I'd add a 4th and that is Postre but only in the form of helados (ice cream) Made by Italians (or italian descent) from milk of cows grazed on the lush grass of the Pampas, you just can't beat it. A branch of Freddo (although named Freggo in the you. K. For trade mark / copyright reasons) has even opened in London next to the Gaucho restaurant, selling ice cream imported from Freddo Argentina. Yes, they actually import it.
Pasta I've found to be a bit hit and miss. I've often found it to be overcooked so insist on asking for it al dente and the sauce more picante. But you can find a good pasta in most countries, though I agree it's part of the staple diet in Argentina.
And I agree with Bundalover (even his name. Nothing like a Brazilian bunda! Regarding lamb. Grazed on the Pampas. You can't beart it. Just like New Zealand lamb. As for seafood, best to go down south for lobsters and trucha negra (trout) but agree, not part of the typical argentine diet.
This is not completley correct. The situation is worse than described above. In general the pasta and pizza in BsAs is substandard. Don't worry about the medicore sauce as the crust will be flacid and the pasta overcooked. There are exceptions every now and then but for a town of significant Italian descendants Italian sucks. Compare to NYC, or Rio and it's impossible to understand. Talking about 'safe' sauces will give you some idea of the level of expectations. Remember to bring a dog with you if you want pizza so you can throw the crap they serve onto the floor and at least one in your party will be happy.
Lamb when roasted is just as good as the parrilla red meats but not easy to find.
Seafood- hmmmmmmmm I guess they import the fish from Chile because it is not a large part of their diet. Considerring the ocean and coastline there is no excuse for the lack of variety except to say the locals are idiots with respect to fish.
They consider vegatables not worthy of cooking except the highly regarded pumkin. Salad? Whats that? Check out the waist lines of the porkers eating at the tables next to you. Under 240 pounds? He is a tourist.
Speaking of steak places and Exon, I was walking along Paraguay the other day and noticed that El Establo no longer exists.
Wild Walleye
09-06-12, 02:07
Argento was and is spot on (no need for frequent updating).
I would add "ojo de bife" which is ribeye, to his list of cuts.
If you must have fish, you need to do your homework (no, really) and find one of the few spots that do it well. I have only had good sushi at one place (I think it was in Balvanera). Most of the clientele were Japanese expats. You can order sushi at lots of places in town, it just won't be very good and no matter what you order, you'll get cooked shrimp or smoked salmon.
Peruvian and norther Argentinian cuisine can be quite good (Locro). Make sure to order a Frenet and Coke so you can get the native experience (never mind that it tastes like sh*t).
TejanoLibre
09-06-12, 02:37
Speaking of steak places and Exon, I was walking along Paraguay the other day and noticed that El Establo no longer exists.I have not passed by to see the truth but I can believe it!
The place was always "OK" but never the best.
I know the place and it was huge, double basement, shirtless boys peeling potatoes and 50 lomos in seran rap!
How could it fail?
I know why my resto-bar failed but theirs?
The resto biz is the most difficult in BA!
Too many liars, thieves and scoundrels!
The place was almost good and when I shut down I sent my friends there.
Sorry,
But Parrilla Pena can not hold a candle to La Cabrerra!
La Cab is the best in town!
Unknown secret.
Arrive at 645 pm and grab a table.
You get 40% off and that's American Time to Dine!
TL
There was another long time restaurant on Paraguay, up towards Suipacha from El Establo, that is also history. I forget the name. Cigar Eric and Jackpot used to frequent the place. They both raved about the mushroom dish, though eventually Eric got a bad batch of shrooms and never returned.
There was another long time restaurant on Paraguay, up towards Suipacha from El Establo, that is also history. I forget the name. Cigar Eric and Jackpot used to frequent the place. They both raved about the mushroom dish, though eventually Eric got a bad batch of shrooms and never returned.I'm thinking Tancat was the name. Jeez, I hope I wasn't walking up some street other than Paraguay, and both El Establo and Tancat are still open. But, I don't think so.
TejanoLibre
09-06-12, 14:48
I'm thinking Tancat was the name. Jeez, I hope I wasn't walking up some street other than Paraguay, and both El Establo and Tancat are still open. But, I don't think so.I'm going to go and see for myself but I'll bet you a beer that Tan Cat and El Establo are both open!
Tan Cat is almost 100% locals and it's very good and always full.
El Establo has too many tourist to close down.
TL
Hey, I hope you're right and I was walking the wrong street! Wouldn't be the first time!
I'm going to go and see for myself but I'll bet you a beer that Tan Cat and El Establo are both open!
Tan Cat is almost 100% locals and it's very good and always full.
El Establo has too many tourist to close down.
TL
There is another decent place on Paraguay: La Rienda. It's on Paraguay between Maipu and Esmeralda. Though, as is becoming far too common in BA now, a couple of crooks gun in hand walked in on Tuesday evening and robbed the place, customers and all.
I haven't been to town for a while but last time I was there Tancat was doing fine. It has typical Spanish cooking. I love the place.
http://www.clarin.com/inseguridad/asalto-metieron-companera-frigorifica-lastimaran_0_767923465.html
Hey, I hope you're right and I was walking the wrong street! Wouldn't be the first time!I walked Paraguay today and both Tan Cat and El Establo are there. Sorry for the head fake! Em bare assing.
Spassmusssein
09-07-12, 02:36
Menue of the day (today) in "El Establo": "Gran Fabada a la Asturiana" and "Callos a la Mdrileña".
Tancat full, as usually. Recently opened a new place en Isidro.
Exedra is still closed. Buuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh whywhywhywhy.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.1.4 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.