La Gran Taberna - Congreso

[Jackson]

La Gran Taberna is on the corner of Combate de los Pozos and Hipolito Yrigoyen, right behind the Capitol Building. It's a standard Argentine restaurant with a menu strong on seafood and Spanish-style dishes. They've been in business for more than 40 years.

Nine of us arrived at approximately 10pm with a reservation having been made just 30 minutes earlier. Nevertheless, our table was waiting as requested.

Given that La Gran Taberna is just a couple of blocks from my apartment in Congreso and I've dined there on several ocassions, I advised everyone as they were reviewing the menu that the portions were no less than huge. Several of our group decided to try the seafood jambalaya, which at $75 pesos was purported to feed four. Actually, it was big enough to yield 6 steaming plates of food, so everyone had a sample of the excellent combination of chunky white fish, calamari, clams and oysters all piled on a bed of yellow rice.

La Gran Taberna also has a real carbon grill, although they don't feel compelled to put it out in the front window for tourists to see. Nevertheless they put out a bife de chorizo that rivals the best in the city. It's a full 2 inches thick and as long as my plate. I think it's identical to what they serve at Aquellos Anos for $36 pesos, but at La Gran Taberna it's a bargain at just $18 pesos.

The total bill for nine diners came to $270.00, or just $35 pesos each with the tip. The three wine drinkers shared three bottles between them for an additional 115 pesos.

Later we went to Excedra for coffee, conversation and eye candy, everyone slowly splitting off as they spotted something of interest. The inventory at Excedra on that night was better than average, I having spotted a couple of items that even hit my minimum.

Thanks to all who attended, including Andres, Waterboy, Rockin Bob, El Grandote, Chica Seeker, El Aleman, Shane4000 and Escapee5150.

La Gran Taberna
Combate de los Pozos 95
Corner of Hipolito Yrigoyen
Behind the Capitol Building
4951-7586

Jackson

[El Aleman]

Jackson gives a basically correct record of the events of last night, to which I just want to ad a few observatons.

La Gran Taverna is excellent. I would not call it a "standard Argentine restaurant", it's emphasis is clearly on traditional Spanish cuisine, lots of paellas, zarzuelas (stews) seafood etc. The paella we shared among 4 (Yes, it would have fed 2 more easily) was as good as they come and on par with what I have eaten in Spain. And what I have seen on the plates to my left and right, was mouthwatering.

This place seems to confirm El Alemán's first rule of finding good eating places: if it is packed with locals, and locals only, it is usually good.

El Alemán

[Hunt99]

Perhaps the Old Man needs reading glasses?




La Gran Taberna.
Combate de los Pozos 95
Corner of Hipolito Yrigoyen
Behind the Capitol Building
4951-7586

Jackson

[Moore]

I would also like to try this place out. Trust but verify. Pappy, if you have vision problems I can lead you there as a seeing eyedog.

[Moore]

I tried La Gran Taberna out this afternoon and give it my stamp of approval.

The place was packed and from what I could see there was not a single foreigner there. As mentioned, it is located very close to Congreso in what could be called the heart of Capital. It is a genuine Porteno place, and that means that the decor is somewhat tacky. I don't mind that, my main concern is the food.

Before even entering I thought there might not be a table available but a waiter instantly attended me and lead me to an open spot. The service was excellent and enthusiastic throughout the meal.

Whenever I dine somewhere in Argentina for the first time, I always order the standard bife de chorizo. When testing a new Italian restaurant, always order the most basic item which is the margarita pizza. If they don't get that right then chances are nothing else is done right either. The steak was quite good, though it was not so large by Argentine standards - about 225 grams give or take.

Everything I saw being served looked excellent - the pastas, pork dishes, and especially the paella, which is probably what I'll order next time. All the portions looked huge. You will not find a more extensive menu.

The prices are not particularly low. Yes the bife de chorizo was 18 pesos but everything else was higher than I would estimate for such a place. Most dishes (carre agridulce or bife al champinon) run about 30 pesos. My Michelob level wine, Rincon Famoso, cost p15 for 375ml which is about 25% over the norm. My bill for the steak, an ensalada mixta, half-wine, water, and cafe doble was p47 plus tip. Hello inflation.

Overall, I really enjoyed the meal and the place. Thanks Jackson, you got me off my ass and made me try a new place. I hereby forgive you for your Grand Slam breakfast comments.

[Moore]

I had a great meal here recently. It was the matambrito al verdeo, which is a lean pork cut with papas noisette (round potatoes) covered with a vegetable/onion based light sauce (more of a broth). Excellent dish. The last time I dined here with Jackson I asked a waiter what a patron at a nearby table was eating since it looked so good, it was this meal.

I commented in my previous post that the platos seemed relatively pricey at about p30, but the portions are huge - at least for two people. I almost busted my gut eating half and brought the rest home in a doggy bag. Ask for Ulises (Ulysses) as a waiter, he is an excellent server and knows the entire menu. Speaks no English and is a funny guy.

My bill was p55 which included wine, coffee, water, and limoncelo, but as mentioned that was essentially a meal for two or even three.

[BundaLover]

I ate here 3 times with 2-4 people at table in July. This is old school restraunt. No waiters under 45 years old, owner watching everything from the register. Big chubby Portenos on lunch break. Cloth table clothes. A huge menu, attractive interior with wood paneling and hams hanging from the ceiling, TV's, windows, a real no nonsense restraunt. Ordered half portion 65p of Gran Taverna Paella and it was good but not special. More than enough for 2. Then few days later with girls we orderred same dish full size 80p. Wow what a difference. It was very very good. The fish was succulent, the small shrimp tasty and the temperature very hot. In retropest I think the prior half portion was made eariler as a part of another half portion and reheated for us.

I saw half parrilla being eating by FOUR big bussiness men. I think they needed a few more guys to finish it.

Salads very good. Service excellent. All the waiters eat together after lunch and dinner rush hours. Bathrooms upstairs spotless clean (girls liked this! And spacious unlike most shithole restraunt bathrooms in BaAs.

Last meal was fish fillet 18p. Oh my god, enough for 3 people I couldnt eat any more. Fresh and prepared prefectly with garlic and butter as requested. Guest had small lomo.

A nice change from the trendy places in Palermo. Highly reccomeded for solid experience.

[JustGotBack]

I give this place a thumbs up as well. It has the second best lomo I've had so far on this trip. 4 of us went there and had the full paella and 2 lomos. Needless to say, we didn't finish the paella but we did have a go at it. For the quality of the food, it's dirt cheap.

[Azmitgom]

Discovered this place the other day (thanks, forum) and I agree, it's a very good value.

Not snobbish luxury, not touristy, plenty of options for food (I had a cazerola de pollo a la española or something like that)

If I were a congressman I'd eat there every lunch. Unless I voted very unpopular laws, that is.

[Dave132]

Thanks for recommending this place, I was there for lunch yesterday and it was very good. I paid 62$ though for a bife de chorizo con patates, 2 bottles of aqua and an espresso. And some bread and stuff. The bife alone was in the menu for 32 or 38 ARS. Is this okay or did something go wrong? Anyway, it still was half of what that costs at home!

[Argento]

Thanks for recommending this place, I was there for lunch yesterday and it was very good. I paid 62$ though for a bife de chorizo con patates, 2 bottles of aqua and an espresso. And some bread and stuff. The bife alone was in the menu for 32 or 38 ARS. Is this okay or did something go wrong? Anyway, it still was half of what that costs at home!I had a meal here with another monger a month or so ago. The 'freshly prepared' quail was pre-cooked, overdry, and overpriced for what was presented. The prick of a waiter, who sang a rhapsody about how freshly it was prepared when we ordered, denied he knew anything about the habits of the kitchen when we complained. Typical. When push comes to shove, they lie and deny any responsibility. So never again. They can stick their over-priced offerings where the sun doesn't shine.

Argento

[TejanoLibre]

I had a meal here with another monger a month or so ago. The 'freshly prepared' quail was pre-cooked, overdry, and overpriced for what was presented. The prick of a waiter, who sang a rhapsody about how freshly it was prepared when we ordered, denied he knew anything about the habits of the kitchen when we complained. Typical. When push comes to shove, they lie and deny any responsibility. So never again. They can stick their over-priced offerings where the sun doesn't shine.

ArgentoI was there about (2) weeks ago and I was very disappointed!

(Like always in this fucking country!)

Anyway, dry, over-priced, under-seasoned paella with very few seafood offerings!

Served by an unappreciative waiter!

Please try the Palacio Español on B. de Yrigoyen.

You should be able to locate the thread under the same name.

Palacio Español.

Take Care,

R

[Bundalover1]

The half order of paella can sometimes be reheated. (the full order is always made to order and could feed 5 with salads). However on our recent visit it was very very good and fed 2 people with leftovers. It was loaded with octopus, shrimp and mussels. Ill post a photo later. Could it be the seafood is better in different months of the year?