Roaming prides of lions in the Serengetti eat less meat than these carnivores.
Those who know me, are aware of my reluctance to have eaten British beef for some years. Paranoia or not, I felt compelled to indulge in beef here or forsake the basis of an entire national cuisine.
So how good is the beef here?
Out came the mixed grill for one. ¨One what?,¨ I thought, glancing the oval platter piled high with meats, ¨one dinosaur?¨
Portions of all meat here are huge and don´t expect vegetables. My grill contained chorizo (no relation to the smoky Spanish stuff) but still a tasty sausage, morcilla (loosely textured blood sausage with chunky, fatty bits) small intestine (looked like a large white piece of fatty inner tube and tasted similarly) Sweetbreads (I received 4 ear-like thymus glands - tough and strongly flavoured they reminded me of wild mushrooms) Tripe (tough, greasy and flavourless) Kidneys (there were 3 splayed maroon organs resembling haemeroids - tough but tasty, some were much stronger than others) various cuts of pork (tasty on-the-bone meat, and succulent) Various cuts of beef (bone-in and tasty, cooked medium)
Yes, Atkins may have approved but my arteries felt worn.
Actually, Argentinians traditionally begin with offal and then move to the better cuts although I´d advise skipping the above unless you have the canines of a jaguar.
Asado or Parrilla (pronounced ¨Pareesha¨ in Buenos Aires) is a failsafe way to go. Their famous method of chargrilling, often using whole, spatchcocked animals ensures a good even cook with optimum flavour. Beef is an institution, so order any cut and you won´t be disappointed although lomo or fillet is best. Drink inexpensive Malbec from Mendoza with your steak and you have fine dining. Their red wines are world class and designed for this type of food.
Prepare for Argentinian waiters. They always know best. They decide where you will sit, how your meat will arrive, how it will be cooked (bloody) and whether they consider a steak to be too large for your girlfriend.
Its all quite continental really, except far less varied. Its unsurprising as Argentinians descend from Italian and Spanish roots.
However some of the cuisine is lost in translation. Although pizza and pasta is commonplace, it bears ñittle relation to the universally acclaimed Eurpean versions. Pizzas are heavy and the ingredients inferior and badly fused. Marias lasagne contained NO sheets of pasta! and my pesto had NO basil! In all parts of Argentina we have visited pasta has been flabby, overcooked and lacking flavoursome sauces.
That said, if you are in Buenos Aires, head to the gastranomically enterprising district of Palermo where you can find macrobiotic, organic, Moroccan, Vietnamese and even vegetarian foods. Well maybe not the last one.
Many places have lunchtime specials featuring an entrada (starter) principal (main), postre (dessert)and a copa del vino (wine) for 15-20 pesos (3.50GBP)
So whats good for breakfast?
Like the Med, breakfast is a disappointment. Everyone starts with coffee e.g Cafe con leche (endearingly served with a shotglass of water) although the coffee can be watery and lacking decent roasted flavour. Cortado here is just black coffee in a glass and not the small glass of espresso topped with foam from Spain.
Medzialunas (croissants)are much heavier than the French crisp, buttery crescents and resemble heavy panetone. The best breakfast option in my opinion are the Tostados. They are good everywhere. Go for Jamon crudo e queso to ensure a good quality ham.
Jugo arancha (orange juice) tends to be overly sweet watery muck unless you can track down a place that will squeeze you some. Pomello may be a better option.
Tea is served with hot UHT milk (like coffee)although herbal teas have really caught on in the capital.
What´s good for lunch?
For some reason, Argentinians love to sneak beef into everything they serve. A ham and cheese sandwich is garnished with steak, Empanadas (like Cornish pasties) are filled with the stuff, our coach journey from Iguacu to Buenos Aires featured slow cooked stewing steak (very good) and even the budget hostel BBQ had huge slabs of cow and deliciously juicy beef sausages for all.
Yerba Mate (pronounced, ¨mah-tey¨)is the national drink. Its a highly caffinated tea served with or without sugar. The leaves are dried and remain green, looking like loose herbs. The Gauchos preferring a stronger tea derive their Mate directly from the plant and don´t dry the leaves.
Mate is drunk through a silver straw as a kind of welcome in a challice-like cup. The dried leaf smells like cigarette tobacco and mine tasted of a herbal spinach. I could get used to it though.
Five o´clock is Mate time. There are a multitude of cafe and pastry shops selling pastas (pastries) pastels (cakes) and tortas (tartes)
The must-try is alfajores, a sandwich-like, round biscuit with a dulce de leche filling. A chain called, Havanna sells top-end biscuits but sadly no cigars!
Whats good for dinner?
Dont even think about leaving for dinner before 8pm unless you enjoy your own company. Beef, kid goat, (chivito) maybe fish from the parilla are options, if you´ve not had enough meat already. You may want to try Barbecued ubre, which is cows nipple. Gives new meaning to the phrase, ¨fancy something teat?¨
Salads are reasonable although the tomatoes are tasteless. Your waiter will dress the salad in olive oil (check its not gone rancid like ours) and cider vinegar or balsamic. The onions are excellent, sweet and light.
Desserts are very hit and miss. Ice cream is artificial tasting and watery. Fruit salads are mainly from tins. Cheesecakes are a better option and I had a good poached pear cooked in Malbec wine.
The fact is - You don´t have to be a Beefeater to enjoy Argentinian food , but it does help.
