New Years Eve Feast Argentine Style
ARGENTINA | Monday, 31 December 2007 | Views [2004]
Hard to believe it's nearly 2008, and almost a complete year that we've been on the road. Even harder to believe we're in this very touristy town, and many restaurants closing early on New Years Eve - I guess there's that "US capitalistic mindset" kicking in again... if some of these restaurants stayed open, they could rake in the profits, but just as has been highlighted to use throughout our travels this year, people in these countries prioritize family time and lifestyle over excessive earnings. Despite searching for a place for a good Argentinean dinner, we come up empty handed, so decide to eat our dinner at lunchtime, and decide to feast on traditional Argentinean parrillada at the local family run establishment El Boliche de Alberto (yep, the same owners of the fabulous Italian restaurant). We made the right call, as they slice up the big slabs de vaca right in front of us, explaining what each piece/cut was, and from what part of the cow it was from. After receiving our full cow education, we select our slabs; me, a 300g slab of lomo-filet.. and Darrin selects the 600g huge hunk of chorizo cut, which the Argentinean chef highly recommends. They have a huge, beautiful stainless steel grill that Darrin is salivating over, wishing we had one back in San Diego on our deck. We watch as they sizzle up our carne, and we feast for two hours, over a nice bottle of Mendoza Malbec. While we eat, they close the restaurant and their entire extended family arrives to grill up and dine on a cow to themselves. We feel like we're in their family kitchen celebrating with them. All together, the best New Years Eve meal we could have dreamed of. here the sun doesn't set until after 10:00 a.m. so we have a great after feast nap, waking up before the turn of the new year, ready to welcome in 2008.
