Hidden beauty

“Hay que tener fuerza”, the gentleman told me with a laugh as he let me in. He was right – even with the knob already pulled down, the door seemed to require a little gentle nudging (read: banging) with an elbow in order to force it open.
And open it did, to a restaurant that was both cozy and charmingly rundown. Granted, the cozy and charming part didn't really kick in at first. In fact, my initial reaction to the rustic surroundings – aside from the stubborn door without so much as a sign above it, there were very basic tables and chairs, nude walls in dire need of a paint job, and jaded porteños on their lunch break as opposed to excited tourists on their way to the next sightseeing spot – was to turn to my travel companion and whisper, “Are you sure about this place?”.
It turns out she was. That was it – San Francisco La Gota, on Defensa street. “Don't let appearances scare you”, she whispered back, “it's the best milanesa con papas fritas in the city”. So we got seated, and ordered just that to the attentive waiter (needless to say, a smile and a polite greeting in Spanish don't hurt, but the service is very good anyway). While I waited, I looked around and still wondered if maybe any café on any other corner would have been a better choice – we were, after all, in Buenos Aires. Wonderful cafés on most corners.
All of that went away the second I took my first bite of the breaded stake and fries. (I believe I actually closed my eyes and softly called to a deity of some kind.) There are many places in Buenos Aires where you can eat a delicious milanesa, but that one is to this day the best I've tasted. A word to the wise – the plate is quite large, so unless you're famished, I recommend splitting one.
In addition to the deliciousness, the restaurant's regulars are downtown workers in their suits and ties, which might mean that the faces are a bit more tired or indifferent, but also that it's a genuine eatery and not a gentrified tourist attraction (sadly, I'm looking at you, Café Tortoni). Plus, the location could not be more convenient, as it's literally steps away from the Plaza de Mayo.
San Francisco La Gota is something like Buenos Aires itself: a bit rough around the edges, but so beautiful and enchanting at its core – where it counts – that you always want to come back as soon as you can. (I sure did.) As that gentleman kindly and humorously, and very Argentinian-ly, pointed out to me as I entered the restaurant, all it takes is a little strength.