It’s time we all toss aside ground beef empanada filling “spring rolls” with fluorescent pink sweet and sour sweet sauce, say chau-chau to chaw fan, put down the fork, pick up some chopsticks, and tuck into a more authentic world of Chinese cuisine. Here are the top 8 picks for the best Chinese restaurants in Buenos Aires.

El primo de esta nota acá en mi blog de Guia Oleo (castellano)

HONG KONG STYLE – Montañeses 2149, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

Hong Kong Style is by far the best Chinese restaurant in all of Barrio Chino. Chef Lui Cheuk Hung and his wife Lily preside over the restaurant serving the coveted Dim Sum (one of the only spots in BA) and other Cantonese food favorites. It’s important to go big for a complete HKStyle experience: large group, Sunday brunch, sit at a round table and patiently wait for the food to slowly creep out of the kitchen. Service may be slow as all the food is made to order, but you will leave with a happy Chinese-full belly.

What should you order?

Order one of everything off the short Dim Sum menu, like shrimp dumplings served in bamboo steamer, spareribs, and pork shumai. The sopa agripicante never fails as a soupy starter, nor does the Kung Pao chicken, roasted pork with pineapple, whole fish in oyster sauce, and salt and pepper fried shrimp. If you see a large table of Chinese men in business suits, order what they are having.

SHI YUAN - Tagle 2531, Recoleta

Why is it awesome?

Shi Yuan is everything you want in a janky Chinese neighborhood joint: Koi fish pond without any Koi fish swimming around, massive portions of food with a twinkling sheen of grease coating, and toothless waiters who bark in a Spanish-Mandarin dialect. Unlike many who undergo physical stomach distress when leaving a Chinese restaurant after an MSG numbness, I welcomed it with open Xanax tranquilized popping delight.

Another reason Shi Yuan is totally awesome in just five words? SILVER FUNGUS IN LUNAR PALACE. (Which belongs on one of my favorite websites, Engrish menu)

What should you order?

Skip the fungus palace and go for the Peking roasted duck (you need to order in advance), and green onion pancake. Seafood dishes are always fresh and delicious, as is the sautéed green beans and pork gyoza. Once I had a waiter who accidentally dropped off a menu in Chinese, so I know a whole other bizarro world menu existed. And proceeded to find someone who spoke Chinese to translate the menu for me. #DoAnything4DIMSUM.

SHAN DONG RESTAURANT - Vera 468, Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

It’s a spot for a select few in the know; for those who don’t mind getting dirty with a grubby hole in the wall. A restaurant must be pretty bomb when the majority of the tables are occupied by actual Chinese people, so that gives me reason enough I’m making a good restaurant choice. It’s not the type of spot to go for the trendy ambiance, since it’s located in basically a big room with round tables, greasy walls, and extremely minimal decor, but there’s something about cheap Chinese food and mean faced mozas that just makes the food taste better.

What should you order?

This spot is all about the bountiful endless pillows of dumplings, pan-fried or steamed (order the fried, always fried). The fried chicken wings will bring some tang to your life, as will the shrimp pan-fried noodles, sweet and sour/kung pao pork, and tofu with pickled cabbage. Warning: Some have claimed they reuse their soy sauce and rice, but as a proud member of the five-seconds rule club, I frankly don’t see the difference between sharing double dipped sauces and tomar-ing a mate with an unhygienic friend.

ASIA ORIENTAL - Mendoza 1661, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

I cannot-not go to Barrio Chino without stepping up to this food counter snack bar in Asian Oriental supermarket. It’s easy to ignore the pungent permeating fish smells from the pescadería after dunking face into cheap, big portions of fresh Chinese food to order.

What should you order?

Probably the freshest food possible, all the ingredients are the same that come daily to the supermarket. Order the dumpling soup and peanut sesame noodles (neither top 20 pesos), stir fried vegetables or wide rice noodles with pork or shrimp. Grab some spicy sauce and go to town. Warning: many recommend the iced zapallo tea but don’t do it unless you want luke warm sweet cavity water.

BAI FU – Scalabrini Ortiz 152, Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

Make sure to skip the Argentinized Spanish menu at this Cantonese hole in the wall and ask for the real deal, even if it’s written in Chinese and you don’t understand anything. The space won’t win any design awards, but go for a casual meal or order take away.

What should you order?

Duck.duck.more crispy duck. If you like your chicken spicy, order the Kung Pao chicken. Or your pork crispy and sweet, get the cerdo agridulce.  Steamed buns, fried eggplant and ma po tofu are also the tops. Fun fact: Once some friends dined a duck feast, and afterwards they walked out onto Scalabrini Ortiz to find 3 duck heads perched on a pole in the street in front of the restaurant. Good luck? (Photo: Frances, The Lost Asian)

RESTAURANTE CASERITA (aka Original aka 家常菜饭店) – Bravard 1170, Parque Centenario / Villa Crespo

Why is it awesome?

Another hidden Chinese gem on the outskirts of Villa Crespo, the harsh fluorescent lights shine brightly down on local Chinese families tucking into massive plates and deep bowls. Mozos may not speak Spanish, but just closely watch what is being brought out of the kitchen and order the same, even if you don’t quite know what it is.

What should you order?

Asian community friends rave about their soup dumplings and cold duck smothered in a sweet sauce. On a cold day, the clam soup will warm the soul, as will the light and fresh vegetable stir fry, whole steamed fish, and mu shu pork. It’s also one of the only restaurants to serve the ever-addictive steamed buns, xiao long bao. If you go on a good day, the kitchen may be serving their crab specialty. (Photo: Frances, The Lost Asian)

COMIDA TRADICIONAL CHINA - Arribeños 2122, Barrio Chino

Why is it awesome?

Any gritty hole in the pared displaying ducks and chicken feet in the window needs no explanation for its pure awesomeness.

What should you order?

Look around the tiny space and you’ll see Barrio Chino locals head first in a bowl of soup. The duck isn’t on the menu, but you can order by the weight. Same with the chicken feet. And pig ears.

BEIJING RESTAURANTE - El Salvador 5702, Palermo Hollywood

Why is it awesome?

It’s the sister restaurant of Shi Yuan, chef Li Xin Ying opened up this upscale version in Palermo Hollywood earlier this year. Walk in and you’re greeted with a large fish tank, big round tables banquette tables and grand wooden chairs. A finer dining version (with the prices to match) from your standard Chinese barrio joint, go for lunch and order the executive menu or with a large group and order a special fixed feast menu.

What should you order?

Stand out dishes include green onion pancake, sautéed Chinese vegetables, pork belly in spicy sauce, Peking duck (order in advance), fried eggplant, and HOT POT aka Chinese style fondue. To drink? Green tea with the meal. And of course this wouldn’t be a true Chinese food post if I didn’t give a mega SHOUT OUT to the one and only Frances Ren Huang aka The Lost Asian of Buenos Aires who may no longer be lost in Argentina, but her food eating, food cooking and food photo taking presence is heavily missed.

Wild Card: I’ve heard positive things about Jing Cheng (Medrano 472, Almagro), a banquet-like hall rumored to be frequented by Chinese mafiosos (?), but have yet to verify the actual deliciousness.

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Before you embark on your Chinese restaurant Buenos Aires food hop, it’s crucial to first keep in mind some very important Chinese food tips: 

- If you walk in and only see Argie families with forks, run away. You want authenticity, ie loud Chinese families with their heads buried in a bowl of noodle soup.

- Always ask for the non-Argentine “other” menu. Most restaurants have two menus (even if they claim otherwise), you want the one they don’t drop off at the table, even if it’s only written in Mandarin and you don’t understand a word. Find a token Chinese speaking friend to bring along as a valued dining companion, or make nice with the unfriendly waiter.

- Go with adventurous eaters. The best part about Chinese food dining is ordering a bunch of different plates to plop in the middle of the table, passing and sharing the entire meal. It’s no one’s fault but your own if you invite a bad sharer or bad eater. You’ll always lose inviting a vegetarian along, or a picky I-only-eat-fried-rice eater, or THOSE people who go out to eat together and each order the same dish as the other (WHAT HOLE DID YOU PEOPLE CRAWL OUT OF?!!?!).

- Expand your culinary horizons by being a creepy eater. Keep your eyes awkwardly peeled on the other diners and what’s coming out of the kitchen. Order what looks good from plain sight even if you have no damn clue what it is. Nothing you’ll find in Chinese restaurants is anymore revolting than morcilla or what your grandmother puts in her puchero.

- Steer clear of dessert. You’ve never heard anyone rave about a dessert they’ve eaten at a Chinese restaurant. Why? Chinese restaurant postres rarely satisfy. General rule of thumb: Don’t waste your calories. Unless it’s a Melona (Korean) or mochi ice cream (Japanese).

Caballito isn’t necessarily known for its hopping food scene, but one diamond in the rough is starting to change that… one juicy hamburger at a time. A totally contemporary fast food jam that does circles around the neighboring competition, you’d think it would belong in Palermo or San Telmo but instead it’s nestled comfortably in no man’s land. 

It’s a tiny local with just four tables and a few bar stools — Tierra de Nadie is whipping up quality American-inspired foods, serving to a packed house of quite random clientele that pass by during the day: neighborhood señoras, afterschool pibes, doctors, nurses, and other hospital workers. At night, the curtains come down and appears to be closed, but is really transformed into a secret hamburger hole in the wall for only those in the know.

David Sovilj and Guadalupe Peralta Herrera are both food lovers who worked in the restaurant industry for years. David is not a trained chef, but when he opened Tierra de Nadie, decided to take charge of the kitchen. Guadalupe manages the front of the house, taking endless orders, wrapping up delivery pedidos with care so it gets to its maker in a quality state, and making sure the clients are happy. This is their first endeavor as business owners – David worked as a waiter in famed Buenos Aires powerhouse restaurants such as Kansas, always keeping a close eye on quality products, how the food was made and consistently executed. Guadalupe lived for a few years in the United States, tasting and trying Yankie specialties. When the opportunity arose, the couple brought all their food likes, restaurant training, home cooking knowledge, and customer service experience to open up Tierra de Nadie.

It’s the type of menu that with one glance, you may brush it off as just another one of those Argentine fast food spots that are trying too hard to imitate the gringo food ways with hamburgers, some sort of Mexican wrap and a Caesar salad. But looks can be deceiving, and this certainly ain’t no TGIFriday’s menu.

This crispy chicken sandwich was kinda the hotness. Perfectly fried crispy buttery crust and juicy white meat in the middle, and served with BBQ sauce on a homemade baguette. I never thought it was possible to get so excited about a chicken sandwich, but holypollo, I’d like to extract the calories and make this my daily lunch. An overall simple but tasty sandwich where every component was something I’d like to eat on its own.

Meet the classic: she’s not like your everyday big, fat, juicy burger — she’s a different breed with a thin homemade paty, quickly seared and served medium, and dressed up with ham, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, special sauce and served on a slightly toasted soft bun. Since I’m not into Argentine fake cheddar, next time I’d probably lose the ham and cheese and go simply naked for just a regular hamburguesa.

Can’t you picture your dirty mouth inhaling that slutty burger? You know the special sauce oozing down the sides is kind of a turn on… or maybe not and I’m just a major food perv creeping everyone out. Nevermind. Just kidding … (?)

In addition to the smaller classic burgers, TDN also goes deluxe with house specialities including a burger that is STUFFED with cheddar cheese on the inside and packed with all sorts of toppings. Yes, it’s slightly crude, but a fabulous fatty idea for those who want to indulge and don’t give a shit what others may think #youdon’tknowme. Other interesting burger toppings: homemade bourbon sauce, caramelized onions, crispy fried onions.

The house fries are smothered with gooey cheddar and crispy bacon. Again, personally not my taste since I’m from a non fake cheddar cheese school of eating, but for those who like the processed stuff (no judgement — I freeze cool whip and eat it with a spoon), you will be in orange cheese bliss. BUT, I can say that the fries happen to be wonderful — thick, hand cut, mini steak fries, and will get you in the freshly frying mood.

Taco, burrito, what’s comin’ out of your speedo? Okay, maybe not the most appropriate rhyme to start singing before tucking into this burrito wrap. Tierra de Nadie does a different interpretation on the burrito — it’s as if a wrap and fajita mated, and had this food baby with strips of marinated beef, onions, peppers, lettuce and some saucy goodness. Not authentic Mexican, but a cool take on it with high quality products.

You can tell a great restaurant from a decent one when they make sauces in house, not serving any of the commercial bullshit. And we gotta give it up for Tierra de Nadie’s condiments — so often a good spot is just ruined with shit regular ketchup, ass-tasting mustard, and gloopygross mayonnaise, but here there’s a condiment party with a cast of homemade flavors: ketchup, honey mustard, sour cream, TDN spicy sauce (not that spicy FYI), BBQ, Bourbon sauce and Caesar.

The owner learned a lot from working for years at Kansas. Even though all of Kansas recipes are kept secret — in fear of being stolen — he watched, observed, and managed to replicate the Caesar dressing pretty well.

Thin crust BBQ chicken pizza?! California Pizza Kitchen, watch out. If only the “health” artificial sweetening nuts over at SER could see their plastic display thingy put to good use.

Tierra de Nadie
Avellaneda 588, Caballito
Tel. 2073-1566
Mon – Sat: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm; Thu – Sat: 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Delivery, Take away, casual fast food sit down
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Average price per person: AR$60

The food scene in Buenos Aires may be changing, growing, and diversifying, but it’s still rare for a restaurant to spring up that truly excites with an original concept, while also waving the Argentine spirit flag. So often an eating den either has a cool atmosphere or interesting food, but rarely do those two beasts cross paths. Aramburu Bis is from a different school and joins a select few in the Nueva Cocina Argentina movement who have set the tone for a new kind of simple yet contemporary Argentine cuisine.

Bis is the second installment from Gonzalo Aramburu and team (of the great Aramburu Restaurant). Unlike Aramburu’s elaborate and whimsical 12 course tasting menu, Bis shows off a simpler model – managed by Gonzalo’s sous chef Juan Pedro Piergentili - that centers around a reduced offering of seasonal high quality starters, main dishes, special lunch menu, and daily specials — with the option of a partial menu tasting. (Click here for menu).

The space is open, airy, breezy, with industrial light fixtures and rustic distressed mismatched wooden tables and chairs. The restaurant is surrounded by shelves of Argentine products: pinguinos, spices, aperitivos, olive oil, and of course the wonderful local Argentine wines, all chosen by the country’s rising star sommelier Agustina de Alba. Agustina has already won top sommelier in Argentina two times, first in 2008 when she was just 21 years old. She’s kinda a big deal.

It’s not every day you have pots, pans, and other kitchen equipment dangling over head while you eat. Totally blurs the line between the kitchen and table.

I’m a big proponent of the open kitchen — a peek into the magic that goes on behind the scenes.

Watching these talented young cooks at work makes it hard not to show an extra special appreciation of what’s on your plate.

Any restaurant with a mobile aperitivo cart already wins in my world.

Take a loaf off (budumching) and stuff your face in carb city.

Okay, time to take a seat at the communal table and hope no food weirdos sit down next to you.

Let’s take it to the top with the house starter spread: fresh homemade bread, garlic infused olive oil, and garbanzos served in a sardine can. And a ‘lil aperitif shot to get in the mood.

Aww snap, if my vegetarian teenage self could see me now. SUCK IT younger me (?) Every time I eat a tartar I feel like I passed a STD test – slightly terrified yet oh so satisfying. Hellz yeah I didn’t eat meat for 10 years but I just devoured RAW BEEF WITH A RAW EGG ON TOP, I tell myself as I simulate a 1980s John Hughes movie fist pump.

The tartar is served with a take on papas pai, or shoestring potatoes, served in a brown paper bag / fish fry basket.

Give me a mason jar filled with slowly cooked lamb and I may just close it back up, keep it in my yak pak, and sneak spoonfuls every few hours. It’s served with a corn foam on top and feta cheese — totally unique hitting the flavor and texture notes, although the saltiness of the lamb was a bit of a tongue attack.

Whether my egg is cooked at 62 degrees, 68, 98 degrees or on the hot sidewalk, eggs are kinda sexy shit and the food of the future. It was served inside a lovely mini saucepan with a Hollandaise sauce, duck confit, spinach, peas, and mushrooms and topped with mandioca and garlic chips.

The salt also overwhelmed the broth on here, but I’d still wish this dish for breakfast any day or night of the week.

I guess I’m a sucker for Aramburu’s meat shlong. The homemade extra smokey and perfectly spiced sausage was served with mixed greens and pickled apples, in a sexual yogurt sauce. Smoke me up, roll me up, and stuff me in a casing so I can get cozy with this salchicha.

I’ve never really had mad respect for a sandwich until now. Juicy chicken, roasted vegetables, with a sunny side up egg window and served on homemade sea salt focaccia, with killer potatoes and even more killer dipping sauce. If I had to pick a sandwich to have an extra marital affair with, it would be this one.

What you don’t notice is the size of this mother. Two forks in length. Very well endowed.

We should all respect differences in personal tastes as there is no right or wrong way to eat. But if you order your meat overcooked, you should get your beef privileges taken away and shouldn’t really deserve to eat a great piece of steak. The ojo de bife was cooked a perfect rare, served on top of a squash puré with sweet potato chips, purple basil pesto and roasted leeks. Still moo-ing in the middle but absolutely beautiful.

Me no like da sweet stuff, but the best component of this torreja (like French toast) with almonds, strawberry and cinnamon ice cream was the coffee cream on the side. I kinda wanna make the coffee cream into an everlasting gobstopper to have on file 24/7.

Sorry to hurt your feelings, but arroz con leche kinda sucks. It’s the end of the meal, you want to order a sweet, gratifying dessert — WHO ON EARTH WOULD ORDER WHITE RICE COOKED IN MILK WITH CINNAMON?! Only a crazy person. BUT I’m happy to announce Aramburu’s version is not only the most interesting arroz con leche I’ve eva seen in ma life, but one of my favorite desserts I’ve eaten in Argentina.

Remember when you’d go to the Air and Space Museum and would get to try astronaut ice cream? Well that’s exactly what this arroz con leche was like. Layers of textures, temperatures and flavors, the bottom was a creamy cold rice pudding, topped with a crunchy praline candy and a freeze dried-like ice cream. Have mercy.

Two years in the making, Bis means more than just a new hotspot opening. It challenges Nueva Cocina Argentina cooking to move away from being the exception, and start to become a contemporary cooking rule.

Aramburu Bis
Humberto Primo 1207, Constitución
4304.5697
Mon – Sat: 12:30 pm – 11:30 pm
Average price: Lunch: AR$130, Dinner: AR$210
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My Dearest Lamb Empanadas,

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with something, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

It was years ago but I remember it like yesterday. A rainy, cold and grey Buenos Aires late afternoon — too late for lunch, yet way too early for dinner — I roamed around Palermo on a quest to curb my famished yet demanding high standard hunger pains. With restaurants shut during the afternoon Palermo lunch-dinner gap, café kitchen’s closed, and the rest of my gastronomical choices too pathetic to properly eat my depressed feelings away, I decided to end my hours of aimless wanders, give up any hope to find something good, and settle with disappointing desperation snacking.

“Just stuff your face with something stupid at the next food spot you see,” my rational self told my fatgirl other half who craved something more than a soggy miga sandwich, or stale medialuna. Walking down Honduras street with a Charlie Brown rain cloud perched over my head I reached Godoy Cruz and spotted a sad empty corner bar.

“Fuck it,” I thought, and quite possibly could have stated out loud. I entered the bar expecting a cold tray of empanadas with flies swarming overhead, but to my surprise we locked eyes right as you exited the hot oven. You appeared like a rainbow that emerged from that lucky pot of gold, the storm clouds cleared and the sun shone brightly with direct illumination onto your glistening pastry outsides and slow cooked meaty filling. It was love at first Patagonian lamb sight.

I took a bite and my jaw locked, teeth began to sweat, stomach gasmed with delight — big chunks, perfectly seasoned, braised for what seemed to be for days in a flavorful cumin, onion and spice infused mix, and served in an open faced triangle — so I could subtly peek at your overwhelming sex appeal. From that day forward, I knew we were meant to be.

Pekín lamb empanada, you complete me.

Pekin – Bar de pizzas
Honduras 5303, Palermo Soho // Elcano 3194, Colegiales
Tel. 4833-9600 // 4554-2442
Delivery to Palermo & Colegiales
Price: AR$9 – 12 pesos per empanada
*Also order the carne picante, carne suave and panceta with plum, all of which are the total hotness

A wonderful welcome to the restaurant community, after just one visit I already knew Astor would become my top pick for best new spot in 2013 for the following reasons: creative cooking + great ingredients + interesting flavors + inviting atmosphere + classic porteño decor presented in a fresh way + buena onda service + accessible prices.

Opening in August of 2013, Astor joined a modern porteño food revolution – reinventing Argentine cuisine with a contemporary facelift, combining sprinklings of traditional flare, with a strong emphasis on creative seasonal and local ingredients.

Astor is the food baby of the passionate chef Antonio Soriano. Ex-chef of Chez Nous, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu, worked in kitchens throughout Europe, and is part of the GAJO chef family. He named the restaurant after the famous Argentine tango composer and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla, who incorporated elements of jazz and classical musical to modernize the traditional porteño music into nuevo tango – just like Astor Manduque Porteño and the nueva cocina argentina movement.

The menu is smart, unique, complex, sophisticated, but not at all pretentious. The reduced menu changes every few weeks and generally includes 3 starters, 3 main dishes, and 3 desserts — all inspired by seasonal and high quality local ingredients. Diners have the option of ordering an “esencia” sampling of 3 courses, a “degustación” of 5 courses, or the whole Astor “experiencia” tasting the entire menu.

Ultra food obsessors who can appreciate creative flavor combinations and experimenting with textures and various cooking methods will instantly notice the edible art presented on the plate. And, at the same time, those who just want to eat no matter what the food looks like can still partake in some good old fashioned fork to mouth action.

The whole menu tasting is a motherload to handle, but my inner food perv would be disappointed if I ordered anything less.

Since the tasting menu covers a fair number of dishes, I’ll have to categorize each as: The Decent, The Good, The Great, and the I-WANNA-HAVE-YO-FOOD-BABY. 

The meal starts off in the best way possible: a mate infused aperitivo take on tereré with cinzano and grapefruit juice, served in a mate gourd cold with a bombilla. It’s placed alongside a delicious bread basket with flavored butter, a sign for a fabulous dinner to come. (*And no extra cubierto is charged.)

White gazpacho, white tomatoes, white cucumber, almonds, garlic. Fresh, crisp, cool, rich in garlicky flavors. It came served in a pinguino pitcher and I could eat a whole bowl/pinguino of this white party on a plate. The Great.

Ñandu (like ostrich), almond farofa, pickled vegetables, mango sauce beautifully presented on funky shaped plates, great balance of textures and flavors. The Great.

Dick in a box?

Not quite. More like a play on anchovy pizza with olives, tomato sauce, white fleshy anchovy and basil. Loved the concept, wasn’t crazy about the dough and thickly cut ultra chewy anchovy. The Decent.

Chicken, peanuts, cilantro, parsley, zucchini and chutney. Gimme dat crispy skin adornment and sweet chutney any day. The Great.

Carrillera (braised beef cheeks), onion, mustard, apple, mini potatoes, mushroom. I want to take it out to dinner — some place fancy — and then slowly kiss those beef cheeks all day and all night. I-WANNA-HAVE-YO-FOOD-BABY.

Grilled fish, pesto, tomatoes, lime, habas, and a mothafuckin CAPERBERRY (I’ve never seen these in BA). I-WANNA-HAVE-YO-FOOD-BABY.

Duck, seasonal fruits, paté, campari, orange sorbet. This was by far my least favorite of the night, it reminded me of a Thanksgiving plate gone wrong. It seemed like there were too many components going on, and a lot of strong flavors that collided if eaten in the same bite.  The Decent. 

This leads us to a flaw: since the dishes are so elaborate with many flavors, picky eaters may have to look elsewhere — or make sure to order conservatively.

Jabali, bulgur wheat, white polenta ball, peach, baby eggplant, baby carrot, red curry. Porteñas gone wild boar. The Great.

And as if there was room for more food at the end, this caramelized apple with homemade helado was dropped off. It didn’t make certain body parts move, but creative and a solid dessert. The Good.

Okay, one more. Parfait de frutos rojos, garrapiñada of dried fruit, raspberry, mango tarta y hierba luisa, almond crumble, coconut. The Great.

And once I came for the awesome lunch menu (that’s currently unavailable)….

Country chicken with crispy skin, leeks, butternut squash. Chicken was a bit dry but overall fresh and refined plate of healthy food. The Good. 

Simple grilled fish with beautiful seasoned vegetables, fennel, and pickled salad. Bright, subtle, simple with a painting perfect presentation. The Great. 

THE BREAKFAST OF GODDAMN CHAMPIONS. Slow cooked egg with bacon, pea puré and onion gravy. Can Astor please open for brunch?! Ohhhh happy mouth, happy dreams, happy life. I-WANNA-HAVE-YO-FOOD-BABY.

I guess it’s only natural after that long meal to show a photo of the door to the men and women pipi rooms… (?)

A little positive rant on the front of the house service: friendly, knowledgable, confident, capable. There are no set sections for servers and each covers the whole floor. You’d imagine it would be a shitshow with multicourses flying out cold to the wrong tables — but none of that happened. The whole service ran quite smooth: timing was spot on between each course and every dish came out beautifully plated.

Since creepily snooping on what’s going on in the kitchen just happens to be a favorite pastime of mine, restaurants with a bar mean a few things:
1. A better alternative for solo diners #tableforone #foreveralone
2. Most of the spots that are joining the bar bandwagon actually have made these chairs comfortable at the right height for easier eating.
3. Chef sluts and cook chasers can freely lurk without the extra obvious awkwardness.

Bottom line: Querido Astor, damn boo you fine I wanna have yo food baby.

Astor – Manduque Porteño
Ciudad de la Paz 353, Colegiales/Belgrano
Tel. 11 4554 0802, Reservations recommended
Hours: Mon – Fri: 8pm – close, closed Sat & Sun
Average price per person: AR$260
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Ever wonder what Messi and the Argentine fútbol team eat? Well C5N has us covered….

• 14 DIFFERENT types of salads at EVERY meal. This probably includes the Rusky mayo-based ensalada rusa, and then most likely 13 different variations on the ensalada mixta. 
• Pasta
• Milanesas
• Meat
• Ice Cream

This diet was from the World Cup in 2010, but we can bet it probably hasn’t changed much in four years.

Did you also know that Messi’s favorite food is choripán? That and asado, and his mom’s home cooked milanesas.

There was a day when I wasn’t allowed to eat pork. Bacon, pork belly, ham, sausages, ribs, chops, salami, and a whole wonderful world of the other white meat remained unkosherly off-bounds in my reform Jewish household. But my fascination for the oinking bottom feeder remained strong, and like some kind of rebellious gene inside my stomach, I’ve grown a serious craving for all things treif. So imagine my delight when I came across a place where I can act out all my porky fantasies. Any spot with the tagline “delicacies in pork” is where I want to be. 

Chochán is one of the first places to start a trend of what hopefully will become the norm in Buenos Aires casual dining. A diminutive but solid menu of <mostly pork inspired> creative dishes with sandwiches, tapas-like appetizers, aperitivos, and boutique wines. We all need some more affordable restaurants serving inventive seasonal dishes — daytime spots that reinvent the old nostalgic classics while also experimenting with a new school of flavors, textures, ingredients and sauces, and paying attention to the little details.

The piglet of Luciano Vigevano, Micaela Baum, and young chef Naiara Calviño (formerly Aipim), Chochán (which means chancho or pig) serves up a cast of pork cuts utilizing the entire pig: panceta, morcilla, shoulder, tongue, belly, prosciutto, and a team of offal wonders. Since I’m a pro-pork fan, a major proponent of Aipim restaurant and pop up, and just think pig design stencils are pretty damn cool, I had a strong feeling I would get involved romantically with this place.

The menu is unlike any I’ve seen in BA. Yes, there is pork milanesa with a fried egg, braised pork belly with peanut butter, head cheese on toast, morcilla and potato croquettes, pork tongue tacos, BBQ pork sandwich, and lots of pickled vegetables. Kinda a dream boat.

Happy hour is the best hour. Especially with 2×1 drinks with a ‘lil aperitivo action just in time for some afternoon World Cup boozing: Cynar with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a Campari with orange juice and soda.

I smiled when this appetizer was dropped at the table: homemade ham with marinated garbanzo beans and purple pickled eggs.

PURPLE PICKLED EGGS, you are just so cute and pretty with the perfect almost-runny yolk and light sprinkle of sea salt seasoning.

Even though head cheese sounds like some sort of nasty venereal disease (and kinda looks like one too), the terrine-esque paté still had a great porkified flavor. It’s made from the head, but with no cheese involved, and served with pickled vegetables and toast.

Sweet potato fried nuggets of panko crisp love.

Chochán’s version of kimchi was definitely not eaten in vain.

The discovery of a good BBQ pulled pork sandwich in Buenos Aires is something of a revelation. And this cerdo deshilachado is a porky revolution.

Beautiful chunks of slow cooked pork, with just the right fork pulled texture and browned crispy end pieces, smothered in a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and piled into a soft homemade toasted bun with a generous spooning of vinegar-y crunchy coleslaw. It’s good, reeheeheeheeally good.

Normally, the Argie thin paty hamburger patty isn’t exactly what comes to mind when my teeth are looking to messily chomp down on a juicy medium rare hunk-o-beef, but this burger still did it for me: two thin burgers, served on a homemade bun, and topped with pickles, cheese, panceta, pineapple and red onion.

Move away from the trough and head towards the sea with a fried fish sandwich topped with kimchi, carrots, cucumber, cilantro and Sriracha mayonnaise. The fish was nicely crisped and fried with a juicy inside, and married harmoniously with the spice and crunch of the kimchi and cucumbers. I’d prefer it in a sturdier crustier chewy baguette since soft bun with soft fish made for a bit too much bread sog.

SOLONG-SEEYALATER-SAYONARA to the days of asking for extra sauce on the side, and being brought two sad sorry pathetic ketchup packets. Chochán has their sauce game FIGURED OUT, SON: a Gay pride rainbow of creamy sauces is dropped off at the table upon ordering, which includes a Sriracha mayo, green mayo, honey mustard, and olive sauce. Only thing selfishly missing? A REALLY fucking mouth suffering masochist spicy sauce.

#WECANPICKLETHAT: pickled peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, kimchi. A whole family of pickle jars decorates the local, along with cookbooks, wine and alcohol bottles.

Other dishes I’ll be trying next time: cerdo al jugo sandwich with avocado, cheese and criolla; roasted corn with cilantro and ricotta; blood sausage and potato croquettes; and cerdo crocante. There are also specials that change daily, a special Aipim Sunday brunch once per month, and word on the street is that a porky RAMEN may make another appearance.

Chochán opened only a few weeks ago (May 2014), so it’s only natural to give them some time to work out the kinks and get into the pork groove. With a small team running the show, expect the staff to be friendly, but a bit rough at times: running out of menu items or ingredients, slow service, and dishes taking longer than usual to come out of the kitchen.

But with such an original concept, ultra talented and passionate team, cool design, modern feel, great food and flavors, there’s no doubt Chochán won’t be a hit. Maybe it’s because I have an odd love affair for ze pork, but this tiny oink loving spot has moved to the top of the list as one of my favorites so far in 2014.

CHOCHÁN -delicias en cerdo-
Piedras 672, San Telmo
Tel. 4307-3661
Mon - Wed: 12pm – 4pm, Thu – Sat: 12pm – 12am, Sun: Brunch once per month
Average price: AR$110
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It’s only the first half of 2014 and the city has already exploded with new places to eat out. There seems to be a common trend with this Freshman class of newbies that I’m totally digging. It’s a general theme that is setting a new tone for the future way Buenos Aires dines: cooks and chefs as owners, involved in small yet unique passion projects, mostly opening outside the Palermo Soho bubble to serve a limited *and affordable* menu that simply focuses on great food. Here are the highlights of best new restaurants (cafés and bars) in Buenos Aires during 2014 (in no particular order).

GRAN DABBANG

DABBANG is DA BOMB. When a banging cook quietly opens a restaurant where Indian and Southeast Asian comfort food meet in Buenos Aires, a total taste bud orgasm follows. Gran Dabbang knows what’s up when it comes to downright bold and balanced flavors: Dal Makhani lentil curry, swiss chard pakoras with raita and carrot chutney, roasted pork belly, and a terrine with caperberries and pickled fruit and vegetables.  DABBANG is da type of place where everything on the menu you try is good, and it instantly becomes da spot you want to visit at least once a week for a poppadom top off. Scalabrini Ortiz 1543, Palermo Viejo.

LA ALACENA CAFE Oh, finally a café that does something different, and just gets it totally right. Alacena makes me happy for the following reasons: inviting space with modern open kitchen, friendly staff, outskirts of Palermo location, and of course the super interesting menu that masters understanding flavors, texture and ingredients. Think pressed sandwiches on chapa bread, hearty (and well rounded) salads, specials that focus around a different daily protein, pastries, weekend brunch, and a bomb postre game – like this dark bitter chocolate mousse tart topped with sea salt. Get at it. Gascón 1401, Palermo Viejo.

NOLA GASTRO PUB

What do you get when you combine a cook from New Orleans, a beermaker from Buenos Aires, and a big ass chicken sketch named G? After running a successful puerta cerrada, NOLA switches up the cards to bring a truly unique concept to this city. It’s easy to instantly fall for NOLA and like a junky on a chicken binge, keep coming back all cracked out for a spicy pollo frito fix. Welcome New Orleans southern comfort food, Cajun flavors, with fried fuckin’ chicken and great artisanal Bröeders beer (with a 25 peso happy hour everyday). Querido Buenos Aires, this is what a real gastro pub actually looks and tastes like. Gorriti 4389, Palermo Viejo.

CHOCHÁN

Chochán, lunfardo for chancho (pig) in Argentine Spanish, is all about pork. Naiara Calviño is in the kitchen pumping out killer oinking dishes like pulled pork and braised panceta sandwiches, homemade ham and purple pickled eggs, head cheese, and morcilla-potato croquettes. The best part of all? The orgy of sauces that are dropped off at the table. Full review here. Piedras 672, San Telmo.

ALO’S BISTRO

I selfishly want Alo’s to move from San Isidro to capital. A true cook’s restaurant, Alejandro Féraud leads a talented team that just know what’s up when it comes to eating well. Everything is made in house – breads, pastas, pastries, ice cream, etc. – and Alo’s offers a range of interesting dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s obvious the space was created by a chef: garlic and chili peppers hang from the open kitchen, cookbooks with jarred spices line shelves, and there’s even an organic herb and vegetable garden in the patio. Favorite dishes include the fish burger with mandioca, plantain and sweet potato chips; handmade triangolini pasta filled with meat and served in a mushroom sauce; and braised pork shoulder with butternut squash. Hot tip: sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen and have Ale dish out a special (and very well priced) bar-only tasting menu. Blanco Encalada 2120, La Horqueta, San Isidro.

MARIETA

Pura Tierra’s Martin Molteni, one of the first Argentine chefs who made a point cooking local, seasonal ingredients, has moved towards 9 de Julio inside the Le Dome hotel. Marieta stands alone as one of the only solid go-to spots to lunch or dinner in the microcentro.  The carta changes seasonally and even though it’s been over a month since I ate it, I’m still having wet dreams about this egg in an herbed cream sauce. Cerrito 22, Centro.

YEITE

In front of the Atlanta fútbol stadium, fashion designer Jessica Trosman has teamed up with chef Pamela Villar to bring this industrial style café attached to Trosman’s showroom. Serving breakfast, lunch, and merienda, the menu is all about simple and clean flavors with a style quite reminiscent of my favorite Nottinghill modern deli, Ottelenghi, with recipes that seem as if they come right out of the pages of the fabulous Jerusalem cookbook. Mediterranean-ish dishes consist of beautiful velvety soups, hearty nutritious salads, sandwiches, daily specials — all at very reasonable prices. Humboldt 243, Villa Crespo.

REAL REVOLUCIÓN

This city is just craving authentic Mexican food, and Real Revolución is trying to bring on those flavors. The somewhat bare restaurant might resemble a cafeteria mess hall, but this new place serves a handful sexi mexi starters — just make sure to stick with the basics to munch: tortilla chips with black beans and pico de gallo, guacamole, quesadillas, Micheladas, and the array sauces made with actually spicy chili peppers. Honduras 5143, Palermo Soho.

ROUX

Ex-chef of the infamous Oviedo restaurant, Martin Rebaudino opens up a small corner bistro that specializes in refined fish and seafood dishes. The ingredients are all super fresh, and each plate shows his great skill for flavor and technique.  Spinach risotto with a perfectly cooked shrimp, griviche salad with couscous, and butternut squash soup with mussels are all standouts. While Roux offers both lunch and dinner, I’d choose it more for a treatsy lunchtime jam. Peña 2300, Recoleta.

EL TEJANO

Texas native Larry Rogers, aka El Tejano,  has been selling his bottled sauces for a while, and finally graces us with a small location which is part comida para llevar, part closed door restaurant, and part meat smoking chamber (which is custom made and a quite impressive novelty in of itself).  The highlights?  Smoked chicken, brisket, pulled pork, and pork ribs. He also makes homemade chorizos – mega choripáns stuffed with jalapeños and cheddar cheese. It’s a total fatty attack, in the best way possible. Honduras 4416, Palermo Viejo.

MERCADITO LATINO

Huevos rancheros, arepas, patacones — that sounds like my kind of breakfast of champions. The casual Mercadito Latino across from the San Telmo mercado brings some Latin American flava with dishes inspired by Mexican, Peruvian, Colombian, Venezuelan and Brazilian cuisines.  Carlos Calvo 488, San Telmo. 

ADORADO BAR

Joining the Nicaragua street Oui Oui and Pani café gang, Adorado has the recipe for a cool and comfortable neighborhood hangout: modern tasteful design + bakery + good food. Word on the street is that the carrot cake is phenom, bruh. Nicaragua 5856, Palermo Hollywood (Photo by Adorado)

BLANCH

Moving on up from being hidden on a quiet Las Cañitas street, Blanch is back – new, improved and reloaded. It’s set in a Palermo Hollywood PH (with a huge rooftop terrace) and known for dishing out eclectic plates like pork shoulder with a BBQ sriracha sauce, coleslaw and green mango, Panko crusted shrimp, and crab cakes. I’d also like to brunch daily on their scrambled eggs on toasted focaccia topped with succulent filets of CURED SALMON. Carranza 2181, Palermo Hollywood

ARAMBURU BIS

The second installment from Gonzalo Aramburu’s team (Juan Pedro Piergentili & Agustina de Alba) with this breezy corner modern Argentine bistro getting down with seasonal lunch and dinner options.  The space is open, airy, breezy, with industrial light fixtures and rustic distressed mismatched wooden tables and chairs. The restaurant is surrounded by shelves of Argentine products: pinguinos, spices, aperitivos, olive oil, and boutique wines. Full review here. Humberto Primo 1207, Constitución

FESTIVAL

Put on yo’ party pants because it’s time for a cocktail fest.  The makers of Soria have moved down Gorriti to open up a younger cousin drink factory with alcoholic nectar, fun music, and a large-and-in-charge heated patio. Gorriti 5741, Palermo Hollywood. (Photo by Festival)

Victoria Brown Bar 

It’s rare to find a bar with a stunning design that also serves first class cocktails AND winning food coming out of the kitchen, but Victoria Brown has managed to tick all those check marks. By day the café in the front is known for its brunch and BBQ bondiola sandwiches, while at night the fake brick wall opens to an impressive luxurious bar setting. Bottom line: order a smoking cocktail (literally, it comes smokin’) and anything off of the extensive (yet slightly overwhelming) food menu. *Victoria Brown café was inaugurated at the end of 2013, while the bar opened in February 2014. Costa Rica 4827, Palermo Soho

On the list to hit up for part two of the new eating quest:Chiuso Ristorante, Per Se, San Gennaro, Trova, Farang Sushi Bar. 

Buenos Aires Best New Restaurants, Bars, Cafés 2014 Hotspot Quick Facts: 

• Adorado Bar - Nicaragua 5856, Palermo Hollywood. Tel. 4775-6625
• La Alacena Café – Gascón 1401, Palermo. Tel. 4867-2549
• Alo’s Bistro –  Blanco Encalada 2120, La Horqueta, San Isidro. Tel. 4737-0248
• Aramburu Bis – Humberto Primo 1207, Constitución. Tel. 4304-5697
• Blanch – Carranza 2181, Palermo Hollywood. Tel. 4771-4440
• ChoChán – Piedras 672, San Telmo. Tel. 4307-3661
• Gran Dabbang – Scalabrini Ortiz 1543, Palermo Soho. Tel. 4832-1186
• Festival – Gorriti 5741, Palermo Hollywood. Tel. 4775-6733
• Marieta - Cerrito 22, Centro. Tel. 4383-3722
• Mercadito Latino - Carlos Calvo 488, San Telmo.
• NOLA Gastropub – Gorriti 4389, Palermo. Tel. 5348.4509 
• Real Revolución – Honduras 5143, Palermo Soho. Tel. 2073-9902
• Roux - Peña 2300, Recoleta. Tel. 4805-6794
• El Tejano BBQ – Honduras 4416, Palermo.
• Victoria Brown Bar – Costa Rica 4827, Palermo Soho. Tel. 4831-0831
• Yeite – Humboldt 293, Villa Crespo. Tel. 4855-6777