Back in the good ole BA days, when the colectivo cost 80 centavos, Sudestada offered one of the best lunch specials in Palermo. Fast forward a few years, add a 70% price increase and an inflations-a-bitch tax, and this Southeast Asian inspired restaurant still remains a long standing Buenos Aires lunch special favorite.
Nothing beats Sudestada’s midday steal: appetizer, main course and drink for AR$50 pesos AR$70 pesos. An interactive menu, choose your dishes by punching the holes (or hanging chads) on a small piece of paper – don’t forget to punch the picante hole. Ojo: this picante is actually very spicy, ask for some extra ají picante on the side and you’re in for a burn.
On the appetizer menu, you can choose from two options: think salad, soup, dumplings – that sort of deal. The salad is bright and simple, with greens, tomatoes, onions, bean sprouts, peanuts and a really interesting fried hard boiled egg, all served in a light summery citrus dressing.
It’s hard for me to pass by a good dump. Especially these dumplings filled with pork and chives, served in a garlic soy sauce.
Soup ain’t nothing special – a peppery chicken water broth with red onion slivers, carrots and bean sprouts. I’ve been told that it’s normally made with a few splashes of coconut milk, but it seems like they forgot to add it.
For a main course, choose from five different options, with selection that includes dishes like chicken & pork fried rice, chicken curry, Thai noodles, stir fried fish and vegetables, and stir fried beef and vegetables.
I’m a huge fan of the curry and especially the Thai noodles. Give me a big bowl of thickity thick rice noodles and I’m extra contenta. A vegetarian dish, it’s served with a whole slew of vegetables, in a sweet soy sauce. My kinda dish. Best part: the picante adds an extra inflamed mouth kick of heat.
The other plato principal highlight, the Bo Xao or carne salteado con verduras y papas. Thin strips of tenderloin stir-fried with a greasy-vegetable medley (greasy in a good way) and topped with fried onions – the perfect bites of savory and sweet, with mouth smacking crunchy bits of texture.
And then there’s the Com: stir fried rice with chicken, pork and veggies, served with a side of sweet and spicy chili sauce. The vegetable mix seemed more like the canned/frozen corn-pea-carrot medley, not fresh, very triste, and the gloopy overly sweet chili sauce on the side. Not a good order.
Because you’re an extra fatty, and one menú ejecutivo isn’t enough for such an insatiable appetite, maybe you might wanna order a fried fish cakes for the table, served with a lovely cucumber salad and a delightful chili sauce. Just a suggestion.
And to be a bit depressing, let’s take a walk down food menu memory lane and indulge in a bit of price complaining. In 2009 this cost AR$23, 2010 this cost AR$34, in 2012 it costs AR$50, and today AR$70. Bad news? Inflations a bitch. Good news? They don’t charge cubierto and wine is included as a drink option.
Sudestada
Guatemala 5602, Palermo Hollywood
Tel. 4776-3777
Mon – Sat: 12:30pm – 4pm, 7:30pm – 1am
Lunch special only available on weekdays
Average price: AR$80, Dinner AR$200 Lunch AR$50, Dinner AR$120
Bill says
Can’t believe they took the ribs off the menu. Villanos!
Miles says
Fried boiled eggs are called son in laws eggs for some reason. I do mine with rucula, crispy fried onions and a tamarind dressing, though given it is asparagus season at the moment might be worth adding some of that!
Yedy says
I am from the Philippines but I always loved reading Pick Up The Fork. I haven’t been to BA before and your website steeled my resolve that I should do my best to be able to visit your beautiful place and experience all the good food you have been posting here. Thank you for sharing your insight on food and restaurants, it is always pleasurable to read.