Challenge:

*Breakfast: Medialunas

*In Buenos Aires, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day since locals rarely eat it.

You can’t just hop into any old café and order medialunas; there is a science behind it.  You need the soft doughy inside civilly unioned with the crusty flaky shell.  Stale medialunas are a total turn off while warm medialunas are the added boner.

Where to go? For the best medialunas in Buenos Aires get your culo to Alimentari (multiple locations), Café Montenegro (Soler y Arévalo, Palermo), Del Amanecer (Chile 561, San Telmo)

Lunch: Milanesa Napolitana con Papas Fritas

This super common Argentine lunchtime favorite may seem a bit heavy for a midday bite: meat (usually chicken or beef) battered and deep fried.  The traditional napolitana has tomato sauce or tomatoes, ham and cheese, but there are many variations, such as in sandwich form, or other versions – like a la suiza (traditionally topped with a white sauce), or you can order it a caballo, with an extra fried egg on top.  Cheap, pretty delicious, found almost everywhere – no wonder it’s a staple in the diet of many.

Where to go? For the best milanesas in Buenos Aires, you can’t go wrong if you go to El Preferido de Palermo (Borges 2108),  Albamonte (Corrientes 6735, Chacarita), El Timón (Dorrego 1699, Palermo),  Don Ignacio (Rivadavia 3439, Almagro). Careful with ordering a milanesa in a shithole, your stomach may hate you for it. Too many times I have gotten a big bite of tasteless and rubbery or pink and raw.  Check out Proyecto Napola Tour, a genius of a blog that is on a quest to find the best milanesa napolitana in Buenos Aires.

Merienda: Galletitas and Mate (Cookies + Crackers, Mate tea)

The type of merienda you eat is very telling of what kind of porteño you are.  Are you the mate and galletita type? Do you prefer a sweet merienda? Savory merienda?  YANQUIS: Wanna know the secret to becoming semi-porteño? Merienda-ing.

Where to go? Put on some flowy, hempy striped genie pants, grab some mate, galletitas and a porro, and head over to Plaza Francia for an earthy merienda eating with the other hipteños (porteño + hippies).  While most cafés don’t offer mate in house, Cumaná (Rodriguez Peña 1149, Recoleta) does serve special mate meriendas.

Dinner: Parrilla for some good asado (BBQ)

There’s no doubt that locals are serious about their meat and they keep it simple with just some salt, a grill and of course the carne.  For a variety of meats, order the parrillada, a plate filled with various cuts.  Chimichurri and salsa criolla are pretty much the only condiments allowed to put on top; you will be shunned as a blasphemous loco if you ask for any other sauces.

Where to go? While I might have attackers come stab me with a fork in the forehead if I reveal some of my favorite “secret” barrio parrillas (that really aren’t very secret anymore, but I don’t want to break their foodie trust), I can publicly endorse Parrilla Peña (Rodriguez Peña 682, Recoleta) because I like the old school bodegón neighborhood feel.  There is still more Spanish spoken than English at the tables and the meat is always grilled to perfection.  I order bife de lomo (tenderloin) and some french fries, and I iz japi.  Lo De Paka (Congreso 2011, Belgrano), Pobre Luis (Arribeños 2393, Belgrano), and La Brigada (Estados Unidos 465) are other solid choices if you are looking to get your meat on at traditional restaurants.  These may not be the best steaks in Buenos Aires, but still some of the best parrillas.

Dessert: Helado

Where to go? Hands down, the best ice cream in Buenos Aires is from Jauja (Cerviño 3901, Palermo – check site for other locations).  What makes it the best helado, I don’t know.  But I do know I can personally blame Jauja for a 5 pound weight gain.  If I am trying to be super Argentine, I’ll order dulce de leche, and only dulce de leche.  If I’m feeling a bit more adventurous, my top 3 go-to flavors are chocolate suizo, frutos del bosque, and perhaps for the wild card, dulce de leche con brownie.  My favorite neighborhood BsAs ice cream shop is El Capricci (Paraguay 5502) for the trifecta: chocolate suizo, dulce de leche con brownie and chocolate marroc.

A country lacking overall in the snack department, I miss those savory, sugar-filled, chemically preserved-packed goodies that I hold so dear to my heart.  Buying snacks in any Argentine supermarket is like shopping in a ghetto grocery store, trying to rummage through the dollar-supersaver bin to find the least offensive products. It’s not as if this country doesn’t sell any artificially enhanced snacks, because they do (and most are American brands), they just don’t taste very good.  At only 5 pesos for the big bag (3 pesos for the smaller one), Pop KKKorn is one of my new favorite things that I simply cannot resist.

Artemisia (Gorriti 5996)A Pescetarian menu is the perfect solution to a hot summer’s day.  Serving up mostly vegetarian food, Artemesia’s sidewalk tables are quite the hot commodity, ideal for salad eating and juice drinking.

Baraka (Gurruchaga 1450)
I’ve never had a bad meal at Baraka.  All the items on the menu are carefully chosen, homemade, family recipes.  Grab a table on the lovely sidewalk seating or on the rooftop terrace. Only downside? This is an alcohol free zone.

Las Cabras (Fitz Roy 1795)Get here early or prepare to wait for a table, Las Cabras, or the “Red Chair Place,” may not serve out-of-this-world food, but it’s a solid place to go with friends when looking for something cheap and casual with a lively atmosphere.

Caracas Bar (Guatemala 4802)Get your arepa eating on at Caracas, a Venezuelan-run bar, which has a fantastic rooftop terrace.  Ideal for warm summer nights, sip a few cocktails, eat some Venezuelan food and listen to DJs spinning both hipster-onic music and reggaeton.

Cluny (El Salvador 4618)Despite my mixed feelings about the hype, Cluny does have a beautiful restaurant with a secluded outdoor patio area.  Order a wine and the duck risotto, because what more do you want to eat when it’s warm outside than a heavy duck risotto?

Croque Madame (Libertador 1902)

Inside the Museo de Arte Decorativo, this Buenos Aires outdoor eating area is a classic and beautiful refuge from the bustle of the barrio.

Cusic (El Salvador 6016)Pull on the wooden kitchen spoon to be welcomed into this Palermo Hollywood small café.  Both the food and the ambience of this PH converted space makes diners feel all comfortable and warm inside.  Great licuados, breakfasts, lunches and desserts make Cusic a winning choice.

Evita Museum (J. M. Gutierrez 3926)Located in one of my favorite sections of Palermo, behind the zoo and near where all the rich bitches live, the Evita Museum’s restaurant patio makes a tranquil haven from the craziness of the city.  Killer-strong wi-fi connection makes it the perfect place to sit for hours sipping a coffee or eating one of their famous crepes.

La Fábrica del Taco (Gorriti 5062)It’s a known fact that Buenos Aires just can’t do Mexican, but la Fábrica offers a solid option for those who are craving a bit of spice. The large backyard garden is ideal for sipping Coronas and chugging margaritas.

Hernán Gipponi Restaurant (Fierro Hotel, Soler 5862)Hands down the best brunch in the city right at the moment, the Fierro Hotel’s lovely space is equipped with a quiet outdoor garden where brunchers can indulge in leisurely a multiple course menu, a steal at 100 pesos per person.  They also offer an excellent lunch and dinner menu, with fantastic wine pairings.

Home Hotel (Honduras 5860)One of the best boutique hotels in Buenos Aires, Home also has a restaurant and bar with interesting cocktails, tapas, delicious sandwiches and an ample brunch menu.  Sit on low chairs on a wooden deck, overlooking the pool and garden, enjoying the summer.

Jardin Japonés Restaurant (Casares 2966)

If it were all about ambience, Jardin Japonés would be the best sushi spot in town. This restaurant is located in the beautiful Japanese gardens, and while it may not be my top choice to eat sushi in the city, it still offers fresh quality fish and items that don’t include loads of cream cheese.

Lo de Coki (Amenábar 93)Eclectic and homey, on the border of Palermo Hollywood and Colegiales, Lo de Coki has two outdoor areas: rooftop terrace and sidewalk seating.  On a quiet corner with virtually no traffic, this somewhat unknown spot is a great option for breakfast, lunch and merienda in a neighborhood filled with busy brunch cafés.

La Maison (Honduras 5774)Another restaurant where I probably enjoy the atmosphere more than the actual food, chill out in this lovely French-inspired space, order a bottle of torrontés, a plate of fromage and spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on chic white linen couches.

Miranda (Costa Rica 5602)A prime people watching spot on Fitz Roy and Costa Rica in Palermo Hollywood, go to take advantage of Miranda’s awesome weekday lunch specials or for one of their ginormous salads.

Olsen (Gorriti 5870)Although this restaurant used to be the hotness and now is the notness, you still can’t deny the fact that it is probably one of the nicest designed restaurants this city has to offer.  Sure, I don’t like the awfully rude service from my last visit, but it’s still a go-to spot for brunch and yummy midday cocktails.

Oui Oui (Nicaragua 6068)Yes yes, Oui Oui is quite the scene on the weekend, getting extremely busy with both tourists and overly trendy Palermonites. Why would someone wait over 30 minutes for a table?  Because it’s trendy, has solid food, and a pleasant ambience overlooking the picturesque tree-lined street of Nicaragua.  If Oui Oui is too busy, give Almacén Oui Oui  a shot (I actually prefer this one to the original), or walk a few blocks to the outdoor seating areas at Gringa (Costa Rica y Dorrego), or Café Montenegro (Soler y Arévalo), both within a few block radius.

Pani (Nicaragua 6044)Another spot that has a great rooftop terrace and outdoor patio, Pani may be ultra girly in design, but friendly service and solid (slightly on the pricey side) food make it a winning choice.  Cinnamon rolls are bomb.

El Peruanito Ray (Fitz Roy 2299)El Peruanito Ray (aka El Chalaco) is one of my go-to places if I want a quick, hearty sandwich.  On the corner of Paraguay and Fitz Roy, sit at the bar while watching Peruvian cooks grill made to order sandwiches, like the pollo parrillero (which was the #1 seller on BA delivery).  Instead of papas fritas, mix it up with an order of yucca fries and make sure to try one of the homemade mayonesas, like celery, avocado, tartar or an extra spicy favorite.

La Pescadorita (Humbolt 1905)Brought to you by the owners of the infamous La Dorita parrilla, La Pescadorita is the fishy smelling sister across the street.  Little Mermaid decor a plenty, fork into some fresh rabas or grilled shriiimpz.

Piola (Gorriti 5751)Make a trip back to 1992, grab your Bayside High sweatshirt and head on over to the Max aka pizza piola.  Front sidewalk seating and also a patio garden space makes it an ideal spot to grab one of their non-Argie pizzas and stuff face.

Quimbombó (Costa Rica 4562)

Quimbombó’s beautiful decor and two sunny deck terraces remain a great Palermo spot to escape the craziness of the Plaza Armenia area.  Order a fresh salad and a licuado and enjoy the day, or go for dinner and order one of their delicious cocktails.  While food maybe mediocre at best, the pleasant and breezy atmosphere makes up for all of that.

El Ultimo Beso (Nicaragua 4880)

A bit too feminine for my macho liking, El UltimoBeso, or “The Last Kiss,” looks like a girly regurgitation of lace, pink and flowers. Still, it’s pretty damn pretty. Don’t miss checking out the bathroom, with old fashioned tub filled with rose petals, too much? Boys, to really man it up, order some wine and lemon pie.

Honorable Non-Palermo Mentions:

Campo Bravo (Baez 292, Las Cañitas)

If you want to have your first Argie celeb spotting, this is your chance.  Dreamboat Ricardo Fort (if you do not know who this beautiful David-esque man is, you must click on this link) is known to sit outside on the corner of the Arévalo and Baez parrilla, in the middle of his rather large entourage, and just for people to watch him.

Caseros (Caseros 486, San Telmo)One of my favorite avenues in the city, the quiet tree-lined Caseros avenue is a top place to sit outside and admire old Buenos Aires architecture.

El Claustro, Santa Catalina (San Martin 705, Microcentro)Ever eat inside a convent that was built in the year 1745?  In the middle of the madness of the commercial hub in the microcentro, on San Martin y Viamonte, seek refuge in the Santa Catalina convent’s beautiful and tranquil restaurant.  Make sure to also take a quick tour of the convent after lunch.

Establecimiento General de Café (Av. Pueyrredón 1529, Recoleta)In a city with overall sub-par coffee, this is one of the best in Buenos Aires. Establecimiento General de Café should be a destination for coffee lovers, with several locations in BA, the best is the Pueyrredón store. Make sure to walk all the way to the back through the sliding glass doors to the small outdoor garden.  With a wide selection of national and international beans, even the pickiest coffee drinker will be happy with the selection.  Each coffee comes with a few chocolate covered coffee beans, with the possibility to buy a larger bag in the store.  Try the sandwiches and salads as well.

Kansas (Libertador 4625, Las Cañitas)When I think of happy hour, I think of Kansas shloppy hour.  Outdoor patio suitable for cheto watching, cocktail drinking and caesar salad eating.  Daily from 4pm – 7:30pm, make sure to grab a great round table early, since the place does fill up by prime happy hour time.  Advice: stick with similar alcohols – mixing caipirinha with cuba libres with daiquiris with piña coladas with gin and tonics with margaritas with caipiroskas (cachaca, rum, gin, tequila, vodka) is never a good idea.  However, potato skins, spinach dip, chicken tenders and french fries are always a good idea.

Malvon (Serrano 789, Villa Crespo)A favorite café in terms of design, Malvón is certainly the gem of Villa Crespo with two outdoor seating areas, crazy-delish maracuyá cheesecake and well valued fresh baked breads to-go.

Milion (Paraná 1048, Recoleta)

Despite two rubbish food eating experiences, it’s hard to beat the ridiculously beautiful space in this old converted mansion.  Ditch dinner (because you will be disappointed) and instead go for happy hour and a few small entradas to picar.  Just make sure your drink is on the happy hour menu, or else you may end up paying 50 pesos for one Corona.

Mooi (Cuba 1985, Belgrano)Despite a few bad ordering experiences, this lovely designed Belgrano café remains a good spot to grab a simple licuado or a merienda.  Grab a comfy spot on the sidewalk and down a jugo de naranaja.

Sanbenito (Federico Lacroze 2136, Belgrano)The makers of Gran Bar Danzon and Sucre bring us this new upscale Belgrano restaurant.  The crowd may be on the older side, but the great food and nice ambiance make it a must visit.  Word on the street is that the osso bucco is a winning dish.

Check out some other foodie publications for their top outdoor eating choices:

Glamout
Planeta Joy
Guía Óleo
Taringa

What other places are ideal for sitting outside?

Why do I think this brunch is the absolute hotness?  There are several reasons:

Reason #1: Fierro Hotel is blocks away from my apartment, which is utterly convenient since I have a 3 block radius <hungover> breakfast rule.
Reason #2: Although it’s pricier than the average café, it’s an exceptionally reasonable value at AR$100 per person. (It’s hard to fight the Jew inside, I’ll always like a good deal).
Reason #3: The space is comfortable with a friendly, attentive staff who doesn’t shun you for getting your booziness (and bougieness) on midday.  There’s also a nice quiet garden, ideal for brunching and tanning.Fill in the blank: Pink wine makes me….Bottles of pink wine make me…The menu changes regularly so it’s always a surprise of exactly what beautifully plated plate will come plating out of the kitchen.  Usually the meal consists of some sort of variation of fruit, yogurt, medialunas and bread basket, alcoholic shooter (like the Bloody Mary shown above), juice or smoothie of some sort, fried calamari, eggs, another savory dish, two sweet desserts, coffee and juice.  And it’s only available with a reservation. Did I mention this is a serious brunch?First up to deck, fruit.  But as you can see not just any fruit.  The really delicious kind, fresh as can be, to start the meal on a good note.This may be one of the most awesome things I’ve put in my mouths in a long time: lulo mousse.  Lulo is a citrus fruit that comes from Colombia and the mousse has a light fluffy yogurt like consistency, similar to a yogurt after it’s been whipped up.  On top, a great combination of crunchy pistachios, tangy cold lychee and edible flowers.So inventive, incredible flavors, interesting textures, delightful play on temperatures – this dish is one of a kind.  Next, a plate of perfectly fried calamari. I’m not talking about rings of rabas, these little fellas aren’t easy to track down in Buenos Aires. Hey, tentacles. You so cute and crunchy. I’m gunna eat you, one leg at a time.You think with the quantity of food served, a bread basket wouldn’t interest me. Guess again. In addition to the freshly baked breads, front and center on the top of the bowl were the best croissants I’ve had in Argentina.  Soft, warm, doughy inside with a crunchy, crispy, buttery crust.  On to the egg course, and yes it was spectacular. My first brunch included a more modern take on the traditional eggs benedict, with thin slices of tender roast beef.  Absolutely fantastic. I might have even licked my plate…The second Fierro brunch extravaganza, they served a poached fried egg (yes, poached AND fried) with a side of hammy toasted goodness. My egg was cooked pretty well, perhaps a bit overdone making a minimal ooze.  Others at the table weren’t so lucky and the yolk was solid.Just as my stomach started to really fill up, the next course got dropped off.  It was like a corn-based masa (arepa) filled with perfectly cooked meat and melted cheese. Too heavy for my taste at this point in the meal, I didn’t think I could hold anymore food in my stomach.  Come on, you can do it.  I’ve been an All-Star member of the clean plate club since 1994.  I kept going.When I came back for the second Fierro brunch, I was happy to see they replaced the heavy meat and cheese dish with a lovely rabbit escabeche, served on top of a tostado with some brie cheese on the side.  First postre, brunch #1: budin de manzana.  I’m sure it was extremely delicious, but nothing about it really excited me, especially after I just downed many other courses. And since I was on a diet, I skipped it – I have to maintain my girlish figure, you know.First postre, Fierro Brunch #2: BOMB ASS cookies. Take that budin, you’ve just been schooled. Honestly, one of the best cookies I’ve had in a long time, with that perfect soft and chewy consistency.  I almost snatched the extra one at the table and stuffed it in my purse.  So, it’s coming to an end.  Brunch #1, postre #2, the final course was this apple fried dessert that had a similar texture to apple sauce, but was crunchy on the ends.  Not my favorite, the mushiness made it fall apart too easily and each forkful had a bit too much grease dripping down.I much preferred my brunch round 2′s last postre: kinda like an apple pie with pistachio icecream. DABOMBBBBBBBB.  I didn’t think I could take anymore bites since I was about to collapse due to overeating, but it was so delicious I couldn’t PUT DOWN the spoon.Overall the brunch was almost perfect, I do wish that they had a menu on the table so I could read what was included since there was also a bit of confusion/inconsistency on the mozo end.  The service was a breath of fresh air compared to other nightmares I’ve encountered, but my first visit seemed to run a bit smoother.  On my second visit, it was busier and the barman didn’t show up, which meant they couldn’t make any mixed drinks. Not a big deal. I did, however, have a bit of an issue with some cocktails that were charged when it wasn’t clear which cocktails / sizes of those cocktails were included in the menu.  When I ask which cocktail is included, and ask for it to be brought out at the beginning, I wasn’t expecting that to mean I wanted to pay an extra AR$35 for it when a smaller version is already included.  If it was a Bloody Mary I probably wouldn’t have minded, but I’m not really into Campari and OJ. Again, if that’s the only semi-negative thing I can say, I think things are working pretty well. The photos speak for themselves, the food was just as good as it looks and HG is now my new favorite spot for brunch in Buenos Aires.

Hernán Gipponi Restaurant
Fierro Hotel
Soler 5862, Palermo Hollywood
3220-6800
Brunch is by reservation only!
Check out their special Christmas menu, I know where I’ll be spending the 4th day of Hanukkah.

For more details on HG, check out reviews from friends at:
Eats Treats and Leaves
The Lost Asian
And more photos

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*People want to know who I am!!!

~ buenos aires put down the fork*

*This was actually the inspiration for the name of the blog, after complaining to my loving father about a massive Buenos Aires induced weight gain, his motivating words of encouragement were: “just put down the fork!”

This is just a warm up, there are a lot more google searching, less egomaniac filled, golden nugs on his way.

Salted Caramel Brownie Pillow CookiesOne of the rules of the cookie swap is that the recipe needs to be original and never blogged about before.  Yes, I’m kinda a big fat cheater since I have made a very close variation of pillow cookies.  For the cookie swap, I did manage to put my own twist on the recipe to really kick it up a few notches, so I didn’t totally break the rules.   (I planned on making a carrot cake/cream cheese frosting sandwich cookie but it did not work out as planned).  So, onto the most important part, the recipe: make the sugar cookie dough – get this done first because it needs to be put in the fridge to chill for about an hour.Then, bake some brownies.** I used David Lebovitz’s recipe with dulce de leche, but really any great brownie recipe will do.  If you are a LAZY, use the box kind and pretend it was homemade. I’m not here to judge.  It’s not a lie if you believe it.

**Make sure to undercook the brownies, cutting off about 5 minutes from the original recipe.  You’ll be baking the brownies again inside the cookies so no need to overcook or else it will get dry and chalky. And nobody likes a chalky brownie.Once brownies are baked and cooled, cut into bite sized nuggets, sprinkle with sea salt and set aside.  Then pop a few of the salted nugs in yo mouth. Take out the sugar cookie dough from the fridge and start making dem BALLZ.Flatten the balls with your hand, put a small piece of brownie in the middle, then with your fingers wrap the sugar cookie dough around the brownie.Left side of this plate has the brownie deliciousness inside, the right side have yet to be balled up.Once each pillow cookie is formed, sprinkle coarse salt on top of each cookie, careful not to over salt because that would not taste too hot, but 3-4 small pieces of salt per cookie is sufficient.  Yours will probably come out prettier and more uniform than mine, at this point I was trying hard not to inhale the whole batch of raw dough.  Stick it in the oven for about 10 minutes, I’d recommend underbaking the cookies so they will have a nice soft, chewy consistency.  Even if it looks a bit RAW, once you let it cool those bad boys tend to harden up. No, this cookie jar was not made by a 3rd grader in art class… I tried to have a spurt of creativity and not just give my swap partners the cookies in a white plastic chino bag, “Here!” (as I chuck the bag at their chest) “Take it!” Since my Martha Stewart skillz are just as developed as a *slower* child trying to complete an ambitious art project, these semi decoupaged cookie jars were just weird. I even awkwardly and messily glued a fork cut out on each one. TOTAL FAIL.  The best part of the swap?! You get to eat three dozen cookies from other bloggers! The worst part of the swap?! I can’t even imagine how many grams of butter I must have consumed after eating 3 dozen cookies.The wonderful and talented Erika, from La Ventolera blog, made delicious rainbow cookies, both in terms of taste and prettiness.  These lasted less than two days before I gobbled them down.  They are the type of cookies that I would never be able to make myself, so delicate and aesthetically pleasing. Another all-star baker, Juli, who writes Horneando Algo and the mastermind behind organizing Argentine participation in the cookie swap, baked up the most delicious blondies RELOADED.  Really, truly awesome.  I have been anxiously awaiting all week for her to post the recipe on her blog because I think I’m ADDICTED.  Finally, a much needed “lighter” cookie, Agustina, a newcomer to the food blogging world from Ponete el Delantal whipped up some tasty whole wheat pepas with honey and dulce de batata.  Another great recipe that I can’t wait to try.

Salted Caramel Brownie Pillow Cookie Recipe:
Sugar Cookies adapted from All Recipes
Salted DDL Brownies adapted from David Lebovitz
Pillow Cookies adapted from Bakerella & Me

Ingredients

• Dulce de leche brownies 
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (225 g) softened butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• coarse salt (parrilla sal grueso)
• fine sea salt

Ingredients
- Head of lettuce
- Big giant’s handful of basil
- Red, yellow and green peppers (Save a few for roasting, here’s a recipe how to  roast a red pepper)
- Tomatoes (cherry and/or regular)
- Cucumber
- Hearts of palm (palmitos)
- 2 ears of sweet corn
- Bacon

Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Vinaigrette (adapted from Food.com)
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper

Directions:

1. Finely chop up iceberg lettuce and basil, set aside.  Then start chopping up all the rest of the vegetables in tiny baby-bitesize pieces.
2. Fry up to bacon (or turkey bacon), set aside and once cool chop it up
3. Boil corn, then sauté those babies in a tiny bit of butter
4. Roast the red pepper, chop it up about 1/4 cup for the salad dressing
5. Whisk up the salad dressing combining olive oil, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, roasted red pepper, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper

I’m not used to a menu where almost every item tastes good, so it’s always difficult to choose the right thing.  When in doubt? Try it all out.In terms of salads, I’m a Pollo y Palta (AR$31), or Pollo y Espinacas (AR$30) kinda girl.Chicken and Avocado: arugula, cherry tomatoes, crispy-juicy shredded chicken, mozarella, avocado, croutons and parm – shown above.  Chicken and Spinach: mixed greens with spinach, shredded chicken, bacon, mushroom, avocado and cherry tomatoes. Both deeelish.OK, what next? Salad ordered, then get some soup action up in hizerrr.  The soup changes daily and you can bet it’s probably great.  Best I’ve tried are the calabaza, mushroom, and potato leek.  I also didn’t hate the pea soup, which is surprising because I can’t not help thinking of VOMIT while eating it. Mmm, hungry?Next up: SANDWICH! This bad boy is where it’s at.  Polo Brie has grilled shredded chicken, brie cheese, caramelized onion, arugula and red and green pesto. It’s awesome. Wanna kick it up a NOTCH? Order a Polo TOM, named after the famous dancer, and they will throw in bacon and avocado.Yeah, sandwich in his skivvies. I haven’t eaten many veggie burgers in Buenos Aires, but the majority aren’t great.  Marfa, however, may not be the healthiest veggie burger you order, it’s still delishhhioussh.  Offering more than 6 different flavors, each one is made with a base of yamaní rice, rolled oats and sesame and topped with melted mozarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, honey mustard and a red and green pesto.  I’m on team broccoli and red pepper, which in my opinion is far better than the rest.My last go-to dish is the BBQ Wrap, but the insanely food obsessed bitch that I am, I tend to change it up a bit because I like to make extra work for myself when I order delivery.  The wrap has chicken, papas pai, sweet corn, and a bunch of other crunchy veggies and barbecue sauce.  I choose to dissemble the wrap, make it into a salad (by adding some thinly chopped vitamin-packed iceberg lettuce, tomato and palta) and then toasting the remaining wrap reminisce. I’m telling you, it’s the best Jerry, the best.The only downside? Marfa doesn’t open on the weekends.

Marfa Delivery
Santa Fe 5199 esq. Ravignani (Palermo Hollywood)
Monday – Friday: 11am – 3.15pm (delivery starts at 12pm), 7pm – 11pm (delivery starts 7.30pm)
Tel: 4777-0945
Average price: AR$35
Order online via BADelivery or, for all 3 of you who still use MSN, you can put your order in that way too: marfadelivery@hotmail.com.

La Crespo
Thames 612 

One of my favorite places in the city, and only place I’d go for good deli food, La Crespo serves up *real* bagels, pastrami sandwiches, brownies and other Jewish delights.  The actual spot might be small, with only a few tables, but remains the perfect place to grab a tasty lunch to eat in house or take to go.  Great food and friendly familiar service makes it a must to visit when in the neighborhood.

Melão
Castillo 54

Get your fix of culinary delights from around the world at Melão, where talented chef Yilán Guzman takes you on a gastronomical journey, offering cuisines from over 20 different countries.  Sure, the menu is a bit overwhelming with such a wide range of dishes, stick with ordering the Jamaican Curry & Callaloo or the Cuban Ropa Vieja.

Cafe Crespin
Vera 699

Breakfast, lunch and brunch: that’s what this corner café is all about.   They offer huge brunch specials, solid salads and sandwiches, and an American-esque mini bakery featuring muffins, cinnamon rolls, TOLLHOUSE chocolate chip cookies.  The good food and prime location is why Crespin is busy busy busy and increasing in popularity.

Malvón
Serrano 789

Massive brunches, bomb ass platos principales, affordable fresh baked breads para llevar, awesome decor, incredible space – Malvón has it all.  Think eggs benedict, smoked salmon bagel, JUICY burger, popovers, salads, maracuyá cheesecakes. Hot damn.

Paladar Buenos Aires
Address given when reserva is made
Not only is Paladar one of my favorite puertas cerradas, it’s probably one of my favorite restaurants in Buenos Aires.  Husband and wife power duo brings inventive dishes perfectly paired with interesting wines. Get on their mailing list to find out the ever changing menu that varies weekly.

Sarkis
Thames 1101

There’s something wrong with you if you live in Buenos Aires and haven’t visited Sarkis. It’s a must.  Great flavorful food. Affordable. Old school service. Bodegón style. Popular with the old, young, families, foreigners – Sarkis appeals to everyone.  What to order? Ensalada belén, hummus, babaganoush, grape leaves, feta salad, lamb kebab, meat shlong drenched in greasy yogurt sauce.

El Buen Sabor
Camargo 296

One of the ONLY African restaurants in Buenos Aires (I think there may be one more), El Buen Sabor remains popular with both foreigners and locals.  The owners are from Cameroon and serve up traditional African fare like chicken in peanut sauce, fried beans, and my favorite, fried plantains.

La Mamma Rosa
Jufre 202

Simple, cheap, great food = La Mamma Rosa.  Parrilla and pasta, this is the type of place you probably wouldn’t really notice as out of the ordinary just by passing by.  But this ain’t no regular bodegón, Mamma Rosa is special.

Salgado Alimentos
Velasco 401

The go-to place for pastas, Salgado Alimentos has been around for 5 years bringing fluffy, pillowy homemade carb deliciousness to many happy customers. Their menu is huge, offering salads, sandwiches, parrilla, minutas, platos principales and, of course, PASTA.  I would stick to what this place does best – either dry, STUFFED or freshly made pastas.

What other VILLA CREZPO goodness am I missing? Share the food love and let me know your VC faves!