Parrilla Brunch: A Orillas del Maldonado

**THIS SPOT IS NOW CLOSED***

For a typical Argie, a Sunday afternoon would never consist of eggs, bacon or bagels. Although brunch has made an appearance to the Buenos Aires food scene in recent years, the weekend asado will never go out of style.  So, feeling the porteño spirit, I headed over to Humbolt and Honduras to a newly opened parrilla, A Orillas del Maldonado.

A Orillas del Maldonado is not a traditional style bodegón, nor is it an overly trendy parrilla.  It is somewhere in the middle, a moderately priced modern-take on familiar asado favorites.  Diners can choose from an a la carte menu (full or half cuts) or order the entrevero, a parrillada for multiple people.

Unlike most parrillas, that toss all the garbage cuts on the parrillada plate, here you get chorizo, morcilla, chicken and then a choice of the beef cuts that are displayed in the window.  The entrevero for 2 people could have fed 3-4 easily – luckily, the meat is brought out in two stages so it does not get cold, and I had some time to digest.  The meat is accompanied by a smashed roasted garlic puré, chimichurri, and freshly made salsa criolla, all rich in homemade flavors.

The best part of the meal? Papas Fritas!  These were some damn good french fries – thick, crispy outside but potato-y inside, perfect consistency and not at all soggy or greasy.  The not-so favorite part? The meat was a bit on the dry side… I can possibly attribute this to the time of day – I came right before closing time, so that may excuse the overcooked beef.  The service, however, did not disappoint with an extremely attentive, friendly staff and <what seemed to be> the owner manning the front of the house – visiting each table and chatting as if each customer was a life long friend.  While I don’t think I’m a brunch-asado type of floozy, this is definitely a solid parrilla option in Palermo.

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