I always go into a deep, dark pit of food depression once back in Buenos Aires after an extended vacation. Generally, that intense culinary homesick feeling comes into full force Day 2 of being back, around lunch time or inside a supermarket, when I get a huge cock slap realization to the face: the food in Buenos Aires S-U-C-K S at times can be very disappointing due to a lack of variety and affordable ethnic food. In an overall food slump for the past few weeks, it’s time to fantasize about the food that assisted me in gaining 8 kilos (right in time for summer!) while I was visiting Chicago and New York. 
Just a lonely-ass girl, sitting on a bench, eating some Shake Shack. Ladies, that’s the way to find a husband.
Café Habana is deeeeeeelish. Think beans, rice, fried plantains, Cubano sandwiches and of course, the star of the show, this incredible ear of corn. Charred and smothered with a bunch of creamy heaven. 
Oh how liberated I feel when I’m able to actually order a salad and know that it will be good! Shrimp Cobb from Extra Virgin. Winning. 
Now this is brunch. LOBSTER eggs Benedict from Jane, light way to start off your day. 
A big and GAY ice cream. My flavor of choice? The Salty Pimp: vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche, sea salt, chocolate dip. And yes I chose it for the name.
Big Gay Cake.
I’d never been to the infamous Katz’s deli, so I guess I had to go. JEW ME UP, Deli.
Hey Argies, guess how much I paid for this Sushi? 8 dollars. That’s 34 pesos. Spicy tuna roll with REAL *RED tuna, shrimp tempura roll and inari. There is no philadelphia in sight. TAKE THAT, beeyatch.
I love Americansized sushi rolls. While my love for tempura and sweet drizzlings may make sushi snobs cringe, I could eat Tataki Crunch (shrimp tempura and scallions, wrapped outside seared spicy tuna in a sweet teriyaki sauce) and Avocado Torch (spicy tuna rolled outside avocado and tempura crunch on the top) rolls all day, everyday. Thanks Koya.
World Market has beer?! Good imported beer! 
Breakfast time in Highland Park. Plain toasted bagel with cream cheese, red onion, heirloom tomatoes and cucumber.
English muffin with avocado butter, tomatoes and TURKEY bacon.
Breakfast fit for a Jew. Bagel, cream cheese with chives, red onion, tomato, capers and LOX. 
I’d pay big money for Trader Joes to send me a case of this heaven in a jar.
Homemade chopped salad with great ingredients: home grown charred sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, fresh basil, chopped turkey bacon.
Dear Thai Food, I really miss you. Especially Pad Thai from Cozy in Evanston.
More Thai, this time from Your Choice in Glenview. Whoever thought “Your Choice” was a good name for a restaurant, yikes…. But it doesn’t matter because they have killer chicken satay, peanut sauce, chicken and cashews, and tofu broccoli.
Quick stop to Wilmette for some Homer’s ice cream. Peppermint stick is my flavor of choice. Shelly likes to lick it too.
Heladooooooooooooooooo
Esnow cones with some Chicago skyline on the side.
Yeah, you read it: bacon chocolate.
After spending time in Israel, I find one of the most delicious falafel sandwiches ever at Sultan’s Market in Chicago.
Hot dawwwwg. Chicago style: all beef, yellow mustard, onion, relish, dill pickle spear, tomato, hot pepper and celery salt.
Piece of Piece pizza in Wicker Park.
Cold hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow from Hot Chocolate.
Celeb chef Paul Kahan rocks it at Publican. Best pork belly of ma life, if not one of the best things that has touched my lips.
A supermarket aisle devoted to canned chili. USA! USA! USA!
My first stop back in Highland Park, straight to Michael’s for a jumbo char dog and cheese fries.
Best chopped salad evaaaa at Rosebud.
Chunky lobster bisque. Coulda been my nickname back in the day.
Plate of healthiness: veggies with rice topped with baked tofu with a red curry sauce, mixed teriyaki veggies topped with toasted cashews. Semi homemade with the help of Trader Joes.
Blue Cheese Burger with crispay fries, margarita machines and summery Blue Moon beer at D&S Tequila.
After eating all that food, we needed a nap. Yes, my shorts are unbuttoned/didn’t fit anymore.
Check this out for a complete USA food porn album.
MARIA LUZ says
guess you can enjoy eating in NY and not think BA food is shit, even if yodear PUTF blogger didnt manage it. I lived and worked in NY for 7 years eating my way through the high and the low (have the plus size waist to show for it as well) and I only agree on two topics: 1. sushi in BA is to be avoided if you have ever tried sushi in NY (or Japan) (or anywhere outside Argentina, I´m guessing). And 2: shopping at a BA supermarket these days is depression-inducing. AND it is worth mentioning that there is practically no cart-food-on-the-go culture here either. On the other hand, reading on a foodie blog (that I often enjoy) that food in arse-end-of-the-world, really-far-away, Southern capital of an underdeveloped country in Latin America is SHIT because it cant compare to the very cultural capital of the freaking capitalistic North-centered world is NOT really what I´d call an insight, is it? Sounds more like the shitty shit we Latins get from First-worlders who enjoy slumming it for cheap down under to feel adenturous and really, really superior, really really easy, on account of their God-given Passport. God bless Americans in their naivete. I know, loving your country (and its food) is rather boring, yet…
Dario Ricardo says
Man, are you kidding me, Buenos Aires is one of the most etnic oriented food cities in the world. The thing is that its already incorporated into the everyday menu (Asado,pizza,milanesas,kibe). I gain weight when I visit Buenos Aires,Madrid,Rome,etc. I loose weight when in London,New York or Toronto (my home town). Not cuz I don´t Like burgers or doughnuts, but because its easier to refrain from dull anglo food.
jackie says
What a excellent blog.
Ivana Ienco says
Hey I hear you, every time I step foot in the US I gain at least 10 pounds. Shit now I crave some Shake Shack or The Habit (gosh and I thought In n Out was good!!)
jorge says
una pregunta, a partir de tu frustración con la ensalada en buenos aires,
no te parece genial la good ol’ Mixta? (tomate-lechuga-cebolla) con, ponele, oliva, limón y sal.
en mi opinión, para acompañar una milanga o un asado, no hay con qué darle (quizas tambien una buena porción de papas…)
Esteban Mejia says
No solo apestamos con la comida los agentinos, también en otras areas como la educación, como quedó aca demostrado.