Very high hopes were set for the brunch at Sirop Folie. Mentioned in many of the guidebooks, food blogs and online food guides when talking brunch in Buenos Aires, Sirop Folie Resto & Tea Corner made it to the top of many bruncheando lists. Perhaps blame it on high expectations, but this sad, expensive Recoleta spot once may have been the hotness, is now certainly the not-ness.
Hidden inside the Parisian Pasaje del Correo, the sibling of the ex-Sirop restaurant is very much a Recoleta spot – beautiful building, elegant decor, chandeliers, floral printed fabric, antique furniture – truly a classy spot. They offer both an a la carte and all-inclusive brunch menu, making the most sense to order the brunch special: five courses for two people, costing AR$220.
The first course to come out – a messy picada-like cheese platter with brie and gruyere, olives, prosciutto, gravlax, two paté dollops and a sad mix of wilted greens. They ain’t gunna win any presentation awards, tossing all the ingredients on one chipped plate. Apart from the unappetizing food display, each part was overall pretty average, nothing exciting.
Stellar bread basket made up for the triste cheese platter.
The next “course” to come out – scrambled eggs. Not creamy, a bit watery and topped with an overly greasy green olive and red pepper oil-garnish. Me no like.
Potatoes were cooked nicely, crispy, fried, extra delicious. Too bad it was ruined by an unnecessary large scoop of very cold butter. Butter is probably my favorite food in the world, but in this case, the harsh mix of frozen butter combined with well done crispy roasted potatoes just didn’t make for a harmonious bite.
I’ve never seen spinach cooked like this – chopped spinach with cream poured over it, topped with cheese and tossed in the broiler. Underneath the crispy cheesyness, was raw spinach and cold cream. Meeeeh.
Luckily the brunch ended on a sweet note. Pancakes with a special dulce de leche-esque syrup – light and airy pancakes with a lick-the-plate sauce. My spoon even creeped over the edge to attack my eating partner’s portion.
Perhaps it was an off day, but when you already have restaurant unhappiness, it’s easy to find silly little flaws. Some small details that took way from the pleasant Sunday morning atmosphere: ripped booth cushions, wobbly chairs, chipped plates and glasses, moza cara de culo and the drink rule – only one drink comes with the brunch, whether it be sparkling wine, coffee, water, juice – choose one only, the rest is an extra charge. Which doesn’t really make sense if the brunch is meant for two to share.
Another one bites the brunch.
Sirop Folie Resto & Tea Corner
Vicente Lopez 1661, Locale 12, Recoleta
Tel. 4813-5900
Average price: AR$150 per person
Gilgalad says
:) and how would you like to be called? I would love to say “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”.
But I’m afraid that’s not possible. :(
forkyou says
Thanks for your input – many people share the same love you do and that’s why I was disappointed when the brunch was subpar.
As I mentioned in the nota, the bread was good- but there’s only so much you can write and rave about a bread basket. When a restaurant offers bread, I’d expect it to be good and fresh…just like at Malvón, L’epi, Franck Dauffouis, Caseros, Panadería de Pablo, Bardepan (just to name a few).
And the scoop of very cold white stuff on my potatoes did not taste nor have the texture of sour cream – it was more reminiscent of a homemade whipped flavored butter. I knowz me some sour creamz when I seez, and that wasn’t sour nor creamy.
Oh, and I’d never use the adjective ‘gourmandise’ to describe myself.
Gilgalad says
Why not? Would you rather “foodie” instead? I would rather not… Auguste Escoffier used to cook for kaisers and kings when in America all was about turkey and black currant jelly. So french men and women have earned the well deserved right that we use some french words for cuisine.
In fact as you said, sour cream is so different compared to butter that probably someone made a mistake somewhere.
I do not understand your words about the bread: Malvón, L’Epi, Panadería de Pablo, Franck Dauffouis are all bakeries (confiterías). Sirop is a restaurant. And in my opinion you can get much better bread in Sirop than any other you mentioned. In your list there only two restaurants: Bardepan and Caseros and none of then has a brioche or a focaccia at the same quality than Sirop.
Regards
forkyou says
Foodie is an awful word too.
Yes, most of those places I mentioned are confiterías, but they are first and foremost restaurants that serve awesome bread baskets.You want restaurants? I Latina, L’adesso, Dill n drinks, A&G, Chila, etc. all with BANGING bread. Blahblah en fin, el pan de Sirop + los dips muyyy dulces no me parecieron nada del otro mundo.
Gilgalad says
I love Sirop. I really love the place. In my opinion is one of the top spots for having a good foodie experience in Buenos Aires. Not only love the brunch but also the whole enviroment, the decó, the service. Of course talking exclusive about food, I think is excellent particularly the “Asado al Malbec” (a good turn for modern argentine cuisine) or the balsamic vinegar risotto, two of my favourites.
I have to admit that for instance, it’s particularly strange that the article do not mention the bread at all -in many people thoughts the best of the city- except in one of the pictures epigraph. Also it’s very noticiable that the blog author confunded sour cream (particularly good for frits and indispensable for gravlax) with “butter” so I have to conclude she doesn’t taste it at all cause really… you cannot consider yourself a gourmandise and fall in such a confusion!
Malena says
Thanks for the tip. I have gone to two disappointing dinners at Sirop, and thought to give their brunch a try. No bueno.
Marcela says
I used to love this place, but it’s definitely turned to be something muy triste.
Ted says
We also tried it after many other rave reviews and reading the local food blogs here, but it was extremely disappointing. Very poor quality and expensive.
Marcus says
thx for the brunch tip, I never liked it there either.
Jose Eduardo Atala says
I agree, this used to be one of my favorite brunch spots in BA, not only have they downgraded on the food (presentation and overall taste), but pretty bad service as well. Perhaps the only good thing they’ve got going for them is their Tandoori Mary drinks…. IF they have tomatoe juice at the bar. Triste indeed.
Roger says
I had been meaning to try the brunch at this place as this has always been a very good lunch spot for me -never had a bad lunch or bad service. Based on this I won’t bother with brunch, but I do still recommend lunch!
forkyou says
What’s on the lunch menu?
AudreyinBA says
I am glad that I wasn’t the only one to have a completely underwhelming Sirop Folie brunch experience. I had a salad drenched in some sort of mustardy mess. Yuck.
forkyou says
Agreeed, I was beginning to think I was the only one who didn’t like it!