Virtual Gourmet

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Readers may now access an Archive of all past newsletters--each annotated--dating back to July, 2003, by simply clicking on   ARCHIVE .
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      If there really is such a thing as a “hot” new city,      consider Buenos Aires, not only for its classic architectural beauty, its revival of the tango, its vibrant new waterfront teeming with restaurants and bars, and its amiable youthful vitality, but for the fact that, after a critical devaluation of the peso, it is one of the cheapest cities on earth for a foreigner to enjoy: the US dollar, once equal to the Argentinean peso, now buys you 3 pesos, so that a handbag that used to cost $150 is now $50, and a hotel once $300 is now only $100. A meal, with wine, tax and service, will run about $25.
     Buenos Aires is still coming off a very tough recession, an economic certainty once every ten years, and the porteños, as the people of Buenos Aires call themselves, are in a buoyant mood these days. They are not Latinos who take siestas, they work hard and seemingly get their energy from on a bitter tea called mete sucked through a straw from a gourd that is sometimes ornately decorated. They drive like mad around the city and out to the beaches in their Toyotas, Fiats, VWs, and Peugeots. They greet each other with one big kiss on the cheek, not with a false, glancing puff, and    Tango dancers Luciana Pedraza and Robert Duvall love nothing better than to stroll the streets of their neighborhoods, dine at nine    or ten o'clock, even at midnight, then stay up very late, sometimes into early morning.
      Many speak English--probably the highest percentage in South America--and about 40%, are of Italian descent, though few speak Italian anymore.

They have a strong café culture, rife on every boulevard and park, some in the art nouveau style, others art deco. Cafe Tortoni (829 Avenida de Mayo; wwwcafetortoni.com) was founded in 1858 and retains all the swirling vitality of the city in its high-ceilinged, pillared rooms.                      The Window at cafe Tortoni



    La Biela (right) opened in 1920, on the Avenue Quintana at the Plaza Francia, takes its odd name--"piston ring"--from its race car driver clientele of the past. u6y

It is a big gregarious place with 200 seats, globe chandeliers, ferns, and faces the city's oldest fig tree dating to 1800. Here the young and the elderly, the locals and the visitors sit for a rich coffee or thick hot chocolate and delicious, crisp croissants called medialunas, just as did the beloved Argentine poet

Jorge Luis Borges (below), who once wrote, "We are the water, not the hard diamond, the one that is lost, not the one that stands still." Yet there he is, leaning on his cane at his café table at La Biela, solid as the bronze from which he has been molded into a statue hard as a diamond, just inside the front door, surveying everything in the city of which he said, "My soul is in the streets of Buenos Aires."

The fame of Argentine beef is not lost on the Argentines themselves, who consume astounding amounts of the meat and every part of the animal with daily relish. Were Atkins Diet researchers to do a study of the effects of so much meat on the human physiognomy, they might well start in Buenos Aires. But then they would have to contend with the niggling fact that these tall, slim porteños also consume abundant amounts of potatoes, bread, and pasta. Like the Italians, Argentineans seem to suffer none but the most salubrious effects from their protein-and-carbo rich diet. Indeed, they thrive on it.
There are hundreds of beef restaurants, called parillas, around Buenos Aires, and those that are not parillas probably serve more beef than any other dish on their menus. The big news of this past year was the re-opening, or reincarnation, of the famous yyt

La Cabaña (1967 Rodriguez Pena; 54-11-4814-0001; www.orient-express.com), a stunningly beautiful $6 million steakhouse that revives the flair and style of the original, which opened in 1935 on the Avenida Entre Rios in the Congreso District and closed in 1996. For decades it was a requisite stop for anyone traveling to Buenos Aires, and its golden visitors' book teems with famous names, from Charles Degaulle and Fidel Castro to Maurice Chevalier and Walt Disney. Divas like Maria Callas and Dame Margot Fonteyn dined here, as did Josephine Baker and Nat King Cole. So did Igor Stravinsky, Joan Crawford, Jane Russell, Errol Flynn, Vivien Leigh, Sophia Loren, and Ursula Andress.
When the restaurant closed, Orient-Express Hotels bought both the name and contents, which included an enormous array of historic photos and furniture, most of it arrayed in the new premises, which is set on four floors in the now fashionable Recoleta District. The main dining rooms on the ground floor are centered around an Argentinean asador--an open, coal-burning fire overseen by Chef Ricardo Moreno. The upstairs rooms are each done in a different regional style, such as Patagonia, Salta, and Mendoza, and there is a rooftop terrace for parties. It is quite an impressive show, richly done with polished woods, perfect lighting, and an atmosphere not unlike NYC's `21' Club, which Orient-Express also owns. It therefore draws Buenos Aires' business crowd at lunch (it's even open for breakfast), while at dinner you find people from all over South America and the world, and there really is no parilla in the city that has anything like La Cabaña's gloss and refinement. You expect Betty Grable to make a grand entrance, followed by a suave Don Ameche and César Romero vying for her attentions.
Then there's the beef, which, unlike most Argentinean beef, is aged, for 30 days. The steers (the two stiff critters at the right greet you at the door), raised specially for

La Cabaña, are Aberdeen Angus, Hereford and Shorthorns that graze naturally on the pampas, and they have a finely textured grain and richer flavor than much of the other beef I tried around town, which tends to be somewhat bland and a bit chewy. You can have cuts such as lomo (T-bone), bife de chorizo (baby beef cut from the rib, like a sirloin), bife de costilla (Prime rib) and asado de tira (thin strip ribs), as well as menu items of lamb, duck, and other dishes.
I began my lavish meal here with homita (corn paste wrapped in corn leaves), some bites of typical stuffed empanadas, then chorizo sausage, sweetbreads, and grilled Provolone cheese (here called provoleta). A pork sausage risotto with bacon foam was good, if a little trendy for a place like this, and then came the masterfully cooked tenderloin of beef (below) with crisp, golden soufflé potatoes. ==]

Dessert was an old-fashioned      baked Alaska (called by its very old name "omelette surprise"), still not worth a revival in my opinion.
   One of the best revelations at the meal at La Cabaña was the quality and variety of modern Argentinean winemaking. In the past most Argentinean wines were commercial, made in huge quantities, with more than 1,400 wineries pumping the stuff out, called vino de mesa, from criolla and cereza grapes, for a local population that happily consumed almost all of it. When that consumption began falling in the late 1980s--a time when Argentina desperately needed an infusion of foreign capital--investment in modern viticulture and viniculture bolstered the reputation of Argentinean wines, and the wineries dropped to about 1,000, but the new ones sought a much higher quality of wine. Today the region of Mendoza is the largest and most prestigious of the winegrowing territories.
    While at La Cabaña, I was introduced to some superb wines, including two fine 2001 malbecs, one (with 15% cabernet sauvignon) from San Pedro de Yacochuya, another a Reserva from Alto Las Hormigas; a surprisingly persuasive '00 chardonnay Alta from Angélica Zapata, only made in exceptional vintages; and, with the beef, a Trapiche Medalla '01 of real intensity but finesse too. A Santa Hulia Cosecha Tardía '02 was a delightful late harvest dessert wine made from Torrontés and Viognier in the Maipú-Mendoza region. La Cabaña's list is certainly one of the finest in the city and expressive of just how far and fast the country's winemaking has come.
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Some of these wines are made in extremely small batches, but if you want to ferret them out, along with an astounding array of the best Argentina has to offer, take a taxi to Terroir Casa de Vinos (shown at left; 3040 Buschiazzo; www.terroir.com.ar), set in a beautiful townhouse where owner Claudio Fernando Fontana will surprise you with bottlings you will probably never find in the States. Add to this very inexpensive prices, and an enophile will feel he has died and gone to heaven; but he's luckier: He's in Buenos Aires.

If you wish to hire a tour guide to Buenos Aires, I would highly recommend the affable and extremely knowledgeable Alejandro Frango of Lihue Expediciones, 827 Tenth Avenida; 5-031-0070, who knows every street--and nearly everybody--has a deep knowledge of art and literature and was even able to quickly arrange for me to take a tango lesson with a superb teacher, Milena Braun (54-11-5031-0070) I'll never forget.

Next week: Grand hotels, seaside dining, great seafood, and even some good pasta in Buenos Aires.

     The restaurant is narrow, done in rich yellows, reds and browns, with charming folk art and mural, and papier-mâché parrots by artist Sergio Bustamante. The service staff is very good at what they do, which is to make you feel pretty happy about your choice of cocktail (the array of margaritas and tequilas is impressive), and the delivery of hot, housemade tortilla chips with a smoky, rich salsa can hardly do anything than to make you more ravenous than you thought you were a minute before.
     Medina's got an impressive résumé, lately from the superb Pampano and Maya in NYC; he had also been exec chef at SushiSamba early on, then took that concept to Miami. He came to Zócalo this past January, and he works the little open kitchen hard to turn out some really scrumptious, beautifully presented food.
    There's no resisting a tasting of his three guacamoles ($15 for the table), one traditional and nice and chunky; another with chipotle, red onion, cilantro and queso fresco; and a really good version with lobster, mango, and hoja santa. All come with freshly made, warm tortillas. You might also consider a ceviche tasting of tuna with sour orange, habanero, yellow tomato, and cilantro; shrimp with watermelon, horseradish, lemongrass and chile piquin; and salmon marinated in hibiscus flower, with avocado and mango.
     I could easily make a meal of the appetizers at Zócalo, starting with a plate of lobster in tortillas with melted goat's cheese, poblano chilies, and pineapple, or the tamale of pork in a banana leaf with roasted corn and pipian sauce. Seared scallops with salsa borracha, white cheese, avocado and baby watercress was also very good as a starter.
     Don't go whole hog, though, or you'll miss some superb main courses like grilled skirt steak with well-fried beans, chipotle-cremini mushrooms, guacamole and a mole cheese enchilada; sushi grade tuna is rubbed with achiote and served with Peruvian corn, crispy asparagus, Serrano ham and a hot habanero sauce. There's a wonderfully rendered, juicy and crisp boneless red snapper with chayote, red onion salad and roasted garlic mojo sauce (below) that you should plan on sharing, lest one of you fear getting too close to the other later in the evening.

* In celebration of the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra’s new season, Sofitel Chicago O’Hare has a special “Pops Package,” including dinner for 2 on the evening of the show, overnight accommodations, 2 show tickets, continental breakfast for two the next morning, overnight valet parking at the hotel, round-trip shuttle transportation to the theater, and late check-out. The package rate is $219 per couple. Call 847-678-4488.

* NYC’s Petrossian will hold its Caviar Workshop Series to discuss the history of sturgeon, the current state of the caviar industry, an introduction to American farmed Transmontanus caviar and include caviar tastings, champagne, and vodka, along with a cooking demonstration tasting with Chef Michael Lipp. Dates are Oct. 19, Nov. 16, and Dec. 7, run by Eve Vega, Petrossian Executive Director of the

Americas

. $300 pp. Call 212-245-2214.

* On Oct. 20 The Biltmore Hotel and The Cellar Club in Coral Gables, FL, presents a Joseph Phelps Royal Gala Dinner. $150 to members, $225 for non-members. Call 305-913-3203.

* From Oct. 26-27 in NYC, 41 Chinatown restaurants will be offering lunch and dinner specials to celebrate the All Asia Food Expo at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The restaurants include Chinese, Korean, Vegetarian, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai and will offer 4-course prix-fixe menus for $8.88 for lunch and $18.88 for dinner. A list of participating restaurants is at www.allasiafood.com.

* On Oct. 27 at Restaurant JEAN-LOUIS in Greenwich CT will host Gerard Boyer of Paterno Wines International and Joseph Spellman Master Sommelier, for a 5-course dinner with Michel Chapoutier wines. $219 pp. Call 203-622-8450.

* From now until Oct. 31 NYC's Restaurant Associates chefs will prepare entrées showcasing the bounty of autumn, including: Brasserie, Chef Luc Dimnet: Short rib pot-au-feu; Brasserie 8 ½, Julian Alonzo: Pan-roasted venison, baby beets, quinoa, coffee-chocolate emulsion; Café Centro, Franck Deletrain: Veal T-Bone, mushroom fricassee; Naples 45, Chris DeLuna: Pumpkin and crabmeat risotto; Nick + Stef’s, Rad Matmati: Venison chops, parsnip puree, Port sauce; Rock Center Café, Antonio Prontelli: Pork chop Milanese; The Sea Grill, Ed Brown: Grilled Maine halibut with corn blini, roasted shallots, and cider broth; Tropica, Eric Basulto: pomegranate-glazed tuna, warm lentil & frisée, curry vinaigrette. Recipes available upon request. For a complete list visit www.restaurantassociates.com.

* On Oct. 30th, Europe in NYC, will be held by the European Travel Commission, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and American Express® Gold Card Events, at the Metropolitan Pavilion, with tastings of individual countries wines, cheeses, olive oils, and a showcase cultural activites; seminars with wine experts Anthony Giglio, Steven Olson, and Joshua Wesson; the Culinary World Cup cooking competition, with Marcus Samuelsson (Aquavit and Riingo) representing Sweden; Tyler Florence (Food Network) the U.S; Hans Röckenwagner (Röckenwagner in Santa Monica) Germany; and Todd English (Olives) Italy; There will also be a chance to win a trip for two to Switzerland, plus other travel prizes. $85 pp prior to the event; $95 at the door. Call 800-305-3870 or visit www.foodandwine.com/europenyc.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This newsletter is also available on the very comprehensive food site www.sautewednesday.com
which has dozens of other links to food articles from around the world, and also at www.Gayot.com. New York Corner reviews are also available at
www.nycvisit.com/johnmariani

MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher: John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani, Naomi Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson, Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein, Lucy Gordan, Suzanne Wright. Contributing Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery, Bobby Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.

John Mariani is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, Diversion and the Harper Collection. He is author of The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink (Lebhar-Friedman), The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink (Broadway), and, with his wife Galina, the award-winning new Italian-American Cookbook (Harvard Common Press). To purchase from amazon.com, click on the image below.