Style: Steakhouse
Address: 5099 José Antonio Cabrera, Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina [Google Maps]
Phone: +54 11 4555 3242
Hours: Lunch Fri-Mon from 12.30pm / Dinner 7 days (Early Bird from 7pm)
Bookings: Yes, recommended
Website: http://www.parrillalacabrera.com/
One might say of La Cabrera, come hungry. Or better yet, come from being told by your GP you have an iron deficiency.
Perhaps iron deficiencies are not widespread in Argentina; their countrymen have an affinity for steak much like the Bavarians have for beer - ordering a small causes something of a commotion and the table-side intervention of the manager.
Eating Latin means eating late - restaurants in Buenos Aires typically open for dinner at 8.30pm, with diners lingering after midnight and beyond. Buenos Aires native Gaston tells me that unlike the Spanish, porteños do not take siesta, making for some considerable sleep deprivation if not a lack of iron.
Advantage: gringo. Venues such as La Cabrera are a known entity to tourists, but where this might ordinarily be a reason to avoid the place, dining early affords a 40% discount on all food and wine.
Perhaps iron deficiencies are not widespread in Argentina; their countrymen have an affinity for steak much like the Bavarians have for beer - ordering a small causes something of a commotion and the table-side intervention of the manager.
Eating Latin means eating late - restaurants in Buenos Aires typically open for dinner at 8.30pm, with diners lingering after midnight and beyond. Buenos Aires native Gaston tells me that unlike the Spanish, porteños do not take siesta, making for some considerable sleep deprivation if not a lack of iron.
Advantage: gringo. Venues such as La Cabrera are a known entity to tourists, but where this might ordinarily be a reason to avoid the place, dining early affords a 40% discount on all food and wine.
The waiter and I discuss, in his broken English and my broken Spanish, what I look for in a wine. With verbiage failing us, I get my point across by miming being punched in the nose. Success - the Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec is like being struck with a hand wearing a velvety, purple glove. Aggressive, with style. Tastes of dark fruit, oak and some violet.
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| Morcilla, Basque-style w/ sweet relish and chimichurri |
At my waiter's behest, I accept that my black pudding order should come in a half serve - portions at La Cabrera tend to be gargantuan. The pudding arrives in a somewhat sterile fashion on a steel tray, ready for dissection and already bursting goodness. Inside is the equivalent of meat-flavoured peanut butter - hot, spicy and gooey. It's best savoured with lashings of fresh chimichurri.
La Cabrera's steaks come with a chorus line of supporting players, including pickled onions, creamy mash, applesauce, corn mash, creamed peas, corn cous cous and champignons. The corn mash is the highlight and reminds me of a conversation with some fellow diners once about how restaurants manage to "just make food taste better!" The answer, as demonstrated here, is butter.
Average portions are 400g with 800g options available in the traditional Argentian style as well as Kobe. So at 200g, my steak is considered miniature. It comes still sizzling on its hot plate, just medium rare and very juicy, with luscious charred flavour.
Service is punctuated by good humoured staff who are happy to try to negotiate the language barrier. They bring a dulce de leche lollipop tree with the cheque. And the damage? Not that you can call it that; ARS$138 (AUD$26).
so... I'm definetly stowing away in your case next time you decide to run away and EAT MEAT!
ReplyDeleteSounds amazing, and I could do with a good steak lately.
ReplyDelete