By Kevin Vaughn.
Buenos Aires is full of surprises waiting to be uncovered. And the closed door scene exemplifies that, with some 40 active projects and new ones popping up all the time. But from the outsider’s perspective, it can be a complete mystery. We’ve gone ahead and picked 5 menus for the week to simplify your search.
NOLA
The Onda
Anyone who has followed MyBeautifulAir knows that we are completely smitten with Chef Liza Puglia’s NOLA. And her wild success demonstrates that we aren’t the only ones. Whether it was her Mexican pop-up dinners, her multi-course Mexican-Creole feast or her Thursday night ode to Southern food (fried chicken and mash), we’ve covered every event and always go back for more. No matter what the event, Puglia creates a warm environment that is a perfect night out for a small group of friends.
The Menu
The five course fixed menu begins with baked clams, followed by a crab, shrimp and okra gumbo, a Mardi Gras Salad, a main dish of braised pork with chile ancho sauce over creamy polenta and topped off with a pecan pie.
The Essentials
Meals are held on Fridays and Saturdays and begin at 9:30pm in Palermo Viejo. Reservations can be made by caling 155 348 4509 or emailing NOLAbuenosaires@gmail.com. If you aren’t into sharing a table, private tables are available upon request.
MASA
The Onda
MASA is a weekly dinner that began with the philosophy of providing an option that was both accessible and inventive by seeking new approaches to traditional homey foods. The dinner feels more like a low-key party amongst friends, with just 12 guests sharing home cooked meals over a communal table, cold beer and good music. Hosts Kevin and Evy might tell you to get your own damn beer from the fridge, don’t worry, it means they like you. It’s a perfect night for someone looking for a low key meal and chatter with new friends.
The Menu
Meals rotate between Mexican and American style menus. This week will be (mostly) Mexican food with homemade tortilla chips and fresh salsa to start the evening, followed by a main plate with a Korean pork carnitas taco (the crowd favorite) and a Thai inspired chorizo taco with Mexican rice and refried beans. The meal also comes with a half-liter of cerveza Antares.
The Essentials
Meals are held on Thursdays in the Almagro neighborhood. 120ARS, cash only, additional beer sold separately. Make a reservation via email, kevin@masamakestacos.com, or call Kevin at 153 435 9093.
Cocina Sunae
The Onda
If you are in the mood for some Asian flavors, this is the answer. Sunae grew up in the Phillipines before moving to New York where she worked in various restaurants before settling in Buenos Aires. It feels much more like a restaurant with private tables and a wait staff, great for an adventurous date or a meal between friends.
The Menu
This week’s menu is a 4 course meal with dishes from the Phillipines, Vietnam and Thailand. The meal begins with crispy spring rolls and a roasted eggplant salad. The main dish is your choice of tamarind shrimp, spicy green curry chicken soup or grilled pork over rice noodles. For dessert, kamote and green tea ice cream tart over a ginger cookie crust.
The Essentials
Dinners are held Wednesday through Saturday starting at 8pm in Colegiales. 225ARS, cash only, drinks sold separately. Make a reservation via email, reservas@cocinasunae.com, or call 154 870 5506.
We Are Tango
The Onda
We Are Tango is a different kind of tango show that mixes food, wine, music and dance into one evening. The group lets your pick and choose what part of the experience you want to partake in, in addition to the tango show you can add on a 3 course meal, unlimited wine and a dance lesson. The evening is great for tourists that want to do a lot and don’t have a lot of time.
The Menu
The three course fixed menu is fish heavy. To start you have your choice of salmon tartare and beef carpaccio. For the entrée you can choose between a filet medallion and baked Atlantic salmon. And to top it off a brownie royal or coconut flan.
The Essentials
We Are Tango arranges events every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings in their Palermo Viejo location. Price depends on how you build your experience and varies from 100USD to 140USD. You can make a reservation here (http://wearetango.com/tango-show-buenos-aires/).
The Beer House Experience
The Onda
More of a secret bar than a closed door restaurant, after speakeasies like Floreria Atlantica and The Harrison started popping up we crossed our fingers that something like Beer House would follow. The secret beer bar is run by cerveza sommeliers who have stocked this place with a wonderful variety of imported and national craft beer. The space is a renovated old house with private tables, and is the perfect spot to meet up with friends on a Friday night.
The Menu
The carta is typical bar fare with stuff like hamburgers and pizzas mixed in with dishes like chicken risotto, beef tenderloin and pork chops. The twist? All the dishes are prepared with beer. I’ll just let you marinate on that for a second.
The Essentials
The bar is open Thursday – Saturday in San Telmo. You can choose to have three courses and unlimited beer for 190ARS, or just get the unlimited beer option for 120ARS. Make a reservation via email at thebeerhouseexperience@gmail.com or by calling 154 169 6691.