Two Hours... I love the garlic!

We arrived in Argentina! A land filled with delicious cafe con leche y empanadas con carne.

Upon arriving in a new hemisphere, continent, and country Dave and I wasted little time trying to figure out what direction to go in. We made reservations at a hotel in Palermo Soho, i.e. the hip nightlife neighborhood. After checking into our hotel with a shower that doesn't have a door, I naturally I led the way on our first excursion.. east.. into nothing.

On our way back to the neighborhood (maximum of 6 blocks away from the hotel) we were starving. I pulled Dave back 10 steps to a restaurant with english on the menu (how could we go wrong?) and in we went. It was delicious! A white-fish spread on the bread, delectable starters (the best empanada con carne ever), and our lunch accompanied with a sweet and tangy beet puree marrying all the flavors together.

Later in the evening, without finding a clock for hours we guessed it was 4pm (Buenas Tarde!) and we knew it was necessary to find the cafes we read so much about. We arrived at el Gato Negro and ordered up Cafe con leche (ordered properly!!) with little shortbread cookies that sent us to another place:

We were on a roll... next was dinner, top rated steakhouse, waited two hours to get seated, the famous beef of Argentina.

Over cooked, tough, sinewy, what??? (Like my crappy dentist I think I have another bad review). The atmosphere, wine and sides were actually just as delightful and delicious as all the wonderful flavors we experienced before. Sadly the beef just didn't make the cut. As Dave put it... "2 hours for what?" my response: "for the garlic!"

My favorite part of the meal: Roasted garlic for the bread, and a side primarily garlic in a sweet beef based gravy with caramelized roasted carrots. This seemingly simple combination will be a future Keenie Kitchen experiment.

Needless to say our favorite Malbec yet didn't fail...

... and we are still up for the challenge of finding that perfect cut of Argentinian beef. I will let you know when we find it.


... And to share, a view from the square which we not so gracefully translated as the spot San Nicholas raised the Argentinian flag in August of 18something? .... (our translation book just doesn't have every word) anyways, it was a cool view of the bustling city traffic from behind the Washington-like monument marking the spot: