Palermo Dining Guide, Part One

1/15/2018

As a lifelong resident of California, I must profess that my standard for food is pretty high (as are those of my VoyJoie clients). I spent a lot of time researching the food scene of Buenos Aires and really wanted to hit the current highlights, which I am happy to report are many! The Palermo neighborhood, in particular, has a huge array of choice and is known to be where the best restaurants in the city are housed. Below is the first half of my TOP TEN guide to Palermo Dining...trust me, it is worth going to Buenos Aires even if you do nothing other than eat! Buen Provecho!

#1 iLatina

Voted as one of the top 50 restaurants in Latin America, iLatina offers a 7 course tasting menu that takes you on a culinary journey from Mexico to Patagonia. Founded by the Macías siblings, there is a strong emphasis on seafood and rich coastal flavors as a tribute to their Colombian family roots.

Located in a beautiful refurbished house in Villa Crespo (next door to Palermo), the dining experience was warm & casual while offering very sophisticated expressions of food. I think this was my favorite dining moment in BA - a huge compliment given the amazing options!

#2 Proper

Brooklyn meets Argentina at this raw but incredibly stylish restaurant located inside an unmarked mechanic shop. The plates, most of which are cooked within a custom wood-fired oven, are small and meant to be shared. Started by two young and bold chefs - Leo Lanussol & Augusto Mayer, it was clear to me why this is now considered one of the best new restaurants in Buenos Aires. We ordered twice, because the first time was just not enough! This is the type of place I would expect to see other chefs dining at - unpretentious, creative food with a soul.

#3 Don Julio

Don Julio consistently shows up when searching for an authentic parrilla (steakhouse) in Buenos Aires. It not only lives up to the hype, you will find dozens of locals patiently waiting for a table (with a glass of complimentary champagne in hand) who agree. This is the place to experience what the Argentina parrilla is all about: top grass-fed steak, classic chimichurri, crispy chorizo & a great bottle of Malbec.

*Note: No pics of the steak were taken because I was too busy eating the delicious thing....oops.

#4 Gran Dabbang

As a fellow diner advised us when we sat down, "just order one of everything on the menu, you will thank me." Gran Dabbang, named after a popular Bollywood movie, offers the most unique interpretation of Indian fusion cuisine I have ever tasted - blurring the lines between Latin and Indian cuisine.

From swiss chard pakoras to spicy buratta with coriander, each dish is unique without being too flashy. A simple cafe style restaurant very popular with a young and fashionable crowd, it will take a while to nab a seat at this tiny little spot. But definitely worth the wait when you tire of steak and are looking for some distinct Asian flavors.

#5 Trienta Sillas

In the past few years, there has been a huge surge of puertas cerradas (closed-door restaurants) popping up in the Buenos Aires food scene. Puertas cerradas are a network of underground restaurants operated by some of the best chefs in the city, where you can enjoy beautifully prepared prix-fixe meals. Treinta Sillas (Thirty Seats) as its name indicates only has 30 seats available at this private home tucked away in Palermo - there is not even a sign outside the unassuming gray front door so the whole experience feels very exclusive and special.

Once inside I was blown away with executive chef Ezequiel Gallardo's delicious 4-course meal. The menu that day was fresh buratta with fig and pesto, a perfectly pan-seared salmon with asparagus, fresh gazpacho with prawns, and the most heavenly chocolate mousse with pistachios...at $40 a head, this was an incredible experience!