BUENOS AIRES |
|||
Clockwise from far left : |
|||
A gaucho on horseback driving |
|||
cattle ; asado de tira ( short ribs ); |
|||
Argentinian choripán ( a popular |
|||
chorizo sandwich ); diners in the |
|||
Palermo neighborhood |
|||
local flavors |
|||
images : awl images ; alamy ; stockfood |
It ’ s the restaurant where I kick-start my birthday each year , when the team switches off the lights at midnight and brings out a crème caramel dessert with candles , bellowing and clapping along to Que los Cumplas Feliz . It ’ s the place to share someone else ’ s celebrations , to introduce a first-time visitor to the world ’ s beef capital , or simply the place to eat delicious , grass-fed steak just because you have the urge .
Beef has long been one of Argentina ’ s chief commodities . Consumption here is high — on average , 105 pounds per person in 2021 , according to Argentine nonprofit organization the Rosario Board of Trade . There ’ s nothing that Argentines love more than the ritual of lighting a fire , gathering friends and family , and slapping asado de tira on the grill outside , very often at a weekend house in the country . Actually , it doesn ’ t matter where you make an asado . Walk past any construction site at 11 in the morning , and smoke will have started wafting upwards , permeating the air and encouraging the builders to carry on
|
laboring until their steaks — each possibly slapped between two slices of bread — are ready . The aroma of sizzling meat is enough to stop anyone in their tracks .
Asado is an Argentine institution , according to Don Julio ’ s owner , Pablo Rivero . “ Many Argentines have a connection with livestock and commercial beef , either because they work in the industry or live close to the countryside . We ’ re very proud of that heritage — it ’ s an integral part of our daily lives and we simply can ’ t imagine a table without grilled meat on it ,” he says .
Short ribs are the most popular cut , usually sourced from Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle , which are raised in the pampas that fan out north , west and south of the capital . These fertile prairies feed millions of cattle , which produce beef that ’ s renowned around the world for its tender texture and mouth-watering flavor . Many visitors , unfamiliar with the classic Argentine cuts , choose lomo ( tenderloin ), but I find the flavor to be a little lacking . I prefer the thinner ojo de bife ( rib-eye ),
|
Empanadas Doughy pockets whose style of crimped edging denotes the filling . A favorite is chopped steak with potato and boiled egg . Many steakhouses serve them as appetizers .
Choripán This sandwich is a staple at soccer matches . It comprises a grilled pork sausage that ’ s sliced in half , tucked inside a bread roll and slathered in spicy chimichurri sauce . Try a gourmet version at fast food joint Chori .
Helado With so many Argentines having Italian heritage , it ’ s no surprise Buenos Aires has such great gelato-style ice cream . Sample some at Heladería Scannapieco .
|
WINTER 2023 • 55 |