Posted by johngl
The Buenos Aires Cafe‘s (south) location, at 2414 S. First Street, quietly nestles it between a large pawn shop and a liquor store. On our visit yesterday, it didn’t look like much either with it’s pale olive-green exterior and loose polyethylene flapping in the breeze, put there, I presume, to protect it’s outdoor seating area from the chilly temps mother nature has foisted upon us these past few weeks. As I pulled into the alleyway to find a parking spot, I glanced over at the most glorious one, wondering if she had lost her freaking mind. Even the couple we met there for lunch were eyeballing me and I had to admit, out loud, that if I was just walking down the street, I probably wouldn’t just stroll in here for a bite to eat.
Most glorious knew the pressure was on; this was her recommendation and I’m betting she thought I was going to be hyper-critical. However, I’ve had really good food in some really weird-looking places, some of which had bars on the doors, others had no doors at all (or even walls). We’ve been married for close to two decades and I’ve learned to trust her judgment (most of the time).
Slow Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri, Mashed Potatoes, and Organic Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese, Black Olives, and Roasted Pecans
I’d heard good things about their empanadas, so I thought I would open with one of those.
This is the Carne Picante consisting of ground beef, green onions, raisins, green olives, and a wonderful concoction of herbs and spices. This empanada had the flakiest crust ever — as though it was wrapped in puff pastry. Dipped in the chimichurri, which is incredibly well balanced, I was in heaven.
And it paired wonderfully with the wine: a 2005 Alzamora Malbec Oak Grand Reserve. Not shy by any stretch of the imagination, this deep purple wonder had huge tannins and really needed to sit open a while before it came around. Ideally, you’d probably want to uncork it a couple of hours before dining. The best thing about it was that it didn’t have a bit of trouble standing up to the spicy flavors of the empanada.
My compadres on this dining adventure ordered up quite the assortment of sammies:
A Lomito Beef, certified Black Angus Tenderloin…
a portabella served on ciabatta with provolone, sun-dried tomato, and basil pesto along with a bowl of what looked to be corn bisque…
and my most glorious spousal unit’s perennial favorite, the Lomito Pork, of which I have no photo.
Fail.
Stupidity aside, I did manage to capture desserts:
A Quatro Leches cake…
a chocolate crème brûlée spiked with just a hint of chile pepper…
and finally, a dark chocolate mousse cake…
My favorite of the three was the crème brûlée, but the others were really quite tasty as well.
Of all this food, and four people chowing down, I think the only thing left on a plate was about two bites of cake and a lone slice of strawberry.
We waddled our over-stuffed selves out the door, thanking our attentive waiter on the way, and stood in the warm sunshine for a minute. The loose plastic was still whipping in the breeze behind us as we wandered toward the cars. I glanced up and down the street; I shrugged my shoulders.
Who knew?
Buenos Aires Cafe is a classic diamond in the rough.
That makes my mouth water looking at all that great food! It is funny how some of the fanciest restaurants can make crappy food, and not so good looking places can make the best!
Thanks for sharing!
Aaah..Buenos Aires cafe. Another one of those assuming places that I totally randomly stumbled upon. I’ve always thought of it as a great place to get 5-8 friends together, share some great food, good wine, and yummy dessert. Its small enough to feel very personal – like someone’s dining room. I’ve always enjoyed the group dinners there.