Drink Eat Love

Not Just Meat in Argentina

(One of the gardens at Cassis)

The majority of our dining in Argentina was centered around beef and Malbec and though we loved both we felt we should try something different. Bariloche's has its share of Parillas but has a select group of restaurants that focus on the bounty of Patagonia. Our concierge at our hotel, Charming, told us the most inventive and unique cuisine in region was a small restaurant outside the city center called Cassis. She had steered us right the previous night, so we were game.

(Owner/Chef Mariana and her husband Ernesto on the beautiful deck over Lake Gutierrez)

Cassis is a beautiful and elegant restaurant located on Lake Gutierrez, south of Bariloche. The tandem behind Cassis is wife and husband Mariana and Ernesto Muller de Wolf. Mariana runs the kitchen and Ernesto is the server, sommelier and all around nice guy. We were the ONLY guests in the small dining room and from the moment we were greeted our experience was incredible. Ernesto asked us if he wanted Mariana to cook for us and we jumped at the opportunity. The next four hours were one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life.

(The wine cellar features 200 plus wines from Argentina)

The region of Patagonia that we were in is known for two primary proteins: trout and lamb. Ernesto explained that, though beef is the primary staple and what most people expect at Cassis, Mariana preferred to highlight the local ingredients...after four days of just meat it was a welcome change.

(First course: Cassis grown flower and herb salad with a parmigiano-reggiano crisp)

Our first course was one of the BEST salads I have ever enjoyed. The herbs, greens and edible flowers were all bright with flavor, fresh and grown by Ernesto. With each bite we all looked at each other in bliss and our bodies thanked us for, even if it was small, some ruffage.

Our second course was a house-made chicken live pate with house-made bread (served warm!) and wild berry marmalade. It was yummmmy!

(Slow cooked trout with Jasmine rice)

The thrid course was the a beautiful cooked river trout. Ernest said that Mariana does nothing but salt and pepper the fish and then cooks it at 150 degrees. The sauce was a foamy cream sauce with mustard seed. The combination was delicate but full in flavor.

(Lamb two ways - roasted and in crispy pastry dough)

Our last savory course was local free range lamb that was THE best lamb I have ever had. The meat was earthy, but not gamey and I could cut it with a spoon. We did enjoy a Malbec (with a little Merlot) with this course and it was one of the better wines of the trip. It too was grown in Patagonia giving it lighter body than the Mendoza counterparts and it had higher acidity - Bodega Noemia "J. Alberto" 2009.

(Our dessert of mixed berry crumble with home-made ice cream)

Our last course was a light and not too sweet mixed berry crumble with home-made ice cream. The berries were bright and had such intesne flavors that each bite was a reminder of how much fun summer fruits are.

Our meal at Cassis will be ethced in my mind for years and I cannot express how amzing the food is - Mariana and Ernesto are two of the best in the industry.

Meat-o-nism

(The meat counter at El Boliche de Alberto in San Carlos de Bariloche)

The past week has been an amazing adventure of food, culture, history, nature and geological events. Though Argentina has a long and storied history beginning with the Spanish in the early 1500's, a war for independence, Juan and Eva Peron, and a dark period in the late 1970's through early 1980's called the Dirty War, my friends only asked me about two things: MEAT and MALBEC.

(The butcher at the San Telmo Market Place)

Prior to the trip, various sommeliers jokingly told me not to drink too much Malbec or my teeth would fall out (a reference to the wines being very fruit forward, bordering on sweet) and not to take too many "shots" less I get too drunk (Malbecs can be as high as 14.5% alcohol). Argentine Malbecs tend not to be very nuanced or complex, and have a reputation with some sommeliers as being boring, simple or just not very good. Many will argue with my claim that the wines are neither complex nor nuanced but in relation to other grapes such as Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, or Syrah, Malbec is fruit forward, and plays all its card on the first hand. And that is PERFECTLY ok! Not all wine needs to be a doctoral thesis or cause a bunch of wine geeks to sit around and contemplate the evolution of the bottle. I readily admit that I do not drink Malbecs from Argentina at home or would even think about buying one at a wine shop or off a wine list. But I love wine and am always looking to explore, especially when I am in the country of origin. At our first meal, a simple lunch, I immediately ordered a bottle, thought that it was pleasant and kept drinking, yet felt a little guilty and un-sommelier like. 

(One of the Parrillas we enjoyed!)

But three days into our escapade I realized what Malbec was for me...a guilty pleasure. If you only drink wines that are challenging, complex and elegant you can become jaded and out of touch. Sometimes you just want to listen to Lady Gaga and not Radiohead. And sometimes I want to eat a big slab of beef and enjoy a rich, over-oaked, and "hot" (a wine with a high alcohol content) red wine. It was this epiphany that made me respect and appreciate "Meat-o-nism", the pure hedonistic experience of perfectly grilled meat paired with big rich red wine. We tried a selection of Malbecs that would retail in the States for $10 up to $65. They each provided me exactly what I wanted for what we were eating and experiencing. The wines from Mendoza tended to be the richest, most oaked, and highest in alcohol and were great with the bife de Chorizo (NY strip). The Malbecs from Rio Negro and Neuquen were best with the empanadas and grilled lamb. In the end, the beef was amazing, the wine was delicious, and the trip was a pure blast.

Here is a list of the Parrilla's (grills) we went to:

Buenos Aires

La Brigada - Great lomo (tenderloin), wine list is better than most for a Parilla.

465 Estados Unidos

San Telmo

El Pobre Luis - AWESOME is the only word to describe El Pobre Luis...this is one of the best! A bit of a long taxi drive but well worth it. We were the only non-locals there! Perfect morcilla (blood sausage) and ojo di bife (rib-eye).

2393 Arribenos

Belgrano

San Carlos de Bariloche

El Boliche de Alberto - One of the best steaks I have ever eaten. The bife de Chorizo was sublime. It was so good we went here twice!

Bustillo Ave - the one we went to was a bit outside of town (go here!)

La Marmite - We had a quick lunch here and though it is not strictly a Parrilla the ojo de bife was good.

329 B. Mitre

 

More Argentinian dining up next!

No Volcano in our way

(Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Volcano - from Solitudecanyon.com)

We have been in Bariloche for three days and it is a VERY special place. In June a volcano in Chile erupted and covered the area in metric tons of ash causing the airport to close and most tourists to find other destinations to visit, devastating the local economy. The volcano is quieter now but the airport is still closed and you can only get to Bariloche by bus or car. We drove five hours from Neuquén to get to our amazing "cabin-hotel" Charming. We have hiked, taken a boat tour, eaten copious amounts of meat and had an amazing tasting menu that was world class. This is an amazing place that I look forward to visiting again. We are headed to B.A. tomorrow but I will give you the details on what to do, eat and drink soon!

In Argentina

(Bariloche)

It has been nearly three years since I was last in Argentina sipping Malbec from Mendoza and eating my weight in empanadas. Well, I'm back purley as an escape prior to the start of a busy holiday season in New York City. My father, step-mom, wife and I are all headed to Bariloche for some hiking, drinking, and fishing. We landed in Buenos Aires this morning and have already consumed two bottles of Malbec...though it is a big depature from my beloved Nebbiolo, it went great with the giacantic T-Bone steak I had at La Brigada. Hopefully we will have an internet connection in Bariloche but if not...have a great week!