Gaucho100K

You can get fresh mussels at proper seafood places, but they are not an all-year round item.

Gaucho100K

Sorry but your math is off... at current exchange rates, the amount quoted is quite a bit less than US$100. You should currently estimate at least AR$16 for each US Dollar.

747FC

Thanks, but it must be Google's math that is off, as they give a $79 USD rate:

https://www.google.com/search?q=1270...70+ARS+%3D+usd

Add a nice tip, and you are a bit less than $100.

Flying Machine

http://www.ambito.com/economia/merca...?ric=ARSSCBCRA

ARS/USD has moved a bit the past month.. I still agree with you 747FC your original statement was + Tip and a bit less than $100

island82

On my way to BA now (delayed flight). If anyone wants to or feel like meeting up for some food, PM me. Will be staying in San Telmo area 26th-28th of May. No set agenda while in BA, also first time in BA.

Flying Machine

Aldo's opens a new spot in el centro. Great Guy with a spot on palate..


http://www.ambito.com/891435-abre-al...r-en-el-centro

Marambio

Ever since Harturo's abrupt closure (one day we went for dinner and everything was perfect as usual, two days later I walked past and they were closed for good) with Madame we have been looking for a good, medium-range restaurant in town.

So far we have found two perfectly ok Italian restaurants in Recoleta - La Pecora Nera, on Ayacucho and Guido, two blocks away from the cemetery, and La Locanda, on Pagano, which is a small street opposite the Automóvil Club in Libertador. La Pecora Nera is a bit more upscale, while La Locanda has a fantastic selection of Italian wines, which is rare in Malbec-land.

In both places a shared entrée, two main courses, a bottle of reasonable wine and two coffees come at around 1,500 ARS + tip (85 USD or so), which is quite acceptable. I would suggest making a reservation before getting there as both restaurants are small and are usually packed.

Edit- Forgot to mention that both restaurants take cards but make a sweet 15% discount if you pay cash

MSPeconomist

What's the current evaluation of El Mirasol de la Recova, located in the touristic-looking strip of restaurants "below" the Four Seasons on roughly on the border of Recoleta and Retiro? It's included on the PH's list of steak houses they suggest and nearby, so I'm curious. PH says that they were the "launching platform" (whatever that really means) of "the best Argentinian wines [that] appeared on [sic] the latest years."

The place is walkable, but would this be safe at night?

I passed by and saw at the posted menu (no prices are given on their website), which looked OK. IIRC the cover charge was in the $60-80 per person range. However, they don't sell wines by the glass (according to a sign posted in their window, which seems a bit tacky to me) and their long wine list included only about a half dozen half bottles of Malbec, in the plus/minus $300 range. I know that objectively this is less than US$20 at current exchange rates, but it seems expensive for Argentina, assuming that what's available in half bottles is nothing very special.

Is this a reasonable alternative to Fervor, but with more emphasis on dead cow rather than fish and seafood? Again in terms of Recoleta, since the LaDorita location has closed, is this currently the best dead cow joint in the neighborhood?

The restaurant apparently stays open all day, which to me indicates that it's a tourist trap.

BTW, here's the PH list of parrillas/steak houses:

Cabana Las Lilas

El Mirasol de la Recova

Le Grill

La Brigada

Don Julio

Lo de Jesus

Their Argentine Modern cuisine list includes Pura Tierra (of course) and also Uco in the Fierro Hotel.

MSPeconomist

If I may say so, I hope that Madame's moules et frites were more like what is served in Belgium than France.

Marambio

El Mirasol is very touristic. Last time I was there it was ok and they've been in the business for decades. From the PH it's walking distance and very safe. Out of the list you mention, Don Julio is also touristic but I like it better, although you'd have to take a taxi or Uber.

The whole area near the PH is Europe-safe with the plus that there's no terror threat in Recoleta

Ha! When in Paris, we go to Léon de Bruxelles.

MSPeconomist

IIRC it's a Belgian chain. It would be better to go to Belgium and have moules frites in a local restaurant without pictures of the food.

Gaucho100K

As Ive said before, El Mirasol wont offer you a bad meal, but its 200% Touristy and isnt on my radar screen of places to recommend. Safe and convenient for some hotel locations, for sure... but taxi or uber to a better place would be my suggestion.

Marambio

Agree. I used to go to El Mirasol quite often with an uncle who was friends with the owner. Ever since my uncle passed away, 3 years ago, I haven't visited. And not because of some sort of nostalgia or something, but just because it isn't a true parrilla. It's like Siga la Vaca, I went there a few months ago with a friend who works right across the street and we were the only two locals in the whole restaurant - even the waiter was from Venezuela.

Recoleta is not a very good area for parrillas, but Melo, on Pacheco de Melo and Callao, is reasonable and 100% local.

kevincrumbs

I'm trying to plan for our trip over New Year's and was wondering if this is an appropriate time to start trying to secure a dinner reservation for New Year's Eve. I have also read that New Year's Eve is surprisingly quiet for a city of Buenos Aires' size and that a lot of folks stay in with their families. Are reservations required for anywhere that is not, say, Don Julio?

In addition, I'm a little intimidated since my spoken Spanish is not great and I'd prefer to make an online/email reservation. Does anyone have any suggestions of places that would take a New Year's Eve reservation online?

Eastbay1K

NYE is very quiet. I'd expect most, if not all, places that do not take reservations will not be open, and many will have special pricing / menus. You may consider using restorando.com.ar as an online reservation service. It is probably way too soon for NYE availability.