Comments on: Never Eat Anything Bigger Than Your Head http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head Casting a little flavor (and a few aspersions) on the world of food, drink, and life Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:39:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: dan http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-175802 dan Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:06:20 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-175802 It's unfortunately one of the problems in an economic climate where 35% annual inflation has been the norm for the last 5-6 years. Some places have responded by raising their prices steadily, to the point where I hear from people "Buenos Aires isn't all that cheap, I heard it was cheap...." - of course, they're reading articles from 2002, 2003, without thinking about the recovery of an economy that near completely collapsed. Other places, like El Trapiche, or El Obrero, both of which used to serve huge portions for very little money, have kept their prices relatively low, but just steadily reduced the quantity of food they serve. Hard to say which is more disappionting, but at the same time, I try to remind visitors that until not much prior to the 2001 collapse, Buenos Aires was one of the most expensive places to live on the planet, it was not a place to come to for bargains. That all said, in terms of steak places, my current fave place I send people is Don Julio in Palermo. I'm also quite fond of El Yugo in Recoleta. Both of them are reviewed on this site, though again, quite awhile back - but I think you get better value at each. I haven't been back to El Trapiche in about a year, so I'll stick it back on the list to re-check out one of these days. Oh, and one other point - I've never been to any <em>parrilla</em> in town that I particularly liked the brochettes/kebabs - it's not something that's traditional here, it's one of those sort of invented things to please tourists who are looking for something besides a steak, and I have yet to see someone do it well... so it's possible it was merely that particular dish. It’s unfortunately one of the problems in an economic climate where 35% annual inflation has been the norm for the last 5-6 years. Some places have responded by raising their prices steadily, to the point where I hear from people “Buenos Aires isn’t all that cheap, I heard it was cheap….” - of course, they’re reading articles from 2002, 2003, without thinking about the recovery of an economy that near completely collapsed. Other places, like El Trapiche, or El Obrero, both of which used to serve huge portions for very little money, have kept their prices relatively low, but just steadily reduced the quantity of food they serve. Hard to say which is more disappionting, but at the same time, I try to remind visitors that until not much prior to the 2001 collapse, Buenos Aires was one of the most expensive places to live on the planet, it was not a place to come to for bargains.

That all said, in terms of steak places, my current fave place I send people is Don Julio in Palermo. I’m also quite fond of El Yugo in Recoleta. Both of them are reviewed on this site, though again, quite awhile back - but I think you get better value at each. I haven’t been back to El Trapiche in about a year, so I’ll stick it back on the list to re-check out one of these days. Oh, and one other point - I’ve never been to any parrilla in town that I particularly liked the brochettes/kebabs - it’s not something that’s traditional here, it’s one of those sort of invented things to please tourists who are looking for something besides a steak, and I have yet to see someone do it well… so it’s possible it was merely that particular dish.

]]> By: Carolyn http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-175776 Carolyn Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:45:03 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-175776 Hi, Love your web site. Made me laugh and want to eat (and avoid!) many of the places you talk about. However, picking out one "Highly Recommended", for a special lunch we were SO DISAPPOINTED with El Trapiche. We order the Mixed Brochettes (the menu said it served two people), but IT WAS TINY. Tasty but tiny. We even had fried with it and left feeling hungry. I can see this review is quite old. Do you have any current highly recommended favorite restaurants ??? Hi, Love your web site. Made me laugh and want to eat (and avoid!) many of the places you talk about. However, picking out one “Highly Recommended”, for a special lunch we were SO DISAPPOINTED with El Trapiche. We order the Mixed Brochettes (the menu said it served two people), but IT WAS TINY. Tasty but tiny. We even had fried with it and left feeling hungry. I can see this review is quite old. Do you have any current highly recommended favorite restaurants ???

]]> By: SaltShaker » Blog Archive » A Little o’ This, a Little o’ That http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-174652 SaltShaker » Blog Archive » A Little o’ This, a Little o’ That Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:21:25 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-174652 [...] off with a plate of boquerones - nice and light and vinegary - perhaps not as good as those at El Trapiche or Damblee, but just fine, and followed quickly on by some roasted eggplant, some baby squid… [...] [...] off with a plate of boquerones - nice and light and vinegary - perhaps not as good as those at El Trapiche or Damblee, but just fine, and followed quickly on by some roasted eggplant, some baby squid… [...]

]]> By: SaltShaker » Blog Archive » Crawling Around http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-41912 SaltShaker » Blog Archive » Crawling Around Wed, 23 May 2007 13:28:30 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-41912 [...] on the scale of truly amazing raw fish experiences. But how about a nice plate of boquerones at El Trapiche? Really, there’s nothing quite like some cured anchovies with tomato and onion to fuel our [...] [...] on the scale of truly amazing raw fish experiences. But how about a nice plate of boquerones at El Trapiche? Really, there’s nothing quite like some cured anchovies with tomato and onion to fuel our [...]

]]> By: lavish88 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-10450 lavish88 Fri, 12 Jan 2007 18:41:32 +0000 http://www.saltshaker.net/20060516/never-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head#comment-10450 Dan,thank you for a wonderful recommendation - I have just had lunch here and as 3rd time visitor to BA I will say this place is up there with the best-the chorizo for starter was wonderful though I had to reel myself in on the blood sausage as I had also ordered a Bife de Chorizo (my favourite cut here in Argentina) and remembered your story of it being about 1 kg.I ordered it cooked 1 minute on each side and thats how it came ,an enormous slab of some of the finest meat I have had anywhere in the world.Gardelito is tonights choice though I have been there before and wait to see of it was as good as it was a year ago.I will follow up some more of your choices over the next 3 weeks - great website-I may also be interested in having a private restaurant session when my colleagues arrive in 10 days time - many thanks - Mark Dan,thank you for a wonderful recommendation - I have just had lunch here and as 3rd time visitor to BA I will say this place is up there with the best-the chorizo for starter was wonderful though I had to reel myself in on the blood sausage as I had also ordered a Bife de Chorizo (my favourite cut here in Argentina) and remembered your story of it being about 1 kg.I ordered it cooked 1 minute on each side and thats how it came ,an enormous slab of some of the finest meat I have had anywhere in the world.Gardelito is tonights choice though I have been there before and wait to see of it was as good as it was a year ago.I will follow up some more of your choices over the next 3 weeks - great website-I may also be interested in having a private restaurant session when my colleagues arrive in 10 days time - many thanks - Mark

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