Go figure, the Greeks got this down. I’m a huge fan of Greek salads (sans olives). Maybe it’s 'cause I grew up with tons of fresh tomatoes n cukes from the garden in the summertime? Or, it’s probably the big chunks of feta cheese. But, I could eat one every day...and, that’s exactly what I did for 8 days in Greece.
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Quinoa Salad, with Andean cheese!
Cusquenan Cuisine
One thing that stands out in Cusco Peru is the FOOD. Seems like there’s a fierce culinary competition and every restaurant plays the game. It’s probably because Cusco is a major tourist town, and they know that they have to cater to fickle, hungry American and European tourists who just got done with a 4 day hike?
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Tacos Al Pastor Por Favor!
I love tacos. (Main reason I moved to LA) Al pastor 'til I die!
Mi amigo (Jeremy) and I have a favorite taco truck in LA. I miss her sweet trompo. Córdoba does empanadas really well, but not really tacos. Before I left for Buenos Aires, Jeremy researched and found: La Fábrica Del Taco.
Turns out, it’s ~5 blocks from mi apartamento nuevo!
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Loungin' at Late
Córdoba is known for nightlife. Countless cool clubs, restaurants, lounges, etc. Tonight was my first night at “Late”. #lovedit
Late is a pretty big place, but the outdoor back patio is where it’s at. So many places in Córdoba have phenomenal decor. It’s effortless. Yet, exceptional. And I am so inspired by Argentinean musical taste. Destroyer: Chinatown? Brilliant.
Derryl, Danielle, Miranda, Brecht, Patrick, Anhton, Tom, Casey and I had a ton of hearty laughs, ate delicious dishes, played impromptu & inappropriate Pictionary, and stormed the stage and jammed to Michael Jackson. We were undoubtedly the loudest table at the place. But I think they loved us. (Nope)
When we were dancing, one guy usurped the DJ table when the DJ left for a minute and turned the music down. “This is not America, here we throw oranges at this.” Hmmm...I think he meant throw tomatoes, but I’m still not even sure if he didn’t like the song, or he didn’t like us dancing on stage?
Sorry, but you can’t put MJ on and expect us to NOT DANCE. You can take the Americans out of America, but you can’t take America out of the Americans.
Not to mention, we had an Aussie with us. And a guy from Brussels. Show some love for Brussels, amigo!
Salt & Vineg--errr, Asado Flavor?
If you know me well, you know that I can take down a big bag of Lay’s Salt & Vinegar Chips in one night. (Right, Dad? Not proud.)
When I entered my first supermercado (grocery store) in Córdoba, I noticed a familiar color set. Classic Lay’s amarillo, Sour Cream & Onion verde, and of course, that powder blue color that makes my mouth water: Salt & Vinegar azul!
After looking closer, I noticed something unfamiliar. No jar of red vinegar or ramekin of salt.
Instead, a seared steak on a wooden cutting board. Sabor, Asado. (~“Flavor, Roast”)
My mouth stopped watering. Pavlov effect over. Soul crushed.
But I figure, maybe this Asado flavor is just as bueno as Salt & Vinegar? If they’re willing to give it the powder blue color, it must be mouth watering, si? So, I forked over the 40 pesos and headed home for a taste test.
An Asado in Argentina is a big deal. It’s pretty much a BBQ...a big get together with tons of grilled meat. But, the Asado flavor is not like BBQ flavor chips. The best way to describe the taste is: if you were to grill a steak, trap the juices in a cup, and then pour those juices over classic Lay’s chips. Steak juice chips!
I was weirded out at first, and then warmed up to them. I may not finish an Asado Lay’s bag in one night, but I wouldn't NOT want to eat them in bed while reading. (Like I'm doing in the pic above)
Don’t judge.
You Can’t Always Get What You Want
At the end of my first week in Córdoba, I was physically and mentally exhausted. The newness had taken its toll and I just wanted a solo supper and a quiet night. I had eaten empanadas for almost every meal, but noticed the restaurant next door had fajitas!
First Friday and I’m feelin’ like good ole familiar fajitas!
Went into the restaurant, and ordered up the pollo (chicken) fajitas. The waitress looked confused, but I pointed to the menu. No problem, right?
Problem.
The hostess comes over and attempts to explain that the fajitas are for 2 people. I’m thinking, “No big deal, I’ll have leftovers.” But, I can’t quite put it into words. It’s my first Friday, my brain is fried, and oh yeah---I don't speak Spanish.
She points to the “Quesadilla Soho”. Ok, I can’t read most of these words, but I see camarones --- shrimp. Pressure mounting. “Si, bueno.” I’ll have the shrimp quesadilla. Hrmph.
My quesadilla comes out. It’s shrimp, mussels (mejillones), peppers, onions, and mozzarella in a soggy tortilla with enough mussel broth to make Gordon Ramsey’s head explode. Good ole familiar shrimp & mussels quesadilla, just like Mom used to make. At least there was guacamole. Guac makes everything better.
Sometimes, you can’t always get what you want. But, you gotta try sometimes.
And, you gotta learn Spanish.
El Papagayo - 7 Courses of Scrumptious!
Last Thursday, we went to one of the finest restaurants in town: El Papagayo (The Parrot). We all chose the 7 course menu, which took about 3.5 hours to roll out. Gordon Ramsey would be proud of these stunning dishes! But, I know he would have called an immediate meeting to ream the staff out for the Pork Neck being under seasoned. Here’s the lineup:
- Snacks (The amuse bouche was to die for! I think it was a tuna nicoise with noodles, and some sort of a creamed egg with chives)
- Beef Carpaccio, Grilled Squid, oyster sauce and pickles
- Roasted pumpkin, chevre, burnt milk salad with egg yolk and amaretti meringue (Delicioso!)
- Grilled prawns with romesco and spanish chorizo (My favorite dish! Seasoned perfectly!)
- Pork neck, sweet potato, beets and vanilla
- Mazamorra with peaches (Almost like a sweet creamed corn)
- Seasonal fruits, white chocolate crumble and verbana ice cream
They put us in this enclosed room overlooking the restaurant, most likely because they knew we would be the obnoxiously loud foreigners, which we definitely lived up to.
An incredible evening with a diverse group hailing from Luxembourg, England, Germany, the Netherlands, India, Pittsburgh, New York City, Denver and Los Angeles. All in all, this fine dining experience came out to 580 pesos + tip, which equates to roughly $42 USD. Well worth it!
Empanadas & Chimichurri Chicken
“If you’re a vegetarian, you are in the wrong country.” This classic quote had everyone in stitches! We had a speaker from a local tourism company talk to us about Córdoba culture, cuisine, etc. And, what we learned was: Argentina is known for their beef. Yay for me!
Argentina is also known for empanadas. These little pastries are filled with everything from beef, to chicken, to corn, to spinach, and my personal fave: Brie cheese (and apple, cranberry, sweet potato, etc.) Almost every place you go sells empanadas---even little convenience stores.
But, today I stumbled upon the best chicken I have ever had in my life. Yeah, I said it. I mean no disrespect to any chef in the US. (I love you, Mom!!!) And, I will admit, it is possible that because I haven’t eaten a lot of familiar foods lately, that my palette has been desensitized. But, this rotisserie chicken was the best. The most important ingredient: Chimichurri sauce, something Argentians are also known for.
THE BEST PART:
This take-out restaurant, Le Poulet, is only two blocks from my apartment.
And, this dish costs 40 pesos, ~$2.60 USD. :]