Beef Baby, It´s All About the Beef...

Bariloche, Argentina

March 9, 2007
S 41°08.000
W 071°17.900

It is official; the beef is fantastic in Argentina. We had a few pieces of beef in Mendoza and enjoyed them, but the dinner we had tonight in Bariloche blew that away. In fact, it blew away any beef we have had in the States since the 70’s, probably pre-hormonal beef.

We walked into the recommended Parilla, or grill house for dinner tonight. The place was basic with the standard big wooden tables, nothing fancy, and a large grill (8 feet wide by 5 feet deep) and prep table in the middle of the room. The grill, with a winch like crank to help regulate the heat, moved up and down to allow the “chef” to stoke the fire—ensuring the best heat possible for the sizzling meat above.

Shortly after we sat down at the table, the waiter arrived to take our order. I started to recite our drink (bebido) order to him, which is usually the custom at most restaurants, but not this one. They immediately got down to business—the waiter only wanted to hear and was only interested in our dinner order. Luckily, we knew what we wanted: one porcion Bife de Chorizo (sirloin cut), Ensalada Mixto Completo (shaved carrots, onions, tomatoes, beets, egg, and lettuce) and two Empanadas to start with since we hadn’t eaten all day. A few moments later the drink waiter came to take our order and we promptly ordered a bottle of Malbec and a bottle of water (sin gas).

The empanadas, a perfect starter, arrived at our table shortly after the wine. They were a perfect teaser to what was to come and helped curb our hunger, which allowed us to truly enjoy every bite of the steak. The steak arrived cut in half, ready for us to share (we later decided this was a good thing or we might have fought for the last piece). The waiter put at least a 10 oz. steak on each of our plates, more red meat than either one of have had in months, if not years. The salad arrived at the same time in a large metal bowl with the carrot shavings on top. The salad was layered with the lettuce on the bottom, then the tomatoes, beets, onions, egg, and finally the perfect carrots. The salad included everything our bodies have been craving for at least a month (vegetables). We have had a few pieces of fruit here and there, but not a salad as delicious as this.

We put some Chimichurri sauce on the steak, cut into them, a little hesitant at first, not sure what to expect. We chewed the first few bites, ate some salad, and then officially decided this was the best piece of steak ever; not to mention, the best meal we have had since we departed the US.

As Marc was eating, he cut his steak into the smallest pieces to truly enjoy every last morsel. I have never seen him eat as slowly as he ate this steak. Marc figures the last time he had a steak (before Mendoza) was for Mike’s 35th birthday at Izzy’s Steaks & Chops in San Francisco (Mike will be 40 in May). Marc says he doesn’t really miss red meat, and has opted for a mostly vegetarian diet for the last 3-4 years. However, after the meal tonight, he thinks he might miss meat again.

Everything about the meal was perfect—the steak, the wine, the salad, the bill ($25, yes $25!), and, most importantly, the company. To quote Marc, “This steak is f’n incredible.” I know he meant it!