frassinetti

In our quest to discover a great Indian restaurant in Buenos Aires, after a first not so good experience we finally found a great place… Actually two, though both places are owned by the same family. Mumbai and Katmandu are two great Indian restaurants conceived, organized and run by an Indian family living in Buenos Aires. Mumbai is in the Retiro district, much frequented in weeknights and lunchtime by local businessmen working in the surrounding area of downtown, and several foreign visitors who in search of great Indian food head to were the entire magic takes place… Katmandu, on Cordoba Av, is in the nearby area of Palermo Soho, a bit further towards Palermo Viejo, but very easy to access by any public transport or cab. Both places are beautifully designed and decorated, soft background music creating a peaceful atmosphere in which to delight oneself with greatly done traditional Indian food. While Mumbai opens day and night, Katmandu only opens during the evening, so don’t even bother to go there during the day for lunch or brunch… it’s so closed that it might even seem just out of business, but no… at night it opens, and during weekend evenings it’s sometimes full, so reservations are a good option, if not, they will set you up in a table nonetheless, but it’s a possibility that you’ll have to wait. Unlike other ethnic restaurants in the Palermo area, Katmandu is big and if you show up with no dinner reservation, this is not a huge problem. We visited Mumbai for lunch and Katmandu for dinner; both were great and delighting experiences. Mumbai –which we visited many times since then, for it’s good and at lunch as a pre fixed menu for A$ 22, featuring entrees of pakora and samosa (one of each) and a main course of 10 vegetable curry with homemade cheese, chicken curry and basmati rice (all in one plate) plus a beverage. The menu is brief; there are three/ four options for entrees, main dishes, vegetarian main dishes, basmati rice, and deserts. A complementary dish of chapattis –one per customer- and a set of two dips, one of tomato and mustard seeds, the other of conserved lemons and tomato are offered. The naan is charged on the side. These are made in a traditional tandori oven according to the waitress. In order to compare different restaurants and menus, we once again ordered Rogan Josh, with Patagonia lamb, Mumbai Fish curry. The curry servings were small portions that should be accompanied by rice as the waitress suggested, so we ordered Veg Biryani –excellent rice, well spiced and with fresh vegetables-. We also ordered the pudina nan. We asked what the traditional drink to have with such meal was and she said either Lassi yogurt or water, we ordered one of each. Food was good, the curry mix was not too hot but hot in the after-mouth, and the lamb was tasty though a bit too salty; while the fish was good. It was a good eating experience, the Indian chef from Northern India seems to know what he’s doing, and the dishes show his passion for food and Indian traditions. We visited Katmandu on a Friday evening, one of the hottest days for dinner parties in Buenos Aires specially for working middle class couples, -that use this day as the couple day while kids stay at home-, friends hanging out after work… We arrived there at 9 PM, by car, thought this is a place easy to access in several means of transport, cab, bus, underground. From the main door to the left is the kitchen, featuring a huge window that shows what goes on inside, the kitchen seemed busy; however we peaked inside to check the kitchen material, to see if we found the Tandori oven and may be we got hold of some secret techniques of Indian cuisine. This idea of open kitchen is also a main attraction in a variety of local restaurants such as in Sudestada, and for example, Buenos Aires top notch grill house Cabana Las Lilas, featuring their grill and kitchen at the entrance as a quality sign. The place is well sized, and the tables are big enough to fit all the plates for naan, chapatti, main course and beverages without feeling cluttered. Unfortunately, our waiter, a charming young man, did not provide a professional enough service… I think he was mostly interested in picking up and chatting with the group of young ladies sitting near us. This was a very off point, because it delayed the service and explanations and irrupted our dinning experience… All and all, I think this was mended by the owner –son of the owner of Mumbai- who approached us, and worked out the situation to the better. As in Mumbai, there’s a complementary dish of chapattis and traditional dips as a starter, this was as good as in the downtown restaurant. We then ordered chicken and lamb tandori, vegetarian rice, somosas and pakoras, once again Indian yogurt was our choice for beverage… it tastes fantastically with the spicy food! The whole experience was very interesting and fulfilling. We were very pleased to have found good traditional Indian restaurants in Buenos Aires. These are great proof of the broadening of the gourmandize option range in the city, not only in terms of numbers of options, but more significantly in terms of great quality food, through which to explore the feel and sensitivity of faraway cultures. Before the 2001 breakthrough, most middle class educated Argentines traveled around the world and explored first hand distant and exotic cultures. Nowadays, with a 3 to 1 peso-dollar exchange rate, traveling abroad has become a luxury not everyone can afford. But those who back in those days did discover a whole new world, and those who recently found Buenos Aires to be their new home, had the good eye of translating their experiences, transforming them into windows that open from Buenos Aires into fascinating faraway traditions and flavors, thru means of one of humanity’s first arts: the art of cooking. My passion for Indian Food, Bob Frassinetti

Hello Gaucho, Nice web site and nice shop. I deal with art & antiques, and from time to time, I get dealers from all over the world down here to B’s A’s, and one think most have in common, is drinking good wine. And that’s what you seem to have. Next time I have some one here can I take them to your shop? LMK and best wishes. Bob

I'm afraid we're talking about very different sushi places in Buenos Aires, and I quite not agree with you guys. First of all, it's not American (as in US American) Salmon, it's Chilean. Comes from the other side of those mountains.... Secondly, there's an interesting variety of fish options, however it all depends on what you're looking for and where. In San Isidro Sushi club not only the variety is broad, but very good too. As to ginger and wasabi, I truly have never been to a sushi place where they didn't serve these key ingredients. I don't know what kind of sushi places you've been frequenting but if it's not too much of an indiscretion I would recommend you to aim better. In spite of the fact that I wish not to convey into a philosophical debate on sushi in Buenos Aires I will point out that good quality food in our country is never cheap, it sometimes can be priced more accordingly than others. atop, new sushi restaurants are more like boutique restaurants. It's all about decisions. Please do not misunderstand my words, I don't neglect the fact that there are better or worst places, nor that the food quality can vary, but in the sense of a constructive criticism it's better to clarify what we're talking about in particular, instead of despising the whole without distinction. Know, as to those "family restaurants in remote areas of the city where you dont get a table unless you are brought in by an insider, apparently these places are in the Flores and Paternal neigbourhoods" that Gaucho makes mention, I would say those are a must to find, if Gaucho knows of one or 2, please tell us more...... and I don't see these places serving forget to serving, as well as poor quality items or even forgetting the wasabi or other ingredients. En fin, it’s been a pleasure, hope to here more. Bob Everything on Art to Antiques and Collectibles found in Buenos Aires, Argentina.Bob Frassinetti, art and antique dealer

Hi, Please feel free to look me up in Buenos Aires, I have started doing some research on food in B's A's so I might be oh help ....... info@artdealer.com.ar Best wishes from Acassuso, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bob Frassinetti

Some info on Malbec from Argentina, " Luigi Bosca Malbec. This grape, although imported form France more than a century ago, has grown and adapted so perfectly to the Argentine soil that the Argentinean Malbec’s are the world’s greatest ones. The wine responds perfectly to the slight movements of the crystal expressing its perfect deep color, dark and tall. As sipping this unsurpassed wine the feel of maturity and balance, supporting its full, velvety and juicy body, one’s lead into a senses paradise." Bob Frassinetti.

Hi there! I read your post on traveling to Peru and Mexico, specially interested in the first one for a culinary trip and I thought I should also tell you a bit a bout Argentina and it's great cuisine! Argentina, alike Peru, Bolivia and Chile are part of the Andes corridor beign together tied by the former Inca empire... We share similar culinary traditions and each country has readapted them a bit... it's of great interest to the pallat and the mind! I'd be glad to fill you in any detail you might want... And of course, I couldn't leave Buenos Aires aside, for we're currently experiencing a great development within the gourmet world... not only cooks and chefs but also the people who consume that food! Anyway, don't hesitate to ask if you're interested in the proposal. Cheers from BA, Bob

Hi All! I'm in BA, and I know of this place witha view ...... A terrific dinning option I wanted to delight all my senses this night. I thought: were can I go? The perfect dinner place was to be found in the hottest neighbor in BA, Puerto Madero. I have heard of the outstanding Comega building's restaurant. I've even been once, many years ago, when I was a young man. I was to discover that the memory of that event was still fresh in my mind, the minute I stepped inside the fabulous building. Taking the elevator to the 19th floor restaurant filled me with anxiety and emotion. One of the best oriented restaurants in the city, for its nearby the River Plate's shore and for its height one can enjoy one of the best views of the city, the river and the sparkling sky while enjoying a delightful meal. I had the pleasure of sitting at the best table in the place, number 18. As the head waiter led me there I began to wonder why would they define this particular table as the top one. I finally got it as I got there, for its orientation couldn't be better, in the very center of the gorgeous bow-window, I had the best possible view! There are just no words to describe it. I consider myself a well equipped journalist, with a broad vocabulary -and when it happens that I can't find the words I often have the precious help of my dictionaries and books-. however, for the first time in a long time I was completely speechless! The beauty surpassed all possible words available. And moreover, it's not so common for a local to be bewitched by his own city, but it happened. I enjoyed a marvelous dinner with a broad smile, feeling complete and happy. Oh! What an experience to treasure. It was a feast to all my senses. Just one floor above this fantastic restaurant, I found to my surprise there was a sushi bar for the chick and fun people of BA with a fantastic box like appearance and its rectangular window to the north, on a sunny day you can see the coast line, ships... an other perspective to enjoy the majestic Buenos Aires. Hopefully I'll soon return to enjoy this outstanding view and cousine! Bob Frassinetti.

Hi! I'm in BA / Argentina , maybe I can help, email me and I'll see if I can get the Malbec wines on our list! Bob Frassinetti.

It is worldly known that Argentineans are crazy for meat, this is our main protein provider, we eat it in all sort of ways, thought we always prefer a good asado. The asado is the local barbecue. This Argentinean version is very different from the American kind. First of all, there's no fire, but very hot coles spread underneath a grill on top of which very good quality meat is set, with no other dressing than salt and a bit of pepper. A slow and gentle roast with coles and sometimes special wood sticks would turn your steak into a God's pleasure dish. This eating tradition can be traced down our history up till the colonial times, were the Gauchos, rode their horses throughout the beautiful southern pampas, and whenever they were hungry they got hold of a naturally breaded cow or sheep. Throughout times this culinary tradition has been sophisticated and improved thanks to the dedication of our dear asadores and cooks, and our most recognized chefs such as the recently deceased Gato Dumas. In our culinary history no one would have ever thought that such a foreign eating habit as the raw fish technique of sushi could ever be embraced with such passion and pleasure by the Argentinean public. But it has. Argentinean, and specially Porteños, have gone sushi crazy. These are one of the world's most advocated fans to the oriental tradition. During the last few years, sushi restaurants have proliferated throughout the city of Buenos Aires. To my humble opinion, this rapid love story between the once meat eaters and sushi has its origin in a shared passion for care and delicacy with which food is prepared, the ceremonial mis-en-place and careful preparation of the dish. Both asadores and sushimen are experienced cooks, not just anyone is qualify to come up with a delightful result after a few hours in the kitchen. The key to understanding the Argentinean eating habits lays on the fact that we take great pleasure in good eating and have a unique palate. We once embraced the Italian and Spanish culinary experiences at the beginning of the 1900 when a great flow of immigrants taught us about the virtues of grains and flours. Some time after, we bonded with the French styled cousine and we're now embracing the delicacy of natural ingredients to their highest expression. The love story has begun early in the 90s and it looks like it's gonna last.