[Non-exported Malbecs]

The issue of exported vs. non exported labels in Argentine wine is a long and complex story. Policies vary from bodega to bodega, and still today there is no one trend. Many limited edition gems never make it to the export markets, mainly because quantities produced are so limited. Then again, Argentina is not only Malbec. One wine that is already available in some regional US markets that I recommend is the Benegas Lynch Meritage. Rumour has it that WS and R. Parker will be rating it in the next couple of weeks, and the news may be quite interesting....

Cheers

Alejandro

[Argentina]

La Lucila is located in the north of Buenos Aires, its one of the better off suburbs close to San Isidro. If you drive from Recoleta, depending on traffic it will be around 25 minutes.

This restaurant is small, it has maybe 10-11 tables and the menu is short and to the point. They feature two signature dishes, one is duck and another a tenderloin dish. Their excellent appetizers usually include one outstanding terrine or a homemade pate with spiced breads that are always very good. The decor is adecuate, simple and functional, with a little art on display. Service is very good, although Im not sure the English hability of all the staff will be up to par. Whenever possible, the main courses are brought to the tables by the Chefs.

The wine list has been recently expanded, and includes wines from other countries (not only Argentina). One special mention re. wines is that you can get The Dead Arm Shiraz (DArenberg), a "cult" (?) wine from McLaren Vale area of Australia.

As a final note, L'Atelier has an optional BYOB policy, with a very reasonable corkage fee of $8 (pesos eight) per person.

L'Atelier - Bistro

Av. del Libertador 3836

La Lucila

Tel. 4005-5244

reservations are a must

[Argentina]

In my book, the best place for French fare at an affordable price in the city can be found in La Lucila (neigbourhood). The restaurant is called Atelier. The food and service are excellent, but the place is very small so reservations are a must.

[Malbecs]

Distribution of Argentine wines in the US is slowly improving, although its a little tough unless you live in or close to some of the larger cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, etc. I understand that the latest news from the US supreme court will allow shipments of wines between states to be somewhat easier, although Im not completely briefed on the details and am still looking for more information on this.

For the record, I am a wine merchant here in Buenos Aires, and I have a growing group of customers from abroad. My company regularly ships wines to many countries in the world, although individual restrictions may apply depending on your exact place of residence. We do ship to the USA, but to date have not done anything with Canada.

Please feel free to email or send me a PM with any questions you may have.

regards,

Alex

[Sushi in Buenos Aires, Argentina]

While I agree that Sushi is currently undergoing a "phase" here in Buenos Aires, in my opinion the quality of Sushi has a lot of room to improve.

There are of course exceptions.... but these are few and far between. I have heard of a few 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. Im told these places are expensive, but quality is top notch as most ingredients are flown in - mostly from Brazil where there is a huge Japanese community that has a stable supply from Japan.

I still working on getting a gourmet contact in the Japanese community and am anxious to try one of these hidden places.

For the regular sushi places, its hard not to notice that everything is basically salmon, salmon, and salmon. Forget fatty tuna or anything that isnt salmon. The bottom line is that most menus are very plain vanilla.

However, to remain positive, one can say that the Sushi culture in Buenos Aires is just starting, and after the fad dies away there will hopefully remain a few places that will slowly start uping the antes and exploring the enourmous variety that is available in Japanese cuisine. As the market gets more sophisticated, I hope and assume that the right supply channels will be in place.

[Buenos Aires - recommendations, but not meat]

This is my first post on these boards, thank you for allowing me to join.

I second the recommendation of Oviedo - in my book, one of the premiere places for Seafood in Buenos Aires.

For an upscale gourmet experience, Nectarine is always an option.

Italian fare is always very good at Bella Italia. In what may come as a surprise to many gourmands knowledgable about Buenos Aires, the fashionable La Parolaccia has commendable pasta dishes.