The Food Buster

I'm not a baking expert, so I won't comment on the technique, but I know that Crumbs Bake Shop (the massively popular NYC cupcakery) makes a pretty popular Black Forest variety. Take a look at the flavor combo and the look if you get a chance--it might help you out.

I'm actually not a fan of Mozza. I tried their pizza, and I just couldn't stand it at all. It's very greasy and oily, with odd flavor combos like squash blossoms. Playing off some of the suggestions JFinLA gave, I'd say Umami Burger is a great place for the whole gourmet burger scene, though I'd agree that Father's Office is the most classic. Also, I'm not a big fan of Pink's--it will not compare to your hot dogs in Chicago at all (I've eaten dogs in both Chicago and LA). If you want Mexican food, try checking out Border Grill for some of the more innovative fare at a decent price.

I am officially jealous of you, adey73. Not only did you get two Bressias, but you got that Pulenta Estate Gran Corte. Very, very nice selection of wines you have there. I've had pretty much the whole lot except for the Clos de los Siete, and I'm pretty sure you're not going to be disappointed at all. I'm also glad you enjoyed the Monteagrelo--it's one of those wines that I find myself returning to time and time again. Tell me how everything else goes. By the way, where'd you pick up the wines? I haven't seen Bressia anywhere in the Los Angeles vicinity, and I might try to track your seller down and get some bottles shipped here.

Not a restaurant, but the legendary Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem, a cafe right near the Tower of Belem, is a must-try for any food lover. The Fabrica has been producing probably the most famous pastry in town, the Pastel de Belem (Pastry of Belem), since 1837. It's basically a small custard tart, and it's in fact so popular that the shop typically sells through 1000/day, though the shop record is about 10,000 in one day, from what they told me. Needless to say, expect a wait.

I've tasted and reviewed a whole slew of chocolates of assorted chocolates, and I have to say, Oriol Balaguer is still to this day one of my two favorite chocolatiers in the world when it comes to boxed chocolates. Not only does he have some of the most unique flavors (imagine Pop Rocks, Corn Nuts, and Olive Oil), but the design is to-die-for, as every single piece comes in a sleek sushi-like shell. Moreover, he sells his decadent seven-layered (I think) chocolate cake, the dessert that won him the World Pastry Championship. It's basically a dark chocolate lover's fantasy. I was, however, not impressed at all by the one chocolate bar of his I ate, and I would not recommend most of the other treats in the shop, which I find to be overpriced in general. And that's where I'd turn to Cacao Sampaka. Cacao Sampaka doesn't really match the elegance or flavor of the bon bons at Oriol Balaguer, though it has some interesting flavors, but it does have some of my favorite chocolate bars of all time, with flavors like White Chocolate with Roses and Strawberries as well as Milk Chocolate with Jamaican Pepper. It also has some of my absolute favorite hot chocolate in the world and some amazing dark chocolate ice cream. I unfortunately didn't get to try the other chocolatiers, but I'd take Oriol over most anything in America or Belgium, where I've done most of my tasting.

In Argentina, especially Buenos Aires, the fast food is becoming increasingly international, with McDonald's and Burger King taking over. However, there's still a pretty vibrant domestic fast food scene, with an empanaderia (empanada stand) on every other street. Fast Food isn't quite as common, though, partially because the culture itself emphasizes speed a bit less (I mean people take more time to sit down and relax, they take full lunches, etc.). As for Peru, I noticed a lot of individual vendors without. E.G. when you go to the temples around Cuzco, there are vendors of potatoes (though that's mostly for tourists). I didn't notice so much fast food in places like Cuzco or Arequipa, and again, I'm inclined to say it's a lot less common throughout the country. I only noticed a lot of fast food in Lima, which literally has everything. Lima has more of a business culture and is extremely international, and I was able to find everything from McDonald's to KFC (why Peruvians would eat KFC, I'm not sure, but it was there).

My vote definitely goes to one to Carl's, Jr., for just the typical McDonald's quality fast food burger. The burgers are, on average, juicier and just loaded with a ton more toppings--onion rings and bbq sauce, for example. For a fresher taste, I'd recommend In-n-Out on the West Coast. I'm not a huge fan myself, but the burgers themselves are so fresh you can taste it. Plus, unlike most fast food places, even the buns are put on the grill for some nice toastiness. And on the East Coast, you probably can't beat Five Guys. I'm a big fan of how they wrap everything in foil just to keep it nice and steamy. While the burger itself is quite simple, it's done simple and right.

Thanks a lot for the help! The trail looks great.

Hello everyone, I'm a huge fan of steaks, and I've been looking for the definitive steakhouse in LA. Right now, I'm hooked on Carlitos Gardel (which I consider to easily best some of the top places like Cut), but I was looking for an American-style steakhouse that really does things well. Any suggestions? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Honestly, I just ate at minibar a month ago, and I have to say I wasn't really impressed at all. It's not that the restaurant is bad--I mean, they do things you can't find anywhere else in DC. There were a few knockout dishes, like the frozen tzatziki, but in general the flavors were lacking. Even worse, though the meal is twenty some courses, it will almost surely not fill you up (if you don't have wine like I did)--I ended up going home and having a steak. Nor was I thrilled by the seating, which was so cramped that I could barely move. At times, the waiters even bumped into me while taking the food away. I've heard some other complaints from others, too, especially about how they don't change your silverware for the whole set of courses. That said, I give Jose Andres full credit for making the most inventive, unique dishes in all of DC, with a really great concept. Unfortunately, it's not quite the super experience that I think you can get at a place like Komi.

Hello everyone, I'm planning on heading out to Napa Valley later this summer, and I want to get a good experience of the types of wines the region produces before I head out, so that I can be a bit more knowledgeable before doing my tastings. Does anyone have some suggestions for some really solid wineries or, even better, of any specific wines that I should give a shot? I really don't have a preference as to the varietal. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Lol, you should have been an advertising agent for the Argentine wineries. Your description is making my heart pound. But I do know what you mean. The country is so raw, so natural, practically everywhere you go (except Buenos Aires). And traveling between the regions of Mendoza, you get to see so much variety. The more leafy, green areas directly in Mendoza's vicinity, the higher, sparser Uco Valley, the lakes and forests in the area (ideal for mountaineering, rafting, and all sorts of other activities)--It is all awe-inspiring in my opinion. If the wine weren't good enough, the scenery would make all the difference. I need to take a cue from you and plan my return trip as well. I'm looking forward to your notes!

I'm sorry you had some problems with the review, and I welcome the input. There are a couple points I would like to bring up, however. DC does actually have quite a vibrant Southern cooking restaurant scene--Oohs and Aahs, Georgia Brown's, Hitching Post, Marvin's (a bit upper-scale), B Smith's, Vidalia (though upper-scale), Exodus--just to name a few. There is a lot of range in the type of fare served, but each place is very much a Southern cooking restaurant. Nor was I trying to put down Southern cuisine in any way, because it's in fact one of my favorites. Moreover, I didn't imply that Eric Ziebold was the chef there, just that it was his brainchild or project. I just address him as chef out of respect to him and his profession. I should have perhaps clarified a bit more. Again, sorry for any problems that you had.

I know Washington, DC is just nuts for Chef Eric Ziebold, the mastermind behind the phenomenal Cityzen. While his latest project, Sou'Wester, is really a couple notches down on the "fine dining" scale, it has received so much hype that I just wanted to give my impressions/formal review of it, partly to dispel all that hype. Source of the review (with photos): http://www.thefoodbuster.com/souwester/ Sou’Wester Located in the Mandarin Oriental at 1330 Maryland Avenue Southwest Washington About $40-$50 for 3 courses There are very few chefs in the DC area with the reputation of Eric Ziebold, the still young culinary mastermind behind Cityzen, one of DC’s finest fine dining establishments. I would expect no less from a man who served as the first sous chef of the French Laundry, perhaps the most famous restaurant in the nation. So what is a legend like Ziebold thinking in bringing simple, down-home, Southern cooking to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, right across from its far higher-brow cousin, Cityzen? That’s exactly what I had to find out. I got the chance last week with a couple of very skeptical friends, Mark and Jameer. Both from Southern African American families, Mark and Jameer are what I would consider the authorities on Soul Food and Southern cooking. They’ve been looking for about a year now for a place in DC that can satisfy their lust for fatty, rich Mac and Cheese, deliciously crisp Fried Chicken, and mouth-wateringly buttery Hush Puppies, but to no avail. And they didn’t think they were going to find such wonders at a fancy, high-brow hotel restaurant, no matter who directed it. Surprisingly for a hotel restaurant, though, Sou’Wester seems very down to earth. There’s none of that extraordinary, over-the-top modernity you see in other places, as the restaurant boasts a rather simple design scheme, with all white walls and tables of wood that are plain but very polished. It might sound boring at first, but there’s so much natural lighting coming in from the large windows that it actually looks quite cheerful. Sou’Wester does, however, have a grandiose side to it. Remember, this restaurant is located in one of the best hotels in DC, so expect “simple” to be taken to its logical limit. And that comes through nowhere better than in the view. Sou’Wester is located right across from the lake, and it takes full advantage of that, providing a large, nearly panoramic view of the whole river area, dotted with boats and yachts. It’s a lovely sight, especially during the summer time That type of grandeur is found even in the little things, too. The seating is very spacious, so that, even though you’re in a simple soul food restaurant, you feel like you have some privacy. The seating is also extremely comfortable, with a long velvety couch running with miniature back-pillows running across one wall. To put off the finishing touch, huge cubic basket-like lamps run across the top. As a side note, there tend to be a lot of kids here, I guess from all the families staying in the hotel, so you might be stuck with loud, annoying brats once in a while. I say that because it’s exactly what happened to me, and I can imagine some people having their meals ruined because of it. It is family friendly, though. As for the service, it’s very much at hotel restaurant standards, so it’s quite a bit better than what you’d find at most Southern-cooking restaurant. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted cheerfully, asked if I’d like a newspaper, asked if I’d like a seat in the sun or not, etc. The waiters can be just a bit unhelpful at times, though. For example, I asked my waitress for some recommendations, and she more or less stumbled through, repeating exactly what was already written on the menu. But make no mistake, the service is professional in most regards, asking when you’d like specific dishes like sides, or pulling tables to allow you to sit in, etc. None of that matters, though, if the food can’t live up to the hype. Far too often hotels will cover up mediocre food with a façade of service and ambience, and that’s especially the case with something like Southern cooking that tends to be so cheap. Thankfully, Sou’Wester doesn’t fall into that trap, instead serving up food that is of consistently good quality, even if it isn’t the best. Nothing in my meal really astounded me, but at the same time nothing repelled me either. This is Southern cooking done simple and right. Even my friends, the Southern cooking experts, admitted to that. Part of the charm, too, is that Sou’Wester doesn’t just stick to the classics, instead integrating them with a few more modern re-touches. You can find all the traditional trimmings like cornbread and biscuits, Fried Chicken, and Hush Puppies, but you also find Stuffed’s Pig’s with Frisee Salad, or Snapper in Chowder with Bacon. That type of variety really goes a long way in setting Sou’Wester apart from the countless other nameless Southern restaurants in the city, showing that Southern cooking, while integrating simple ingredients, doesn’t have to be one-dimensional. At the same time, the restaurant doesn’t really nail any dish, except for the incredible Hush Puppies. Every dish seems to have some fundamental, simple error that holds it back in some way. The bread is served lukewarm, the meat and fish are too salty, there isn’t much banana in the banana cream pie, and in general the ingredients in the dishes don’t always synergize well. These problems don’t quite destroy the dishes, but none of those dishes really stand out as they could. Mark and Jameer were, unsurprisingly, even more critical than I was, frequently calling the dishes bland or boring. That said, the Hush Puppies were the one phenomenal component of the meal, and that’s the one area where all three of us were in absolute agreement. Really, they’re the type of dish that is so good that it can single-handedly draw out customers, and deservedly so. They’re hot, moist, buttery, crispy, and salty sweet—you just can’t find anything like it in the DC area. In fact, Mark and Jameer went so far as to say they’re comparable to real Southern cooking, a first from their mouths. That really doesn’t save the overall experience, though. While the restaurant does everything well, it never really elevates Southern cooking as it means to do. All three of us left knowing that, while we’d remember the Hush Puppies, Sou’Wester really wasn’t the end of our search for real Southern cooking. What I had: Trio of Complementary Breads with Honey Butter: An overall nice range of bread, but nothing really stands out. As a side note, the honey butter is delicious, mixing the best of the creamy and the sweet. It really redeems the bread. 8.0/10 - Biscuit Bread: Very doughy and extremely soft, practically crumbling in your mouth. But it’s very salty, so that you really need the butter to give it some flavor. It’s not served hot either, and comes off as quite dull. 7.0/10 - Cornbread: Much better than the last. It’s again not served hot, but I really like the flavor here. It’s very moist, with a decent butteriness to it (though it could be better), but it still retains a satisfying grittiness. I think there are even very small actual pieces of corn in it for an added burst. Regardless, it really has a pronounced corn taste to it that is lacking in other breads. 9.0/10 - Sourdough Hush Puppies with Honey Butter: This is what I was waiting for with the cornbread! These are so delicious that they just make your mouth pucker in glee. They’re little fried cornbread balls, served nice and hot like they should be. The crust itself is very crunchy, with just a bit of oddly satisfying salty sweetness to it. Again, as with the cornbread, you really get an intense corn taste here, and you can practically taste the cornmeal off the crust. Moreover, the delicious crunch of the crust combines with the more buttery grittiness of the cornbread for a fantastic texture that really leaves a whole lot of butter across your mouth. The cold, rich, sweet honey butter just adds an added layer of flavor to the already complex mix. The one negative is that these can feel just a bit greasy, not settling well. 9.8/10 Stuffed Pig’s Foot w/ Frisee Salad: I really like the boldness, freshness, and synergy of the flavors here. My first impression of the frisee salad was that it was far too bitter and just a bit salty, but that leafy, crunchy, bitterness does actually help to balance out the savory pork, though it’s not my favorite salad. As for the pig’s foot, it’s stuffed with pure pork—and it’s a lot of stuffing. In that sense, it’s packed with flavor. The stuffing, moreover, is cooked excellently, with a great tenderness to it, and with very little fattiness surprisingly. That said, it was a bit dull, without much flavor to it. The pig’s foot skin is great, though, as it has a much bolder flavor to it—not overly greasy, but savory and salty. It also has a good bit of chewiness to it. My one problem with the combo is that it’s very hard to cut, and the stuffing tends to fall out completely. Finally, and this is the real catch to the dish, there’s a delicious yellow sauce with what felt like a bit of mustard and some sweet chili pepper, a combo I felt was absolutely delicious, counterbalancing the savory, fattier, heavier pork. 8.5/10 Sauteed Red Snapper (Mashed Potatoes, Bacon, Bay Chowder): The snapper here is delicious. It’s very nicely cooked and is very tender, though I do think it’s a bit mushy from being overcooked a bit. And the skin is crisped to perfection so that it provides a really nice crunch in every bite. The fish itself has just a bit of salt, but not too much flavor to it, which sounds like a big negative, but considering that the chowder is so flavorful it’s not so much of a problem. The chowder can, however, get very salty, especially because it has so much bacon in it. Really, when it’s combined with the fish that saltiness can dominate the whole dish. On the more positive side, it’s more of a broth, so it’s very light, and because it has so much bacon, tomato, and onion, you get a lot of sweetness and savoriness. The mashed potatoes, too, are very good, but nothing extraordinary. The focus here isn’t so much on butteriness as on the potato flavor, so they’re on the lumpy side, with slightly unmashed potato chunks in them. I actually like the style, because you get a lot of flavor, and they don’t sacrifice much in smoothness either. They’re also a great counterbalance to the saltiness of the chowder. Overall, though, the ingredients, specifically the fish and the chowder, just don’t synergize very well. 7.7/10 Banana Cream Pie (Classic Banana Tart with Custard): This is a fantastic banana cream pie, but still not quite as good as they made it out to be. The problem is that it’s just a bit bland. The vast majority of the pie is a huge layer of what tastes like flavored whipped cream. It’s delicious, and very light. It also has a lot of banana flavor for a simple whipped cream, but there’s only so much you can do, and it can get a bit dull. The bananas really come out in the custard layer near the bottom of the pie, but it’s so small relative to the whole pie that you don’t taste much of it. I do like, though, that the pie comes with a large serving of thick, caramel sauce, which adds a lot of very rich, heavy sweetness to balance out the lightness of the cream. Finally, the crust was a mixed bag. It was very thin, but it was surprisingly hard to cut. And it just didn’t add much to the pie because of its thinness, though it was nicely doughy. 9.0/10 Ambience: 9.0/10 (For something at this price) Service: 8.5/10 Taste: 8.5/10 Value: 8.5/10 Overall Verdict: 8.6/10

I absolutely love Mexican food, and I really do think the best Mexican food is to be had in Los Angeles. And when I find a place like Border Grill that really utilizes traditional ingredients Mexican flavors and ingredients in interesting new ways, I'm in heaven. That's why I wanted to just give my formal review of it--while it may not be the best ever, it's definitely worth checking out for any lover of Mexican cuisine. Source, with photos: http://www.thefoodbuster.com/border-grill/ Border Grill Mexican Entrées range from about $16 to $30. Expect to pay $50 for 3 courses and a drink. 1445 4th Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 Like I’ve said before, Los Angeles has got to be the reigning king of Mexican food in the United States, and for good reason—with such a large Mexican population, you just can’t go wrong. I was still pretty surprised, however, when a good Mexican friend of mine told me about the rather “authentic” cuisine at Border Grill, the brainchild of the Two Hot Tamales themselves (the celebrity chefs from the Food Network). The restaurant doesn't serve traditional Mexican dishes per se, but really knows how to utilize authentic Mexican ingredients in exciting new ways, or so I was told. Needless to say, I was skeptical, and I had to confirm it for myself. So I headed over during one of my family meals. I can’t say the drive or the neighborhood were all that great. I’m not going to lie—I’m not a big fan of Santa Monica. It’s known for somewhat of a rude crowd of people, narrow and crowded streets, lots of traffic, and just in general, a horrible drive. To be fair, though, it’s bursting with tons of life and money, and it is somewhat of the more liberal, hip, bohemian side of town, so it does somewhat fit the aim of Border Grill, which comes off as a very modern take on the traditional Mexican restaurant experience, at least in terms of ambience. Immediately upon walking into the restaurant, I really was impressed. Gone are the tacky benches, the beige stone walls, the mariachis, and all the other stereotypes some might expect from a Mexican restaurant. Instead, you see a restaurant really full of life—brightly colored in orange-reds, with a very nice, sleek bar right in the front, and tons of people everywhere. Don’t get me wrong—you still sit at just plain, normal tables, and the decorations are still on the minimalist side, but you really feel like you’re in a hip place, which is nice. Like a traditional Mexican restaurant, though, it’s very suitable to groups and for family-friendly dining. The service wasn’t quite as great, to be honest. In fact, it was just plain slow at times, but it’s understandable because the place is jam-packed during the whole night (Trust me, I could see my waiter practically racing across the whole restaurant every minute). However, the waiters are friendly and helpful enough to still make for an enjoyable experience. As for the food, it’s tough to evaluate, since I’m not an expert on Mexican food to comment on exactly how authentic the food was. I do have to say, though, that I was very impressed. The typical Mexican dishes--ie. those in better-known Mexican restaurants--are mostly all gone in favor of lesser known, but extremely unique dishes, utilizing flavors that I have heard are very authentically Mexican but which you’d be hard-pressed to find in many Mexican restaurants. Examples include dishes with mole sauce, green corn tamales, and tons of plantains (delicious, by the way!). It really was refreshing to see some more variety. More importantly, none of the food disappointed either—not one dish, in fact, was bad. Even the dessert, which I find downright horrendous at some Mexican restaurants, was fantastic. So if you really want a full-on 3-course meal, this is the right Mexican place. That said, I’ll get on to the specifics of each dish. But before that, I do have to say that the restaurant was, overall, a fantastic success in almost every way. The food was just slightly more expensive than most other Mexican restaurants, but you can’t really even compare Border Grill with them, since it’s really its own creature. The Two Hot Tamales have managed to take the tried-and-true Mexican formula and infuse it with both innovation and some authentic ingredients to arrive at a unique Mexican experience that is easily one of the best I’ve had in Los Angeles. What I’ve had: - Margarita: Not the best I’ve had, but still very good. Has a strong liquor taste to it, which is refreshing. Quantity is a little skimpy, though, and half of the glass is taken up by ice. Green corn Tamale: Actually, not bad. Strong corn flavor. Perfectly cooked. Very nice texture—sticky corn, but comes apart just like a nice, steamy cake. Can’t think of many better tamales. It’s just not for me. - Chips and 3 salsas. At first, chips didn’t seem too good at the bar b/c they were cold. When we got a fresh batch, though, it was amazing. Salted perfectly, making them very addicting, even without salsa. Add 3 excellent salsas and you have it made. 2 Tomato based ones, one with a bit of spice and one with more of a strong tomato, sweet kick to it. Salsa verde not quite as good for me, but either way, great starter. - Chicken Panucho (black bean stuffed tortilla • grilled chicken • serrano • tomatillo avocado salsa • pickled onion): This is a keeper! The tortillas are so fresh! You can practically taste the corn in them. Excellent stuffing, great flavors, great tortilla. Like a mini burrito. Very basic, but good. - Plaintain Empanadas: Another mega keeper! Excellent taste. Banana flavor is there, but not over done. Nor is it overcooked/overfried. Perfectly balanced doughiness to it, and not overly greasy. Just right. - Grilled Turkey (cracked black pepper vinaigrette • honey lime yams • seared greens): Really good surprisingly. You wouldn’t expect good turkey at a Mexican place, but that’s the charm of Border Grill. You can get unique dishes that are very well cooked, and even if they aren’t Mexican, they are done with a Mexican take. The honey lime yams were very good. Sweetness was right, but there was a slight tartness to it from the lime. It was very rich, too. The sweet tanginess really mixed well with turkey, though the turkey was not as good eaten alone. The quality of the meat is fantastic, too. It’s well-cooked, and the flavor works, too—somewhat smoky/spicy, especially b/c of the pepper, which adds a lot. Overall, it does not taste much like turkey—a bit more on the Mexican, spiced side. But that’s a good thing—feels like a unique take on turkey. Meat is very well cooked. Generous portion and good cuts of meat + great seasoning = an all-around solid dish. Just a bit too simple and boring in comparison to most of their other dishes. - Cochinita Pibil (achiote pork roasted in banana leaves • caramelized onion • orange • cinnamon • roasted plantains • guacamole): Really good dish for what it is. Like a thick, rich stew of spiced pork in a pepper, tomato-like gravy. Very good, though a tad spicy. Meat is extremely well cooked. Very tender, juicy, moist, and sauce adds a great kick to it. Plaintains are even better—perfectly cooked, not mushy at all, nice sweetness to them that contrasts the sauce. Black beans were also rather good. Sticky, gooey kind, with some cheese on top. Definitely add a nice, gritty heaviness to dish. Corn tortillas are also provided and are freshly made. They make for great mini-pork burritos. - Aztec Chocolate Cake: Keeper! Surprisingly, a chocolate cake at a Mexican restaurant that is very good. Served with whipped cream and spiced pecans. It has a great, smooth, lightness to it that makes it extremely easy to eat. Also, the chocolate is balanced. Not just one type of chocolate. I think it has some white chocolate in there too. All in all, not too intense, not too dark. Perfect balance of chocolate with cream. Also, custard center at end of cake that makes it even better—gives a heavier, bolder, vanilla-ish taste to it. - Pastel Rufina (layers of puff pastry, sweetened cream cheese, chocolate chunks, and fresh berries): Really good too, but not as good as the Aztec cake. Berries aren’t really integrated into the pastry itself. They are mostly on the side. The cake itself is made of sweetened cream cheese with chocolate shavings on top. It’s pretty solid—like eating light cream. However, this time it’s not as flavorful as the Aztec cake, nor is it as multidimensional—it has one type of chocolate and a somewhat monotonous, uninspired cream. Good, but not quite great. Ambience: 9.0/10 Service: 8.0/10 Taste: 9.2/10. Gains points for authenticity of ingredients, freshness, and creativity. Value: 8.5/10-9/10. More expensive than most Mexican restaurants, but with much more variety, numerous unique dishes, and much better quality. Overall Score: 9.1/10 Hope that helps!

Onto another of Chef Gaston's famous creations in LA, though this time one with a bit more success. Cebichería La Mar Traditional Peruvian. Specializes in ceviche and only open for lunch. Entrées run about 25 to 35 soles ($8.75 to $12.25). Expect to pay much about $25 with a drink and an appetizer. Av. La Mar 770 Lima, Peru Ambience: 9.5/10 Service: 10/10 Taste: 9.5-9.7 Value: 9.5/10. A bit pricey, but completely justified for the portions, innovation and quality you get. Overall: 9.7/10-9.8/10. This was, without a doubt, my favorite restaurant in all of my travels (not just in Peru)! There is nothing quite so Peruvian as ceviche, a dish that I personally love. So when I was in Peru I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go taste ceviche at some traditional Cebicherías, or ceviche restaurants, which are traditionally only open for lunch. Unfortunately, I only had one day in Lima (where Peruvians say the best ceviche is found), so I had to make it count. I had compiled a list of some of the best ceviche places in town, but I still couldn’t choose—that is, until I started talking to the locals. On my way to my hostal in the cab, I didn’t even mention that I was looking for ceviche specifically, just for some Peruvian food, and my cab driver began to go on and on about ceviche and specifically about one place, Cebichería La Mar, the brainchild of celebrity chef Gaston. With that type of praise, I just couldn’t avoid this place, and I headed over for lunch. When I entered, I was immediately impressed. It was absolutely hot, with tons of space and seating but still full almost to the brim. It was semi-outdoor dining, with a very hip, modern vibe to it—modern architecture (diagonal lines, etc.), spacious, with a very nice bar area, and just casual. The service, however, didn’t suffer at all. My waiter was perhaps one of the best I’ve had in any restaurant in South America. Not only was he extremely amiable, but, upon seeing that I’m a foreigner, he really took some time to explain the dishes to me clearly and give great recommendations. Upon finding out that I was writing down notes about the restaurant, he even gave me a whole menu to take home with me! And this was a gigantic, hardback menu! As for the food, just thinking about it makes me hungry. It had a nice beer and liquor selection, with so many cocktails and pisco variations that it’s ridiculous. The tropical juices were also fantastic. The menu had a large variety of food as well, highlighting the majority of traditional Peruvian dishes, including tacu tacu (explained below), ceviche, causa (small bites of meat with potato), and tiraditos (Peruvian sushi, more or less). Moreover, everything was of the highest quality, even what I didn’t particularly like. Topping all that, the portions were humungous and very affordable. I paid about $52 for a cocktail, 2 tropical juices, a shot of pisco, and 3 dishes that were far too much to finish. And for all you interested foodies out there, this restaurant is actually a chain, though I was the original. One location has recently opened in San Francisco, so if you have the option, you might want to check it out, though I really can’t attest to the quality, never having been to that branch. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience, from the ambience to the service to the food, and it easily one of the best meals of my life. What I had: Complementary appetizer in bucket: potato and sweet potato chips (Fantastic and plenty of it) with 3 different levels of spiced sauces and roasted, unpopped corn seeds. Sweet potato and plaintain chips are phenomenal, 2/3 sauces are irresistible, and the corn seeds are even better than popcorn and unforgettably good. I just can’t stop eating these, especially the corn seeds. 10/10 Degustation of 5 Ceviches - Clásico/Classic: Great chunks of fish, but spicy as hell, to the point that I almost can’t eat it. Delicious, though. The fish is as tender as sashimi, and the tanginess/citrus is perfect and balances the spice nicely. 9/10 - Miraflorino (Classic version leche de tigre with fruits of the sea, i.e. a wide variety of seafood): Phenomenal! Octopus, calamari, and tuna are so fresh and add so much extra flavor and nuance to the traditional ceviche. More rubbery texture of the octopus and calamari is especially nice. Sauce is perfect—mild, tangy, and a little creamy. 9.8/10. Best ceviche I’ve had ever! - Nikei (leche de tigre “nikei” version + tuna): Refreshingly sweet. You wouldn’t think sweet ceviche works, but it does. Especially interesting is how the citrus and sugar balance each other so nicely. Tuna is perfect, and the sweetness a nice uniqueness to the ceviche. Kind of like of a desert. 9.2-9.4/10 - Potente/Potent: This is powerful stuff. Nice mix of seafood, but the flavors are more bitter, and the spiciness only makes it worse. Seafood is chopped too—so it loses a lot of the texture and even flavor of the big sashimi-type pieces. 7.5/10 - Elegante/Elegant: Nice, big pieces of seafood again. And yet again, the spiciness is off-putting. Sauce, however, is rather creamy and mayonnaise-like, which helps to offset the spice but at the same time makes the dish cloying. Still, the seafood is great. 8.0/10 Super saltado tacu tacu—This is plain, simple food at it’s finest, and it is a near perfect dish. It’s a gigantic dish of rice with beef and seafood “a la criolla,” or Creole style. Perfectly spiced and cooked. Vegetables have a nice kebab-type, smoky/savory flavor to them. The rice is somewhat mushy and too starchy because it has beans mixed in with it. In conjunction, though, everything has a nice dirty ricefeel to it, and it exudes a nice smokiness. Seafood is perfect as always, and the beef was cooked extremely well, too. The beef could have used some salt and spice, but it was so tender and flavorful that it was comparable to Argentine-quality steak. This dish is pure comfort food at its best, and it would have been near perfect without the mushiness of the rice and bean combo. 9.5/10 Dessert: Picarones (Dough mixed with sweet potatoes and sugar, then deep fried and served in fig honey): Wow! Enough said—just read the ingredients! Takes me back to my grandma’s homemade desserts, with a great combination of doughtiness, sweetness, and fruitiness. The fig honey works extremely well. Only loses points for being monotonous, but, again, this is fantastic comfort food. 9/10. Source: http://www.thefoodbuster.com/cebicheria-la-mar/

Katie, I'm glad you've been able to experience Mendoza for yourself. I had very much the same type of experience you did--one that was almost picture perfect, where I really gained a new understanding of the culture and its potential impact in the wine world. The Argentine food and wine scene is something you really just can't appreciate until you get out there and see it for yourself. I had the chance to take tours of pretty much every major region near Mendoza. I was impressed not only by the quality of some of the bold Malbecs, but also the red blends, which showed a respect for balance that you really don't see all that often. And the restaurants were incredible. Dining in a winery, overlooking beautiful lakes and vineyards--that's the life in my book. Again, thanks for sharing with us. I'd also like to hear some of your other favorite wines, if you remember any.

I'll start things off the way an Argentine would--with a good old-fashioned parrilla, or steakhouse! I'm reviewing the legendary (though ever so touristy!) La Cabrera, probably the best upper-scale steakhouse in the city. La Cabrera Parrilla/Steakhouse My cost: 360 pesos (About $105) for 4 young college students, with a ravenous appetite Cabrera 5099 Buenos Aires, Argentina In terms of Argentine cuisine, you really can’t do much better than the meat, which you can find fresh and cheap throughout the city. Very few steakhouses, however, have the reputation of La Cabrera, which is both a tourist haven and one of Buenos Aires’s best culinary deals. La Cabrera is THE legendary steakhouse, the one that is supposedly not just the best in the city, but a historic landmark that any tourist must try. Needless to say, I had to try it out, and it was in fact my first expedition into Argentina’s culinary scene. La Cabrera is oriented more towards the tourist, like a lot of the finer dining in the city (finer dining here should be interpreted very loosely. This verges on the casual). You can readily find Americans throughout the restaurant, which has a very charming, friendly, yet somewhat touristy vibe to it. So if you want a true Argentine experience, you really won’t find it here. Still, the restaurant was charming and the service so friendly that you feel rather comfortable, especially if you can’t speak the language. And there are lots of nice little touches that add to experience. The meal even ends with complementary lollipops, presented on a large rack, hearkening back to your youth. And as far as higher-end dining goes, this is quite the casual place, avoiding formalities to create an inviting atmosphere. The service is slow, but rather friendly and very accommodating to foreigners. La Cabrera, however, also delivers on the food. As far as value goes, it’s quite possibly the best deal in town for a premium steakhouse, offering all of Argentina’s best cuts of meat for much lower than you’d find in some of the pricier tourist areas, like Puerto Madero. 500g of perfectly cooked Kobe beef, for instance, goes for about 80 pesos, or $23.The portions are so huge, moreover, that you’ll be hard pressed to finish them. In fact, just 3 entrees fed myself and 3 of my friends, all of whom have large appetites. As for the food, I can’t say that La Cabrera is quite as legendary as all the myths say, but it is nonetheless quite good. The meat was always cooked extremely well, better than at most places, and the sides were fantastic. The ribeye probably can’t be beaten, either. Though it was slightly overhyped, it is still a must for the price, even if it’s not the best meal I had in Argentina. Suggestions: Hits: Ojo de Bife (Ribeye, specialty of the house), Scrambled eggs with sausage, dulce de leche pancacke, chorizo, complementary limoncello and lollipops, bread, wine list, and service. Note that the ribeye was perhaps the best in all of Buenos Aires, which is an extraordinary feat considering how stiff the competition is in Argentina, since ribeye is one of the nation’s favorite cuts. Misses: Stuffed tenderloin, chocolate volcano, Kobe beef Service: 9.0/10 Ambience: 8.5/10 Taste: 9.0/10 Value: 9.3/10 Overall Score: 9.0/10 Source, with photos: http://www.thefoodbuster.com/la-cabrera/

Hey guys, There are a ton of topics already on recommendations for dining in Argentina, but I'd like to add my own take on the topic. Last year, I had a fantastic opportunity to live for a semester in Argentina, studying in the local Universidad de Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, studying in Argentina was somewhat of a joke--no homework, classes only on two-three days a week, and in general very poor educational facilities/infrastructure (imagine buildings that are so worn down and so graffiti-laden that they look like they're unusable). In turn, I had to find other ways of occupying my time and learning about the culture. My recourse was, among other things, the dining scene. Every week, I would go traveling, and along my travels I'd always hit up the specialties of the city's food scene. And since prices were so low, it was possible to go to the very best for the price of an average (or sometimes slightly above average) restaurant in Los Angeles, my hometown. Thus, in about four months, I was able to go through about twenty of the nation's best restaurants, taste over 100 wines, and try all of its best chocolate and gelato producers. I'd like to share some of my experiences with all of you by posting up reviews every so often. If you have any requests for a specific type of cuisine or food, just tell me, and I'll try to make a recommendation.

The problem is that I move around a lot, so I never really get to know all the vendors in an area. Moreover, while some retailers will carry a couple top-notch Argentine wines, it's very hard to find a decent Argentine wine collection. I'm in LA right now, and I can barely find 20 different Argentine wines at probably the best wine retailer in the area, which carries literally thousands and thousands of wines. And those wines all come from the same guys you always see: Achaval Ferrer, Catena Zapata, and a couple others. Unfortunately, Wine-searcher is probably the best choice, and to get any single wine, I'd probably have to get it shipped from somewhere across the nation. And Alex, nice deal on the Fabre Montmayou! I've never had it, but I'd also have jumped on a deal like that.

Oh, and I was also wondering, if you had a good provider for Argentine wines in America. I just can't seem to find a reliable retailer, and I'm always stuck buying low-end Malbecs by wineries like Norton (which I absolutely can't stand).

First, I have to say that I totally agree that the best finds are in Argentina itself. I've found so many phenomenal wines in Buenos Aires that I'd have to get shipped from some random wine shop half-way across the nation, if possible. As for my favorites, I'd have to say anything by Bressia stands as #1. Particularly, the Monteagrelo is my favorite Malbec, and probably the best Malbec for the buck I could find. The Conjuro is also my favorite Argentine wine. And I'm dying to try the new Ultima Hoja, Bressia's new super-icon level wine, with only 800 bottles produced and a retail price of about 300 US$ (i.e. it's the second most expensive Argentine wine, and that in its first year of bottling!). Probably the other great value I've seen is in Pulenta Estate. I'm a huge fan of the icon-level Gran Corte, which is much better than most icons that cost even twice as much. A few more honorable mentions: the Las Perdices Malbec Ice (the only good dessert wine I tasted in Argentina), the Zuccardi Q Tempranillo, the O'Fournier A Cruxes, and the Achaval Ferrer Altamira. What about with you? What are your favorites? I'm always looking for more Argentine wines to review for my site.

Hey Guys, When I traveled through South America, I had the chance to taste some of the best wines I've ever tasted. In the US, though, it seems that Argentine Wine isn't all that appreciated, and we rarely receive any of the best selections. Do any of you share that same passion?

I'll start things off with a review of the legendary Astrid & Gaston, probably the best-known restaurant in all of Peru. Astrid & Gaston Modern Peruvian, Fine Dining Entrées run about 35 to 80 soles ($12.50 to $28). Expect to pay about $30-$50 ($50 with drink and dessert) 175 Calle Cantuarias, Miraflores Lima, Peru Ambience: 8.5/10 Service: 6.0/10 Taste: 7.5/10. The cocktails were a special treat. Value: 5/10. Costs an arm and a leg for mediocre food. Overall Score: 6.0-6.5/10. This restaurant costs way too much for what you’re getting. It may be one of the nicest-looking in Peru, but it sure isn’t the best-tasting. In Peru, there are very few restaurants that are universally acclaimed. One of the few is Astrid & Gaston, named after the world-renowned celebrity chef couple that owns it. It's also probably the most exclusive/famous restaurant in Peru. Now, whatever Gaston touches, at least in Peru, is gold. He owns not only the most reputed fine dining experience, but also several other restaurants at all price ranges throughout Peru, including Cebichería La Mar, where I had what was hands down not only the best ceviche of my trip, but probably the best dining experience in all my travels last year. And it was after that high I experienced from lunch at Cebichería La Mar, I was convinced that Gaston was a culinary mastermind, and I decided that I just had to try Gaston’s ultimate creation, Astrid & Gaston, the very same night. Unexpectedly, though, whereas Cebichería La Mar, a traditional Peruvian ceviche joint, was near perfect in every way, Astrid & Gaston was the exact opposite—a failure in almost all regards. As you enter Astrid & Gaston, the ambience does impress, in contrast to so many other places in Peru. It has a controlled, simple modernity to it, with minimal decorations, but bright coats of paint, a nice bar, and in general just a nice seating arrangement. The only reason it stands out, though, is because you don’t get to see so many nice-looking restaurants like it in Peru. Otherwise, it’s nothing extraordinary. And the service, at least initially, seems fine—prompt and very formal/professional, unlike in most Latin American restaurants. So where does this legendary restaurant fail? First, and most importantly, the food. The food was decent but boring. In fact, only the cocktails stood out as something extraordinary—and oh were they extraordinary! Never before have I seen so many pisco cocktails, and all of such high quality, too. Unfortunately, where it counted, the restaurant failed. It’s food is meant to offer a modern take on Peruvian cuisine, but instead what I saw was a lot of innovation for the sake of innovation—i.e. going for presentation and uniqueness instead of for taste. For example, they might use duck instead of chicken in a traditional recipe or add a few cloyingly sweet components to an already sweet dessert. Not all of it is bad, but there is quite a bit of stumbling, especially in terms of flavor combinations, especially for such a supposedly fine restaurant. And perhaps worst of all was a service issue I had with my waiter. The wine menu is supposedly phenomenal, especially for Peru, but I didn’t even get to see it because my waiter didn’t give me the wine menu when I asked for it. Instead, he said he would get a recommendation from the sommelier, and instead of running it by me or even letting me see the wine as he poured it, he brought out his recommendation—some garbage wine, no less—pre-poured in a glass for me, without even letting me try the wine to see if it was fresh or giving me any information on the wine. It was not only a horrible wine, but the waiter came off as downright patronizing, overstepping his bounds completely. For a restaurant this formal and this expensive (even by American standards), it’s downright sinful to be so careless to the customer. Needless to say, I didn’t finish the wine, and I stuck to cocktails from then on. Overall, then, for the uninspired food, the lack of professionalism, and the outrageous prices, I would have to recommend avoiding Astrid & Gaston, contrary to what you may read in all the travel guides. Astrid & Gaston is way too overhyped. Nothing lived up to the reputation of the restaurant, and the wine thing was a complete joke. I really wanted to like this restaurant, especially after my experience with Cebichería la Mar, but it was probably the worst dining experience I had in Peru, sadly. What I had: Bread: great variety—breadsticks, raisin bread, corn bread, chili bread, potato bread, and nut bread. All with chimichurri, butter, and chili. Very hit or miss, though. Chimichurri was fantastic—cheese, oil, tomatoes, and basil mix for a really nice flavor. The potato bread was the only one that struck me as fantastic—rich, oily, starchy. Nut bread was nice and sweet. None of the sauces worked well, and most of the bread was a miss. Disappointing. Appetizer: Anticucho (pieces of meat on a golden potato) of 4 varieties: cow, chicken, heart, and chicken liver. Served with 3 sauces: tomatoes in lime/lemon, chili, and bean. Sauces in general were a little weak, especially the chili. The tomato lime/lemon sauce was okay but simple and underwhelming. The beans were good but just didn’t go with the flavor of the anticuchos. The meat, on the other hand, was cooked well all around. The chicken was outstanding. The golden potatoes worked well, too, with the flavor of the meat, adding a nice starchiness, but they’re kind of bland/mushy in texture. Heart was a little too rough for me, but not bad. The liver just seemed a poor choice—too strong, greasy, and flavorless. Overall, disappointing. 6.0/10 Rice cooked in cherries with duck: Actually, a great dish. Reminded me of a nice risotto. Rich, creamy, flavorful rice. The duck was also very well-cooked, with the skin falling off. The meat was a little tough and gamy, but I’m not a big fan of duck, to be honest. Still, it was good. The problem was in the mix, which felt contrived. The rice was great on its own and just needed a protein component, but it seemed like duck was chosen merely for the sake of creating a “gourmet” version of a traditional dish (it’s normally with chicken). Still, intense, flavorful, and unique. Crackling on the duck is fantastic. 8.5/10+ Chocolate soufflé of exotic fruits with a chocolate crocante: Good for a fruit desert, and a solid soufflé. It’s really quite well-made. And the presentation is great. The flaw, however, is that there’s not enough flavor, and the flavors there are clash. The dark chocolate doesn’t mix too well with the raspberries—typically they do, but here the raspberries just gave a sourness to the dish. Moreover, for a chocolate dish, this has far too little sweetness to it, even for dark chocolate, and the slightly sour raspberry fruitiness only makes it worse. 7.0/10 Arroz con leche especial (special-style arroz con leche), served with compote, some meringue, and fruit: Interesting taste. Definitely better than the soufflé. Great mix of flavors, actually—unlike the other dishes, things don’t seem tacked on. I can’t say it’s amazing, though. The arroz con leche is too sweet and rich for me. It has the texture and taste of a chunky custard, but far more intense. The fruit and cream don’t really help to balance it. If anything, the meringue makes it even sweeter. 7.5/10 Uruwaska Cocktail: Pisco, assion fruit juice, lime, and lychee liquor. This is just plain delicious. I could taste the pisco, giving it a strength that’s great. At the same time, it’s fruity and sweet enough that someone with a sweet tooth, like me, can really enjoy it. Lychee flavor comes out very well. Bitterness of pisco canbe offsetting, but overall a very nice combo, with great synergy and flavor. 9/10 Limeña Mazamorrera: Pisco Moscatel, purple corn, sauco cream (sauco is an indigenous fruit), morello cherries macerated in pisco. This cocktail is phenomenal! Thick and sweet, with chocolaty overtones from the dark chocolate-like bitterness. Perfect combo. No complaints, and hands down, the best part of the meal. 9.5/10+ Source: http://www.thefoodbuster.com/astrid-gaston/

Hey guys, I've noticed a few other posts about Peru, but most have focused on restaurants in Lima. I'd like to contribute to the discussion by talking about the country as a whole. Before actually visiting Peru, I really didn't realize just how rich the cuisine was, though it combines ingredients and recipes from the indigenous population, modern Peruvian culture, and numerous immigrant communities, especially the Japanese. While I was abroad, I began to understand as I went through traditional (and not-so-traditional) Peruvian dishes, eating at restaurants in Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, and Puno. I'd like to post up my notes/reviews from my journey, so that hopefully it can help anyone else who has a thirst for everything Peruvian.