Snack-y food in Buenos Aires
I've mentioned before that my favorite type of food has got to be casual snack-y food, like dim sum, samosas, things like that. So not surprisingly, I've still not had the Argentinian steak dinner but have had a lot of other casual eats.
I had these empanadas at a restaurant (chain) called La Continental, and I think they're my favorite meal on my trip so far. The crust was so flaky yet very light (not greasy), and the insides were steamy and moist. My favorite was the vegetable and cheese one in front. Interestingly, it was also the most expensive at AR$4 vs. AR$3.3 for the beef or chicken.
I was running out of food options on my walk back to the hostel last night, and "settled" on the Oriente restaurant a couple blocks away. It turned out to be a really pleasant surprise, with a friendly waiter, and no charge for the bread (sometimes restaurants charge a "cover" for the bread). I had a tortilla espanola (with potatoes, salami, and some kind of orange/red veggie in it). Just hit the spot for dinner at 10:30pm.
At London City today, I had cafe con leche and two medialunas filled with ham and cheese. When I first got to Buenos Aires, I wrote off London City because it sounded like some sort of pub re-creation, like "The Pub" in Rookwood Commons. But actually it's pretty famous because a famous writer Julio Cortazar wrote a famous book "The Prizes" here. At least that's what the guidebook and the enshrined table at the restaurant tell me (since I'm obviously not cultured enough to know!). Anyway, the cafe con leche was really strong. The medialunas tasted fine; not too much different from the ones I get at the hostel in the mornings. They're like French croissants, but here they put some sort of glaze on top that makes it a bit sweet and the crust becomes soft. What I liked the most is the whole set up they provide to you. A mug half-full, for you to add hot milk to, yourself, and a cookie. A separate glass, with a separate little pitcher of water.
