I’ll race through the morning food because I already posted about our day trip to Colonia.
Breakfast: coffee and cookies.
Lunch was really more of a second breakfast since it was well before noon.
Bread.
Salmon salad.
Spinach ravioli.
After returning to Buenos Aires, we grabbed some snacks at a natural foods market.
And then I bought 70 dollars worth of chocolate.
No seriously.
Go big or go home right? Authentic alfajores are a once in a lifetime thing.
For dinner we went to a highly recommended parrilla, Juana M.
I realize it’s a bit odd for me to go to a steakhouse, but it would have been criminal to travel to Argentina and not visit a single parrilla. It’s practically what they are known for! Plus, I’d heard this place had a remarkable salad bar. For the record, Kyle wasn’t exactly dying to try meat (even though he was newly vegetarian-ish), but he had similar feelings about doing the city justice.
So to a steakhouse we went…
The restaurant felt open and spacious but still intimate. It was like a funky underground garage with a cool bar area and understated decor. I could have stared at the art all night – it was like a museum with really awesome food. We were on the earlier side (aka 9:30 pm) and you could tell the place was about to go off.
Malbec and bread. Standard.
Kyle ordered a steak and I got unlimited salad bar access.
Couldn’t have been more pleased with the veg friendly options at the salad bar. It hardly seems right calling it a salad bar because it was like a Whole Foods hot bar with tons of new-to-me dishes.
I took two and a half trips. My favorites were the carrot slaw (there was some really yummy pickled action going on with it), and the potato wedges.
The rice dish was pretty awesome too.
Kyle’s steak (or whatever cut of meat that was) was the most massive thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. He was in shock when they put it in front of him. I think it could have fed half the people in the restaurant! Add to that the heaping plate of garlic frites…umm, wow. He had his work set out for him, that’s for sure.
By the time we walked out of Juana M we were both stuffed silly.
Guess how much the entire meal cost us? Here’s the full order for the sake of accuracy.
- 1 bottle Malbec
- 1 basket of bread
- 2 bottles agua con gas
- 1 salad bar
- 1 steak
- 1 side of garlic fries
You can guess in American dollars (I know what the total was after the conversion)…I bet it’ll blow your mind.
I say…. $35 Canadian 😛
I’ll guess….$40.00??? Hmmm….What I did want to ask you was about traveling and managing IBS. I love to travel, but I find that every trip throws my system completely off. My recent trip from our home in cold Boston to the LA/Woodland Hills area (your home turf!!! I love it!!) was the best yet in terms of food choices – my daughter and I ate twice at Real Food Daily, also at Seed Bistro, Follow Your Heart, Urth Caffe, etc… But still my digestive system slows down to an almost standstill. Any ideas?
$100.00? I think I’m wrong though because my guesses are based on the very high prices at similar restaurants in the states.
I’m guessing around $35, possibly less. We went to Juana M when we were in Buenos Aires a few years ago and had similar, in-a-good-way, sticker shock. So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m going to guess 30 dollars! That bag of chocolate has me curious! lol.
I’m convinced we need to go to Buenos Aires. I’m so glad you’re sharing your experience with us! Now if only alfajores were gluten-free.
I guess $25!
$75
$27.50 🙂
I love Argentina! The exchange rate is INCREDIBLE. I bought so many dresses, and I practically lived on those nut-quinoa bars that are in all of the health stores/asian markets.
I’m guessing it was around $30. When we went to Buenos Aires, my hubby had a massive steak like that and it was ~ $12. Your wine was probably $10, so I’m guessing between $30-$40 total.
In an american restaurant I’d guess it was about $150, at least. But since you said it will blow your mind, I’m going to lower that down to… $65?
$29.34
…Aguas con gas… (chuckle).
um, all of that looks sooooo heavenly!!! Kile’s steak looks way massive than the steak I thought was pretty massive back at that Argentinian restaurant we went to in Madrid. LOVE.IT!
Foreign chocolate delights that will remind you each time you have one of the amazing flavors and memories of this trip???
((((priceless))))
You got a bargain 😉
Seems to me that it would have a pretty hefty price tag, but going with what you said, I’ll take a shot in the dark and say 40 bucks! And I wanna know the answer…I haven’t seen it in my trip through the Hippie Past so far!
I can appreciate a good steak any day, but your salad bar plate looks fantastic! And unlimited? Ugh, I’m such a sucker for buffets…I hate most popular chain restaurants, but I have a hard time declining an invite to a Ruby Tuesday JUST because their salad bar is so amazing!
And you look great btw! 🙂
thanks girly 🙂 it was $45
45!!
that would have been especially amazing…but it was 45
you were almost dead on…$45
$45 i loved those quinoa bars too!
nope. $45!!
you definitely need to go…the country is SO gf aware, i bet you they have alfajores somewhere that are. seriously.
45 🙂
isnt that place awesome! i couldnt believe how much i loved a steak house, but it was an incredible salad bar. the total was $45 btw
thats what i would have guessed too, but it was only 45!!
not sure about the canadian exchange rate, haha, but the total was 45 us dollars 🙂
im reading a book right now on travel management for ibs…so far its the obvious stuff – drink lots of water, stick to small meals that are as familiar foods as you can find…but i already do that…getting blocked up the first few days seems unavoidable so making sure i eilminate fodmaps at least minimizes the pain and bloat a bit until i can go.
ps $45 was the total