Food trends are cyclical, and Buenos Aires is a perfect microcosm of (nearly) every fad and movement under the sun. Riding the current wave of nostalgia that’s making the rounds, we’re heading back to childhood summer barbecue classics: hot dogs and hamburgers. Yep, a healthy slice of good old Americana is being served up right in the heart of downtown BA.
Palermo obviously has its share of the goods with Burger Joint and Dean & Denny’s (I cannot get beyond that awful mash-up of two US chains, it’s just too much) slinging meat patties like it’s nobody’s business, but we’re going to focus on DOGG and 180 Burger Bar because I said so. Actually, it’s because I work just a few blocks away from both places and am thrilled that I can sit at my desk after lunch with burger grease still on my hands.
You don’t have to walk very far in Buenos Aires to find a garden variety pancho, but they’re almost always of the boiled sort, served on wimpy bread and with only papas pay or salsa golf as a topping. Praise be to the wiener gods, DOGG is the answer to all of your hot dog prayers. The dogs are made of 100% Angus Aberdeen beef, using a classic/”secret” Brooklyn recipe, are grilled up and served on fresh-made homemade buns. It’s already evident that this is a superior base with which to start, so the toppings and sauces are literally the icing on the (meaty) cake. Imagine staring at an array of magic, ripe for the choosing: cheddar cheese, green onions, chili, guacamole, pancetta, sauerkraut, homemade pickles, BBQ sauce… I’ll give you a minute to wipe the drool off your chin now.
Source: DOGG
Everything is made to order, so once you’ve gotten your lunch, try to grab a seat at the communal table and take in the hipster atmosphere. Exposed brick, big chalkboards, subway tiles, and a rack of random hot sauces (muled in by friends and family, no doubt) add to the onda. Lunchtime is expectedly busy, with the line spilling out the door, but it moves quickly. Service is friendly; you can tell the hot dog dudes are happy to be living the wiener dream and spreading the love.
There are other options on the menu if you aren’t digging a phallic almuerzo for some reason. Wraps, sandwiches and salads are all quite good, though you’d be a dope to visit DOGG and not partake in the main event.
Some Fridays there’s even a DOGG happy hour for the after-office crowd. Though the area is usually known for sweaty underground boliches and pseudo-Irish pubs, this is a solid option if you’re not ready to head home from a long week without making a stopover for a laid-back tipple.
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Walk just a few blocks from DOGG and you’ll pass 180 Burger Bar, a tiny spot filled with big beefy surprises. It’s next door to Baking BA, which makes a pretty badass cinnamon roll (They used to make English muffin breakfast sandwiches too, which was great for my hungover suffering, but stopped without warning. I’m still not over that heartbreak), and pumps out a mean hamburguesa for the hungry downtown warriors. If you ever made the mistake of eating at McDonald’s before, you’ll realize that this is most certainly a camino de ida.
The propuesta is straightforward, no bullshit: Build-your-own burger, with a happy array of homemade rolls, sauces, and toppings. Choose your bread: sunflower, Viena, or organo, Burger: beef or quinoa (for the hippies), and Sauce: salsa brava, chimichurri mayo, BBQ, tzatziki, or Dijon/mayo. The standard comes with lettuce, tomato and pickles, with special toppings as extra. Mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, fried egg, pancetta, and grilled onions – they can all be yours for a few pesos more. I like to go with cheddar and onion, but you can’t really make a wrong move.
Source: 180 Burger Bar
All you need to do is hover by the counter like a creep and wait; even when the place is packed, your made-to-order juicy burger of love will be ready within ten minutes. If you were smart (or stupid, depending on how you choose to look at life), you ordered the papas fritas and made it a combo. Nice move, sport.
There’s plenty of seating available inside, but it can get a little stuffy (you might not want to smell like a smoke-fest once you’re done). Taking your goodies to go is probably the best bet, and you can be sure that your food will still be warm and perfect when you reach your final destination.
Take a deep breath and prepare yourself for the experience you’re about to have. The burger itself is nice and big – this is a two-hand job (?). It’s everything you’ve ever wanted in a burger: grilled up on the outside, juicy on the inside, nestled between fresh toppings, flavorful sauce and a nicely toasted roll. With the papas, you’ve got yourself a feast fit for a king. Really though, it’s surprisingly a lot of food. Tread lightly if you have somewhere important to be afterward. Full disclosure: I spent the rest of my day in a blissed out stupor, daydreaming of all things meat.
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The verdict? Throwback looks good in la City. The classics never go out of style, and when they’re reimagined with a twist to keep them current, you can’t go wrong. DOGG and 180 Burger Bar are bringing much-needed zest to the downtown scene, which is overrun with sub-par milanesas and carb-tastic tartas. Both offer delicious, fresh food, homemade with love, at reasonable prices. Why would you ever want to go back to Big Macs and superpanchos once you’ve tried the real thing?
Welcome to the neighborhood, dudes. It’s (very) nice to have you.
DOGG
San Martín 657, Microcentro
4313-9735
Monday/Tuesday, 10AM-5PM
Wednesday-Friday, 10AM-9PM
Delivery
180 Burger Bar
Suipacha 749, Microcentro
4328-7189
Lunch, Monday-Friday: 12-4PM
Cash only
La Panza Porteña 