Feria Masticar 2016

I’m not usually a “festival” person. Long lines, massive crowds, getting jostled around without much to show for it… sometimes it’s just too stressful to handle. However, there are times when taking a deep breath and diving into the insanity is all part of the fun.

It’s time for Feria Masticar, the star of Buenos Aires’ burgeoning food movement, now in its fifth year running. Waving the #ComerRicoHaceBien flag, it promises four days of eating and drinking extravaganzas, with the city’s best and brightest talent showcasing their goodies for the people.

In an effort to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone involved, this year the fair is sort of an XL reloaded version of itself, having annexed a few extra blocks and open spaces surrounding El Dorrego. There’s a whole brasas section, a beer garden, tons of market vendor stands in the middle of it all, and more space overall to stroll/scarf/lie down when your food baby gets too big.

Let’s get down to business. Here’s my shortlist of what you can’t miss from this year’s edition:

Savory

• Chorichang by Astor Bistro (the wild boar raviolis are also the jam, slurp up that brodo, bro)
• Arepas de pollo y cerdo braseado by i Latina (#PuraSabrosura)
• Oysters from Patagonia (served both raw and breaded in Panko) by Crizia
• Chorifish + Cebichón by La Mar (be prepared for XXXL lines, however, everyone wants a piece of Gastón Acurio’s Peruvian magic)
• Empanadas de Yacaré by El Baqueano (yep, you’re going to eat caiman)
• 100-hour Bondiola by Pura Tiera (Chef Martín Molteni literally makes me want to live in a cabin)
• Pulpitos by my favorite neighbors BASA
• Pastrón by Mishiguene
• Prawns by Gipponi + Rastellino (#UnaToneladaDeLangostinos)

Sweet

• Sugar rush chocolates by Compañía de Chocolates
• Dolce Morte ice creams by Elena (smoked milk has never been so sexy)
• Elderflower sorbet by Cassis
• Cookies by Santa Teresita (if you weren’t lucky enough to summer in José Ignacio, now’s your chance)
• Chocolate Cardamom Mousse by the Nespresso Patisserie

Drinks

• Bar de Vinos by CAVE (rent a glass for 100 pesos and go to town on some fancy wines from Argentina’s best bodegas)
• Alfredo Romero + more by Ludovico De Biaggi at the Gancia Cocktail Truck
• Mimosa de Remolacha by Julep
• Negroni Balestrini at Florería Atlántico (points for their awesome floral garnishes and beards)
• Pisco Punk by 878
• Everything coffee by the Nespresso Patisserie (go for the coffee + chocolate pairings to really get your blood sugar roaring)

This obviously doesn’t cover everything, but these recommendations will guarantee you leave having sipped and nibbled one some of the best that Masticar has to offer this year.

Double up on patience before you arrive, be prepared to get pushed around by surprisingly strong Argentine grannies, and take a lap or two before you commit to anything. Crowds are more manageable later in the evening, and if you go on Sunday when things are winding down you might be able to take home some of the goods (one woman I spoke to made off with 14kg of clams last year… why that seemed tantalizing to her I will never know).

Feria Masticar
Zapiola 50 – El Dorrego
Now through Sunday, May 8, every day from noon-11pm

Entrance $80
Dishes & drinks range from $50-80
Be smart – Buy tickets in advance here

 

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Review: La Susana – José Ignacio

Ah, summertime. If you’re stuck in Buenos Aires it usually means sweating in places you never thought possible, praying the power doesn’t go out on the hottest day of the year, and taking at least six cold showers a day.

For those lucky enough to make their way across the River Plate to the bucolic Eden that is Uruguay, however, verano takes on a completely different connotation. Splashing through turquoise waves, complying with the tacit “All White Linen, All the Time” dress code, and eating seafood at every meal are just part of the glorious package. If you can filter out the annoying bits (Argentine dads that are 40+ but refuse to wear anything that isn’t a graphic t-shirt with jean shorts and Converse All-Stars, for example), you’ll soon come to the conclusion that la vida es mejor en el Este. 

Review: Brasero Atlántico

Once upon a time, calle Arroyo was just a place where you’d go to window shop for expensive antiques or drink free champagne out of plastic flutes for Gallery Nights. However, thanks to those brave souls that saw potential for a fabulous foodie future, the past few years have brought a fresh crop of delicious business to the barrio.

By this point we’re all familiar with Florería Atlántico and the magic it entails. The place is now so popular that locals are forced to hover around the entrance in line with Brazilian tourists and other curious travelers, yearning for a coveted seat somewhere, anywhere that’s free. It’s still one of the best watering holes in town, but as with everything in life, it never hurts to spice things up and forge ahead.

Enter Brasero Atlántico, Florería’s laid back little brother. After months of intrigue and patience, the much-awaited sibling made its quiet debut just a couple of weeks ago, right next door. 

Review: Steaks by Luis

Any tourist planning a trip to Buenos Aires will hear ad nauseum, “You gotta try the steak!” It’s made quite clear from the get-go that if you pass through la Ciudad de la Furia and don’t scarf down the better part of an entire cow, you’ve missed the mark.

Luckily, you can’t walk more than 15 feet in this town without passing a parrilla. The offering ranges from the unassuming holes in the wall to the ostentatious, catering primarily to those looking to impress (and with well-padded wallets).

While this is a great way to savor one of Argentina’s national treasures, what about taking it a step further and getting a little more hands on? Locals and transplants alike will argue that to understand the real magic of the local steaks, one must score an invite to an asado at a someone’s home. “OK,” you mumble, “but I’m only here for a week, and obviously have no friends here.”

Fret not! Enter Steaks by Luis, a premium closed-door, five-course asado experience hosted right in Palermo Soho. Diners have the best of both worlds: access to local traditions surrounding the asado ritual alongside top-notch service in a setting that puts your friend’s backyard quincho to shame. Imagine having a pal that lives in a badass loft, grilling up some of the best meat you can find, and washing it all down with a variety of boutique wines, from picada to postre. 

Review: La Carnicería

It’s a tale as old as time: Buenos Aires and beef go hand in hand (and have done so for eons). More so than peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese and tomato soup, or Bert & Ernie; it’s just a fact of life.

The glut of parrillas all over town – ranging from old-school neighborhood holes in the wall to more upscale outfits catered toward tourists with deep pockets – means that while you might be spoiled for choice, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. Whether you’re a serious carnivore or just someone that likes to dabble in the asado arts from time time, no one wants to waste their time on a sub-par slab of steak.

Enter La Carnicería, the hottest new joint to seduce even the most demanding of palates. Located in Palermo, it actually takes the exact place of one of those greasy, old-school parrillas frequented by overweight taxi drivers and other characters. Quite the fitting reincarnation, if you ask me.

Decked out with wooden tables, simple metal chairs, and a massive butcher’s mural against one wall, the space is light and clean but masculine enough to mean business. It’s got a rock-and-roll meat shop vibe to it, though handled with care and welcoming enough that the not-so-cool-kids will feel right at home too.