Let’s take a little culinary journey to find out what this week has in store for you.

Buenos Aires Food Week – 15^th – 21^st April

Always wanted to experience haute – cuisine and try the unique dishes in premium restaurants, but were too worried about breaking your budget? Well, you are in luck! Add “visiting a word class restaurant during Food Week” to your list of activities in Buenos Aires.

25 of the city’s best restaurants will offer lunch and dinner menus at promotional prices making haute-cuisine accessible and affordable. Each restaurant proposes a fixed three course menu, including an appetizer, main dish and dessert, at a fixed price of AR$99 Pesos for lunch and AR$169 Pesos for dinner. However you should know that tips and table service (cubiertos) are not included.

To make a reservation or view a complete list of the incredible restaurants and their menus, check out the Buenos Aires Food Week website.

Spanish Gastronomic Week – 15^th – 21^st April

With a fusion of both cultural and dining activities, Tourspain, in conjunction with Spain’s Cultural Center, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Spain, present the first-ever Spanish Gastronomic Week in Buenos Aires.

Much like Buenos Aires Food Week, the Gastronomic Week offers quality lunch & dinner menus at affordable prices. These are offered by some of the best Spanish restaurants in the city. Embark on a journey of unique flavors, diversity & mixture of customs and traditions merged with modern cuisine of the highest quality.

Four of Spain’s most esteemed chefs are here in Buenos Aires to share their culinary talents with local foodies, and will also conduct culinary activities throughout the program such as:

• Current trends in Spanish cuisine seminar
• Films on Spanish Gastronomy
• Spanish culinary book fair
• Round table about cuisine and psychology
• Artistic performances incorporating Spanish cuisine
• Gastronomic tourism promotion
• A blind gastro tapas experience

18 of the city’s Spanish Chef led/Spanish Restaurants will offer lunch and dinner menus at promotional prices. Each restaurant proposes a fixed three course menu, including an appetizer, main dish and dessert, at a fixed price of AR$99 Pesos for lunch and AR$199 Pesos for dinner. However you should know that tips and table service (cubiertos) are not included.

To make a reservation, see the full activities program or view a complete list of the incredible restaurants and their menus, check out the Spanish Gastronomic Week website.

BUEN PROVECHO!!!

La entrada Buenos Aires Food Week aparece primero en Bsas4U | Travel Blog.

A vegetarian who has travelled to Buenos Aires knows all too well the pain of suffering through an Asado or a night out at one of Buenos Aires’ many Parrilla restaurants (traditional restaurants specializing in barbequed meat). Where at best you fill up on an ‘ensalada mixta’ – which really only serves as decoration to the meat; a few lettuce leaves and tomatoes, which could do with a bit more flavour and variety – or you make up your own chimichurri sandwich, with bread from the table’s breadbasket.

Can’t face another ensalada mixta?

While it’s not easy – among all the Parrillas – to find good vegetarian food in Buenos Aires, the city has become increasingly vegetarian-friendly over the past few years. Where once asking about the non-meat options on the menu, the waiter would recommend you the chicken or ham dish, nowadays even a few Parrillas incorporate vegetarian options on their menu. However, it often limits itself to pasta – which in Buenos Aires, with its strong Italian heritage, is delicious, but can get a bit tiresome.

After a few weeks in Argentina as a vegetarian, the sight of more pasta, another ensalada mixta and veggie empanadas, might tip you over the edge.  So, we’ve come up with a short vegetarian guide to Buenos Aires.

Take advantage of the International cuisine with our vegetarian guide to Buenos Aires!

China

On the one hand, there has been an influx of Chinese immigrants to Buenos Aires and this is great news for vegetarians. Chinese Restaurants and buffet-style takeaways are never too far away and you can also visit the local Barrio Chino (Buenos Aires’ Chinatown) in the neighbourhood of Belgrano, which is filled with great Chinese restaurants and supermarkets and is one of the most recommended in our vegetarian guide to Buenos Aires for the amount of vegetarian food options available!

Buenos Aires’ China Town

Armenia

Buenos Aires also has an important Arab and Armenian community. Many vegetarians have left, very satisfied customers, after trying the Falafel, Babaganoush (eggplant dish) and heavenly hummus at the Armenian Restaurant Sarkis in Palermo (Thames 1101). Another great option in our vegetarian guide to Buenos Aires, if you want to try the variety of meat-free options Arab food offers, is a dinner at the UGAB, also in Palermo. This is a very unique experience, as it is a supper club run by a group of local Armenian mothers, raising money for their kids to be able to visit the homeland Armenia on a high school trip. Delicious home-cooked Armenian food at very reasonable prices! (Only open on Friday and Saturday nights, from 8pm, Armenia 1322, Palermo)

Delicious Armenian food, at Sarkis.

Peru

Immigration from Peru can be noted throughout Buenos Aires too. And Peruvian cuisine, largely based on vegetables, a variety of grains (rice, quinoa etc.) and seafood it can make for the perfect vegetarian option in Buenos Aires. Especially if you eat seafood, the Japanese influences in Peruvian food, make for some great dishes. The ceviche is a must try!

There are many Peruvian restaurants in the central neighbourhoods of Almagro and Montserrat. If you love seafood and fancy a great night out in an upscale restaurant Sipan, with its fusion cuisine (Peruvian/Japanese) has some spectacular seafood dishes. (in the Palermitano Hotel, Uriarte 1648, Palermo Soho). For a less upscale night out try Chan Chan in Congreso, that serves up delicious, traditional Peruvian dishes. (Hipólito Yrigoyen 1390)

Delicious Peruvian ceviche – a must try if you love sushi!

Mexico

Mexican food isn’t necessarily famous for being vegetarian; however, there are a few Mexican restaurants in Buenos Aires, which serve delicious meat-free quesadillas, fajitas and mouth-watering guacamoles. There’s a variety of Mexican Restaurants around Buenos Aires, you’ll come across quite a few in Palermo. A great place is La Fabrica del Taco in Palermo (Gorritti 5062, Palermo Soho). Again, there isn’t a huge meat-free selection but it’s worth going for the excellent vegetarian tacos,  quesadillas, guacamole and refried beans. A restaurant – less Mexican – but where the vegetarian quesadillas and Fajitas are to die for is Las Cabras, also in Palermo. This is a great place for dinner if you’re planning a night out with friends who eat meat, as it is mainly a parilla, but puts just as much care into its vegetarian dishes. (Fitz Roy 1795, Palermo Viejo)

Mmm…vegetarian Fajitas!

Puertas Cerradas

Another great option for vegetarians in Buenos Aires is to enjoy a very unique dining experience at a Puertas Cerradas – read about it in our recent blog post, dedicated entirely to this new Buenos Aires dining trend. One of these closed doors restaurants, that stands out for serving high quality vegetarian exclusive meals is Casa Felix in the neighbourhood of Chacarita.

Well, as you can see the influx of international cuisine to Buenos Aires has come as a saviour to many a vegetarian travelling to Argentina. A vegetarian suffering in Buenos Aires is a thing of the past! Of course, there are many, many more vegetarian restaurants that are starting to pop up all over the city, but that’s material for a whole new post. So, keep your eyes peeled!

Don’t forget if you’re travelling to Buenos Aires, have a look at our online catalogue, here, with the best tours and activities in Buenos Aires.

La entrada A Vegetarian Guide to Buenos Aires aparece primero en Bsas4U | Travel Blog.

The official cuts of meat in Argentina

There are a few different ways to prepare an Asado Porteño. First of all, the organization can be done in two different manners: either in a formal way, in restaurants for example, where a professional asador will prepare all the meat; or in a less formal manner, where anyone who wants to contribute will do so. The cooking itself is usually done by igniting coals made from trees other than pines and eucalyptus, which have a strong smelling resin, can either be done al asador or a la parilla. In the first case a fire is made on the ground or in a fire pit and surrounded by metal crosses (asadores) that hold the entire carcass of an animal splayed open to receive the heat from the fire. In the second case a fire is made and after the coals have formed, a grill with the meat is placed over.

A gaucho-style asado

In terms of what cuts of meat the locals like to use for the Asado Porteño…well the fact is that they pretty much eat everything and anything, and nothing goes to waste! Most asados Asado Porteñowill be started by the serving of embutidos, which is a selection of organs and sausages, chorizos, morcillas (black pudding), chinchulines (cow chitterlings), mollejas (sweetbread), and other organs, often accompanied by provoleta, a typical barbecued Agentine cheese. After this, come the meats, which are served in so many different cuts that you will surely get lost! Costillas or asado de tira (ribs), the famous bife de chorizo (or entrecote), vacío (flank steak), matambre and possibly chicken, chivito (goatling) and pork; it just never really ends. The Asado Porteño is always accompanied by side dishes such as potato fries, salad, and bead; a good Agentine red wine; and will often be eaten with a special sauce called chimichurri, which is made out of chopped parsley, dried oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, onion, and paprika with olive oil, or salsa criolla, a sauce of tomato and onion in vinegar.

How do you like your steak?

Many Porteños will invite people they have just met to go to one of their asados, so if you come to Buenos Aires any time soon, don’t reject the Argentine warming hospitality and go enjoy an authentic Asado Porteño in Buenos Aires! Also, many good restaurants serve amazing asados, such as the very well renowned Cabrera in Palermo, which offers a happy hour menu 40% off the total price between 7pm and 8pm, Pobre Luis in Belgrano and Siga la Vaca in Puerto Madero! Don’t miss out on the experience during your travels to Buenos Aires, and if you are looking for some great activities to do in Buenos Aires, check out our BsAs4U catalog, and benefit from our online payment service with no extra fee and our international customer service 24/7! Satisfaction guaranteed!

Some say the Argentines’ great success in meat is due to the extreme patience with which they cook it. What do you think?

If you are looking for tours & activities in Buenos Aires during the Winter, visit our official website.

La entrada Asado Porteño: Meat as you have never tasted it aparece primero en Bsas4U | Travel Blog.

The sweet taste of Dulce de Leche / source

Translating literally as ‘sweet milk’, it has the same consistency as chocolate spread and is made from milk, lots and lots of sugar and vanilla essence. Products with Dulce de Leche can be seen all over Argentina. In the Subte, the subway in Buenos Aires and on the side of buses, large billboards advertise the latest alfajor or dulce de leche spread. Dulce de leche is so precious that in order to put the words ‘Dulce de Leche’ on their product they have to meet the minimum requirements set out in the Argentine Food Code.

Many Latin American countries claim that Dulce de Leche originates from their country. However, there has been a less than sweet argument between Uruguay and Argentina. In 2003, the Secretary of Culture of Argentina claimed that Dulce de Leche was a traditional Argentinean product, starting a debate with fellow producer, Uruguay. Argentina and Uruguay argued that Dulce de Leche has also been a part of their culture and therefore, they should be entitled to owning its name. The matter went to UNESCO, with Uruguay trying to claim that the product is from the Rio de la Plata. The matter remains to be solved.

Even the history of Dulce de Leche is somewhat clouded by myths and legends. The story of the origin of Dulce de Leche in Argentina dates back to the Buenos Aires province of Cañuelas. Two opposing forces were on the brink of ending a war. General Lavalle and General Manuel de Rosas met in order to make a treaty. General Lavalle fell asleep at General Rosas’s camp whilst waiting for General Rosas to arrive. Whilst asleep, there was a lady preparing the lechada (boiled milk and sugar for the tired soldiers), who entered and did not know about the treaty between the two men and saw the enemy, General Lavalle. She ran out of the tent to get soldiers, but General Rosas arrived back and managed to stop her from waking up the sleeping General Lavalle. In the chaos, the lady forgot about the lechada. When she remembered, she found that the lechada had become a dark brown jelly. It is said that a brave and hungry soldier tried the substance, the result of which, Dulce de Leche was born. Dulce de Leche comes in many forms in Argentina such as, a sticky spread; ice cream and in sweets.

The different ways to enjoy Dulce de Leche

The most popular product are alfajores which consist of two round sweet biscuits joined together by Dulce de Leche and normally coated in white or dark chocolate. However, in recent years, the delicious flavours of Dulce de Leche have spread further afield to be included as a Haagen-Dazs flavoured ice-cream; in Starbucks Dulce de Leche flavoured coffee products and Hershey’s Dulce de Leche kisses. Currently, the largest importers of Dulce de Leche are Russia, Israel, the United States and countries in Europe. In most Latin American countries, Dulce de Leche exists but under different names due to slight variants in its ingredients or preparation. To make sure you can try as much Dulce de Leche as possible even when travelling outside of Argentina, here’s a list of what to look out for when looking for Dulce de Leche outside of Argentina:

•    Arequipe: Colombia and Venezuela
•    Cajeta: Mexico
•    Bollo de leche: Nicaragua
•    Manjar: Chile and Ecuador
•    Manjar blanco: Colombia; Peru; Bolivia; Costa Rica; Ecuador and Panama
•    Doce de leite: Brazil

Follow us on twitter @BsAs4U to know about the latest activities in Buenos Aires!

La entrada Life is Sweeter with Dulce de Leche aparece primero en Bsas4U | Travel Blog.