Pura Tierra - Buenos Aires

Michael Molteni does great traditional Argentinian cuisine with local fresh pure produce and ingreadients (hence the name pura tierra) at this downtown Palermo restaurant in Buenos Aires. All the cuisine is centered around a huge traditional clay mud oven in the centre of the kitchen.

Big traditional clay oven

Veges on one side of the oven and the meats on the other

Getting the stock ready for the day

Foie Gras mousse

Lovely bread basket with dips

Lama over a fine light crispy pella pastry, northern baked potatoes, fried quail egg, young sprouts, butter, extra virgin olive oil and turmeric sauce

Smoked wild boar with 15 expressions of local and exotic veges cooked in the mud oven and raw ciboulette oil and fresh herbs

Mozarella, veges and fresh herbs

Duck breast, sealed leg braised in its juice, green asparagus, apricot sauteed with butter, spices and mustard leaves

Farm rabbit in mustard and almond crust, carrots, fennel and babuy northern potatoes, tomato confit and baked garlic

Milk chococolate mousse over a semi bitter chococolate sause, essence of spanish saffron, caramel sauce and sea salt

Truffles

La Vineria de Gualterio Bolivar - Buenos Aires

An amazing find. Truely one of the top meals I have had ths year. Chef Alejandro Digilio trained under Ferran Adria at El Bulli and has opened this small 30 seater restaurant in BA. Really simple neighbourhood and restaurant but he does totally amazing stuff. No a la carte - just a 14 course degustation each night. We had the wine flight as well which included 7 locan argentinian wines. If you have one night in BA - this one you must go to!!!

Crispy fish and chicken with soy sauce air

Pineapple ginger and honey gelato, Bacon and egg, Cerviche

Soup of cauliflower beef cheek and caviar of black squid ink

Dry fruit salad - walnut, hazelnut, chestnut and peanuts. Frozen beetroot vinegret in nitrogen parmesan whey

Bread, egg, truffle powder, sheep cheese mousse and chicken wings juice

Calamari with peppers and tea gelatine - this dish smelt and tasted of the sea...very authentic.

Sea and mountain - scallop powder, nishiki seaweed, pumpkin ravioli with lamb and seaweed stock

Salmon, peppers and artichoke

Beef cheek with quinoa risotto and crispy quinoa

Pork, green apple air, green apple mint gelatine and green tea leaves

Lamb without the lamb. Carrots, peas, potato mash, onion gelatine, garlic croutons and lamb juice (the lamb ran away...)

Lamb with red pepper, baby potatoes from andees, french fries and cream of potato (found the lamb)

Smoky mountain. Diff textures of chocolate. Chocolate mousse, choc powder, goats cheese frozen ball and chocolate air

Deconstructed alfa horez havanna.....yum!!!!!

Strawberry with frozen mint and balsamic vinegar, merlot and iceream of moscovado sugar (missing photo)

Tegui -Buenos Aires

Chef German Martitegui is the HOT chef in town and runs Olsen and Casa
Cruz the 2 top restaurants in BA. This year he opened a new place called
Tegui. Small, intimate and exclusive is how they desctibe it. You enter
though this subtle black door with graffiti and enter this slick place
designed in black and white with an open kitchen. Perfect service and
friendly young staff makes it a great night. The cuisine is modern
argentinian and we had the degustaion menu of the night.

Cornettes with blue cheese and tomato confit

belinis with sour cream and eggplant caviar

Tuna tartate, avacado mousee and almonds

oyster ceviche, peruvian pepper, passion fruit, parsley sprouts

asparagus crisp, mascarpone, mushrooms, tomato confit

Rabbit ravioli, corn emulsion, glazed carrots, pistachio

Red tuna, fava beans, peas, almond foam, raspberries

Veal tenderloin, chimichurri, charcoal potatoes, egg, farofa

Fresh melon, pineapple, nectarine sorbet, olive oil biscuit

Creamy chocolate mousse, vanilla foam, maldon salt cookie

La Cabrera - Buenos Aires

Everone knows that buenos Aires is all about steaks and so whether you like them or not you just have to have to visit a parilla and try one. La Cabrera is one of those places that everyone mentions and every guide book talks about. You definately need to book well in advance. We had the Provoleta - melted cows cheese with herbs to start with and then THE bife de chorizo . rump steak. It was huge - half a cow!!! Was the best steak we have ever had though. amazing flavours and really tender. had no room left for dessert but the molten chocolate could not be resisted. A nice big malbec from mendosa went really well with it.