Tag: local food

By anuhyabobba

I have come to fallen in love with Argentine cuisine during my time abroad, and here are my top five favorite foods:

Choripan: Choripan is essentially a sandwich with chorizo sausage. It is the closest food I have found that matches a GW Deli breakfast sandwich, but I will go as far as to say it is even tastier. They are very cheap, and often sold in food trucks.

Milanesa: Milanesa is a thin slice of meat coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is probably one of the most simple dishes, but restaurants here take on variations of the milanesa that are to die for. My favorite is the chicken milanesa with grilled onions, bacon, and a fried egg on top.

Dulce de leche: When I first arrived into the country, I immediately noticed that dulce de leche replaced peanut butter and nutella here. It is put on everything from your morning toast to fruit to make for a quick dessert. I came in thinking I could not handle the sweet, but I now am addicted.

Empanadas: Empanadas are a stuffed bread, often filled with chicken, beef, and more. The first few weeks of the program, we were all on a search to find the best and cheap empanada place. We have all decided that it is San Juanino in Recoleta. Their empanadas are so delicious and cost around 17 pesos (or around 2 dollars).

Ice cream: Clearly, ice cream is not necessarily traditional to Argentina, but this country is home to the most delicious ice cream I have ever tasted. Freddo is my go-to for inexpensive, delicious, by the kilo ice cream. There are many more chains like Freddo around that sell equally amazing ice cream, and I can say with confidence that I will miss Argentine ice cream so much.

By anuhyabobba

If you are planning to study abroad in Buenos Aires, here is your guide for some inexpensive places to eat at (in no particular order):

1) Pollo Trak: This is a chain restaurant, and so you can find several locations for it throughout the city. It is a heaven for chicken lovers. For 45 pesos (or near 4 dollars), you can buy a massive fried chicken sandwich with a side of fries that will keep you full for hours. You also have the option to buy a 1/4 chicken or 1/2 chicken, similar to Nando’s in DC. Essentially, for its cheap prices, the portions you will be receiving are massive and also the food itself is delicious.

2) Pekin: If you are craving Asian food, Pekin is where you need to be. From fried rice to curry chicken to more typical Argentine food like asado meat, you can pile on as much as you want and your bill will most likely not go over 50 pesos (or near 5 dollars). There is also an extensive salad bar, if you decide to opt for a more healthier option.

3) Taragüí: Do you like empanadas? Taragüí offers a wide variety of empanadas to choose from but also at a cheap price -- 11 pesos for one empanada (or near 1 dollar). Despite being inexpensive, the empanadas taste heavenly and are prepared within minutes for you to start eating.

4) Club de la Milanesa: This is a bit more pricey than the ones I have listed before, with the typical meal here costing around 90 pesos or near 9 dollars. Club de la Milanesa specializes in the typical Argentine dish of milanesa. Milanesa has Italian origins but is essentially a thin slice of meat (normally beef or chicken) covered in bread crumbs and fried in oil. The restaurant offers variations of the milanesa and has become one of my favorite places to dine. I normally order the -- wait for it -- Americana pollo, which is chicken milanesa topped with grilled onions, bacon, and a fried egg. For me, it is a taste of home at a relatively cheap price. I never finish the portion I receive, so it essentially makes for two meals.

5) Smeterling: While Smeterling is not where one goes for a meal, it is the to-go place for dessert. You walk into Smeterling to see a gorgeous display of cakes, cookies, and macaroons, and despite what you may order, it will definitely keep you coming back for more. One pastry here costs around 40 pesos (or near 4 dollars), while the cookies and macaroons are sold by units for around 10 pesos each (or near 1 dollar).