I like to think I have a decent grasp on the 7 deadly sins. I’m not overly vain, anger isn’t an issue for me, and sloth & laziness have never fit into my neurotically busy life. But when we headed to La Cabrera in Buenos Aires for dinner last night, that one little tiny vice-o-mine came crashing into full view.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Gluttony.
Yea yea yea, I know it’s a sin. But it was my 37th birthday and I’ll find any excuse to indulge and overdo it on every possible level. And last night I think we all exceeded our goals.
Buenos Aires is packed with parillas, the traditional Argentine meal of grilled beef that makes the Texas barbecues I grew up with pale in comparison. It’s not my goal to incite a riot here, but you can’t deny the love and passion the porteños have when it comes to their beef. I figured there could be no better way to celebrate than with wine, beef, and good friends.
La Cabrera is located in the Palermo Viejo area of Buenos Aires. Filled with tree lined streets, the area is home to small boutiques, cafes, warehouses and artists’ galleries and is quite the hot spot for hipsters and urbanites alike. I’ve had my share of parillas, some great and some not-so-great, so when La Cabrera was recommended by everyone we met along our trip I knew it could not be missed. We arrived at 9 to a restaurant that was cozy yet packed, loud and filled with the sounds of people leisurely enjoying a meal. We were strategically seated in the crowded room, ordered a decent bottle of torrontes and proceeded to sin. And sin we did.
I’m had my share of large meals, but my eyes and delicate sensibilities (hahaha) are always so shocked when an Argentine steak is placed before me. It’s always large, it’s always prepared with nothing more than salt, and I always wonder if I will be able to finish it. And finish it I always do.
I ordered ojo de bife, a punto. This is basically a rib eye, prepared “a punto” which translates to medium. As a rule, Argentina tends to cook their meat longer than we are used to, and this fact caused a bit of frustration with my traveling friends (we’ve sinced learned to ask for things “jugoso”). But in La Cabrera’s case, my steak was perfect and completely delicious, served with an assortment of sides like eggplant and nuts, couscous, tomatoes in sauce, sweet pickled garlic and various small salads. Yes, I tasted everything that was offered, but I was so completed enthralled with my steak that almost nothing else seemed to exist in that moment in time.
Like most meals here in Buenos Aires, we left a few hours later, completely satisfied and in a true beef frenzy. La Cabrera was so completely delicious that we have plans on returning and doing it all over again next week.
Gluttony never tasted so good.
La Cabrera, Cabrera 5099, Cuidad de Buenos Aires, Palermo. Tel: 4831-7002
happy birthday matt (belated!). looks like you're having a fantastic time.
Posted by:Andreea | February 15, 2007 at 07:15 AM
Happy belated birthday Matt !!!!
Posted by:Chicken Fried Gourmet | February 15, 2007 at 04:56 PM
That charming smile says it all: You are just too happy to be there! Happy birthday Matt!
Posted by:Cenk | February 16, 2007 at 08:07 AM
Hi Matt, I sat beside you and your friends that night at La Cabrera. What a wonderful blog!
I have a picture of you and your crew from that night. Please send me your email address and I'll shoot it on over.
We've just left BsAs but our hotel concierge highly recommended El Boliche de Dario. We sadly couldn't make it but all of the young hotel staff drooled at the mere mention of the name. It's somewhere north of the city but he swears that it's truly authentic with zero tourists and all the parilla (ask for the "parillada") you could possibly ask for.
Mel & Hugh (aka the Canadians)
Posted by:Melanie (the Canadian) | February 18, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Ok, i'm a little behind... (as usual)
Belated Happy Birthday!!!
You're looking gorgeous in your photo as usual. 37? Really? I'd say, you look a lot younger than that. Honest.
Posted by:Mae | March 06, 2007 at 01:36 PM