eatdiet2

If one is famished from dancing, one can always curb their hunger at a breed of restaurant called Buffet Restaurant (tendora libre), commonly found in Buenos Aires. The price changes according to the type of meals (e.g. lunch vs. dinner) and the day of the week (most expensive over the weekends).

As I was informed, the original Buffet Restaurants were mainly Chinese Buffet, offering bargain prices for big meals, and were originally the money laundry devices for the Chinese gangsters.

Even nowadays, across the street from Cafiteria Ideal, I could still spot a 5 pesos per person (excluding beverages) Chinese buffet restaurant. I did not eat there, but the roasted piglet at the display window sure looks enticing.

Almost all the buffet restaurants claimed to offer "international" cuisine. But I noticed that the restaurants were all better in their Italian fairs; the international dishes did not taste authentic.

At the end of my stay in Buenos Aires, we managed to visit a 5 star brand new buffet restaurant called Marini, at the intersection of the streets Sante Fe and Scarabrini Ortiz. With 17 pesos excluding beverage, which was considered an upper end price tag, one could taste exquisitely prepared food items made to order in their various display kitchens. The waiters were prompt in replacing silverware in between sittings that showed the calibre of that buffet restaurant. However, as the food was made to order, it also took time; that was the only flaw in the operation of that restaurant. But I managed to get around it by requesting one of the many waiters to fetch the dishes for me.

Here is the piglet again, before it was roasted, and afterwards. The pork in this country tastes a bit gamy.

Other chefs were preparing dishes a la minute, such as the ham and the sushi. To me, two three trips to the sushi bar was worth the patronage to this restaurant.

All decent buffet restaurants always feature an asado grill section and a dessert section. At the dessert section, their banana or apple pancake, soaked with buttered syrup and flamed till it is crispy and chewy outside, is outright delicious.

Looking at how Linda and Laurie were addicted to the pancakes, it is a living proof of how delicious this dish was.

My friends and I were having good time at these kind of restaurants, and in fact, we came here not only to feast ourselves, but to ensure a fastest meal while we were running around between milongas.

At Marini, with Claude, Linda and Laurie.

At a popular Buffet Restaurant close to El Beso with Sylvia and Marcello who happened to be very grouchy in this picture.

At Cocina & Co. with Jessica, Ricardo and Lee.