17 december days in argentina

Buenos Aires

to eat:

• iLatina: make a reservation, bring your appetite, and don’t even think about getting out of here in under 2 hours. we made the mistake of booking a 7 o’clock dinner followed by a 10pm tango show and were rushing to make the show. the food here is incredible, a vegetarian tasting menu is available, and the ambiance is hip but cozy.

• don julio grill: when in argentina, one must eat steak. this place always has a wait, but we went on the early side, put our names in, then found a bar around the corner for a drink and watched a sidewalk jazz band. don julio serves sparkling wine to those waiting, which is a nice touch. per mat, the steaks are perfection, and there were ample tasty side dishes that i didn’t leave feeling starved. we got to sit at the only two seats at the bar and watch the cooks work, an experience i always enjoy.

• san telmo market: wander the nearby flea markets and then stop here for whatever kind of food you’re feeling.

to do:

• recoleta cemetery: the argentinians take their cemeteries very seriously. the cemetery where evita is buried (just follow the crowd and you’ll find it), you can get lost for hours wandering among the collection ornate and opulent well-maintained vaults along with the more modest and occasional neglected ones.

• see a tango show: many tango shoes come with a pre-fixe dinner. we opted to just see the show, so we went to querandi. it was enjoyable to watch the evolution of tango, and it wasn’t too long, which i appreciated since it started at 10 o’clock at night.

• for the book lover, visit ateneo grand splendid, an old theater turned bookstore that offers a quiet place to get lost amongst shelves of spanish language books in a stunning setting.

Ushuaia

to eat/drink:

• ana y juana: good coffee with almond milk available, cute decor with upstairs seating, and very clean bathrooms.

• casa olmo: a nice quiet place to get a drink. no wines by the glass, but i had a mini sparkling wine and the music was not too aggressive.

• el viejo marinero: the place to go for reasonably priced and delicious king crab. there was a line at quarter to 7 both days we were there. we got there a little after opening, waited 45 minutes, and they were pretty much out of whole crabs right after we ordered.

• dona lupita: a bit up the hill from everything else, but good pizza with nice views.

to do:

• tour the beagle channel: through this company we got to go in a small groups to a little island where penguins wander and nest, then tour a facility that studies whales and has a multitude of skeletons of ocean creatures. you then take a boat back to the town of ushuaia, which was so beautiful and serene.

El Chalten

to get to el chalten we flew into calafate and took a taxi from the airport to the bus station and then you can pretty much take any bus that’s leaving next. there are several companies to choose from, but they all seem pretty similar in quality and price. i do recommend a double decker bus if possible and sit on the top level as close to the front windows as you can, because on the stretch of road approaching the town the view is spectacular, trust me.

to eat/drink:

• la birre: this restaurant was right next door to our hotel and offered a lentil burger, which was a very welcome change from all the pasta and assorted other carbs i had been living on until this point. it’s also very close to the entrance/exit of the laguna de los tres hike, where we were very excited to have beers and fries upon completing that all day trek.

• maffia trattoria: amazing and fresh homemade pasta, all the carbs you need after an active (or inactive- you do you!) day in chalten.

to do:

el chalten seems like a town built around people that just want to go hiking, rock climbing, camping, insert outdoorsy activity here. if you’re not into that stuff, i really don’t know what you would do on a visit here. we did the day-long laguna de los tres trek, at the end of which you see the infamous fitz roy mountain range (better known as the patagonia clothing company label design). the hike probably takes on average 8 hours, and i wouldn’t describe it as a particularly difficult hike except for the last 1-2 miles, which are straight uphill and a little slippery at times. the end result, however, is 100% worth it.

El Calafate

we took the bus back from el chalten to el calafate then grabbed a taxi to our hotel solares del sur, which was a little far from the center of town, but the walk was easy enough and a good way to get in a little more exercise. we loved this hotel, which felt a little more like a cabin. at one point we had a cat guest come in through the window and naturally we fed it a lot and it slept with us on some nights and it was delightful.

there are a lot of stray dogs wandering around el calafate, but they seem pretty well fed/cared for. i will say that it’s not a great idea to buy treats at the grocery store and feed them, though. we did that and one followed us most of the way out of town and i felt terrible about it. it’s hard to be a dog person sometimes.

to eat/drink:

• kau kaleshen: a charming log cabin one block off the main street. they have a fondue and tea service available, but just had wine and snacks before dinner. we were drawn to the location for the two small tables in the beautiful front garden and enjoyed the company of two young pups that entertained us and then went about their business elsewhere in town.

• isabel: serves ploughs which are large stews and are very tasty accompanied by fresh bread and scallion butter. it got very busy and i would recommend reservations and a hearty appetite.

• buenos cruces: first of all, i have to comment on the staff here. they are SO nice. they introduce themselves when you walk in, ask your name, and then refer to you by name for your entire experience. the food here is also excellent. mat claims their lamb is “the best i’ve had in my life” and i enjoyed my lentil burger. they are very accommodating to the vegetarian diet.

• quidu: this was the restaurant attached to our hotel, and it was delicious. i had fresh pasta with cream sauce and mushrooms and it was decadent but not excessive.

to do:

• safari experience: this was an enjoyable way to spend a day. a vintage land cruiser picks you up from your hotel and takes you up to the hills to see the guanacos and birds, and a nice lunch is provided. was it the most fascinating part of our whole trip? no. but it was pleasant and we met some nice people.

• ice trekking: let’s be real, this is what everyone comes to el calafate for. the perito moreno glacier in all its frozen glory is the third largest glacier in the world, and people come from all over to walk on it and witness the epic calving (when the ice breaks off and falls into the water). we did the big ice trek, and to be honest, i couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. it’s hard to walk in crampons and one icy cavern looks the same as all the others. it was expensive and didn’t include any food. i would’ve been perfectly happy to do the mini trek just to say that i’ve walked on a glacier and my knees would’ve hurt less. the whiskey on glacier ice at the end of the boat ride was a nice touch, though.

Bariloche

• el vegetariano: there’s not really a menu here, they just bring you a platter of assorted vegetarian food and it kind of feels like you’re in someone’s house rather than a restaurant. the food was tasty and it was a nice walk from our hotel.

• restaurante la marmite: this place is both kinds of cheesy. we got fondue with lots of fixins like carrots, tomatoes, sausages, and bread. they also had an excellent music selection.

• alto y fuego: a cute lil cottage on a hill with very good steak, good wine list, and tasty salad and grilled vegetables. reservation recommended.

to do:

• german history walking tour: apparently lots of nazis fled germany and landed in bariloche, and this walking tour will tell you all about why this particular location and several stories about some that didn’t get away with it. i do love a walking tour, because sitting still is hard.

• bike the circuito chico: we took the public bus from town to this bike rental shop. there’s no bike lane, so you’re biking with cars, but it’s not overly busy so it feels safe enough. this is a very beautiful 17 mile loop, relatively easy if you’re in decent shape, though the last few miles were a little rough on my butt, as i don’t ride bikes with any kind of regularity. make sure to stop at the patagonia brewing company for a drink and/or lunch. the view is unparalleled.

Chacras de Coria

we stayed a couple days in mendoza prior to taking a taxi to chacras, and honestly, i don’t have much to say about mendoza. we stayed at a nice hotel and spent one day lounging by the pool, but there was not a whole lot to do in the city itself. i would recommend flying there and then promptly leaving to the wine country. we stayed at posada el encuentro, which was quiet, the owners were incredibly nice and helpful, and the dogs on the street by the entrance were adorable and friendly.

to eat/drink:

• el mercadito: our hotel owner recommended this restaurant and it did not disappoint. if the weather permits, eat out on the deck under the market lights and enjoy a cocktail or glass/bottle of amazing local wine. there was plenty of veggie options and it just oozed romance.

• clos de chacras: a bit more of an upscale feel, with a tasting menu style offering for lunch. we sat by the pond and watched the koi swim while having a delightful meal.

• bodega pulmary: a small winery in the middle of town that also makes beer. no food offered, but the wines were excellent.

• viamonte winery: one of the more expansive wineries in the area, this spot also has a full restaurant with tasty food offerings in addition to their collection of good wines.

to do:

• bike to wineries: all we wanted to do for the final installment of this trip was to drink wine and relax, and this felt like a good way to see the region at a leisurely pace, enjoy some scenery, and drink some wine. The staff at this bike shop was very helpful, gave a detailed map, and offered suggestions for how to spend the day. it was the perfect way end to an amazing albeit very busy adventure.