[BUENOS AIRES] — Continuing my pursuit of visiting all the restaurants of my favorite chef, Francis Mallmann, after an all-night flight, I had a five hour layover at the Buenos Aires airport.  I planned to take a car into the city to have lunch at his famous restaurant Patagonia Sur in BA’s colorful La Boca neighborhood, then head back to the airport and continue my journey. Patagonia Sur is one of the best restaurants in Buenos Aires, if not one of the best restaurants in South America.

I asked my travel agent to make a reservation and when I got there, I pushed a doorbell with a bzzzzzz, they unlocked the door and let me in. There was no one there but the extremely nice waiter, who led me to my table.

I had the best seat in the house to drink it all in. Sumptuous deep blood red curtains and a leather-colored stucco walls. A golden glow from the sunning streaming in and the vintage light fixtures. My favorite: the Buenos Aires-perfect faded black and white tiles. This restaurant has been open for decades but still feels so fresh and perfect. I wish my house looked exactly like this.

After a while, I still noticed nobody else had come. I asked “Where is everybody? There’s no one else here.” and he replied: “We’re normally not open for lunch, but you had made a reservation so we opened up early for you.”  I think that’s a perfect example of the extremely gracious hospitality I’ve found at Francis‘s other restaurants.

I asked “Where is everybody? There’s no one else here.” and he replied: “We’re normally not open for lunch, but you had made a reservation so we opened up early for you.”

Being the only one in the restaurant, I found myself with a new camera to figure out and time to explore every nook and cranny of this beautiful place. I’m sure the nice waiter thought I was a freak.

I turned right and noticed The Chairs. Beautiful works of art: riveted airplane steel frames forming elegant sculptural arches. The perfect honey colored leather stretched to form a body. I stared at these for a very long time.

Man, the French have pea gravel and bougainvillea down right, Italians have decay perfectly, Argentinians have black and white tile down pat.

And then there’s the food. Even better than my best hopes. Everything I love. Rustic and complex, but not fussy or fancy. You can see the earth and taste the fire in nearly every dish. Amazing.

It was just me and the patient waiter, with me giggling and pounding the table as I took my first bite of each course. It’s expensive for Buenos Aires — more like New York prices vs. the incredible value you find elsewhere — but it’s worth every penny.  I can only imagine what it’s like with people. Pinch me.

Buenos Aires’ Colorful La Boca Neighborhood

Patagonia Sur is located in the famous La Boca neighborhood. A rough and tumble, seedy and not seedy neighborhood — consider it the Naples of Buenos Aires — known for it’s colorful characters and buildings. The whole place is like a postcard rack.

 

— Last visited: March 2011 —

Here’s a review in Goop on Patagonia Sur. And the TripAdvisor review for info. And a brief listing in The Infatuation.