Hello March. You’ve been fair, extending summer and producing good weather, a great harvest in Mendoza.
But food wise, meh, not so much.
I’m eager to wave you off and welcome my new best friend April, who promises a frenzy of feasting and drinking for the next 30 days. She’s really pulled it out the bag this year, so March, jog on please and make way for next month!
BA Food Week
The fourth edition of Buenos Aires Food Week from April 13-26 begins a month of intensive gastro activity.
The format is essentially the same – fixed menus for lunch and dinner at restaurants in and around Buenos Aires and menus can be a combination of lunch, the dinner or both – and there’s always a flurry of excitement about which new eateries are be.
And there’s plenty to write home about, with at least 10 restaurants making their debut to share the food love.
Palermo Hollywood launch Uco (Buenos Aires Herald, January 18, 2015), which opened at the end of 2014, and Tô, the long-standing classy Frapanese eatery, are new additions to the mix, while glamorous bar Ralph’s in Soho, another 2014 opening, and Italian stallion L’Adesso also join the ranks.
Following the Caesar Park Hotel’s revamp that included a name change (to The Brick Hotel), the Recoleta lodging’s restaurant has undergone the same treatment. Led by Jamie Oliver-trained chef Germán Ruberto, The Brick Kitchen waves the banner as a Recoleta addition to Food Week, as does La causa nikkei, a casual Peruvian style eatery on Callao that opened six months ago.
It’s all pretty tempting, isn’t it?
For those of you who live outside cap-i-tal, you should definitely get a wriggle on to Alo’s. Alejandro Feraud’s on-the-ball bistro is worth the effort even for townies, and will surely be a hot ticket in the northern suburbs.
But the pièce de résistance is the inclusion of – wait for it – La Mar Cebichería (Buenos Aires Herald, March 8, 2015). The timing couldn’t be more perfect for punters to try Gastón Acurio’s latest offering, which is in the able hands of Anthony Vázquez. Now officially open, as soon as the Food Week gates open, book that table via Restorando. You’ve been told.
More info: www.bafoodweek.com
Masticar 2015
What? Masticar is about to happen again?
That’s right folks, the springtime food fair has shifted its tail and will now take place this autumn from April 16-19 at El Dorrego once again. And it’s probably a wise decision as those pesky presidential elections will be held round about the usual Masticar time, and no one wants politics to interfere with their eating, least of all me…
The upshot? More Masticar! The downside? We might not see it again until 2016 which seems a really long way off right now.
The good folk at the Acelga gastro association – cooks, restaurateurs, bar owners and the like – have joined forces for a fourth edition, and pre-launched the city’s most exciting food fair on Thursday with a taster at El Galpón de Milagros in Palermo Soho.
This edition will be the year of the food truck without a doubt. Recently given space over four days at Los Arcos shopping district, and with city government presenting a bill to legalise chori stands, pati park-ups and vació vans, mobile spin-offs by big names as well as smaller catering services will be second to none. Four were pulling rank in a space for eight to 10 stands at the taste-test, including Martín MacDonnell’s Retro Food Truck which is a cute converted VW camper van, Logia Food Truck, by Pablo Erli, Bon Bouquet Creperie and old favourite La Cabrera.
Given that there’s now an Asociación Argentina de Food Trucks – that’s exactly what it’s called – plus even the Masticar logo features a food truck for this edition, this will be all about the street food. Yippee!
Also taking matters up a gear – literally – was chef Diego García Tedesco and his Food Bike. Despite the burning heat, Diego pedalled his way to juicy heaven, mixing up a pineapple smoothie for punters, the most ecologically sound way to a drink I’ve ever seen.
More info: www.feriamasticar.com.ar
Malbec World Day
Argentina’s foremost grape naturally celebrates itself, not just here but all around the world every April 17.
This year is no exception and one event spreading its global wings is Lights, Action, Malbec, a series of short films focusing on the wine-derful world of our sacred red grape. Corazón Viñador, Amor en barrica and Carrusel are made by local filmmakers (the former by food writer Cayetana Vidal Buzzi) and will be screened at events in New York, Washington and Europe.
More info: www.malbecworldday.com
In Buenos Aires, however, wine fans can participate in Malbec Open Day, an event organised in the name of solidarity. Get sipping at Gato Dumas cookery school, EAS sommelier school, and the Centro de enólogos enologists centre on April 11, anticipating the world day.
More info: reserve your place via Eventioz.
Buenos Aires Herald, March 22, 2015