Upon getting on a plane has not been the only way to travel. However, for a while this part in Buenos Aires this idea has taken new flight: they are increasingly Restaurants who masterfully dominate world cuisine. A marinated herring can transport to a Nordic table, the spicy of a kimchi to A Seoul Street and the aroma of the just baked bread to take us without scales to a market of Tel Aviv. And they are just some of the scenes that can be lived in the vibrant Gourmet panorama of the city.
Old World, new flavors
The European influence in Buenos Aires goes far beyond the triad France-Spain-italia. A great example is Berria By Sagardi, the last chapter of the story written in the country the brothers Iñaki and Mikel López de Viñaspre For more than 16 years. “Berria” means “new” in Basque, and here the new comes from the hand of a five -meter jack that governs the kitchen, designed to work each product at its exact point. Oysters from the San Blas Bay, ham croquettes, cod fritters, matured old cow txuleton and rice in fire are just some milestones of a letter that combines technical precision, quality product and the spirit of the Basque taverns, with a pintx bar included.
Towards schoolboys, Marta is much more than a restaurant: it is a project where art and gastronomy merger. Chef Marta Wajda, formed at the Academy of Fine Arts of Krakow, converts each dish into a canvas that combines tradition, creativity and flavor. Located in a historic house, space is also gallery, orchard and workshop. Its menu, which works to the letter or as a tasting, changes periodically, playing with local and techniques that cross Polish influences, but also French, Patagonian and Peruvians.
Another chef that invites you to travel with mastery is Tomás Kalika, who wears the Jewish tradition of haute cuisine in Mishiguene. Their dishes travel through Eastern Europe and extend to the Middle East and North Africa, reinterpreting family recipes with contemporary techniques and seasonal ingredients. From the Kneidalaj soup with ginger and lemongrass to the bureauka of potato and truffle or the lamb brave to red wine, each bite tells a travel and belonging story.
And if the intention is to look out the Scandinavian cuisine, The Swedish club provides a complete experience. Located within the Nordic Church, it proposes a tour of the traditional cuisine of Sweden. “It is what a Swedish would eat on a festive date or at his grandmother’s house: classic recipes where fish is the protagonist,” explains Martín Varela, in charge of space. Fish such as Salmon Gravlax, Codao and the classic sandwhich (here recreated with lacha of the coast) share prominence with spicy pickups and pork meats, among others. Although perhaps the most celebrated is the “Smörgåsbord” that is served on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, a typical buffet that combines cold, hot and dessert preparations, accompanied by hot wine. The celebration is completed with live music and a unique environment, where entering the hall implies crossing the nave of the church.
East on each dish
In Villa Crespo, Christina Sunae and Florencia Ravioli found the formula to unite the Filipino cuisine with Southeast Asian flavors and the concept of tapas. “Asian soul, local products” is the slogan of points, and they comply with Rajataba: they work with Argentine producers, but also with key imported supplies, such as Thai coconut milk or Chinese soy sauce. Here the star dish is the Inihaw Na Pusitan entire squid from Puerto Madryn, filling of tomato and green, grilling and accompanied by seasonal fruits and a philippine sauce of banana ketchup. They are also famous their steamed breads, prepared entirely in their kitchen, just like vinegars, sauces and pasta. Among the irresistible oddities is the empanada of ilocos, with dough of rice flour and achiote, filled with flesh with burned coconut curry and roasted jalapeños. Inaugurated in 2019, points out the pandemic, grew and moved to a wider place with terrace, where the public (from BAOS fans to grandmothers who discover the dumpling) is installed as a trip without a passport.
In the Buenos Aires map there is also a place for Arab-Sefaradí influence: this is carried out Liliana Helueni, with more than two decades holding this proposal. Each recipe works as a bridge between generations: open lahmayin, fried kibbe, boios, phalafel, muarrak, hummus and babaganush live with festive stews such as the yabrak of Parra or the baked pastrón, and with handmade desserts such as mamul, Baklava or Kadaif. In his simple and warm hall, for Liliana cooking with his daughter, he becomes a natural extension of family history, and it is not uncommon for some diner to confess that a dish brought memories of his childhood.
And if what is sought are Vietnamese flavors, Saigon comes to the rescue. With three branches, about energy and Vietnam’s street food aromasreinterpreted with subtlety Buenos Aires. Its menu combines influences from this country, but also from France and Argentina, and proposes Bowls of noodles, Nems, Curries and other emblematic dishes that maintain the essence of tradition and add a contemporary touch.
But not everything is homemade or street flavor, in this global imprint there is also room for haute cuisine. From Villa Crespo, they have redefines this concept in Korean key with an intimate and theatrical format. Led by chef Pablo Park, the restaurant invites diners to sit in an U -shaped bar to see live the creation of each dish, presented by the chefs themselves, in a minimalist and enigmatic space that combines wood, stone and concrete.
The menu, always in evolution, is inspired by seasonality and narratives such as “Obangsaek”, the five traditional colors of Korea, with pairings designed to enhance fermented and spicy flavors. The artisanal dishes, the curatorship of wines and the nearby interaction make a complete and pioneering sensory experience in the region.
With each new opening, Buenos Aires widens its map of flavors and confirms that its identity is also built through what is eaten. From a Swedish buffet to a Korean bite served in a bar, passing through Filipino steamed breads or a family kibbe, the city becomes a territory where curiosity and good eating are found without borders.
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