The North American chef Dave Soaty crossed 13 borders to reach Argentina. Along the way, he learned about products, collected recipes and stories, and when he finally decided to settle in Buenos Aires, he created a menu that reflected that journey. At the beginnings of 13 Frontiers, the stories and experimentation behind each dish -Dave is a born experimenter, with a very solid technique- outweighed the taste. Today his kitchen found a balance. The concept he was looking for settled and the trip is enjoyed not only with the head, but also with the palate.
The proposal is to choose your own trip. There are dishes influenced by Mexican, Venezuelan, Ecuadorian, etc. and also from various parts of our country. You can try exotic products such as the yacaratiá, an edible wood that our coast shares with Paraguay; quail cured in yerba mate; rabbit confit and sautéed in shoyu (soy sauce, in this case the product of the fermentation of coffee beans); the duck magret with dulce de leche goat; and, roast ice cream (controversial). Some experiments work better than others, but it is worth trying everything because miracles happen like the one experienced by this chronicler: I liked tripe! The only product in the world that I reject, it became something tasty thanks to a sauce of Ecuadorian-inspired peanuts, achote and ají amarillo.
There are dishes that dazzle, such as Vacaciones de Panamá: a tuna tartare cured with roses, with homemade sour cream, peach and dill, wrapped in squash blossoms and served in clam sauce and dill oil; the trio of nachos, one of lamb gizzards, another of anticucho de corazón and the third of grasshoppers (stuffed crickets) al pastor; and the surprise dessert La llorona, with no description on the menu but with an impressive history, flavor and presentation.
There are also delicious drinks, such as the Jalisco garden, with gin and Flor de Jamaica syrup.
Another original aspect of 13 fronteras is that you eat at a bar, opening a direct dialogue with the chef and the charismatic hostess/bartender/waitress with violet hair.
