The concept is ambitious: a letter that travels the world. There are dishes from Mexico, Thailand, India, Korea, France, Italy, etc. in versions adapted to the Argentine palate. The bar has a leading role, both in space and in the proposal, and the cocktail bar, in charge of Santiago Contarino, also travels the world, with good signature drinks based on pisco, bourbon, Scotch whisky, rum and gin, among others. The space is attractive, all painted blue, with a large patio and several levels to enjoy a meal in the dim light.
The kitchen is in charge of Pablo Aroma, ex Nicky Harrison, who previously dedicated himself mainly to pastry, which is reflected in the quality of the bread and desserts. The food menu has some strong points like a delicious pâté truffled with chicken livers, to spread on a perfect walnut bread. It is a flavor close to our palate, and the dishes that are further away lack that forcefulness. The ideas are good, but layers of flavor and textures are missing, especially in “ethnic” dishes like the anticuchera gizzard taco, a cross between Mexico, Peru and Argentina (oh, the obsession we have with gizzards!) in which the yellow pepper, onion pickles and cilantro are not enough to leave their foreign imprint.
Other dishes that stand out on the menu are, among the appetizers, El Hueso (veal shank with its marrow, served with a baguette), duck rillette (a variant of pâté) with cucumber pickles, also served with a baguette for spread. Among the main dishes, the most original dishes are the Korean-style gnocchi (made from rice flour) with mushroom dashi, green beans, string beans and fresh mushrooms; and the duck breast (it’s good that they use this delicious meat so much) with kale purée, quince, mustard marinade, and duck stock reduction.
They have a tasting menu option that allows you to choose a starter, a main course, and a dessert from the menu, plus a drink. It’s a good start, but this Andante still has a long way to go.
