beyond empanadas...

dark chocolate + dulce de leche

2010-12-12T10:06:00.000-08:00

a sweet article in the new york times about a new dulce de leche by 'la salamandra'. dulce de leche + dark chocolate sounds a bit too much, but i was just at their cafe in palermo, and it actually is quite good. not too sweet and perfect with bread or crackers (yep, that's how i like it)

BA veggies

2010-03-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

I came across this article on the New York Times about veggie restaurants in the Palermo Hollywood area. Check it out!

Mister Tea

2009-12-31T04:47:00.000-08:00

Tea connection

barrio norte

palermo

puerto madero

The idea of going for tea in Buenos Aires is almost unheard of. Tea is something you have at home. A very uneventful thing. If you are out, you go for coffee, not tea. Tea Connection is trying (successfully) to change all that. First of all they are located in some of the best areas of this city. Their tea selection is amazing and varied, and they serve freshly baked goodies till late, everyday. Their lunches are pretty good and they also sell these delicious flavored water. My favorite thing, though are the pancakes.....

This is the kind of place where you can come with your computer, sit down, sip some tea, have pancakes and check your Facebook account. You can let your friends know that you are in buenos aires drinking tea and not coffee. And eating pancakes and not medialunas.. (the do serve medialunas and coffee, by the way).

New Stockholm, old vices

2009-10-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

-Espresso baren, Moderna Museet, Stockholm

So, I'm in Stockholm these days (and yes, I'm already missing empanadas), that's why I haven't been able to post anything these last past weeks. I've started a new blog here in Sweden. I'll be back in Buenos Aires some time soon, i hope. I promise to post lots then! In the meantime enjoy 'New Stockholm'

Buenos Aires tea party

2009-08-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

El Ultimo Beso
4880 Nicaragua
mon/sat 9am 2am
4832-7711

When I lived in London I had a bit of a hard time trying to find a place to go for afternoon tea. I mean, it's an english tradition, right? And still, nothing. I had to conform with coffee at Nero, or the noisy place around the corner. Bad music, bad coffee.
I know that there are places that play bad music and serve bad coffee and tea in Buenos Aires. But, I also know that I can always count on 'El Ultimo Beso' for a refined afternoon of tea and a massive amount of cakes and cookies freshly baked everyday. On saturdays they have a massive cakes and cookies' buffet'. The loose tea is especially selected and the coffee is quite good. Also, the place just looks great, if a little on the girlie side, which explains why most of the customers are nice looking ladies. But again, that's fine by me. Who would complain? Tea plus cakes Plus lovely ladies.
And you don't have to go to London.

Beyond medialunas

2009-07-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

Argentina's been having a bit of a rough time lately. The global crisis first and now the swine flu pandemic, that has hit this country the hardest, after the US. A combination of bad government, bad timing and plain bad luck has made the situation worst than in other countries. I guess the best we can all do, local and visitors alike is to be careful, wash our hands often, avoid public gatherings (not easy in a big city like Buenos Aires) and not get too paranoid.
When times are tough, nothing better than some good comfort food, like medialunas.
This blog could well be called 'beyond medialunas', since they seem to be a staple in the local diet. They are a smaller, sweeter version than the all too popular croissants. People have them usually for breakfast with cafe con leche. There are 2 kinds of medialunas:
. de manteca -fluffy, thick and quite sweet
. de grasa -thin, flaky not as sweet

So, if you are visiting this lovely city, or are already here, remember to wash your hands and avoid public gatherings. Oh, and don't forget to order some good medialunas. They will make life a little sweeter, even in these rough times.

Photo by Martin Lavega

books + music + coffee

2009-06-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

Boutique del Libro
1762 Thames
4833 6637:
mon/thu 10am-10pm
fri 10am 11pm.
sat 11am-11pm
sun 2pm-10pm

I was talking about my favorite cafes ever other day. and several ones came to mind. From Nordic Bakery and Fernandez & Wells in London, Teany in NYC and Albert & Jack's in Stockolm all these cafes have something in common: Great location, amazing food and coffee, perfect atmosphere and just that something that makes them special. Whether it's the best cinnamon rolls ever or a huge tea selection, there's something that sets them apart from the rest.
If I had to choose my favorite cafe in Buenos Aires, and this is not easy, I mean, why choose one, when I can go to all of them? but for argument's sake, if I had to choose one, then 'Boutique del Libro' would be my pick. It's a music shop, a book store and an amazing cafe. They have a great selection of cd's and dvd's. thousands of books, from arts to politics and everything in between.
Everytime I go to la 'Boutique del Libro' there's amazing music playing. Cat Power, the National, Bonnie Prince Billy and many more will make the afternoon a much more pleasant one.
Located in a quite area of Palermo Soho, 'la Boutique del Libro' is the perfect place for a cozy afternoon of music, coffee and music.
It might be your favorite cafe, too. It certainly is mine..

Naturally natural

2009-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Natural Deli
opened everyday till late
1776 Gorostiaga st.
1672 Laprida st.
4514 1776

After a few days of eating medialunas with cafe con leche for breakfast, your stomach starts complaining. You feel tired, cranky and stuffed. You'll soon start craving for natural food.
An apple or a walnut would do. But there's a more appetizing solution: 'Natural Deli'.
Mike, the owner and organic food's crusader, came from London to teach us that good natural, fresh, organic and veggie food can actually taste good. Organic coffee, scramble eggs, home made granola, french toast and home organic jams will redefine a typical breakfast in Buenos Aires. For lunch there's quiche, sandwiches, wraps, soups and freshly pressed juice, lemonade and ice tea. All good and fresh.
This is not a fast food place and they do take their time to prepare the meals, so patience is a must (you are in Buenos Aires after all). Natural Deli has two branches and they are planning to open up a few more. And yes, they sell apples and walnuts, too..

(Not a) Corner deli

2009-05-03T17:56:00.001-07:00

Mark's Deli
El Salvador 4701
mon/sat 830am-930pm
sun 1030am9pm

I was slightly reluctant to write about this place. But why? It's always packed, so they definitely don't need any extra publicity. Then, they didn't let me take pictures. I really wonder why? I hate it when places impose this kind of stupid restrictions on paying customers. And it's expensive.
So why am I still writing? Well, despite the fact that it's always packed, they don't let you take pictures and the waiters are cranky, the place is a classic in the Palermo Soho area. They were one of the pioneers in the neighborhood, when they opened back in 2002.
From ice coffee to orange/chocolate pound cake to the sandwiches and salads there's a big selection to choose from. Everything is freshly made everyday.
Mark's isn't really a deli, as it's know in the states, although you can take stuff to go. It's more of a NYC style coffee house (I mention NYC since I lived there for years, I guess if I had lived in Chicago, or say Spokane, I would have said that it reminded me of either one of those cities).
I personally like Palermo, but there's a lack of good places to go for breakfast/lunch/afternoon coffee. The ones around Plaza Serrano are rather tacky and expensive. So places like Mark's Deli (and there are just a few in the area) are always a must go for those of us coffee nerds.
I always told myself that I wasn't going to write about Mark's Deli, but I just did. Maybe I wrote about it because I was there today and had a good time, even if it was crowded, expensive and they didn't let me take any pictures, except for the ones I managed to secretly take, of course..

How to order coffee

2009-04-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

A friend told me once: 'Never sacrifice a friendship for a kiss'. And I think there's a lot of truth in that. The thing is that in Argentina people kiss each other a lot, even with this swine flu thing. So I guess you do get to kiss your friends and keep them, too. That same friend tried to order a submarino thinking it was a sandwich.
I think it can be a bit difficult to know how to order coffee here. Sometimes the names are different and some other times the names are the same but the drink is different. So here's a quick list of different coffee drinks. I'm sure I'm forgetting one or two, but well... that's what you get for kissing friends.

cafe: small espresso
cortado: small espresso with a couple of drops of steamed milk
cortado jarrito: cortado on a larger cup
lagrima: steamed milk and a couple of drops of coffee, served on a small cup
lagrima jarrito: lagrima on a bigger cup
cafe con leche: espresso shot with steamed milk (pretty similar to a european capuccino)
capuccino: espresso shot with steamed milk, served on a big glass dusted with cocoa powder and cinnamon
submarino: steamed milk served with a bar of dark chocolate (not a sandwich!)

Boulevard

2009-01-29T13:34:00.001-08:00

Voulez bar
3802 Cervino st.
4802 4817
mon/sat 9am-1am

So it's hot, Buenos Aires is empty and there's not much to do. What are the options? I guess most people would head to 'los bosques de Palermo' area, by the zoo, to walk around the lakes and trees. Maybe hire some rollerblades or one of those ridiculous peddaling boats. Personally, since i'm not into sports or boats, I tend to go for nice coffee (or ice coffee!) and sit by a sidewalk somewhere under the trees. Voulez bar is perfect for that. It's on the way to the Palermo lakes, so you can sit down for coffee or lemonade and then head to the lakes. The food is fresh with a french twist (from salads to amazing sandwiches). In the afternoon there are pastries and cakes that would make anyone happy, Even in this hot weather..

Best cookies

2008-12-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

Sugar & Spice
5419 Guatemala st.
4777 5423

I could write for hours and hours about how Sugar and Spice cookies are the best ones in Buenos Aires, that the owner is a very hands on and an unusual business man (or cookie man!) and that their store/show room is a must visit for cookie nerds. But I won't. instead go check his blog, which is not only entertainig but inspiring and informative. And to me that's what a good blog is all about. Oh! And the cookies are fresh, with real chocolate chunks and inspiring, and to me that's what a good cookie is all about..

Buenos Aires pizza

2008-12-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

io te amasso
1885 Malabia st.
tue/sun 10am/midnite
4832 3111

El Cuartito
937 Talcahuano st.
4816 1758

Pizza pizza pizza... So much is said and argued about pizza in Buenos Aires. The best one, the crunchiest one. Everybody shows off their pizza knowledge and of course, I'm no exception.
When we talk about pizza, there's a distinction to be made: argentine style pizza and italian style pizza. The first one is cheesy, has a thick crust and can be eaten by the slice at several traditional pizza joints. The italian kind, tends to be thinner and lighter. not much loved by locals i'd say. Try to convince my dad to go eat one of those. In fact, most Portenos that have been to Italy complained that the pizza wasn't as good as the ones found in BA (!!!). Traditional places like Guerrin, Angelin and El Cuartito tend to be on the top list for local favorites. The latter to me is the best argentine style pizza. The place looks and feels like nothing i've ever seen before. The restaurant is huge, the walls covered with pictures of athletes, football players and boxers from a million years ago, the odd autographed picture. Even though there are lots of tables the place is packed most days. So if you don't want to wait, get there early. and early here is about 8.30pm, any later than that and you'll have to wait. Any earlier and the place most likely will be empty or closed (i'm exagerating). For a more authentic experience get a couple of slices to eat on the counter.
As far as italian style pizza goes my favorite place is 'io te amasso'. The ingredients are fresh, the crust is thin and crispy and the place is tiny and cozy. The vibe is always relaxed and never too packed. And the owner looks like Tony Bennet.
So there you have it: two of the best. Now try to convince my dad of that.

Size matters

2008-11-15T16:14:00.000-08:00

Florencio
2363 Francisco de Vittoria st.
9am-8pm
4807 6477

Could this be the cutest cafe in Argentina? I read somewhere that Florencio is the smallest cafe in Argentina, just five tables to sit on and a couple more outside. It's very hard to find, close to the British embassy, in Recoleta. The cakes are the best ones i've ever had. They also have a nice lunch menu with proper salads and sandwiches (no boring tostados here). They are open for dinner twice a week with a fix menu, on wednesdays and fridays.
Perfect place for an old school tea party with friends, now don't take many, though. Remember it's not only the cutest cafe in Argentina, but the smallest..

Go Baraka

2008-11-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Baraka
1450 Gurruchaga st.
4834 6427

Baraka became one of my favorite places to go for good organic coffee, pound cakes, amazing sandwiches and the best chocolate cake i've had in Buenos Aires so far. It's in a great area, near plaza serrano, but away from all the (annoying) mess. There's a sunny terrace, which is great, as long as it's not too sunny (too hot!) and comfy couches to sit inside. They have a really nice tea selection by Tealosophy
and the service is generally very friendly. Today I went for breakfast with my dad and then again for afternoon tea with a friend.. vote baraka!

Escape from B.A.

2008-10-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

Belinda
Casa Foa
Puerto de Frutos, Tigre
opened everyday
from 12pm-8pm
thru dec. 8th.
$25 fair tickets (cheaper for students)

Last saturday I went to architecture & design fair 'Casa Foa'. It was pretty good, but the best thing was finding cafe/deli Belinda. It was especially designed for the fair, but I think (and hope) it will remain open after the fair closes on dec. It's a beautiful space, right by the water, there's a community table lots of outdoor space and they take the chalkboard as a menu thing to the next level. The food is good, if a bit expensive. For lunch you can grab salads, sandwiches and quiche, for the afternoon, cookies, cakes, biscottis.. Now that it's getting warmer it's a good time to get out of Buenos Aires, take the train to Tigre and visit this fair.. Go tiger!

(juice)bar hopping

2008-10-07T17:26:00.000-07:00

Pura Vida
1489 Uriburu st.
mon/sat 1030am-9pm
4806 0017

Credit crisis, global meltdown, recession, blah blah bla... I guess in these uncertain times what we all need is to drink a bit of fresh juice and just relax. It might not solve the world's problems, but it will definitely make us feel fresher and better.
An almost vegetarian menu, all the fresh juice you can imagine, and good prices make Pura Vida a great option in over crowded Recoleta. The store is pretty tiny, so it's best to grab it to go, then walk down to Plaza Francia and sit there and watch all the tourists (and life) go by. Now, make Jack Lalanne proud and go to Pura Vida..

La pasta, la familia

2008-09-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Il Ballo del Mattone
5936/5950 Gorriti st.
opened for lunch everyday
and tue/sun for dinner
4776 4247

Where to go for good italian food in this city? There are many places to go for pasta, but few are proper italian. That's why I love going to Il ballo, they bake their own bread and make their own pasta everyday. Besides it's not your average restaurant. For example, they don't have a menu, they usually have three main dishes to choose from, a salad or two (who needs more?) and a couple of deserts (that i need more of!). All these option are written on a blackboard that's promptly brought to you when the menu is needed.
Pictures hanging on the colorful walls, good music and lots of people around make the place very lively and fun. Don't go for dinner without making a reservation, otherwise you are gonna have to wait outside forever watching people eating the best pasta in town....

Home(made jam)

2008-09-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Home Hotel
5860 Honduras st.
4778 1008

I read somewhere that the Home Hotel is owned by this english couple who would let their friends stay over when visiting BA, until they started charging guests and it became a business. Their idea was to keep it homey and friendly and they definitely achieved that.
Since i'm not their friend nor I can afford to stay there, I just go for afternoon tea (with scons and home made jam!) and brunch. Good music is always playing, the food is great and the garden area is just amazing, lots of greenery and a swimming pool.
Perfect for sleepy sunny days.. Home sweet home!

French kicks

2008-08-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

Chez Pauline
1695 Juncal st.
mon.sat. 9am-8pm
4816 9988

Pauline came from Paris to show us portenos what real french food and pastries are like. She opened Chez Pauline tea house (yes, they also sell coffee!) two and a half years ago. Since then, it has become the place to go for amazing leaf tea and delicious french treats (from flaky crossaints, pain au chocolat, brioches to quiche lorraine, tarte au brie and croque monsier, otherwise known as a tostado).
There's nothing like enjoying some green tea with cheese cake while listening to great french music.. olala!

Raw truth

2008-08-24T16:18:00.000-07:00

Verde llama
3623 Jorge Newbery st.
sun/ wed. 11am-6pm
thu/sat . 11am-midnight
4554 74 67

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Buenos Aires. They offer freshly prepared vegetarian raw food.
Now, I have to say that I've never been a big fun of the whole raw food thing. I've always felt it all tasted rather grassy. But these guys make (should I say 'cook'?) amazingly nutritious, organic and wholesome foods. I usually get the 'hummus chapati' which is a flat bread sandwich, filled with hummus and fresh veggies served with a green salad sprinkled with seeds. Pure perfection.
Pressed fruit juices are always on offer. My favorite one, called 'third eye', is made with blueberries, wheatgrass and orange juice. It can be a bit tricky finding fresh juices around Buenos Aires, so this place is an oasis.
The setting is very casual and the service is always friendly and attentive. However, they do take their time to prepare the orders (slow food!), but it's more than worth it. Go green (and raw)..

Nordic brunch

2008-08-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

Olsen
5870 Gorriti st.
mon/sat. 12pm-1am
sun 10:30am-1am
4776 7677

There's nothing better than waking up late on a sunday and go for brunch at this scandinavian restaurant. If it's warm, you can sit outside (water feature included) and if it's not, then you can grab a table inside and sit by the big old fireplace. This is a pretty fancy (but 'cool') and casual restaurant. Its (nordic) decor is just perfect and the whole place feels like the ideal danish/swedish restaurant. Unfortunately the coffee is not as strong as you'd find in stockholm, but the food is amazing. Besides, champagne is included (just 32 pesos!!). I'd recommend making a reservation several days in advance, since it's very popular.. Brunch out!

Flower power

2008-08-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

La Esquina de las Flores
1630 Gurruchaga st
mon/sat. 8am-9pm
4832 8528

If there's something i hate about Buenos Aires (besides dog poop and mad traffic) is that you cannot find many organic products at the supermarket (so far, at least). Right in the heart of Palermo Soho, this iconic vegetarian restaurant/deli is an oasis for those of us looking for honestly priced organic produce and goods. I've been coming here since I first became a vegetarian years ago and trust me, there were not may places to buy good natural (or naturally good?) food. These guys are real pioneers and they put great care in what they do. Most of what they sell is certified organic, the prices are great and the waiting staff is always friendly and helpful. I usually get the soup of the day, it's cheap, and it comes fairly quickly. There are also different varieties of quiche, home made whole wheat pastas, sandwiches, fresh salads, fruit salads and freshly pressed juices. Eat your veggies!

San Isidro

2008-08-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Bike & Coffee
736 Juan Diaz de Solis st.
Barrancas station, San Isidro.

Right north of Buenos Aires there's the city of San Isidro. It offers a nice break from the big city. Lots of green spaces, cafes and restaurants by the river, an antique market, a somewhat hippie fair and a quaint little train that goes all the way to Tigre (which is amazing by the way). El Tren de la Costa will take you to 'Bike and Coffee' (Barrancas Station). I truly love this place, first of all, it's right on the train station, it has a New England feeling to it, there's even a fireplace, the river is just a few yards away and on the other side of the tracks there's a lovely antique market (weekends only). Waffles, cakes, sandwiches, soups and great coffee and tea will make a visit to San Isidro a bit more fun. If you feel the need to burn some calories after a big afternoon tea, you can rent a bike and give it a go.. finally some fresh air!

Best brownie

2008-07-28T15:17:00.001-07:00

Pasteleria -Freud & Fahler-
1744 Gurruchaga st.
4833 2153

Whenever I feel like having the best brownies in town, I go to 'la pasteleria'. It's a cute little bakery in palermo, in what used to be a garage/wherehouse. They also have great oatmeal and raisin cookies, cheesecakes (the passion fruit cake is life changing) and delicious sandwiches to go. The tea comes from a small company that prepares original blends (promise to find out more about it) and the strong coffee saves the day. Everything is baked on premises so it doesn't get any fresher than that. Now, the place is quite tiny, just one table and two chairs, so if you are lucky you'll get to sit down, otherwise you can always get it to go and enjoy the goodies whilst walking around the neighborhood (it's nice there!)..

Sweet corner

2008-07-25T15:17:00.000-07:00

Mamarracha
Costa Rica and Armenia st.
opened everyday for breakfast,
lunch and late dinner.
4831 1083

This cafe used to be really tiny, but not too long ago, they expanded and renovated. It's double the size now and it hasn't lost its bohemian feeling. Perfect to go for coffee and cakes/muffins. The prices are a bit high, so i wouldn't recommend eating there (for the price of a dish here you can go to a proper restaurant and keep some change), although they do offer some tasty appetizers. It gets really busy on the weekends, but you'll always find a table to enjoy something sweet..

Coffee & tango

2008-07-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

Cafe de los Angelitos
2100 Rivadavia Ave.
opened everyday 10am-10pm
4952 2320

A few days ago I went with my grandma for afternoon tea. As far as where to go, the decision was easy: Cafe de los Angelitos. She used go there for tango nights back in the 40's and it's down the street from her home (she's 88!).
At some point it closed its doors down, and remained derelict and empty for decades. Some neighbors even organized tango dancing nights in an attempt to collect some money to try to open it up again (including my grandma).
Eventually, it got renovated and it's become really popular once again. Needless to say it looks fantastic, very traditional.
She had te con leche and i had a big cafe con leche with (huge) crossaints. They have lots of different cakes and 'facturas', so there's plenty to choose from. For those who love tango they have dinner/shows several nights a week. So there you go, coffee and tango for everyone!

DVDs & coffee

2008-07-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

Miles
1580 Gurruchaga st.
mon. sat. 9am - 9pm
sun. 10am - 8pm
4832 1838

I love movies. Good movies that is. I also love a good coffee. It can be black (not too strong please), with milk (I miss soy milk!), cream or both if it's really cold outside.
Walking around palermo the other day, we came across a place that sells both movies and coffee. Before long we sat down for a lovely afteroon of coffee and films.
There are just a few tables on the main floor, but at the back there's a patio with a bigger sitting area. There's also another room at the very back of the store, but if you don't find a table, no problem, you can always browse around the other side of the store. There are hundreds of indie films from all over the world.
The service is not the best in the universe, but the place is new, so we have to give them a brake, but the coffee, the lemon cake and the little pieces of chocolate we got with the coffee were excellent. This place is a real find, given that the whole 'plaza serrano' area, is packed with super crowded, loud and plain lame places. So if you find yourself walking around the area, wondering where all these people came from, remember that right around the corner there's a place where you can buy good old dvds and a warm cup of the good stuff..

Tipping tips

2008-07-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

Whenever you travel abroad, there are a few things that are quite difficult to figure out: Is this edible? Where am I? or.. How do you pay for bus tickets? But there's one thing that's particularly tricky: tipping.
In America, tipping is very common, the standard is 20%. I really love the whole tipping culture there (although it took me a while to get used to it).I think It shows appreciation and generosity. As much as I like Europe, the story there is a bit different, they just don't like tipping (in general). I mean, they might tip a waiter, but never a cab driver, or a hairdresser. I think Buenos Aires is the middle point between them both. 15% is the standard tip for restaurants and cafes here (and a bit more if they really made an effort). Some (most) restaurants charge a 'service fee' or 'cubierto', which tends to be around $4.00 pesos per customer. This is not going to the waiters, so don't think they are including the tip on the bill. I really hate this fee, and I'm still trying to figure out what it acually is. As far as cabs and hairdressers go, you don't have to tip them, but it's always good to let the cabbie keep the change and give the stylist a couple of pesos..
It's nice to be nice.

Finest pastries

2008-07-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Pastry
2027 Uriarte st.
mon.-sun. 8am-8pm
4899 2598

I was there a few days ago, and had this delicious passion fruit and chocolate cake, served with freshly cut strawberries and bananas, what more can one ask for? opened not that long ago by Georgina Manghi (she worked and trained in Buenos Aires, Turin and London), Pastry has become the place to find the finest cakes, muffins, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, etc. There's a good selection of soups, tarts, sandwiches and fresh pasta for light lunches. There's also a terrace that's perfect for warmer days. You can just sit there for hours drinking good coffee and eating cheesecake till dawn. This is a great new place, and they take their love (and mine) for pastries to a new level. Lucky us..

Farmers market

2008-07-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

El galpon organico
4171 Federico Lacroze ave.
(and Corrientes ave.)
wed. 9am-1pm
sat. 9am-3pm

Last saturday I went to what I think is one of the few organic farmers markets in Buenos Aires. It's in the neighborhood of chacarita (next to a run down train station and down the street from a cemetery!) near palermo Hollywood. It's like a big railroad warehouse, filled with nice people ('sentimiento' cooperative) selling their fresh produce, cheese, milk, granola, pies, etc. They also have a few tables to sit down, perfect for breakfast and lunch. It's a very friendly environment, and it's quite affordable. Don't forget to bring your re-usable groceries bag!

Coffee at Malba

2008-06-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Café des Arts (Malba museum cafe)
3415 Figueroa Alcorta ave.
Cafe: mon.-sun. 9am-9pm
Museum: wed.-mon. noon-8.pm
Tuesdays closed
4808 6500 / 6515

This is a great museum to go to. It's fairly new and the building alone is worth the visit. They have an amazing store filled with design/art books and fun things to buy. But I have to say that my favorite part was the cafe on the main floor. It's big and modern.
It was lunch time, so I had a sandwich (rather expensive) that was quite good. Then I had coffee and cake (can't go wrong there). Just sitting there sipping coffee makes you feel very intellectual. You can watch the city go by thru the big windows whilst drinking another cup of coffee...

yes yes!

2008-06-26T07:36:00.001-07:00

Oui Oui
6068 Nicaragua st.
6099 Nicaragua st. & Dorrego ave.
8am-9pm
4778 9614

No matter what happens in the world, I know that I can always come here and have some delicious waffles with tons of dulce de leche, or walnut cake, or amazing banana bread. The coffee is smooth, the lemonade is perfect and the sandwiches are just great. Oui Oui never lets me down.
They've just opened a branch right across the street. It's more of an 'almacen' (general store) so you can get your baked goods to go and cute groceries bags and home made jams. I think it's even better than the old one, really cozy. Keep in mind it might get a bit crowded on the weekends, so be ready to wait a few minutes, it's worth it!.