CULINARY EXPLORATIONS | A Taste of Buenos Aires the Perfect Blend of Elegance and Style by Andrea Trigueros
An eclectic mix of places, cultures, cuisines, night-life, fashion…Buenos Aires is truly the melting pot of Latin America. From the moment I arrived, a scenery of narrow stone streets, elegantly poised pedestrians, the smell of freshly baked bread, and winter sun rays emerging from the trees and tall buildings greeted me and welcomed me to the ciudad de la furia (city of fury).
With an endless appetite I embarked on my first culinary exploration of the trip, a journey to the roots of Peru through its characteristic cebiche, chicha morada bread, and local cocktail, the infamous pisco sour. Regarded as home to the finest and most creative signature Peruvian dishes, Bardot Restaurant (www.restobardot.com) is located in the chic Palermo Soho. Elegant yet cozy, Bardot has a vintage Argentine ambiance, with high ceilings, low lit chandeliers, and velvet décor, but a Peruvian explosion of flavors waiting to be discovered in every distinctive dish. 
My next stop was to what most Argentinians consider second best after soccer, a traditional Asado. Enjoying an asado is quite the culinary adventure, the complete asado in Argentina includes chicken, beef, pork, sausages, and many exotic beef cuts particular to the region, such as vacio, chinchulines or chorizo de morcilla. Of the most famed restaurants in Buenos Aires, La Cabrera (www.parrillalacabrera.com.ar) is particularly well-known for its exquisite Argentine cuisine. The restaurant maintains a rustic warm atmosphere, an ideal spot to try traditional food, a Malbec local wine, and enjoy a romantic dining out on the town.
Tea time in Buenos Aires is common, around late-afternoon, for city dwellers to gather for tea or mate and sweet or salty pastries, at home or at one of the many different bakeries found in all corners of the city. L’Orangerie, the main restaurant at the stylish Alvear Palace Hotel, is the perfect fusion of European sophistication with undeniable Latin American essence. Its spacious room, natural lighting, white and lily-colored boquets, and antique dark metal frames give it the feel of an elegant French-inspired restaurant. At the L’Orangerie you can savor a variety of delicate tea blends, try the “Alvear Blend”, created specifically to capture the essence of the stunning hotel, it combines a soothing fusion of black tea leaves, almonds, Mediterranean citrus, and rose petals. 
The Alvear Palace Hotel, holds a strategic location in the heart of the glamorous Recoleta neighborhood. Along the same street travelers can find high-end fashion labels such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Cartier among others, or if you’re looking for locally made arts and crafts, you can head over to the famous Plaza Francia Fair just a few blocks away, open on the weekends. A lovely place to visit on a sunny afternoon and browse through a labyrinth of unique outdoor shops where you can purchase gorgeous hand-crafted goods, delight in fresh fruit cups or panes rellenos (stuffed bread), sit on a green hill and listen to some live music, all in a very bohemian-style surrounding.
The luxurious European-deco Alvear Palace Hotel has an elegant Rococo-style architecture that infuses into each of its 197 rooms and suites. The refined Palace inaugurated in 1932, its distinguished decorations and architecture make this splendid hotel unique in the cosmopolitan city of Buenos Aires. Alvear Palace maintains its characteristic charm with a fusion of traditional hospitality and modern technology that makes every guest feel blissfully at home.
Amenity Highlights: 
- Butler service
- Daily flower arrangements
- Egyptian Cotton Linens
- Fitness Center
- Fruit Baskets
- Hermes de Paris bath amenities
- Jacuzzi/indoor pool
- Restaurants La Bourgogne and L’Orangerie
- Spa
- Sauna
- Wi-Fi Internet Access
Airport: Ezeiza Buenos Aires Airport (EZE) 19 mi/31 km
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