One thing we miss about Buenos Aires is the good variety of yummy food in the city. When we got tired of the traditional Argentinian food, we would try out food from other regions of South America. Our favorite is the South American-Asian fusion food.

In the neighborhood of Palermo, there’s this fusion restaurant called Osaka which serves fusion Peruvian and Japanese cuisine. Its menu is packed with so many different types of appetizers, tapas, main courses, side dishes that we were spoilt for choice every time we went there. The service was impeccable, and the food was just perfect.

Osaka restaurant 

 Part of the sushi-making kitchen

You cannot come to South America without trying the famous Ceviche, which is a popular dish made up of raw fish marinated in citrus juice. Ceviche, although a popular dish in many South American countries, is not really part of the Argentinian diet. The one we tried in Osaka was the Peruvian ceviche. In the pic, you can see chunks of raw fish marinated in lime/lemon juice, served with toasted corn, sliced onion and deep fried sweet potato. Absolutely D-I-V-I-N-E. This melts in your mouth.

Peru is often noted as the birthplace of ceviche as the various Peruvian civilizations that arose in the Pre-Columbian period greatly depended on fishing.

Another divine dish. Duck with mushrooms in truffle oil gravy, and risotto sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Another Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant we went to several times was Sipan, situated near the intersection between Calle Florida and Calle Paraguay. Sipan’s sitting area is very small and the menu is small and limited compared to Osaka. They serve more non-fish seafood than fish here and there isn’t much Peruvian food you can try here.

This deep-fried salmon sushi had sour cream and avocado inside and crumbs on the surface. When paired with the accompanying sweet sauce, it would take you on a journey to gastronomical heaven. Irresistible!

Sushi that came with generous portions of raw salmon inside and on the top and had green veggies rolled neatly inside. Taste was intensified with the sesame dip.

Sizzling hotplate of beef, fried potatoes, onions, capsicums, calamari, drizzled with sweet teriyaki sauce.

When it comes to mouth-watering food, the honors don’t just go to fancy restaurants. We aren’t gastro-snobs, we go to where good food can be found. One of our top favorites for everyday food is  Chan Chan, a small cosy family-run restaurant along Hipolito Yrigoyen. Here is where the quality of food in relation to the price is unbeatable. Chan Chan serves Peruvian food that is home-cooked, unhyped and delicious. There is such a wide variety of dishes there. The owners and the Peruvian woman serving our food were very friendly and made us feel at home.

This small bowl of toasted giant corn with dip sauces is always brought to your table when you eat there.

Chan Chan’s style of Peruvian ceviche. Chunks of fish are served with cold potato, sweet potato, sliced onion and marinated corn.

 Chicharron de pescado (deep fried pieces of fish). Particularly nice when you eat them with the sliced onion.

Yummy Peruvian fried rice called Chaufa. It tastes very similar to Chinese fried rice and even the name Chaufa is similar to Mandarin’s chow fan.

Home-cooked lamb stew that is so tender that it melts in your mouth

 Estafado de pollo. It’s chicken cooked in curry-like gravy, but it’s not curry. Very nice and appetizing.

Pizzerias can be found all over the city, and one popular chain is Ugi’s. This is a pizza place that we just have to mention because it sells just ONE type of pizza here: Mozzarella with tomato sauce. Nothing else. Even though they only sell this one pizza, they are very successful, with 15-20 outlets in Buenos Aires.

Ugi’s has been around for 30 years and its owner owns a farm in Cordoba where he makes the mozarella cheese from his cows. It was initially set up as a way of selling his cheese without going through a distributor or third party. A whole pizza (which is large) costs just US$3.30. We suppose that’s the cheapest pizza you can find and it can easily feed two very hungry people. The place is very bare and there’s only a few stools inside for patrons eating in. It hasn’t moved on with the times, but seeing how popular Ugi’s is, that may be one of the few businesses that didn’t find any need to innovate but yet could produce profits for its owner. Thumbs up for you, Ugi’s!

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