Argentine aura, European accent
It was the pasta that puzzled me.
Looking over the compact but ample menu at Buenos Aires Grill and Cafe, the new Argentinian restaurant in Little Rock’s River Market District, most of the fare was expected — namely a number of dishes centered on red meat.
The pasta dishes on the menu? I never saw them coming.
Granted, my knowledge of Argentina is limited.
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city; Evita was from Argentina; and Patagonia is there. Plus, the Argentinian version of the cowboy is called a gaucho; Argentina and the United Kingdom fought a war over the Falkland Islands (the U.K. won); and
some good wines come from Argentina.
But my knowledge of Argentinian cuisine? Nonexistent. I figured because of the gaucho, Argentinians eat a lot of red meat. And they do, as Argentina is one of the top consumers of beef in the world.
And yet there are several appetizers and entrees on the Buenos Aires menu bearing a southern European influence (think Italy, France and Spain), including a Pizza Napolitana ($14.50).
Fortunately, a member of the Bruzatori family, who opened the restaurant in midMarch in the former Juanita’s location, educated me on the pasta connection to Argentina. It seems, much like the United States, Argentina is a melting pot of cuisines — Italian, Spanish and French cooking colliding with the foods of indigenous peoples. There’s a touch of German cuisine present, as well.
That Spanish imprint is where Buenos Aires’ bewitching empanadas come from. Arriving with five different fillings — ham and cheese, onion and cheese, caprese, chicken or beef — these empanadas (ranging in price from $3 for one to $30 for a dozen) are heavenly. The crust is pastrylike, flaky while still maintaining a gratifying chewiness, and for the cheese-infused empanadas, the mozzarella cheese was still creamy, especially in the onion and cheese empanada.
The empanadas are actually their own menu category and not considered an appetizer. Under that menu heading, diners will find picada (appetizer plate for $10; party plate for $17), a charcuterie board of salami, ham and prosciutto with assorted cheese, olives and bread. As tempting as that was, the appetizer choice on a weekday dinner visit was the provoleta ($12), aged provolone grilled in a cast-iron skillet and topped with oregano and olive oil. The tanginess of the cheese and the acidity of the olive oil pair well together, with their equally bold and distinct tastes uniting into a sharp mingling of flavors.
Where the Italian touches on Argentinian food become most evident at Buenos Aires is with the Fettuccine Buenos Aires ($16) and Chicken Milanesa Napolitana ($16). The fettuccine — tossed in a green onion, garlic, pancetta and mushroom sauce — was cooked perfectly al dente, but didn’t clearly exhibit the flavors described and lacked a pleasing velvety creaminess. A stronger burst of pancetta would’ve been an improvement, too.
The Chicken Milanesa Napolitana, covered in a lovely tomato sauce, surges with a richness that is appealing, but it also overpowers the delicate flavor of the chicken, not to mention the ham and mozzarella covering the chicken.
Though I am interested in working through the other European-influenced dishes on the menu, including a Cream Ravioli ($14.50) and the Rossini Cannelloni ($15), where Buenos Aires truly excels right now is with its meat dishes.
Let’s start with the Flank Steak Sandwich ($14). It’s so wonderfully simple — just flank steak served on a baguette
and topped with caramelized onions — but that flank steak is lovingly tender and juicy, with the onions working a little palate magic via their texture and a faint sweetness. I poured the vinegary and delicious chimichurri sauce over the bountiful side of thinly fried french fries, which were firm and flavorful enough to withstand their piquant bath.
The Argentinian Burger ($13) is a blueprint for greatness, with a beef patty topped with ham, cheese and a fried egg creating a sublime flavor profile. And the Skirt Steak ($14)? Yes, it, too, is glorious: grilled medium rare, with not too much seasoning, allowing the assured flavors of the beef to shine.
These beef dishes are spread across different menu headings, either under sandwiches, which includes two paninis and the Choripan ($8.50), a grilled bratwurst, or From the Grill, which also includes smaller plate items, such as the crisply fried Sweetbread ($5) plate, up to a 12-ounce rib-eye ($28) and the Lomo, an 8-ounce filet mignon ($31).
For the big appetites, Buenos Aires offers Mixed Grills, plates of food with salad and fries meant for two or more, with one being the Vegetarian ($22), a collection of eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, tomato, asparagus and portobello mushroom. An even bolder strategy, which might pay off for true carnivores, is the Argentinian ($55), a plate of flank and skirt steak, beef ribs, bratwurst, sweetbread, chicken and blood sausage.
The atmosphere of Buenos Aires mirrors that of the old Juanita’s, with a few cosmetic changes. The restaurant is still below street level (the upstairs is the Latin dance venue Club 27), with a spacious patio out front and comfortable interior, with a small bar and seating split between wooden two- and four-top tables.
There’s not much for scenery — foot traffic along President Clinton Avenue, vehicular traffic over the Interstate 30 bridge — but the hardwood ceiling and darkwood touches create a warmness and the walls are made cheery with photographs of Argentinian scenery such as a couple dancing in one and the Puente de la Mujer (“Women’s Bridge”) footbridge in Buenos Aires in another.
Members of the Bruzatori family were present during visits and are gracious and open to answering questions, including why pasta is on the menu. Plus, the staff is inviting, knowledgeable and filled with recommendations — that’s how the Argentinian Burger came to be ordered.
One of the reasons given for the downfall of Juanita’s in the location was the lack of easy parking. Don’t let that be an excuse for not visiting Buenos Aires. It’s a restaurant with enough quality dishes — especially the beef courses — and surprises (the empanadas and, yes, pasta) to make it a destination.