What makes a perfect steak? Is it perhaps softness, juiciness or a taste? What is the importance of the sauce and wine that accompany it? And why does the quality of the steak vary so much throughout the world?

With those thoughts on my mind and with an ultimate quest to find my perfect steak, I headed to Buenos Aires, the capital of the best known “steak-land” in the world – Argentina. I visited Buenos Aires twice already, combining these trips with other Latin American destinations, but never with such a clear goal and intent to primarily dedicate myself to the gastronomic pleasures and to enjoy the famous Argentinian parillas with large quantities of meat they offer. parillama i obilnim količinama mesa koje nude.

Having in mind certain favorite restaurants from my previous trips, I wanted to be as objective as possible and have an open mind when facing the restaurants for which I get the best recommendations from locals. I wanted to compare their best steaks and knew beforehand that it was equaly challenging to compare exceptionally good Argentenian steaks as well as to survive exposure to a huge quantities of meat during full week period (regular steak portions are ranging there from 400 g to up to 1 kg). This was indeed a difficult task, but I headed bravely where no man has gone before - at least I like to flatter myself so.

I therefore ordered the medium rare bife de chorizo (as I always order steaks) with fries, tomato and onion salad and with famous chimichurri sauce which is my famous steak souce by far. I also went for a 2006 bottle of Felipe Rutini, premium blend of the famous Rutini winery, which contains cabernet sauvignon (50 %), merlot (40 %), malbec (7 %) and syrah (3 %). Having impatiently waited for about half an hour, the beef chorizo finally came with all the side dishes. The first bite already proved I did not travel all the way to Buenos Aires in vain, and that the steak is exceptional as I remembered it. I felt incredible softness and the stek was very juicy and tasty. The chimichurri souce with its specific taste, gave it an additional dimension and made it unbelievably tasty. The side dishes, I have to admit, were somewhat inferior this time vs. what I remember a few years back. However, as all the focus was on the steak, the overall gastronomic enjoyment did not suffer much. The 2006 Felipe Rutini blend, with very nice hints of chocholate in it, proved to be great accompaniment to the entire gastronomic experience. It demonstrated nice complexity and roundness, full bouquet and long after taste which man can still feel even couple of minutes after tasting the wine. I would perhaps say the wine had somewhat insufficient refineness and elegance one would expect from wine of this caliber, but the dose of “rawness” (which van be found in for instance Croatian wine sort “plavac”), on the other hand, does give special charm, and especially goes well along with the steak. chorizo biftekom. Taj restoran inače nije vrlo visoko rangiran na internetskim forumima (poput Trip Advisera), ali mi ga je preporučio vodič kada sam prvi put bio u Buenos Airesu i bila je to „ljubav na prvi pogled“. Sletjevši u Buenos Aires, s nestrpljenjem sam prvu večer odmah pohrlio u La Estanciju provjeriti je li biftek još uvijek onako dobar kakvog pamtim. Naručio sam samo bife de chorizo (400 g), iako sam prošli put naručio i lomo i chorizo te imao prilike probati obje vrste bifteka – zaključio sam da je u La Estanciji biftek chorizo ipak daleko najbolji izbor. Beef chorizo na engleski se prevodi kao sirloin ili po naški ramstek, a lomo kao beef tenderloin ili biftek (još točnije, juneća odnosno goveđa pisanica). Stoga bi zapravo ispravniji naslov ovoga teksta trebao glasiti „U potrazi za savršenim odreskom“ (bilo da je riječ o bifteku ili ramsteku), ali budući da je u svakodnevnoj komunikaciji kod nas uobičajeno koristiti riječ biftek za sve vrste odrezaka, tako sam se i ja na nekim mjestima u tekstu poslužio tom „laičkom“ terminologijom. Razlika između loma i choriza očituje se u tome da je lomo nešto mekši, ali zato chorizo ima više okusa u sebi pa je često vrlo teško reći što je bolje naručiti te je moj zaključak da odluka treba ovisiti o tome za što se restoran specijalizirao, tj. što mu je specijalitet.

What is truly special about the way they serve meat at La Estancia is the fact that they do this on a metal, heated tray, so the meat is hot at any time of eating. Therefore, both the first and the last bit were almost equally warm and juicy and this is something that provides additional twist and contribution to the exceptional quality. Some people disapprove such way of serving because they consider meat can be than overdone and that this kills the taste, but given this is truly a small and controlled little fire that heats up the metal tray, I would disagree with this. Particuarly because of such way of serving steaks, I would give to La Estancia additional points vs. all other restaurants I have visited in Argentina – which doesn’t serve meat in such manner. La Estancia has quite a long tradition (since 1962), and this can be seen likewise in the preparation of meat and the specific way of its serving. It is curious that internet forums, as I mentioned, do not rank La Estancia high. But, it is also interesting that several people mentioned this is by far their favorite restaurant and they refer back to tradition of decades of visiting Buenos Aires and going at this restaurant. La Estancia is equally visited by locals and tourists, and the interior is traditional – classic and bit better decorated Argentine parilla. The prices are reasonable and moderate – for example, beef de chorizo costed about seventy Argentine dollars, which would was around 15 USD. bife de chorizo (kako inače uvijek naručujem odreske), a s njim pomfrit, salatu od rajčica s lukom te neminovan i nezaobilazan u Argentini – čuveni umak chimichurri. Izabrao sam vino Felipe Rutini iz 2006., najkvalitetniji blend poznate vinarije Rutini koji u sebi sadrži cabernet sauvignon (50 %), merlot (40 %), malbec (7 %) i syrah (3 %) te koji je karakterističan po snažno izraženom okusu čokolade. Nakon nekih pola sata nestrpljiva iščekivanja, konačno je stigao željno iščekivan chorizo sa svim prilozima. Već mi je prvi zalogaj pokazao da nisam uzalud doputovao u Buenos Aires i da je ovaj biftek još uvijek dobar kao u mojem sjećanju. Nevjerojatna mekoća i potpuna odsutnost žilavosti, koja se uglavnom barem malo osjeti u chorizo biftecima u drugim restoranima, ono je što ga čini toliko sočnim i ukusnim. Umak chimichurri sa svojim savršeno izbalansiranim poluljutkastim okusom dao mu je još dodatnu dimenziju i učinio ga nevjerojatno ukusnim. Prilozi su, moram priznati, ovoga puta ipak bili nešto lošiji nego što ih se sjećam od prije nekoliko godina, ali kako je ramstek bio u potpunom fokusu, cjelokupan gastronomski užitak ipak nije bio narušen. Felipe Rutini 2006. blend pokazao se kao odlična pratnja cijeloj ovoj gastronomskoj priči s dovoljnom količinom kompleksnosti i zaokruženosti, punim bukeom i okusom koji ostaje u ustima i 30 sekunda nakon gutljaja vina. Mala bi zamjerka možda bila pomalo nedovoljna rafiniranost i elegancija kakvu bi čovjek očekivao od vina ovoga kalibra, ali ta mala doza „sirovosti“ (kakva primjerice karakterizira i naše plavce) s druge mu strane daje i posebnu draž, osobito uz jelo kakav je vrhunski ramstek.

All in all, La Estancia fully lived up to my expectations and after this exceptional evening, I was even more pleased with the fact I traveled some 11,000 kilometers to Buenos Aires to enjoy gastronomic challenges – which have just started. parilla, što je logično s obzirom na to da privlači i turiste. Cijene su pristojne i umjerene – primjerice, beef de chorizo koštao je oko 70 argentinskih dolara, što bi bilo 85 – 90 kn.

Sve u svemu, La Estancia je u potpuno ispunila moja očekivanja i nakon ove fenomenalne večere bio sam još zadovoljniji činjenicom da sam ipak potegnuo nekih 11 000 km do Buenos Airesa da bih uživao u ovim gastronomskim izazovima – koji su tek započeli.

The following day, I decided to visit the famous La Cabrera restaurant in Palermo Hollywood – one of the most beautiful and most lively neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. La Cabrera is a restaurant fully oriented towards tourists, who often combine it with a walk to Plaza Serana, a square brimming with cafes and bars, where Argentineans of all generations happily go out to hang out while drinking and talking. La Cabrera brought pleasant vivid memories, but, in a dead photo finish race with La Estancia during my last visit – it still came second. What I also clearly remembered (and what was confirmed this time too) from my visit to La Cabrera is that one still has to wait outside the restaurant to be seated, together with the other guests, no matter that you called earlier and booked a table. The wait mostly lasts for 15 – 30 minutes and since I arrived at eight pm when the restaurant barely opened for dinner, I did notice they could have let people freely walk in, but they did not: instead they were busy setting tables up. The thing however does have a certain charm: it is nice weather outside (I am uncertain whether they do this when weather is poor too), and you get to engage in conversation with interesting people from all over the world before dinner who visit this famous restaurant in search of the great steak treat. This also creates an atmosphere of exclusivity, similar to New York or London clubs which regularly let people que in order to make the buzz about difficult entering go around. When you are finally called up, you are happy to enter, while some negativity for waiting quickly disappears once you are inside this exceptional and originally decorated interior. You are welcomed and greeted by very professional waiters whose knowledge of English language is not so perfect I must say (but better than in La Estancia, where every fifth waiter speaks some English, if that at all).

The menu offers a plentiful variety of different meat, with a heavy emphasis on steaks, of course. This time I was brave enough to order a large portion of the chorizo steak which was about 800 g. However, once the huge quantity of meat was placed in front of me, I understood the fight would be fierce and uncertain, but I decided to give it my best to win and master this day’s task too. The serving of the meat was just perfect and side regular dishes I order every time (chimichurri souce, fries and tomato salad) were brilliant too. Some aditional types of steak sauces and side dishes came as well but I did not taste them to be honest. As for wine, this time I decided to take the 2008 Altimus – a blend from Salta composed of five different wine grapes: malbec, cabernet sauvignon, tannat, syrah and bonarda. Salta is a region in Argentine that is exceptionally suited for the production of wine. Certain great wines come from there, such as Yochochuya – one of my favorite Argentine wines, with exceptionally strong malbec (16% of alcohol), created through the cooperation between a local winery and one of the leading world’s wine experts, Michell Roland (who recently started cooperating too with the Croatian Saint Hills winery; based on this venture excellent Dingač Saint Hills wine was created). chorizo, koja dolazi u impresivnih 800 g! Ipak, kad je golema količina mesa stavljena preda me, shvatio sam da će borba biti žestoka i neizvjesna, ali sam odlučio dati sve od sebe da na kraju ipak pobijedim i uspješno svladam zadatak i toga dana. Prezentacija mesa upravo je savršena, prilozi također izvrsni, a uz naručene standardne dodatke uz odrezak (umak chimichurri, pomfrit i salata od rajčica s lukom) došao je niz popratnih umaka i priloga čijih se imena i ne sjećam (niti sam ih probao, da budem iskren). Za vino sam se ovog puta odlučio ići na Altimus vino iz 2008. godine – blend sa Salte sačinjen od čak pet raznih vrsta vina, a to su: malbec, cabernet sauvignon, tannat, syrah i bonarda. Salta je inače područje u Argentini izuzetno pogodno za uzgoj vina. S njega dolaze neka fenomenalna vina poput Yochochuje – jednog od meni omiljenih argentinskih vina, izuzetno snažnog malbeca (16 % alkohola) koji je nastao suradnjom lokalne vinarije s jednim od vodećih svjetskih enologa Michellom Rolandom (koji je nedavno počeo surađivati i s vinarijom Saint Hills iz Hrvatske te je na temelju te suradnje došlo do stvaranja izvrsnog vina pod nazivom Dingač Saint Hills).

When I tasted the first bite of steak, I was surprised the meat was not quite as soft as I had expected and there were traces of tendon in it. Let me make myself perfectly clear – the meat was still significantly better than any steak I have ever had in Croatia, but still in comparison with La Estancia, the difference was striking, even though the service and atmosphere in La Cabrera were far better and superior. But since I always go for content over form, I have to admit I was surprised with the quality of meat I tried at La Cabrera, which was far worse than I remember. Perhaps last time I had ordered the lomo or something different and this had been better, but I explicitly asked the waiter for his recommendation for the best meat of the house, to which he said with confidence: “Bife de Chorizo senor!“ Side dishes, I have to admit, were better than in La Estancia, and the wine I was having was very interesting and fruity, with a vigorous component of salt/minerals in it. Just like other wines from Salta, Altimus is a strong wine (about 14% of alcohol content), with pronounced depth of taste, which goes along with steak greatly. No matter the disappointment created by my high expectations, after a life and death struggle until last drop of blood (or peace of steak), I managed to overcome the 800 g meat and left the battlefield with my head high. The steak at La Cabrera came with the price of about 30 USD, but let us not forget that it was 800g steak. Another thing worth mentioning as far as this restaurant is concerned is their decent chocolate soufflé I had for dessert, regardless of the fact I just finished off 800 g peace of meat before that. lomo ili nešto drugo i da je to bilo bolje, ali bio sam eksplicitno pitao konobara što preporučuje kao najbolje meso kuće – na što je on sa sigurnošću ustvrdio: „Bife de Chorizo senor!“ Prilozi su, moram priznati, bili i bolji nego u La Estanciji, a vino koje sam pio bilo je vrlo interesantno i voćno sa snažnom komponentom soli/minerala u sebi koja je integrirana u sam okus vina na vrlo uspješan i izbalansiran način. Baš kao i ostala vina sa Salte, Altimus je snažno vino (oko 14 % alkohola), s izraženom „dubinom“ okusa u sebi i odlično se slaže s odreskom. Bez obzira na razočaranje nastalo zbog golemih očekivanja, nakon bespoštedne borbe do zadnje kapi krvi (komada bifteka, tj. kapi vina), uspio sam savladati svih 800 g i uzdignute glave otići s bojnog polja. Biftek je u La Cabreri koštao oko 200 kn, ali ne zaboravimo koliko je težio. Ono što je još vrijedno spomenuti u ovome restoranu jest njihov prilično pristojan čokoladni sufle koji sam uzeo za desert bez obzira na maloprijašnju borbu s 800 g mesa.

Just before I was done eating, I witnessed some of the restaurant’s interesting marketing activities. A man dressed up in a cow costume went table from table, hanging out and taking photos with guests who were mostly thrilled and took their pictures in different ways, so they could brag with them to their friends and acquaintances later. La Cabrera restaurant does business on two locations which are distanced only hundred meters of os. They even have similar interiors, same menu and quality of meals (something like famous ćevapi joints in Sarajevo ).

La Cabrera was thus the second restaurant I decided to go to again because of very good experiences earlier. As far as the rest of the competition went, I decided to opt for entirely new restaurants, hoping to discover a better beef steak than in La Estancia.

After the touristic environment I encountered in La Cabrera, the following day I decided to continue my quest going in an entirely different direction and to try something genuinely local. It was, therefore, my goal to find out which parilla was a favorite with local residents and where one can have a traditionally prepared steak that locals prefer. parilla omiljena mještanima i gdje se može pojesti tradicionalno spremljen biftek kakav lokalci preferiraju.

Following my consultations with the hotel’s reception desk and some locals I met during the first two days, I headed towards my third candidate for the title of the restaurant with the perfect steak. The restaurant’s name was Parilla Pena, and I was told local residents almost exclusively come here and that they serve a great quality meat. It was with great impatience and expectation that I headed for dinner at this restaurant (and let me just mention that I completely eliminated lunch during those days so I could live through the hefty dinners). In order to make things even more authentic, I had earlier bought wine in a wine store, with the idea to ask for the service of opening wine I brought over (corkage fee). This is a very widespread concept in Australia, and you might agree for such a deal also in Argentina, excluding prestiges restaurants with extensive wine lists. corkage fee). To je inače vrlo proširena koncepcija u Australiji, a u Argentini može proći ako ne govorimo o prestižnim restoranima s ekstenzivnim vinskim kartama koji stoga koncentriraju na vina velik dio svoje zarade.

I decided on the Vino de Davalos from the Tacul winery, that I was warmly recommended by the owner of one of more prestigious vendors in Buenos Aires (0800 Vino), who I had talked the day before and who recommended this wine as one of the best and most interesting Argentinian wines. Vino de Davalos is, again, a very strong wine (16.9%) and I was curious what I could expect from such a strong wine that is the product of innovative winery from Salta.

The very view from the entrance to the Parilla Pena restaurant speaks this is the place where local visitors eat. The interior was fairly plain and shabby and one must confess I was reminded of restaurants in Boraja by Šibenik, that fully focus on the menu offers such as young lamb (Boraja, Tomislav), but of top quality. Getting in, I first asked whether I could have the wine I brought opened, to which they promptly replied: “Sure, no problem” (or it seemed so to me, given that none spoke English, except perhaps the few basic vocabulary items). This time I played it safe and ordered the steaks of lomo and chorizo (each 400 g). The waiter looked at me with disbelief and was saying this was “mucho meat,” but I confidently waved my hand and insisted on the “double challenge.” The side dishes were customary, the wine was already opened and I waited for the steaks to arrive so I could sip it down. lomo i chorizo (svaki od po 400 g). Konobar me u nevjerici gledao i govorio da je to „mucho mesa“, ali ja sam sa sigurnošću odmahivao rukom i samouvjereno inzistirao na „dvostrukom izazovu“. Prilozi su bili uobičajeni, a vino je već bilo otvoreno i čekalo je dolazak bifteka da ih malo zalije nakon kušanja.

And, then, two large steaks came and the waiting was over. I first tried the bife de chorizo. The taste was solid but the softness was far from the one in La Estancia, and even inferior to the one in La Cabrera. But then I tried the bife de lomo and stood speechless. This was definitely the best and the most tender bife de lomo I have ever tasted. Exceptionally soft and juicy, perhaps a bit less than bife de chorizo in La Estancia, but I would say mainly different and not worse. The tenderness was phenomenal – this was softer than any steak (lomo or chorizo) that I had tried so far, with no tendon traces anywhere. A genuine meat symphony. bife de chorizo. Okus je bio solidan, ali je mekoća bila daleko od one u La Estanciji te čak nešto lošija od one u La Cabreri. Ali onda sam probao bife de lomo i ostao paf! To je definitivno bio najbolji i najmekši lomo koji sam ikada kušao! Izuzetno mekan i sočan, okusa možda mrvicu manje dojmljivog od onog iz La Estancije, no ipak je bolja riječ drukčijeg nego lošijeg. A mekoća fenomenalna – daleko mekši od bilo kojeg bifteka (loma ili choriza) koji sam do sada probao i bez ikakvih tragova žilavosti u mesu. Prava mesna simfonija!

The side dishes were decent, given that chimichurri was perhaps too intensive. Vino de Davalos was surprisingly easy to drink (and fruity), having in mind high percentage of alcohol in it, but it was lacking after taste. After a few seconds, the taste would completely vanish from the mouth, unlike with the most of the top wines. It was only the day after, talking to the mentioned wine expert who recommended that wine, I found out the problem was the wine requires not only decanting, but it is recommended to open it even 24 hours before drinking, because it takes a long time to vent in an appropriate manner due to strong concentration. Once I told him I tasted the wine without decanting and immediately after its opening, he said with disgust this was a crime to this wine, and that I was in no position to judge it if I had not tried it in optimum tasting conditions. However I enjoyed the wine with the steak and if I have had tasted it in the optimum conditions with the food – this would have made my gastronomical experience perfect. chimichurri možda ipak bio previše intenzivan. Vino de Davalos bilo je iznenađujuće pitko (i voćno) s obzirom na visok postotak alkohola u sebi, ali me izuzetno iznenadio nedostatak naknadnog okusa (tzv. after taste) nakon ispijanja. Nakon par sekunda okus bi se potpuno izgubio iz usta što ipak nije odlika većine vrhunskih vina. Tek sam dan poslije u razgovoru sa spomenutim vinskim stručnjakom koji mi je preporučio ovo vino saznao da je problem bio u tome što to vino zahtijeva ne samo dekantiranje već se čak preporuča otvoriti ga 24 sata prije pijenja jer zbog snažne koncentracije treba puno vremena da „prodiše“ na odgovarajući način. Kad sam mu rekao da sam vino kušao bez dekantiranja i neposredno nakon otvaranja, ustvrdio je s gnušanjem da je to zločin prema tom vinu i da ga ne mogu suditi ako ga nisam prethodno doveo u optimalno stanje za kušanje. Bilo kako bilo, meni je vino predstavljalo vrlo pristojnu kombinaciju uz biftek, samo da je još imalo dugotrajniji buke i okus, tada bi gastronomski doživljaj bio savršen.

Like I said, bife de lomo had phenomenal texture and tenderness so I do not even have to tell you I have eaten it all with pleasure. This time I did leave a fifth of chorizo steak uneaten, since I was already a bit stuffed after three days of this gourmet marathon. I left Parilla Pena with a big smile and the insight one can find food of greatest quality in such plain places, if only one knows where to go. Do I have to tell you the prices were reasonable (a bit below the level of La Estancia)? For the opening of wine I was even charged nothing, so the entire meal, with two giant and great steaks and all the side dishes, cost me less than 40 USD. This is what I call true value for money. bife de lomo bio je fenomenalne teksture i mekoće pa ne moram ni isticati da sam ga u potpunosti „smazao“ sa zadovoljstvom. Ovaj sam put ipak ostavio petinu choriza nepojedena jer sam zaista bio već pomalo zasićen nakon trećeg dana gurmanskog maratona. Napustio sam Parilla Penu s velikim smiješkom i spoznajom na ovakvim neuglednim mjestima čovjek može naći najkvalitetniju hranu ako zna kamo treba ići. Ne moram ni reći da su cijene bile pristupačne (nešto malo ispod razine La Estancije), a za otvaranje boce vina čak mi nisu ništa naplatili, tako da me je cijeli obrok, s dva golema i izvrsna bifteka i svim popratnim prilozima, došao nepunih 250 kn. To ja zovem pravom vrijednošću za novac.

Since my mouth was full of the taste of chimichirri, having exhausted myself for three days, I decided to take a day’s break from the steaks and chimichirri, in order to be able to judge the other candidates for perfect steak later. I therefore decided to go to the Aldo’s restaurant, the owner of which is a top sommelier who presents quite an interesting concept. Focus of this restaurant is on wine, while food is something you choose searching for the best combination to go with the wine. They have over 500 different wines on their list and what makes things truly interesting is the fact all wine at the restaurant are sold at retail prices - as if you were purchasing them in a supermarket or a wine store. The interior is exceptionally modern and chic, with soft music playing in the background, which really makes you feel at ease. Wines are exhibited on shelves all around, and, interestingly, you get to choose them from iPads, which enables you to go through the whole wine list very fast and very efficiently, all of this in five world languages offered (English, Spanish, Italian, French and German). Once you have spotted the wine that seems interesting to you, its specifications and a detailed description are shown so you can see if you are truly interested. chimichirrija, nakon tri dana iscrpljivanja odlučio sam uzeti dan pauze od bifteka i chimichirrija da bih kasnije mogao objektivno procijeniti ostale kandidate te ponude bifteka i ramsteka u sljedećim restoranima koje sam planirao posjetiti. Odlučio sam stoga otići u restoran Aldo’s čiji je vlasnik vrhunski sommelier koji predstavlja izuzetno interesantnu koncepciju. Naime, fokus je tog restorana na vinu, a hrana je nešto što birate tražeći što najbolje pristaje uz odabrano vino. U ponudi imaju preko 500 različitih vrsta vina, a ono što cijelu priču čini dodatno zanimljivom jest činjenica da se u restoranu sva vina nude po maloprodajnim cijenama! Dakle, kao kad ih kupujete u supermarketu ili dućanu s vinima. Interijer je izuzetno moderan i šik s laganom glazbom u pozadini te čini da se čovjek zaista osjeća ugodno. Vina su izložena na policama svuda okolo, a interesantno je da ih birate s iPad uređaja, s kojeg na jednostavan način možete brzo i efikasno proći kroz cjelokupnu ponudu vina i to na bilo kojem od ponuđenih pet svjetskih jezika (engleskom, španjolskom, talijanskom, francuskom i njemačkom). Kad naiđete na vino koje vam je interesantno, ponuđena vam je njegova specifikacija i detaljan opis pa možete vidjeti zanima li vas zaista to vino.

Having talked to the restaurant owner who is a true expert in wine, and who took me to a special section with the most interesting wines, I decided to take 2009 Archeval Ferrer Malbec of Finco Altamiro – to which the famous Robert Parker gave 99 points (out of maximum 100). This made the wine the highest ranked Latin American wine ever, which was the title that had been in possession of 2006 Cobos Unico that Parker gave 96 points. This is a great accomplishment if one considers the Archeval Ferrer winery was founded as late as 1998. Two years ago, when I was visiting Mendoza, I had been thrilled with the mentined 2006 Cobos Unico (which is a mix between 63% cabernet sauvignon and 37% malbec with). I had the opportunity to taste it in a regional tasting bar in Mendoza and it stood a class above all other wine I tried there – regardless of the fact the other wines were also of top quality. The Cobos winery is renowned by its cooperation with the famous wine expert Paul Hobbs, who surely contributed significantly to make such excuisite wine as Cobos Unico. It was only now, two and a half years later, that I found out the wine I had tasted then was ranked very high and that it would have been much wiser had I not drank the sole bottle I had bought. Wines that are ranked so high gain 10 – 15 per cent in value per anum, not to mention that lovers and collectors are sometimes ready to pay far above market prices for them. This is especially logical given that the wine (Cobos 2006) cannot any longer be purchased in Buenos Aires wine stores and that three sommeliers confirmed to me this was the best wine they ever tasted and that the Cobos Unico at later year harvets is still a great wine, but that it cannot be compared to the 2006. regional tasting baru u Mendozi i koji je odskakao za klasu od svih ostalih vina koje sam tamo degustirao – bez obzira na to što su i ostala vina koja sam tamo kušao bila vrhunska. Vinarija Cobos poznata je po svojoj suradnji s čuvenim svjetskim enologom Paulom Hobbsom koji je zasigurno znatno doprinio da bi se došlo do vina kao što je Cobos Unico. Tek sada, dvije i pol godine nakon tog posjeta, saznao sam da je vino koje sam tada probao bilo izuzetno visoko ocijenjeno (očito s pravom) i da bi bilo daleko mudrije da primjerak koji sam tada kupio nije bio jedini te da ga nisam već popio do sada. Naime, tako visoko ocijenjena vina dobivaju svake godine minimalno 10 – 15 % na vrijednosti, a da ne govorim o tome da su ljubitelji i kolekcionari katkad spremni za njih platiti znatno višu cijenu od tržišne. To je pogotovo logično imajući u vidu da se to vino (Cobos 2006) ne može više nigdje nabaviti po dućanima s vinima u Buenos Airesu te da su mi tri sommeliera potvrdila da je to najbolje vino koje su u životu kušali i da je Cobos iz sljedećih godina i dalje vrhunsko i fenomenalno vino, ali da to nije ista priča kao berba iz 2006. godine.

Therefore I was thrilled to have a chance to taste the wine Robert Parker gave 99 points. Just for the sake of comparison, no Croatian wine so far has ever received more than 90 points from Parker. It should however be noted wine ranking is not fully objective and Parker has been accused of leaning towards intensive and rich wines with pronounced aromas and bouquet, and of valuating this over elegance and roundness of taste (which is characteristic of numerous French wines). I personally fairly like the style of wine Parker appreciates, so I have no objections to his rankings (even though I had already a chance at some occasions to experience that our tastes are not fully matching).

In contrast to Cobos, which is a blend with a high percentage of alcohol (16%), exceptional balance, roundness and long after taste, the Archeval Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec is a different wine altogether. It is, primarily, 100 % malbec with less per cent of alcohol (14%) and highly pronounced acidity, which gives it its “punch” and elegance, and a profound feeling of depth during tasting. I was immediately warned of the fact the wine at the moment was not optimal for drinking. In contrast to Cobos, which manages to exhibit fair amount of maturity in three years (regardless of the fact tha it is optimal for tasting after some ten years), Archeval Ferrer wines require at least five years to show their true potential and character. It is interesting to note this interesting and innovative winery marketed three different malbecs in 2009 (Finca Altamira, Finca Bella Vista and Finca Mirador), which represent three different terroiras (regions) where the wines were created. Parker ranked Altamira with 99 points, Bella Vista with 98, and Mirador, as far as I found out, was not ranked at all. The owner of Aldo’s also told me one cannot spot differences between these three wines during a blind tasting session, but it seems Robert Parker managed to do so. after tastea, Archeval Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec ipak je drukčije vino. Ono je prije svega 100 % malbec s nešto nižim postotkom alkohola (14 %) i visoko izraženom kiselosti koja mu daje „nabijenost“ i eleganciju te izuzetan osjećaj „dubine“ pri kušanju. Odmah sam bio upozoren na činjenicu da ovo vino u tom trenutku još nije optimalno za kušanje. Za razliku od Cobosa koji uspijeva postići da za tri godine njegova vina već ispoljavaju priličnu zrelost (bez obzira na to što su i ona optimalna za kušanje za desetak godina, a nikako se ne preporuča prije pet godina), Archeval Ferrer vina trebaju najmanje pet godina da bi iskazala svoj pravi potencijal i karakter. Zanimljivo je spomenuti da je ta interesantna i inovativna vinarija izbacila u 2009. godini tri različita malbeca (Finca Altamira, Finca Bella Vista i Finca Mirador), koja reprezentiraju tri različita terroira (područja) na kojima su vina nastala. Altamiru je pritom Parker ocijenio s 99 bodova, Bella Vistu s 98, a Mirador, koliko sam shvatio, nije ni bio ocijenjen. Vlasnik Aldo’sa također mi je rekao da se na slijepom kušanju jako teško može primijetiti razlika između tih triju vina, no izgleda da je to Robert Parker sa svojim savršenim osjetilom okusa ipak uspio.

To go with Altamira, I ordered the osso buco, which worked very well in combination with the wine, and I was pleasantly surprised they had quite a decent chocolate soufflé for dessert. In combination with Altamira, which was decanted for hour and a half before drinking, the meal produced a very nice compagnion to the wine providing complete gastronomical experience for the evening. osso buco koji je jako dobro funkcionirao u kombinaciji s vinom, a ugodno je iznenađenje bilo to što su za desert imali vrlo pristojan čokoladni sufle, koji je u kombinaciji s Altamirom koja se već opustila nakon sat i pol u dekantatoru, proizveo svojevrsno vrlo lijepo finale cjelokupnog gastronomskog doživljaja te večeri.

Next to me, a couple from California were seated, and Phil, overhearing my conversation with the owner over wine, jumped into the discussion because he sells and represents wines from California. All in all, enologically a very interesting and rich evening, during which I managed to rest a bit from the steak with chimichurri and caught my breath for two final days of my search for the perfect steak ahead of me. Phil warmly recommended the kobe tenderloin steak in the Cabana Las Lilas restaurant that he had the night before, saying this was one of the best steaks he had ever had. He also mentioned other types of the steaks people had there were not that impressive, but that the kobe steak was a must. Cabana Las Lilas was anyway one of the candidates I was planning to visit, so, once I got the confirmation of what I had been told at reception (that this is probably the most exclusive and best restaurant for beef steaks in Buenos Aires), it was clear that I had to visit this place. chimichurrijem i uhvatio predah za zadnja dva dana potrage za savršenim biftekom, koja su me čekala. Phil mi je toplo preporučio kobe tenderloin steak u restoranu Cabana Las Lilas koji je jeo večer prije, rekavši da je jedan od najboljih koje je kušao u životu. Također je spomenuo da ostale vrste bifteka koje je društvo tamo jelo nisu bile toliko impresivne, ali da je kobe nešto što se mora probati. Cabana Las Lilas i inače je bio jedan od kandidata restorana koje sam htio posjetiti pa kad sam dobio potvrdu onoga što su mi već rekli na recepciji hotela (da je to vjerojatno najekskluzivniji i najbolji restoran za bifteke u Buenos Airesu), nije bilo druge nego probati njihov najbolji biftek.

The Cabana Las Lilas restaurant is located in the part of Buenos Airesa called Puerto Madero, along a river where there is an array of warehouses which represented part of the former port earlier. Now they have been renovated into an impressive list of restaurants; they are all red bricked and seem very posh, located by the promenade which offers a very nice stroll before or after dinner as well. Taking a table at the terrace with a great view over the impressive so called “Female Bridge,” that dominates Puerto Madero, gave s special charm to the gastronomical experience that I was about to have.

I ordered, of course, the recommended kobe tenderloin, which was astronomically expensive in relation to all other steaks I had tried in Buenos Aires that far (about 90 USD), but, however, if one compares this to the price of genuine japanize kobe steaks in restaurants in the metropolises of the world – it is less expensive then those ones. The very name kobe comes from a region of the same name in Japan, and designates a special way of preparation that produces meat of maximum tenderness and quality. When I was in Japan almost four years ago, I had the opportunity to try the original kobe steak served there in miniature servings, and under truly astronomical prices (if I remember correctly, 200 g cost over EUR 100). There is a story I have heard but cannot be sure if it is true (perhaps it is only a marketing trick), which claims the kobe steak in Japan is prepared in a way that cows are being played relaxing classical music such as Mozart so they would be relaxed at all times (even during slaughter) – which makes their meat as tender as possible. Further more, their contact with the ground is limited (they are hanged on hooks) so their muscles would remain underdeveloped, and which would produce the perfect tenderness of meat. Not going into moral aspects of producing kobe steaks, as far as gastronomy is concerned – they definitely represent the peak of the supply of quality meat (as confirmed by their prices). kobe tenderloin, koji je bio astronomski skup u odnosu na sve ostale bifteke koje sam do tada probao u Buenos Airesu (oko 500 kn), ali ako ga usporedimo s cijenom koji se inače naplačuje za kobe bifteke po restoranima koji ga nude u svjetskim metropolama i nije toliko skup – dapače. Samo ime kobe potječe od istoimene pokrajine Kobe u Japanu i označava specijalan način pripreme koji producira meso najviše moguće mekoće i kvalitete. Kad sam bio u Japanu prije gotovo četiri godine, imao sam priliku probati originalni kobe steak koji se tamo služi u minijaturnim porcijama i po zaista astronomskim cijenama (ako se dobro sjećam, 200 g koštalo je više od 100 EUR). Postoji priča za koju ne znam koliko je istinita, a koliko je marketinški trik, da se kobe steak u Japanu radi tako da se kravama pušta opuštajuća klasična glazba poput Mozartove kako bi bile potpuno opuštene cijelo vrijeme (čak i pri klanju) i da bi time njihovo meso bilo što mekše. Također se limitira njihov kontakt sa zemljom (vješanjem na kuke ili na što već) da se ne bi razjačali mišići, već da bi mekoća mesa bila savršena. Ne ulazeći u moralne aspekte dolaska do kobe steakova, što se gastronomije tiče – oni svakako predstavljaju vrhunac ponude kvalitetnog mesa (što im i sama cijena potvrđuje).

I found it truly interesting to see what kobe steak looks like in one of best Argentinean restaurants, and compare it with the Argentinean steaks of chorizo and lomo types, on the one hand, and the classic Japanese kobe steak on the other. Having gone through one of the most impressive wine lists I have ever had the chance of seeing, I decided for the 2004 Val De Flores – wine from Mendoza, signed by the aforementioned Michel Roland, which Parker gave 92 points (a fact I found out later). It is quite an easy wine, a balanced malbec in which, as its very name says, fruity notes are prevalent. This is really a specific, interesting wine, of very peculiar and unique character (its complexity is nearer to cuvee than malbec). Roland’s signature was quite visible in it, just as in all of his wines he produced in wineries throughout the world (more than thirty wineries in countries such as France, Argentina, South Africa, Bulgaria and even Croatia). kobe odrezak u jednom od ponajboljih argentinskih restorana te ga usporediti sa standardnim argentinskim odrescima chorizo i lomo s jedne strane te s klasičnim japanskim kobe steakom s druge strane. Nakon pregledavanja jedne od najimpresivnijih vinskih karta koje sam ikada imao priliku vidjeti odlučio sam se za Val De Flores 2004 – vino iz Mendoze koje potpisuje već prethodno spomenuti Michel Roland i koje je Parkeru ocijenio s 92 boda (što sam tek poslije saznao). Vrlo pitak i izbalansiran malbec u kojemu, kako mu i samo ime kaže, prevladavaju cvjetne note, zaista je specifično i interesantno vino, vrlo osebujna i jedinstvena karaktera (kompleksnost mu je bliža cuveeima nego malbecu). U njemu se jasno mogao iščitati Rolandov potpis, kao uostalom i u svim njegovim vinima na kojima je radio u vinarijama diljem svijeta (više od 30 vinarija u zemljama poput Francuske, Argentine, Južnoafričke Republike, Bugarske, Hrvatske itd.).

Kobe teak arrived with all its side dishes. The first look right away exposed the specifics of the preparation that resembled classic Argentinean steaks more than classic kobe steaks that mostly come as thin stripes. After the first bite, I realized the interesting peculiarity of this beef steak, which is that the taste of the very steak was so intensive and interesting I really had no impulse to combine it with sauce (chimichurri) since I sensed that it would ruin this specific taste. I said to myself: I shall start eating it with no sauce, and, if I should feel the urge to take some chimichiuri with it - I shall do so. And, in the end, I had the whole steak without any sauce, just combining it with fries, tomatoes and the warm bread (focaccio) I additionally ordered. All of this worked great together, especially in the combination with the great Roland’s wine, that perhaps had no depth and seriousness as the Archeval Ferrer Finca Alta Mira tasted the day before, but was exceptionally easy and had a strong after taste – all of which combined with a great steak created an exceptional food and wine combination. Finally, for dessert I had a relatively solid chocolate soufflé which concluded this top gastronomic event for the evening before the last. kobe biftecima koji uglavnom dolaze u tanko isječenim ploškama. Nakon prvog sam zalogaja uvidio interesantnu specifičnost ovog bifteka, a to je da je okus samog bifteka bio toliko intenzivan i interesantan da zaista nisam osjećao nikakvu potrebu začiniti ga umakom (chimichurrijem). Rekoh sam sebi, krenut ću ga jesti bez ikakva umaka pa ću, kad osjetim potrebu da ga začinim, to i učiniti. I na koncu sam do samog kraja pojeo biftek bez ikakva umaka samo ga kombinirajući s pomfritom, rajčicama i toplim kruhom (focacciom) kojeg sam dodatno naručio. Sve je zajedno odlično funkcioniralo, pogotovo u kombinaciji s „raspjevanim“ Rolandovim vinom koje možda nije imalo dubinu i ozbiljnost kakvu je imalo dan prije kušano vino Archeval Ferrer Finca Alta Mira, ali je imalo izuzetnu pitkost i snažan after taste te je u kombinaciji s vrhunskim biftekom stvorilo izuzetnu gastro-enološku priču. Na koncu je još za desert još stigao i relativno solidan čokoladni sufle i to je zaključilo ovaj vrhunski gastronomski doživljaj predzadnje večeri.

I left the famous restaurant La Brigada for the last day, which is a traditional establishment in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Restaurant is famous for its waiters cutting the steaks in front of you with a spoon, thereby showing its tenderness. Even though this is a traditional Argentinean parilla, this restaurant hosts mostly tourists who are in search of the the high quality meat and want to visit this lively and interesting neighborhood. The neighborhood also offers a tango show and milonge during which locals dance and enjoy themselves. The interior demonstrates great tradition, but it is also adjusted to offer tourists an authentic experience in an interesting and colorful way. parilli, ovaj restoran danas uglavnom ugošćuje turiste jer se proslavio kvalitetom mesa koje nudi te se nalazi u vrlo živopisnoj i turistima zanimljivoj četvrti u kojoj niz restorana nudi tango show, a tu su i milonge u kojima mještani plešu tango i uživaju u njegovim čarima. Sama unutrašnjost restorana odiše velikom tradicijom, ali prilagođenom u svrhu pružanja turistima autentična doživljaja na interesantan i živopisan način.

Budući da je bila riječ o zadnjem danu i skorom polasku na put natrag, nisam dvojio: naručio sam i bife de lomo i bife de chorizo (dakle, 2 x 400 g bifteka) i nestrpljivo čekao odreske koji se režu žlicama – da vidim i probam kako to čudo izgleda. Prilozi su bili standardni, a za vinsku pratnju izabrao sam fenomenalni malbec Judas iz 2008. godine koji je već na prvi gutljaj pokazao izuzetne karakteristike – vrlo ukusno i odmjereno barikiran, nevjerojatno zreo za vino staro manje od četiri godine te izuzetno visoke kompleksnosti i naknadnog okusa koji se u ustima zadržavao i znatno preko 30 sekunda. Zaista impresivno i više nego dovoljno da ga svakako svrstam među top 10 vina koje sam ikada probao i da ustvrdim da je to drugo najbolje argentinsko vino koje sam ikada kušao (po mom sudu i ukusu) – nakon već spomenutog Cobos Unica iz 2006.

Since this was my last day and I was about to head back, I had no doubts: I ordered both bife de lomo and bife de chorizo (2 x 400 g steaks) and impatiently waited for the steaks to be cut with spoons – to see and taste the wonder. The side dishes were standard and as for wine, I chose the 2008 phenomenal malbec Judas. It was already during the first sip that it sensed its exceptional characteristics – it was a very tasty, balanced and unbelievably mature wine for less than four years of age it had. It also had high complexity and after taste, that retained within your mouth for over thirty seconds. This was truly impressive and more than sufficient for me to rank it between top ten wines I have ever had, and to ascertain this was the second best Argentinean wine I have ever tasted (according to my judgment and taste), after the already mentioned 2006 Cobos Unico. choriza i loma. Žilavosti zaista nije bilo ni u tragovima (što je uostalom i omogućilo konobaru da ih razreže žlicom pred mojim očima), ali smatram da je mekoća bife de loma u Parilla Peni ipak bila nešto bolja (uz okus koji je tu negdje), a da je okus choriza u La Estanciji ipak nešto sočniji i zamamniji. Prilozi su bili jako dobro pripremljeni, pomfrit hrskav, rajčice lagano i primjereno začinjene te su uz to išli i topli medaljoni od kruha koji su cijelu priču jako dobro zaokruživali. Sve je to začinio vrhunski malbec koji je s vremenom još dodatno otpuštao svoj okus i otkrivao istančane tanine te koji je u kombinaciji s ovakvim vrhunskim odrescima i nezaobilaznim chimichurrijem, upotpunio ovu pravu gastro-enološku poslasticu. Uf, kakav doživljaj!

And then the steaks came. I bravely decided to disintegrate them and found out the meat was of truly top quality in both cases – chorizo and lomo. Tendon was nowhere to be found, not even in traces (which, after all, enabled the waiter to cut them using a spoon in front of my very eyes), but I think the softness of the bife de lomo in Parilla Pena was, still, somewhat better (along with a similarly good taste), and that the taste of chorizo in La Estancia was a bit juicer and more enticing. The side dishes were very well prepared, the fries were crusty, tomatoes lightly and appropriately seasoned – and all of this was accompanied by warm bread medallions which perfectly completed the experience. And the fenomenal malbec, which through time further released its taste and exposed its sophisticated details, made a great compagnion to such perfect steaks and to unavoidable chimichurri, and completed this incredible gastronomic and enological treat. What an experience! chimichurrijem u pratnji vrhunskog malbeca! Kakvo finale – zaista zaokružuje šest dana u Buenos Airesu na najbolji mogući način.

I did not even ask for dessert, in order not to spoil the last impressions before heading out of Buenos Aires. The final taste in one’s mouth has to be a perfect steak with chimichurri accompanied by superb malbec. What a finale – this truly was a great ending for my six days in Buenos Aires.

So, what am I to conclude from this whole quest for the perfect steak? Which of the gastronomic treats mentioned would I single out as the most impressive? Who is the winner in the end? This is hard to say. I still think the bife de chorizo is the best in La Estancia, because it is juiciest, softest and tastiest out of all chorizo steaks I tried. The most impressive bife de lomo remains the one from Parilla Pena, because its softness and juiciness reached top heights. The Kobe steak from Cabana Las Lilas is truly special and the very fact it is so tasty on its own one needs not any additional sauce – speaks for itself. And the exceptional quality and the consistency of both steaks (lomo and chorizo) in La Brigada, along with the restaurant’s great wine list, great atmosphere and service, is something I definitely do not recommend to miss out on. What you will choose out of all this does depend on personal affinity. bife de chorizo najbolji u La Estanciji jer je najsočniji, najmekši i najukusniji od svih chorizo odrezaka koje sam probao. Najdojmljiviji bife de lomo ostao mi je onaj iz Parilla Pene jer je tamo njegova mekoća i sočnost dovedena do vrhunca. Kobe steak iz Cabana Las Lilasa zaista je poseban i sama činjenica da je toliko ukusan sam za sebe da ne trebate nikakav popratni umak uz njega, najbolje govori za sebe. A La Brigadina izuzetna kvaliteta i konzistentnost obaju odrezaka (lomo i chorizo), uz izvrsnu vinsku kartu restorana, odličnu atmosferu i uslugu, svakako je nešto što ne preporučam propustiti. Što od svega toga izabrati, ovisi o osobnim afinitetima.

Perfection, finally, is a subjective category and we all see it differently. This is revealed by internet forums as well, according to which it is clearly visible certain restaurants are for some the best in the world – for others, a disappointment. While some concentrate on the quality of meat (such as me), others focus on service, some on atmosphere, yet others on price (value for money), and some on the scope of the wine list, possibilities for impressing their partner or important clients. All of this depends too on one’s mood as well, which can always improve or worsen the entire gastronomic experience.

At the end of this food and wine expedition, I can say I had a perfect and unforgettable week in Buenos Aires and I can warmly recommend to big lovers of great steaks and wines (who can afford themselves in terms of time and money) to grab the first opportunity and head to Buenos Aires in search of their perfect steak and wine that accompanies it best. If I have somewhat helped with my gastronomic and enological expiriences which I shared in this text – I will be very pleased. I would be also interested to hear their experiences and judgments on what were the best steaks they tried in Buenos Aires and why they believe it is so.

I wish them best of luck in their quest and first of all bon appétit!

Josip Muller, 9 April 2012