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Upset about the demise of Brangelina? I hear you. But, get over it! I have a much more spectacular twosome to talk about.
That's right. You guessed it:
Strawberries and Balsamic vinegar.
This is a power couple, if ever there was. Their marriage may not make headlines, but I know it's elicited many a sweet smile and moan of delight.
The way the vinegar lends a tart edge to the fruit, it is clear that these two simply belong together.
And, frankly, I'm happy to join in and make it a thruple.
When you get down to it, that's a silly question. The answer is "everywhere."
Trope thought it may be, Buenos Aires is most certainly the bife capitol of the world. The city is a carnivore's wet dream. Rarely is any other type of meat on a menu half as good as the steak. Classic Argentinian steakhouses, known as parrillas, are a mainstay on the dining scene, whether you hit a traditional futbol-memorabilia strewn spot like San Telmo's La Brigada...
...for perfectly cooked short rib roast and old-school waiters, or you venture to La Carniceria for a Flintstone-sized steak smoked or grilled by carne-fixated hipsters who would be as comfortable cooking in Brooklyn's Bushwick as in BA's Palermo Soho.
But beef isn't just found at your neighborhood parrilla. It is found in your corner cafe. And, if you're lucky enough to have your corner cafe be La Rambla in Recoleta, that means the steak is served gorgeously jugoso with any number of toppings on fresh French bread...
This is the Lomito Sandwich of your dreams. And, if you haven't been dreaming of this Lomito Sandwich before, you should start doing so now.
The town is just as fanatical about grinding up its beef, patty-fying it, and serving it up hamburguesa-style. The 45-day dry-aged burger at the Four Seasons Pony Line Lounge is as swell as its surroundings. By BA standards this burger beauty, sitting on a brioche bun showered with broiled cheddar, is a pricey treat - but it's still a great deal less expensive that Minetta Tavern's Black Label Burger.
And, if that isn't enough beef for you, how about putting it into a nifty, baked hand-pie?
Did you think I would forget about all the delectable ground and stewed carne smacked in pastry dough and baked up in Empanadas? No, I did not! Some are better than others, but there isn't a panaderia in the city that doesn't serve up these addictive treats without at least a couple of versions filled with bife.
Of course, it's not that chicken, pork, and even lamb can't be had now and then. In fact, I was duly impressed seeing an entire rabbit section in the butcher aisle at my local Disco supermarket. But, bife most certainly reigns supreme. Red meat and Buenos Aires are a match. Visit, and it's game on.