From Ranch to Table

Today the weather was pretty nasty and rainy, so we stayed inside and hung out at the house most of the day. Becky and JD made lunch, and I ran over to the corner empanaderia to grab some empanadas, which were some of the best we have had this entire trip! I realized for the first time that each flavor of empanadas tends to have a certain kind of fold for the dough to designate its flavor, and these folds seem to be pretty consistant throughout different restaurants. Beef ones are folded a bit like a turnover, ham and cheese are rounded, etc. I can't believe it has taken me three years to notice this. :)

Tonight we went to another perennial favorite restaurant: Cabanas las Lilas. It has as lovely heated and covered outdoor terrace overlooking the canal, as well as probably the best steak in the city, perhaps in the world. :) The owner of the restaurant not only owns the restaurant itself, but also the ranch where the cows are raised. The restaurant seats 400 people, and I have never seen it not packed. Before steak, they serve these little cheesy roll/biscuit things, delicious foccacia-ish pretzels and little mini appetizers like marinated eggplant, roasted red peppers and cheese. It is tempting to fill up on such things, but one must keep in mind the feast to come... I ordered my favorite cut, medallon de lomo (tenderloin medallion), and it definitely did not disappoint. It was so tender that it only took two slices of a knife to cut through it; I could have practically cut through it with my fork. It was perfectly and delicately seasoned, little tiny crunches of sea salt in each bite. After steak were two huge platters of complimentary dessert - little bites of truffles, brownies, little bars...

Medallon de lomo.

Our happy table prepares to feast!

Gavin and I at Cabanas las Lilas.

The impressive parilla at Cabanas las Lilas.

After steak we headed back to Palermo to get some helado at Perssico, because as Gavin likes to say, "You're never too full for ice cream; it just fills in the leftover spaces between the food." :) Gavin had Crema Perssico, which is macadamia nuts and amaretto, and I had my usual dulce de leche; we're getting down to the wire as far as this stuff is concerned since we're leaving in a couple days. We may have to have helado every day for the last couple days of our trip...