Buenos Aires holds only a few classic white tablecloth finedining restaurant and Aramburu is one of them. The restaurant is divided in two floors with the second floor reserved for desserts you have most of your meal in a small but intimate dining room all seats with a view of the kitchen.
Being a fine dining restaurant a glass of Argentinian sparkling wine and a series of snacks quickly found its way to our table. The first was a classic combination in the form of beetroot and cheese where as the second was definitely not classic in the form of black sesame seeds with greens presented in fake soil. A roscoff onion merengue was also anything but classic but delicious.
Quickly after we would be bombarded with another round of snacks. My favorite was without a doubt the terrine with pistachios but a simple sweetbread with orange sirup was naturally delicious.
A boutique of flowers is seldom used as a plate but here it was in order to hold a small and refreshing salatwrap.
Next up was one of the highlights of the menu. A frozen watermelon with raw scallops served pizza style. A cool presentation and luckily it was not all about style the dish really worked and the watermelon needed to be cold but for flavor balance and texture.
Following this was a dish that was both delicious and beautiful. Oyster with both quinoa and lime in an interesting presentation where the quinoa had been dried and made into a flake.
Never have I had tartare served tacostyle but it truly worked. A deer tartare was served as a taco in a leaf of a herb that I have forgotten but it held a lot of spices giving nice balance to the dish. Clearly a Mexican inspiration where hoja santa leaf is often used to match either moles or replacing the tortilla in a taco but when it works as well as here why not get a bit of inspiration.
My big Buenos Aires love was their tomatoes and this one would be no different. Small tomatoes filled with a bit of cheese in a refreshing broth with just a bit of hazelnut oil. Such a great combination which naturally would not work without amazing quality tomatoes.
Next dish was almost ceviche style. A raw sole was served in a coconut and apple foam with a bit of lime for contrast. Naturally a combination that I loved.
Another classic combination was potatoes truffles and egg yolk. Naturally the crunchy potatoes were a nice touch and the combination is classic for a reason. Because it’s delicious.
Duck and cherries is also a classic combination together with beetroot where it here got company of a small shiso leaf to give a big of fragrance to the dish.
Before moving to the second floor, we would have a small cleanser in the form of small hibiscus flakes with a bit of sorbet.
For the desserts we were given the privilege to dine in the wine room. Here we would start with a fake avocado that was made of mango, chocolate and a bit of mango. Creative and fun.
We would end our menu with a small cannelloni in its classic preparations but with the level of execution and precision that you would expect at a gourmet restaurant.
We had hereby concluded a 3 hours trip through the technical kitchen of Gonzalo Aramburu. The kitchen borrows inspiration from many parts of the world both in terms of techniques as presentation while still putting a unique spin on it. Naturally paired with good quality Argentinian wine they make a great match and for a great overall experience. An experience that is underscored throughout the meal by an attentive and professional service.
Webstie: Aramburu Restaurante (arambururesto.com.ar)
Head chef: Gonzalo Aramburu
Menu: Tasting menu
Price: Around $80 for tasting menu including wine
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