Filed under: argentina, eating, Mendoza, Restaurants
Dining in Mendoza – Final Mentions
Actually before I leave Mendoza behind there are a couple of places I need to mention, if for no other reason than other Mendoza-philes out there will scream “what about ____?!” if I don’t.
Probably our favourite meal in Mendoza city proper, Azafran really deserves its own entry, if only for its outstanding wine room. Laid out like a library, the extensive wine collection has pride of place at the front of the building, and is lovingly displayed by varietal—a fun (if expensive) crash course in the region’s producers and products.
Staff gave me a quick overview and then let me roam free for a good 10 minutes before discreetly asking if I would like more information. Unsurprisingly, the staff’s knowledge was impressive, and we were able to try some fun new wines based on our past preferences.
Oh, yeah: and the food’s fantastic. Be aware that Azafrán comes recommended by many a guidebook, so you’re more likely to find international visitors eating beside you than you are Mendocinos. Ambiance: 9/10, Food: 9/10, Service: 9/10
El Palenque
Another Mendoza city favourite is El Palenque, a casual fun place for dinner or drinks that always seems to be busy. With a great patio and a mix of locals and travellers, El Palenque seems a solid choice; despite the fact that our meals were twice on the mediocre end, I will give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that the kitchen just had bad days. Ambiance: 9/10, Food: 6/10
Av. Aristides Villanueva 287
Mendoza City, Argentina
(0261)154-54 8023
Owned by the same people who own Azafran.
Another restaurant we had high hopes for was the famed La Bourgogne, situated on the beautiful grounds of Carlos Pulenta’s Vistalba winery. Modern and chic, La Borgogne was perhaps the most formal place we ate, and has garnered many rave reviews (including many suggestions that it is the best restaurant in Mendoza, or even the country.)
Although the food was imaginative and impeccably presented, the experience was soured by the fact that we had shockingly bad service. Although I tried to chalk this up to the fact that we ate very early by Argentinean standards (really a no-no), the inattentiveness still didn’t make sense seeing as we were the first guests there—wouldn’t that mean we would get more attention instead of less? Ambiance: 10/10, Food 9/10, Service: 5/10
