In my most recent travels, I have really enjoyed checking out restaurants with good reviews in a city I am visiting. When I knew I was going to Buenos Aires, I was excited about trying out some of the world class restaurants the city has to offer. From steakhouses to Italian restaurants, there is no shortage of top notch places to eat! This post is a review of Fogon Asado, which was not only the best place I ate in all of Buenos Aires but also in all of Argentina. It is also without a doubt the best meal I have ever had in my life!
This review is my honest opinion and was not sponsored by Fogon Asado in any way!
So, I made a pretty bold statement above and you are probably wondering how I plan to prove this! But trust me, you will definitely be booking a meal here in your next visit to Argentina!
What is an Asado?
If you are planning a trip to Argentina or to South America in general, you have probably heard of this word asado a lot. Asado is derived from the Spanish word asar which means “to roast”. It is both the technique of barbequing meat as well as the social event of attending the barbeque. In a way it is similar to the English word barbeque that describes both a cooking technique and the event itself (i.e., “let’s have a barbeque this weekend).
What is Fogon Asado?
Fogon Asado is a restaurant in Buenos Aires that takes a traditional Asado experience and elevates it to a world class 9 course tasting experience. This restaurant got a mention from the Michelin Guide recently, but in my honest opinion was so much better than another Michelin guide restaurant I visited in Buenos Aires.
Where is Fogon Asado?
Fogon Asado has two location in Buenos Aires. One in Palermo Soho and one in Palermo Viejo.
Fogon Asado Two Ways
There are 2 experiences that you can book. One is called “Chef’s Counter”. This is a private dining experience with just 10 seats available. They offer the classic tasting menu with elevated wine pairings. The other is “Tasting menu” which is what I have described below.
How to Book?
The best way to book is online through their website HERE. When you book, you will select the date and time. You also have an opportunity to add wine pairings at check-out. I didn’t add it at check-out but decided to do it once I got there. Trust me! the wine pairings really complete the experience!
Review of Fogon Asado
Set up
I got there maybe 2 minutes before the time of the reservation and was a little worried when I got down from my Uber, seeing the other guests outside. I began to wonder if the restaurant was closed and not opening! But, right at the reservation time, the doors flung open and we were all asked to come inside. Asi se baila el Tango was playing in the background and it was all very dramatic! It gave me goosebumps and I loved it!
The seating arrangement was revealed once we were inside. Think of it was a large square with seats on the outside and the parilla or grill in the inside. The seating arrangement does not really foster conversation, especially if you are with a large group. However, this is on purpose because it is also a show in a way. Everything we ate and drank (other than the wine of course) were prepared right in front of our eyes!
Each 4-5 seats get their own server who will take care of you throughout the entire experience. They were all SO accommodating! Posing for pictures, making sure our wine never ran out and ever willing to answer questions! They were honestly my favorite part about the experience.
Getting Started
We were all given a cocktail, which was made right in front of us, to kick off the meal. I unfortunately did not catch what it was but it was really good! We also had a menu in front of us and a little box. The box contained spices and a recipe to make chimichurri. I don’t like cooking and generally don’t like working for my food (basically you won’t catch me at a cooking class type experience), so this was the perfect amount of work! I mixed the spices together and let it marinade in a bit of vinegar. Olive oil was later poured over it when it came time to consume it. It was delicious!
We also got started on the wine! There are 3 options you can choose from. They all come with 4 wines. All we had to do was to keep our wine glass on top of the counter and it was filled immediately.
Then it was time to fire up the parilla! Our server did a wonderful job of introducing the parilla and explaining the types of firewood that was used.
The Meal
The server also did a great job explaining all the different cuts of meat that we would be eating. Every cut looked impressive! Then came the dishes one by one. The preparation and the plating were all done in front of us. Perhaps the most impressive part was when they pulled out a bone from the meat and it just fell apart effortlessly.
Course 1
The 1st course as a vegetable course. We had fire roasted eggplant/aubergine with ricotta cheese and fresh herbs.
Course 2
Ok, I still think about course 2! This was a grilled provoleta cheese with a pear on top and served in a mini cast iron. The cheese was grilled to perfection with a crispy crust and gooey center and the pear just elevated the dish to another level.
Course 3
Course 3 were sweetbreads with a tomato sauce. It was tender and juicy!
Course 4
This was another favorite! I am a huge chorizo fan and was thrilled to see it on the menu. This dish consisted of blood sausage with an apple chutney and chorizo with roasted bell pepper, both on grilled bread! Finger licking good!
Course 5
Then came the meats! This slow braised cut simply fell apart from its bone! I am not a huge beef person, but boy even I was in heaven!
Course 6
This was probably my favorite main! This pork dish was divine! The yellow chili sauce and the lime and cilantro salad were just sheer perfection!
Course 7
Next we got to try a pine cone smoked ribeye cap, which was smoked in front of us. We were all asked how we wanted our beef cooked earlier. They recommended medium rare with the assurance that you could ask the meat to be cooked more if it was too raw for you. I decide to do medium rare and it was just right for me! We had this with the chimichurri we mixed earlier. The olive oil was poured at this point.
Course 8
Course 8 was also a ribeye with a different preparation! It came with grilled vegetable and was very tender.
Course 9
I must admit that I was not excited about seeing pancakes for dessert. I had pancakes filled with dulce de leche at a previous restaurant and despite it being an Argentinian must try, I was not impressed by it. Oh boy!! This pancake though, was nothing like the one I had before. First of all it was hot iron pressed sending a cloud of smoke into the air and it was also served with whipped cream and Patagonia berries. I literally scraped the plate and licked the spoon!
The Finish
To finish, we were all offered coffee, which I gladly took, despite not being a coffee drinker! I had planned other activities after and needed to be awake for them! ha!
Tips
- Book in advance to get the time and date you want (especially if you are going to celebrate something!)
- Both locations offer the exact same experience, so you can check one location if the other is unavailable.
- Lunch is cheaper than dinner, although it is more or less the same experience. Plus if you go for lunch, you will have more time to digest all the food prior to bed!
- It is a 3+ hour experience and you need to make sure you come right on time to enjoy the full experience. If you miss out if you are not on time
- Uber! Don’t drive! The wine is absolutely free flowing!
One thing I know for sure, I will be back! I am hoping to visit Argentina on my way to Antarctica in a few year time and I don’t know what I plan on doing in Argentina yet, but one thing is for sure, I definitely will be visiting Fogon Asado!
Did you find this review useful? Please let me know in the comments below!
Traveling to Mendoza? Check out a review of my favorite gastronomic adventure in Mendoza HERE
