Night 15 - Dinner at Rush Hour - March 13, 2013

As I noted before, Argentines eat a small breakfast, good sized lunch between Noon and 2PM, and a big dinner around 10PM to Midnight.   While our breakfast was large by Argentine standards, it was small for us, and we slept through the lunch and afternoon hours.  So by 6PM we were quite hungry.  This time begins the rush hour as Argentines pick up their kids from school (mosty by walking there and escorting them back), and those that work in offices wrap up the day and head home.  So the streets were jammed as well as the sidewalks.  First we headed back to the Recoleta Mall and bought a nice teakettle for the apartment.  it was about US$24, but it went perfectly with the decor.  Eugenia, our landlady, had offered to pay for the replacement, as the one in the apartment was well past its prime.  We decided to make it a gift to her and the apartment.  As K carried the shopping bag, we looked quite Argentinian walking the sidewalks.  Most cafes and restaurants were open, serving coffee to the men and snacks for the kids.  But if you wanted some food, not so much.  We wandered about for several blocks and found a touristic area by the Recoleta Cemetary where each restaurant was open and empty with a barker outside trying to drag tourists in.  Not to our taste, we found a less aggressive tourist restaurant around the corner and had burgers and beers.  We figured this could be a snack, and we could take an evening meal after 10.  My burger was simple, with lettuce and tomato only. K had the one with cheese, onion, pancetta, lettuce, tomato, more cheese and the kitchen sink.  Both were delicious, but on mine the supremely excellent flavor of the Argentine beef shone through.  Awesome!  On the way back we grabbed a couple of small tarts (one lemon for S, one chocolate for K), and enjoyed them in the apartment with an excellent bottle of US$8 Malbec.  When 10:30 rolled around we were not hungry at all, so we simply retired for a good night's sleep.

Touristic restaurants between the Recoleta Mall and the entrance to the Recoleta Cemetary

Alberto Lagos Little Plaza, by the side of the Cemetary

Note the UK-style Telephone Boxes

Good way to top off a couple of burgers

The new teakettle, ready for duty for breakfast tomorrow!