If there is one food group that is king in Argentina, it’s clearly red meat. Very rarely can you walk a block in this city without walking by a large parrilla serving up flavorful cuts of bife de chorizo or a piece of lomo you could cut with a butter knife. It’s obviously the Argentinian staple. However, living in Buenos Aires, there is much to experience on the other side of the culinary spectrum and this week I set out taste some of it. I actually was inspired by my first wine tasting in Buenos Aires, where I realized that this country not only produces some of the best wines in the world, but that these wines pair beautifully with a variety of cuisines and not just the succulent steak that so many associate with Argentina.
Looking for something different, I stumbled into Tandoor. An Indian restaurant in Barrio Norte, this white table cloth and formal waiter restaurant was a far cry from the local spots I was used to frequenting during my years in New York. However, my goal and judgement was not on the leave of decor, but regarding the pairing of my spicy food with some delicious Argentinian wine. I had learned in my wine tasting that certain bottles of Bonarda pair particularly well with spicy sauces, but settled on a Malbec instead since no 100% Bonarda was offered. We ended up trying a 2009 Malbec Roble from Atilio Avena, which was quite good for the price and had a nice palate of red cherries with a bit of toast and chocolate on the tongue. It drank decently with our meal, but I was truly craving the 2009 Mairena Bonarda from Familia Blanco that I had tasted earlier in the week. It’s inky red color, fruity bouquet and complex, yet smooth, finish would have pair perfectly with the peppery spices of our Indian feast.My mouth is already watering thinking about the combination. Next time, I’m buying my own bottle and getting Buenos Aires’ world famous delivery!
By the way, Tandoor, on a Buenos Aires scale, has very nice, authentic Indian food and if you are looking for an alternative to Argentine beef it is a good choice 
Incoming search terms:
- mairena bonarda 2011
