Gluten Free in Argentina – Part 2/2

I have just returned from three weeks in Argentina on vacation and yes, I had a wonderful time!  The country has so much to offer – we walked the Paris-like streets of Buenos Aires, admired the majestic power of Iguazu falls, toured the vineyards in Mendoza, hiked on the Perito Moreno glacier in El Calafate, and ended our trip at ‘del fin del mundo’, Ushuaia.

The cuisine in Argentina is Europe-inspired, with a multitude of pastries, pastas, pizzas and empanadas (ok, so there is a South American twist) as far as the eye can see.  Argentina’s claim to fame, of course, is the steak – which is every bit as good as you’ve heard!  In the south, the Patagonian lamb is spectacular.  And if you travel far enough south to Ushuaia, you will be treated to a King Crab feast!

Most Argentine people begin the day with mate (a hot drink similar to green tea but even more bitter and enjoyed through a straw to filter out the leaves) and toast or a croissant.

Soooo, how does a traveller with celiac disease navigate this cuisine?  Well, I got by with a little help from my friends:  Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola bars and FruitSource fruit snacks.  For lunches and dinners, I usually ate salads and a lot of grilled meat.  And most exciting of all, throughout my travels I came across gluten free cookies, scones, croissants, etc. which I always bought and was pleasantly surprised at how good they were.  The waiters at restaurants were generally aware of “celiacas” and what it means for a dish to be “libre de gluten” (i.e. gluten free).  They often struggled to find something to serve me – but awareness is half the battle.  I also travelled with the English/Spanish dining cards from glutenfreepassport.com and they were a lifesaver.

SALADS

Salads in Argentina come in all shapes and sizes, and almost always include carrots, heart of palm and tomatoes.  There is also usually some meat and/or cheese (queso) on the salad.  Here are some pictures of salads I came across in Argentina:

GRILLED MEAT

Most of the time, the best choice was steak.  You can get a good steak in Argentina at any old restaurant and you’ll be impressed for sure.  Of course, to change it up every once in a while, we’d get chicken as well.  In the Patagonia region, lamb is the dinner of champions.

ASADO

Asado is an Argentine barbeque technique which yields excellent results.  They can be found almost everywhere and you will find beef in the form of flank steak, chicken and lamb legs and ribs, as well as other cuts which I deem less desirable.  I’ll leave it at that.

GLUTEN FREE TREATS/BAKED GOODS

Every once in a while, I would happen across a store that sold gluten free cookies, scones, croissants, etc.  These items would say “Libre de Gluten”, “Sin T.A.C.C.” or “Sin Gluten”, and would usually have the gluten free symbol displayed.

 

RESTAURANTS

Four restaurants that we visited stood out for me in terms of the exceptional quality of the food, and the gluten free aware wait staff.  Here are my top four gluten free restaurants in Argentina:

1.  La Cabrera, Buenos Aires:  This is one of the top steakhouses in Buenos Aires and you’ll know it’s good by the lineup outside (at least they’ll give you a complimentary drink while you wait).  It’s located in the trendy Palermo Soho neighbourhood and the food is spectacular.  A little known fact – menu items are 50% off if you go during “happy hour”… between 7 and 8:30pm.

2.  La Pescadorita, Buenos Aires:  If you want to change it up and get some seafood, this restaurant in the Palermo Hollywood neighbourhood won’t disappoint.  We had salmon carpaccio, garlic shrimp and paella – yum!!

3.  Wok & Grill, Port Iguazu:  By the time we got to Iguazu falls, I was craving carbs in the form of rice.  This bohemian restaurant just steps from the bus station was the perfect refuge.  Not to mention, they have gluten free soya sauce!!

4.   Don Pichon, El Calafate:  Don’t miss this incredible restaurant which sits on the hill above El Calafate and provides a spectacular panoramic view of Lake Argentina.  Make sure you call ahead for a reservation because this place fills up fast.  And if you can dine at sunset and you order the patagonian lamb, it will be a meal you’ll never forget.