These are fresh cannellonis, not the ones that have been fried crispy for use in dessert, and they were stuffed with spinach and mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. The two filled pasta rolls were smothered in a white cream sauce and topped with fresh tomato sauce and garnished with chopped parsley and sprinkled with grated parmesan at the table. The tomato sauce was a little tart and sweet, and it played well with the cream sauce. The chopped spinach was nicely flavored with the two cheeses, and they also made the spinach seem a little creamy. All that was missing was black pepper, but they had that on the table. I enjoyed my pasta lunch with a glass of torrontes white wine. Torrontes is a grape grown predominantly in Argentina. It was dry, clean, and crisp but with a little interesting fruitiness. This time I actually tasted grape rather than a hint of peach or whatever. I had my meal and wine outdoors at an Argentinian restaurant in San Diego's Little Italy. Since a majority of Argentines are of Italian heritage, they are well versed in Italian cuisine. My meal today had the colors of the Italian flag (red, white, and green), and I've come across numerous interpretations of this theme in many differed Italian restaurants.
Location: Puerto La Boca, 2060 India Street, San Diego, California. Date: July 15, 2021.
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When I opened the to go container in my car and smelled the aroma of the chimichurri marinated roast chicken, I knew I was in for a treat. My container contained two pieces of the chicken, both white and dark meat on the bone, with a side of al dente zucchini and yellow summer squash and a dollop of mashed potato. There was a small container of extra chimichurri sauce, and I dipped some of the succulent chicken into it for an extra wow factor. The chimichurri was made with oil, minced parsley and garlic, and vinegar or lemon juice, along with seasoning. It's oily, tart, and herbaceous, and it's also a world class dip for meat. This was my second take out of the day that exceeded my expectations.
Location: Bontá, 68510 E Palm Canyon Drive, Ste 140, Cathedral City, California. Date: May 23, 2020. Chef Salvatierra was born in Argentina, he's of Italian descent, and he's married to an Austrian; thus, the menu at his restaurant, Bontá, features a fusion of Argentinian and Italian cuisine, and it also features German cuisine. I stayed on the Argentinian & Italian page and chose Gaucho Pasta. It was penne pasta with mushrooms, peas, and slices of sausage. The dish was tossed in a marinara sauce that included cheese and white wine. The sausage was supposedly home made Argentinian style, but to me it resembled sweet Italian sausage (I could taste fennel). The tomato based sauce was a bit creamy, undoubtedly due to the cheese in it, and there was plenty of it. The dish also included plenty of the sausage, most of which was hiding under the top layer of pasta. The chef made a visit to everyone's table, something I always enjoy, and our waiter was a real hoot. Turns out that he went to London and earned himself a master's degree in Shakespearean literature!
Location: Bontá Restaurant, 68510 E Palm Canyon Drive, Cathedral City, California. Date: December 3, 2017. Tacos Fonda Argentina is both the name of the establishment, a restaurant close to the monument to the revolution in Mexico City, and the name of its signature dish: tacos of chopped steak. This restaurant is truly where Argentina meets Mexico. I had one taco plain and the other with melted cheese (Manchego, as it turned out). My side dish was grilled prickly pear paddles (cactus leaves) which, being slimy, a bit tart, and somewhat bland, were the perfect foil for the well seasoned meat in the tacos. I paired my meal with a jarra de cleriquot, which was a jug of light sangria with chopped apple and cantaloupe in it. The tacos were served with various salsas (I liked the green one with cilantro) and lime pieces for squeezing. Good stuff. When I went back the following evening, I had a cheese empanada that had strips of poblano pepper in it. Like I said, Argentina meets Mexico (and it's a good combination).
Location: Tacos Fonda Argentina, Monumento Revolucion, Mexico City, Mexico. Date: June 27, 2014. This time around in El Valle, Panama, the Peruvian restaurant I used to like was gone, but I discovered an Argentinian place instead. I sat outdoors on the patio and ordered chorizo, morcilla, plantain, garlic bread, and a jug of sangria (red wine with fresh apple, grapes, strawberries, and canned peaches). I'm not the biggest fan of morcilla (blood sausage), but this one was excellent: cumin flavored, moist, and drenched in chimichurri sauce (the famous Argentine oil and parsley concoction). The chorizo was drier but with a nice anise flavor; it was the locally made blood sausage, though, that stole the show (Vasca brand from San Carlos, I was told by the Argentine owner). The plantain turned out to be patacones, twice fried unripe plantain pieces smashed into “coins”, Panama's most beloved side dish. The following evening, I went back for Argentine empanadas (savory filled pastries). Yum! Location: Carlitos Argentine Restaurant, El Valle, Panama. Date: November 21, 2013. The Dodo Bon Pan Café in the old section of Panama City, Panama, advertised a free tapa with your glass of wine after 3pm. My tapa was baguette toasts with a savory tomato based spread, possibly flavored with Maggi or soy sauce, topped with a rolled up salami slice and a green olive. The plate was garnished with fresh dill and rosemary and came with a salsa of pickled cabbage and onion (a Spanish style sauerkraut?). The red wine, at 14% you know what, was a good Argentine malbec. It was a somewhat expensive glass of wine, but it was a fine price when you factored in the tasty tapa. The place was small and cozy. Close to me was a young couple with their very old grandmother. She was thin, with totally white hair, and she munched on galletas, very plain biscuits. My heart melted.
Location: Dodo Bon Pan Café, Casco Antiguo, Panama City, Panama. Date: November 15, 2013. |
AuthorChef Roland has been a legal resident of seven countries and has travelled in over thirty, documenting food along the way. He currently resides in the desert in Southern California. Categories
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