Rosario, Off the Beaten Path

I've already mentioned some of my favorite vegetarian restaurants in Rosario, but there are plenty of other great places in town. Julia was our first American friend to visit so we wanted to show her some authenticity. There are a lot of fancy parillas for impressing guests, but we decided to go to one of our favorite eating spots - el vomito. Ok, so it isn't really called that but it was lovingly given its name because the food is so delicious and plentiful that you eat until you're ready to rupture. It's real name is Comedor Balcarce (on the corner of Balcarce y Brown) and it's cheap.

This restaurant is among the bodegons of Rosario, remnants of the old city. Places where soda comes in vintage bottles and sifones, and the waiters memorize your order.


I suppose that there is a nostalgia for the past in all cities; reminders of a forgotten era scattered about here and there. This restaurant serves the kind of dishes that have been typical 'comfort food' forever here. Guille likes to get huge milanesas or supremas for about 16 pesos. Here's one covered in cheese:

It was also a great place for our guests to sample unusual dishes like cow tongue and intestine. They actually liked the tongue, pictured below, but weren't impressed with the latter. I love the potato tortilla and the homemade pastas.


Another restaurant with the spirit of 'old Rosario' is Santa Maria pizzaria, which deserves its own post (I'll get to work on that research ;)

After dinner, we took them to Davis, a trendy restaurant located at the base of the MACRO (contemporary art) museum. It's right on the river and is a great place for drinking on summer nights. I occasionally (every time) order coffee flan, which comes with a shot of coffee liquor.


And we didn't let them escape our fair city without gelato from Yomo. Yes, it's a chain but their flavors are so well perfected that I prefer it over boutique ice cream shops. I recommend tiramisu, lemon pie and dulce de leche granizado.


If we would have had more time with our guests, we would have taken them to Caracolas, on La Florida (a strip of beach), for fizzy lemonade and fries at merienda time. And to other hidden gems around town like this little cafe where we had breakfast this morning (Maipu y Urquiza).

I'm still delighted by the tiny cookies that often come with coffee here. Free and sweet makes me smile (even before I've reached the bottom of my cafe con leche).

And we could have stopped by El Cairo for chopps (beer on tap) and pizza or a lunchtime salad - the space is huge and filled with artsy motifs (Santa Fe y Sarmiento).


Or we could have had a meal on the shaded patio at VIP, which is just steps from the flag monument and across the street from the river.



So thanks for visiting Rosario, and come back soon!