8:37 AM
Matt Peloquin
For nearly two years from 2010 through 2011, I lived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Every weekend, I'd stroll down the street in my neighborhood and take in the lovely smells of grilled steaks from all the parrillas in my neighborhood such as Miranada and La Dorita.
But one of my favorite weekend activities was to walk from my apartment in Palermo Hollywood over to Palermo Soho and have dinner at La Cabrera. While extremely popular with tourists, it was still considered one of the best parrillas in the city. Without a reservation, the wait time could be hours...but it was always worth the visit. The food was consistently perfect and the atmosphere ideal. This was the perfect example of an Argentinian steakhouse.
When I learned that they were launching a location in my new home of Santiago, Chile, I was excited. While Chile has a number of wonderful steakhouses in Santiago like Carnal, Ox, and Happening, the idea of an authentic Argentinian parrilla experience outside of the country was exciting.
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| Ojo de Bife Wagyu from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile |
Upon visiting the Chile version of this gem, one quickly learns that it’s a very different experience.
The first offering from the wait staff as you sit at your table is a Pisco Sour. This is normal at a Chilean restaurant, but certainly not expected for one seeking a more Argentinian experience.
As La Cabrera is at heart an Argentinian restaurant, they have one of the most extensive wine varieties of Argentinian Malbecs in Santiago. So it's easy to see past the drink offering.
My general experience with La Cabrera in Chile had been favorable. In previous visits I had the bife de chorizo, my favorite cut at the Argentina restaurant location.
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| Bife de Chorizo from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile |
I recently decided to try something different and ordered the bife de ojo wagyu, the best cut they offer. It comes with the usual sample size tasting of different salads, vegetables and starches from the photos below. But I also ordered creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin.
When the meal arrived, it looked great. But it tasted as if they had marinated this premium cut in a salt mixture for months. It was inedible. I had to send it back. The manager came out and asked what was wrong. I explained the problem. His response was to ask me what type of cut I “usually” order. He asked “bife de lomo" (which is a filet migon)? I responded with “ojo de bife”...the same cut, which I often get at places like Ox and Happening in Santiago.
They offered another cut and to fix the problem, which was reassuring.
The problem was cultural.
Chileans generally like an abundance of salt. They have it on every table. But some who enjoy good food and a better culinary experience might not always prefer over-salted food.
To maintain some optimism for La Cabrera, I revisited the next evening as I was in the mood for a milanesa napolitana. It's a beef cutlet that is traditionally about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick in Argentina and covered in melted cheese, ham and tomatoes. It was always one of my favorites in Buenos Aires, and I've had back luck with them in Chile. The norm in Santiago is for the beef itself to be less than a centimeter thick, so all the flavor is just oiled breading.
La Cabera did not disappoint as it was one of the finest milanesas I've tasted. With a side dish of french fired potato halves with caramelized onions, and the usual accoutrement of sample sides, it was an excellent meal.
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Milanesa de Ternera Napolitana from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile
breaded beef cutlet with ham, mozzarella and tomatoes
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Overall, I'm happy with the restaurant. I just had to come to terms with the reality that instead of a 100% Argentinian experience, this menu is going to be altered to better fit the local palate.
The menu at La Cabrera is not set to replicate the original Argentinian locale. It’s made for Chileans. They offer no less than 5 French fry options for side dishes including papas fritas al a pobre (french fries with a fried egg...a traditional Chilean dish) but they don't offer pure de papas, an Argentinian parilla staple.
In the perfect world, La Cabrera would be able to simply replicate the once in a lifetime experience in Argentina. Instead they realized that in trying to expand to Chile, they had to make a few changes. It's understandable.
If you live in Santiago, a visit to La Cabrera is well worth trying.
LA CABRERA CHILE REVIEW GRADES:
Atmosphere: A+
Menu: B-
Food: B+
Wine List: A+
La Cabrera Side Dishes:
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Accoutrements from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile:
quinoa, fried mushrooms, Russian salad, green salad, lentil hummus, pumpkin flan
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| Espinacas as la Crema from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile |
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| Papas Fritas con Cebolla Confitadas from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile |
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| Papas Gratinadas from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile |
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Entradas from La Cabrera in Santiago, Chile:
roasted garlic and puree de papas, basil mashed potatoes, corn puré, rice
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La Cabrera Chile Menu:
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