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Buenos Aires, Argentina > Buenos Aires restaurants > Cantina Pierino Cantina PierinoLavalle 3499 (@ Billinghurst); Tel. +(011.54.11) 5062.1527
100 years ago, the grandfather of executive chef/owner Pedro “Pierino” Capalbo sold vegetables out of a small stand on Av. Lavalle. To supplement his modest business, this Italian immigrant, from the southern region of Calabria, began making a single dish in his skillet each day and selling it primarily to his fellow countrymen for $0.80AR centavos a plate. Before long he was making more money from the simple lunch service than the vegetables, so in 1909 he opened Cantina Pierino at its present location, continuing with his initial offering of one dish per day. Though the current menu has quite a few more options, experienced patrons know not to bother even opening it, instead relying on Pierino’s (“Doctor Pierino,” he clarified, “Doctor de gastronomia.”) sound judgment. But it would be difficult to make a bad choice at this incredibly charming Italian eatery. All the meats, seafood, vegetables and homemade pastas and sauces are uber-fresh, and the dishes Pierino creates from their various combinations could not be more authentic. The real mascarpone tiramisu could be the best in Buenos Aires. The building and décor has changed little since the cantina first opened, aside from the addition of “retired” pots and skillets (with their respective years scrawled on the bottoms) hanging from the ceiling, and evermore glowing reviews framed on the wall. Pierino’s four children (two work in the kitchen, two on the floor) represent the fourth generation of Capalbo family ownership, but there’s no mistaking who’s in charge. You’d be hard-pressed to find better Italian food and atmosphere outside of Italy. —Cantina Pierino review by Dave Muller
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