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Buenos Aires, Argentina > Buenos Aires restaurants > Bar La Robla Bar La RoblaViamonte 1615 (@ Pasaje Del Carmen); Tel. + (011.54.11) 4811.4484
Bar La Robla is in the style of porteño bistros which exude as much local pomp and circumstance as their old-Argentina, carnivalesque theme implies. But what does that mean for the visitor? Waiters, uniformed in white, are courteous and polite. There are undercurrents of nationalism for both Argentina (the ubiquitous flag) and Spain (paintings of street scenes). Also, wherever any signs must be displayed, they are painted with flourishing borders and bright, bold colours. Whether the old Argentinean bistros were ever this flamboyant is anyone’s guess. While the theme might seem oriented towards a tourist crowd, the clientele of Bar La Robla is mostly comprised of Argentinean families basking in a semblance of a by-passed era than of camera-wielding visitors. The bar is also a champion of the new aesthetic movement ‘warehouse on display’ where business owners decorate the interior of their establishment with the stock of products they use in their work. So while any guest who looks to the ceiling will see the same hanging hams as La Robla’s neighbour Cervezeria Hans, they also display tins of olive oil, salami, cans of tuna, and some delicious looking sweet breads. As could be expected, Bar La Robla serves Argentine cuisine. The difference at this establishment is that the owners and chef have extended the menu to offer many specials that go beyond the typical Argentine dish. One such dish is the Pink Salmon with cream which leaps onto plates for $29AR. The crème de la crème, the waiter informs me, is the Gran Picada La Robla – an enormous ensemble of classic Argentinean snacks that feeds between three or four people for $55AR. A chopp (handle) of beer goes for $5AR, and all diners ought to be aware of the $2.80AR service charge per person.
—Bar La Robla review by Murdoch Stephens
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