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Buenos Aires, Argentina > Buenos Aires restaurants > Cafe Albaicin Cafe AlbaicinViamonte 1678 (@ Luis Deliepiane); Tel. +(11.54.11) 5811.0861
On a colourful corner on the northern fringe of Once lies Café Albaicin, a fusion of Japanese minimalist style with the creaking gloom of a Mendozan wine cellar, serving an eclectic array of foods for those with international taste buds. The day crowd is comprised of gaggles of middle-aged trophy wives gossiping at one booth, while young businessmen eye them, the waitresses and contemplate their future prospects from another booth. These same tasteful booths proliferate as the common theme and provide a much needed respite from the outside world. The nights at Albaicin are hinted at though, with the blue light of a Corona sign illuminating the wall and intimating that a rowdier crowd turns up during the non-summer months until later in the evening. Even non-vegetarians might struggle to take the seat beside the Heineken fridge where a dry, hacked at pig’s leg waits as either an attempt at modern art, or leftovers from a few months back. For those unconcerned with such Argentine customs, check out what the roof is made of. One speciality of the house is tapas – a large plate with a selection of hand food – ranging from fresh vegetables, to olives, cheeses and cured meats such as sausage and ham. A mixed plate to serve two people goes for $AR20. An emphasis on light food is another Albaicin specialty, and a welcome addition to the Argentine restaurant scene: almost everything on the menu has a light permutation. Perhaps the greatest diversity and selection is afforded with the range of special salads that cover a number of styles and countries – pick at a Caribbean, Brazilian, or Waldorf for $AR8 a piece. —Cafe Albaicin review by Murdoch Stephens
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