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Buenos Aires, Argentina > Buenos Aires restaurants > El Cuartito El CuartitoTalcahuano 937 (@ Paraguay); Tel. + (011.54.11) 4816-1758/4331
 El Cuartito offers up giant, delicious pizzas ready to share. Photo by Clare Nisbet. El Cuartito (meaning: little room) has a glowing neon sign that greets you from 2 blocks away in either direction – a beacon of pink and white a la 1950’s American diner. But make no mistake, this place is porteño to the core and you can tell by the porteños filling every chair, standing at the counter, calling on the phone for delivery, and overflowing on to the street. El Cuartito was founded in 1934 and ever since they have made it their business to provide hungry folks with fresh, hot, cheesy, thick crust, perfectly greasy delicacies and they have only become pros with all the practice. One of the many signs on the wall greets you with, “Pida El Cuartito, satisface a todos!” or “Order El Cuartito, satisfy everyone!” – and they’re not kidding. It might seem that anything in a frame makes it to the wall, but El Cuartito is an endlessly entertaining hall of fame for sports, films, tango, and pretty much anything else you can imagine. Exposed wallpaper is hard to find as most corners are covered with images of Maria Felix, Carlos Gardel, Diego Maradonna, Muhammed Ali, Siegfried and Roy at the Mirage, and other world heroes. This is also one of the only places where you can see the history of Boca Juniors and River Plate (Buenos Aires’ famous rival football teams) side by side on the same wall. The menu of about 25 pizza combinations with heaping toppings is available in both English and Spanish and has been expanded to include empanadas al horno or fritas (oven baked or fried). Aside from this not much is available except a choice of a few beers and wines. But what else would you need when a chica pizza (enough to feed 2) is available from $9AR and a grande (enough to feed 4) is available from $18AR. For those still hungry, though it is hard to imagine, homemade flan and scoops of dulce de leche are on the dessert menu. Those lucky enough to find an empty table should snag it and chow down while trying to ignore the din from the hundreds of other diners, which can reach deafening levels at times. You are as likely to be sitting next to a group of rowdy teens as an 80 year old man enjoying a Quilmes with his wife. Any one else would be doing well to grab a slice at the counter and take in the scene. It is not difficult to see what has kept El Cuartito going for over 70 years and what will certainly keep it going for 70 more. —El Cuartito review by Clare Nisbet
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