When in Patagonia, eat lamb. The roast lamb is the most famous but any form must be tried. Pura Vida is known to be different from other restaurants in El Calafate in that it serves homestyle cooking. The Airbnb hostess mentioned various restaurants in town but also quipped that they cook these things themselves and so never try them in the restaurants.
Whereas La Tablita is the recommended place for traditional Patagonian roast lamb, Pura Vida is known for lamb stew.
Upon arrival there's an immediate serve of an enormous bread sphere. It cuts and feels like a cake and it simple but would do better with something to absorb. Perhaps a stew...
- Cazuela de Cordero Patagonico (chopped lamb stew with pine mushrooms, black olives, onion in a white wine & cream sauce covered with puff pastry) ARS270 - as much as my excitement, I found this disappointing. The lamb pieces were soft and quite tender but no different to any I've had elsewhere. The most flavour came from the very juicy and delicious mushrooms more than anything else. Unlike a "stew" it was devoid of liquid which I had saved bread for and only a single layer of sparse filling underneath a big amount of crust. The crust made it more of what I consider a pie and although very buttery tasting, the crust had burnt edges;
- Pastel de Berenjenas (eggplant, mashed potato, cheese, basil, tomato & gratin parmesan cheese) ARS190 - this seemed to me an unseasoned stack of vegetable wedged between sliced grilled eggplant on the top and bottom;
- salad of lettuce, carrot, tomato, onion, spinach, cabbage, arugula, corn, beetroot, celery, egg, apple & raisins ARS67 - the waitress said the servings were large and so was happy to offer a half size (which was a perfect side portion). The salad was simple and had lots of contrast of vegetables, but came undressed (like all salads so far in Chile and Argentina) and EVOO and balsamic bottles were given.
Overall I was disappointed with the meal here. Perhaps other dishes might be better (like Granny's Lentil Stew) but for the price I didn't think the quality and cooking were good enough.