Eat Like Ushi

I tend to be one who when visiting another country will eat exclusively food that the country is known for. That always means the local or historical specialties and cuisine and much less occasionally the food that the immigrants brought over. Italian food also happens to have a big comfort and familiar side and although I wouldn't get it in Asia, Argentina with its excellent icecream seems to be doing something right in that aspect.

This coupled with Puerto Iguazu not having much exciting dining choice and the feirinha market also looking rather disappointing drove me to La Mamma - conveniently around the corner from the Airbnb and also well rated as cheap and filling on Tripadvisor (#3).

It's pretty rare I'll eat at the same place on any one trip (other than takeaway from a bakery). The last time I can remember was the exceptional Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon. Whilst not on the same level, La Mamma is very good.

There's a choice of fresh pasta lined up and sauces (tomato, bolognese, four cheeses) priced by the pasta and sauce weight. There's also a few fixed priced specials like mushrooms, carbonara, seafood etc.

The first night was an extravaganza. After some free basic bread with a red pepper and oil emulsion, the enormous serves of curly pasta with hongos & shitake (ARS170) and red fettucine (made with paprika) bolognese was served. The bolognese sauce was lovely and beefy (unsurprising for Argentina) with rich flavour and no acidity. The mushroom sauce had parsley, cheese and cream but not as heavy as it sounds. For a total of ARS345 (which means mushroom pasta 170, 75 for two drinks, empanada for 15 then 85 for the bolognese) was outstanding value.

For ease dinner was served there the next night. Smaller portions were requested and 3 giant ravioli (with walnuts, jamon & cheese) bolognese and spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce were served. The tomato sauce was much lighter and obviously stronger tomato flavour than the bolognese but still no acidity. They've cooked out those tomatoes long and well. Those two half serves with a salad turned out to be ARS240. It seemed disproportionately expensive compared to the previous night but still extraordinarily cheap by any standard (especially Argentina).

Thanks Mamma.

After very fortunate weather of heat and moderate humidity at Iguazu falls, the late afternoon beckoned some icecream. Luckily there is one right next to the bus station and even more luckily it's artesanal. Like all heladerias in Argentina seem to, there is a large variety of chocolate and dulce de leche and a shorter list of fruit flavours for balance. They keep theirs in silver lids - less for show and more proper.

Chocolate Amargo (dark) was very similar to that in El Calafate - dark, not too sweet, rich and delicious. Frambuesa (raspberry) was expected slightly lighter, sweeter and more tart for contrast.

Similar to the excellent experience in El Calafate, although expensive these people also pack it right down to the bottom of the cone.

I didn't realise Argentina was known for icecream (despite reading it alot about Buenos Aires). I'm glad to have found some along the trip.

Puerto Iguazu is known as a pretty desolate place when it comes to dining. Considering it is a fly-in/fly-out destination purely to see Iguaza falls for a day or two means that it is aimed largely at tourists. There wasn't much to find when reading up about places or things to eat. The main specialty seemed to be local riverfish, of which there are 3 types - the most commonly mentioned is surubi (looks similar to catfish), pacu and dorado.

I had written down to potentially try Aqvi or La Rueda but also that they were pricey and a little fancy. The only other things around on my list were El Quincho del Tio Querido (parrilla) or the feirinha market (which I had just looked at and seemed empty for lunch without much range). The Airbnb host had suggested either Aqvi or Charo (which are across the road from each other) for steak or fish. I didn't feel like a fancy lunch so we decided to try Charo. As you walk towards the place you can see (and smell) the smoke coming from the chimney out the back - it's very enticing.

The menu is large. Helpfully there's a picture of what each fish and each meat item looks like at the front entrance.

- Surubi with Roquefort sauce - the surubi was very well cooked and firm texture but still soft. It's an excellent fish. The blue cheese sauce was quite mild in terms of blue cheese but heavy and strong in terms of salt and flavour;
- French fries a la Provencal - minimally crisp outsides, soft insides cooked with herbs and garlic. Minimal salt was used so had to add some.
- Beef rib - it came sizzling on a hot plate with charcoal under it. The flavour was lovely and natural and mopping up an excess juices off the grill with bread was nice. There were pieces that were soft and tender and others that required much continuous chewing. It certainly wasn't the most tender I've had.

Overall the food was decent. It was good to see a restaurant cook fish decently (considering everything is probably cooked thoroughly). After leaving I walked across the road to look at Aqvi's menu - interestingly the prices there are similar, possibly a little cheaper and although less variety seem more interesting. I'd go there for fish and steak next time (although I doubt I'll ever be in Iguazu again this lifetime).