Argentina is a passionate country. They are passionate about their food, their wine, futbol and the tango. We started off our trip in Buenos Aires eating at an amazing steak restaurant in the Soho district. The food is truly amazing there, including the Argentinian Malbec to match it.
Buenos Aires is filled with many open air markets. We visited many of them, but by far the best was the San Telmo market opened on the weekends. There are street vendors for miles with various kinds of artisans selling their handmade goods. You can also buy empanadas from girls carrying them around in baskets or watch the seductive tango dancers in the street. We also did some shopping for the luxurious Argentinian leather.
We later flew to Mendoza to visit the wine region. I assumed Mendoza would be similar to Napa as a quaint town. But it is also a large city with hustle and bustle in the South American country. The wineries are quite new (especially compared to those in Europe), but the wine is quickly gathering critical acclaim. The young Malbec grapes make for some delicious wine.
Highlights
My favorite night of the trip was the home restaurant dining experience of Los Chocos in Mendoza. Run by two gentleman, Martin and Martin. It is a dining experience like no other. All ingredients are from the Mendoza region and prepared by a culinary chef. The wine pairings were perfectly matched.