Bolivar 1502 (corner of Brasil), San Telmo (Note: Manolo is moving a few blocks away to Bolivar & Cochabamba in December 2006)

Manolo is one of my favorite restaurants in Buenos Aires. It is also one of the cheapest (though not quite as cheap as your outdated paper guide books say – inflation is on the rise in Buenos Aires), and a place where you are assured of getting a true ‘Buenos Aires’ experience.

San Telmo Favorite

Located just a block away from Parque Lezama, San Telmo, the place where Buenos Aires was first founded by Pedro de Mendoza, Manolo (the name of the owner, aswell as the restaurant) has been serving up massive portions of meat (bife de chorizo/rump steak, lomo/tenderloin steak, asado/ribs…etc), pasta and fish dishes for so long that many locals assume he was part of that initial founding party back in 1536. Actually, Pedro de Mendoza could have done with a Manolo on his team back then – that founding failed due to a major food shortage – but Manolo is more than making up for that these days.

Manolo’s Celtic Infuence

In fact, the grumpy looking restaurant owner does share one similarity with Mendoza, both being immigrants that came to Argentina from Spain. Manolo originally hails from the Asturias region of Spain, arriving in Buenos Aires in the 1950s and setting himself up in the food trade soon after. Of course the majority of the food he offers in Argentine in nature (parrilla and pasta), but many dishes also include Celtic influences that he brought with him from Asturias. In fact, when I told him I was British he was disappointed to find out that I’m not even slightly Welsh, although he was delighted to find out that my mother is from the Republic of Ireland! Manolo cooks up a mean ‘fabada’ (bean stew with port), the Asturian signature dish, and an ‘Irish Bife de Chorizo’, which of course features boiled bacon in its sauce, something my mother would be delighted about.

Interesting Takes on Argentine Classics

If you are going for meat, I would recommend trying one of the ‘regional’ takes on the usual parrilla suspects, that will at least provide some variety from the other parrillas you visit when in Buenos Aires – in addition to the Irish concoction, these also include a Lomo Guadalajara-style, a Canadian Bife de Chorizo and Cerdo (Pork) a la Nebraska, all of which taste as interesting as they sound, and prove that even an old dog like Manolo can show off a few innovative tricks.

Plates Full of Pasta

In the end, I was feeling all beefed-out on this visit, along with my companion, so we were a little unadventurous and went for two pasta dishes. I say unadventurous, but when you see the MOUNTAINOUS portions, which each could easily fill two people each, you may see finishing off your meal as an epic adventure in itself! I had Noquis (Gnocchis) a la Piemontesa (a chicken, olive, tomato & basil sauce) and my dining partner had Spaghetti a la Muzzarella (a ham, mushroom, muzzarella, scallion & cream sauce…although I could swear it had leeks in it, which would confirm the Welsh-Celtic influence!). Both were very tasty, came in at a bargain 9 and 10 pesos respectively, and were way too much for two very hungry people. Make sure you really starve yourself before visiting Manolo!

Football Theme & Atmosphere

As for the restaurant itself, I suppose it isn’t all that in terms of decor – very plain and simple. BUT, this is compensated for by the reams for football (soccer) shirts, flags and memorabilia plastered over every inch of wallspace, which as a huge football fan myself I find very interesting. And, the atmosphere is not far removed from a loud, passionate football crowd either – almost always full of Argentine regulars (and a fair few tourists), lunch and dinner, the patrons certainly work up a fair old noise, helped along by the cheap house red wine I’m sure!

All of this bodes well for Manolo’s planned December 2006 move, because if the food, atmosphere and prices are all successfully transferred, then that is the essence of the restaurant, and the location itself is not of great importance. One final thing to note – due to the popularity of the restaurant there will probably be a long wait for a table on weekend nights, but that is all part of the experience, as they say. And if a slightly raucous atmosphere does not sound like a nice dining environment to you, visit at lunchtime when things are more laid back.

Restaurant Verdict

• Service: (3/5) The old waiters do their best to cope with the crowds and stay chirpy.
• Food: (4/5) Good, solid food. And for an old Argentine parrilla, there is actually more innovation than you would expect. Also, the pasta dishes are huge!
• Atmosphere: (4/5) Certainly not ‘hip’, but a very interesting and sometimes noisy experience.
• Value: (5/5) Massive portions for as little as 8 to 10 pesos. Can’t argue with that!

Buenos Aires Travel Guide Special Tip

Manolo may look like a grumpy old fella, but if you speak even a little Spanish, then have a little chat with him. You will find him to be extremely friendly and a bit of a ‘character’ – he even likes to call himself ‘el dueno, cono’ (the f***ing boss), which might give you an idea of his kind of humor. And if you have any Celtic roots he will probably take a shine to you – in fact I’m thinking of going back to see if he’ll put my football team’s shirt on the wall, and I can’t see him saying no.