El Patacón

Frommer's Review

This large restaurant is a 7km (4 1/4-mile) drive from the city center. El Patacón's unique architecture and mouthwatering cuisine drew Bill Clinton and Argentina's Carlos Ménem to dine here during a presidential meeting several years back -- a fact the restaurant is more than happy to advertise. The building is made of chipped stone inlaid with polished, knotty tree trunks and branches left in their natural shape, which form zany crooked beams and pillars. The tables and chairs were handcrafted from cypress driftwood, also kept in its natural form.

Start your meal with a platter of five provolone cheeses, served crispy warm off the grill. Follow it with venison ravioli or goulash, trout in a creamy leek sauce with puffy potatoes, wild boar in wine, or mustard chicken. The parrilla serves grilled meats and daily specials, and the bodega (wine cellar) offers an excellent selection of wines. The restaurant recently inaugurated an adjacent bar, a fascinating medieval-style lounge with iron chandeliers, and a tremendous fireplace with a tree-trunk mantel, where the staff will welcome you with a cocktail.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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