Comments on: Buenos Aires for Celiacs?

By: Adrienne

Adrienne — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:35:06 +0000

I am visiting Buenos Aires from the US for the second time and I think this is a rather harsh view of gluten free dining here. It is true that the Argentines love to bathe everything in wheat, from meat to fish and beyond. Love them some milanesa, empandas, pizza, pasta, and media lunas. And true, some restaurants have a take-it-or-leave-it attitude about things, which is partly just a cultural characteristic here. I mean you can just go next door after all. There are a gagillion little restaurants here.

But for the most part, I would say Buenos Aires is just as easy to navigate as the US was for me when I was first diagnosed. Most of the organic restaurants are aware of celiac issues and can help one navigate the menu. Check out the restaurants at http://www.whatsupbuenosaires.com/novedad/Ciudad_Org%C3%A1nica. Beware that because of the risks of cross contamination “sin harina” does not always mean safe for celiacs, but I have found that servers in organic restaurants are quite knowledgeable about which menu items are safe and that they guide me toward safe options.

Here’s the other great thing about Buenos Aires: if all else fails, just order a plain piece of beef (lomo or lomito) and mashed potatoes (pure de papas) with all the usual questions and dire warnings about “harina de trigo.” Not only has it always been gluten free for me, but it’s quite tasty.

By: Rami

Rami — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:59:17 +0000

which Buenos Aires are you living in??? I have been to BAires 4 times in the last couple of years and have not had a problem with meals; most restaurants are extremely accommodating and they know much more about Celia disease and gluten than anywhere in the US.
There is meats and salad, potatoes and egg dishes everywhere; humitas y made of corn and there are many sushi places or Italian places that serve rice/risotto;
There are several great health food stores that sell amazing empanadas and other frozen products in addition to breads and cookies; in fact I always bring back food to the US; the flour combinations are better and much cheaper than in the US.

By: Timo Rantalaiho

Timo Rantalaiho — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:46:29 +0000

And here’s the link to Asador los Sauces

http://www.asadorlossauces.com/

Map

http://tinyurl.com/asadorlossauces

Just inside the city of Buenos Aires, in the back part of Belgrano. I’ll try to remember to post a comment when we go.

By: Timo Rantalaiho

Timo Rantalaiho — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:39:47 +0000

Yes, I’m sorry for overexaggerating in my long-winded comment written in the whim of the moment — my poor defence is just that I wanted to correct what I felt would give a very distorted image of Buenos Aires for celiacs for those that read the post I commented on.

And I am most happy to see that Silvia has proved me wrong, because at least on the website it seems like Asador Los Sauces would really have a menu for celiacs! Muchísimas gracias, Silvia! We’ll check that one out for sure.

Eating out as a celiac one will not die of hunger here anyway, because you can get (extremely good, best of the world according to locals) grilled meat and salad virtually everywhere. The problem might be trickier if you don’t happen to like meat or salad To avoid a low-carb diet, there are pretty nice gluten-free rice biscuits called Cerealitas (tostaditas de arroz) that can be found in most supermarkets and even in well-equipped kiosks, so that’s what we hoard at home and take with us everywhere. It tells a lot about the variety of products that they had exactly the same ones with the gluten-free meal in the airplane when I went out for a while

And Buenos Aires is a great city in many respects and definitely worth a visit for its other virtues. Probably now that the law is coming up, within some years it will be better for celiac eating as well.

By: Silvia Basualdo Róvere

Silvia Basualdo Róvere — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:17:55 +0000

The Guide Oleo has not coeliact restaurant.
The RESTAURANT with food for coeliac is in Belgrano, called Asador Los Sauces.
As you mentioned, in Argentina waiter and restuarant onwer does not who is permitted to eat for coeliacs.
But the list I send you is right and if you find differences please tell me.
Regards,