Let’s start this round with cookies, because… cookies.

Venega’s Coffee, Arcos 2795, corner of Congreso, Belgrano. It was after our Horde outing to Güey last month, and while walking up to Av. Cabildo to take the bus home, we spotted this corner café with big, beautiful cookies on display. None of us could resist. I bought a trio to bring home – chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, and oatmeal raisin (150 pesos each I think). And they were as good as they looked. They also had the same cookies used to make chocolate or dulce de leche filled alfajores, giant sandwich cookies. But that seemed a bit over the top.

Atis Bar, Perú 1024, San Telmo – Just a stunning space of an old converted “PH” style home, with multiple rooms each off of the courtyard and terrace, and, the courtyard and terrace. Tables are setup all over the place, and you can find a nook, cranny, loud or quiet spot, as your heart desires, inside or out. The food? Both of us ordered the same thing, so I only have one dish to go by, a suprema a caballo, or pounded thin, breaded and fried chicken breast topped with a double fried egg (600 pesos). It was good, but no more than that. Then again, it’s hard to screw up this dish. A tad pricey, but not outrageous. Lovely place to come, sit in the sun on a beautiful day, and have a coffee or bite to eat.

Aldo’s Wine Bar, República Árabe Siria 3037, Palermo – As long as we’re taking in some sun, let’s have a seat at the wine bar outpost of what I called the Aldo’s juggernaut, however, is now, semi-post-pandemic, just two locations, here and Arévalo. A reasonably close walk for me from home, I hadn’t planned on this spot for lunch, but it just looked inviting. Grabbed a table outdoors, and ordered up a trio of raciones, basically mini-plates, or tapas style from the short menu. Wonderful sourdough bread with fresh butter and deliciously salty olive oil anchovies (490 pesos), a small bowl of spiced almonds (220 pesos), and a burrata cheese (well, half of one) sitting pretty atop a fresh pea hummus with mint and prosciutto (750 pesos). A glass of Finca Las Glicinas “Jengibre” Semillon 2019 and all was right with the world for about 45 minutes of tranquil bliss. Wine pours here (available at 150ml/5oz for a “tasting” or 250ml/8.5oz for a full glass) are far more generous than most of the wine bars here offer.

Asu Mare!, Av. Pueyrredón 535 679, Once [Moved a block over in mid-2024] – Moving indoors…. This one wasn’t even on my radar, I had no idea it existed. It does look fairly new. The name is a play on words, Asu madre! is a slang expression that while literally meaning “to your mother”, basically means wow!, and mare is ocean or sea, so kind of a perfect little play for a cevichería. A half dozen choices available on the menu, basically plain fish or mixed fish and shellfish, and different ceviche cures available. I went with the mixed, and a rocoto chili cream to be added to the basic leche de tigre curing liquid. Perfect one person sized portion of ceviche and completely delicious. Extra hot sauce on the side to add more of a kick if you like (I added about half of it). Portions run around 900-1000 pesos, or about $9-10. Going to be a regular spot for me – closest place to us with good ceviche!

Lima Poke, Sánchez de Bustamante 875, Palermo – Another offering from Kitchenita, the dark kitchen I mentioned in my taco roundup. Honestly, I’m not sure I’d have ordered from them if I’d have realized that, given how disappointing the first delivery was. This was no better. Onigiri were made from rice that didn’t hold together, they just fell apart when attempting to pick them up, and there was virtually no filling inside either the salmon teriyaki one or the kimchi one (425 and 330 pesos respectively), and the chewy bits of dried out fried fish (fried!!! in a poke bowl!!!) accompanied by a pile of carrot shavings and cucumber slices and more of the crumbly rice, just didn’t cut it (620 pesos). Pass once again. I like the concept of a dark kitchen, but the food has to be executed well, not executed by a firing squad.

Ikansushi, Sarmiento 1287, San Nicolas – According to Google, this spot is on the 7th floor of that address, so now I’m really curious as to what else is in the building that puts a restaurant up high. Perhaps it’s the top floor, with a view? A new one that popped up on one of the delivery services, and delighted that it had a selection of nigiri that included white fish and octopus. Slightly disappointed that the salmon skin roll came with cream cheese, which I missed the mention of on the menu, my bad. But, overall, really fresh, the rice well made, and quite tasty. Good enough that I believe I’ll go and check out the seventh floor one day.