I’m sitting here listening to Rossini’s Zelmira, a three-hour opera, because, well, it’s germane to today’s little review. I have, many times over the years, passed by a corner bodegón here in Recoleta called La Tía Zelmira, French 3015, corner of Sanchez de Bustamante. Aunt Zelmira’s place. An unusual name, I thought, finding out that it’s of Italian origin and means “brilliant one”. I’m not sure that outside of the opera I’d ever encountered it before. And, as to whether or not there is a Zelmira at the restaurant, I didn’t ask. Perhaps next time.
Like many classic bodegones, the place is done up in dark wood, and lots of kitsch. This place adds in the unusual touch of plants. Plants everywhere. Hanging outside, hanging inside, on tables, on counters, on the sidewalk.
I’ve visited twice, both times solo. Somewhat different experiences service-wise. The first time, attended to by a charming and friendly young man (the one in the hoodie there at the bar), who knew the food, made recommendations, and took care of all his tables, seemingly simultaneously. The second time by an equally charming and friendly young woman who apparently is only capable of doing things very sequentially. She brought the menu to the table, then stood nearby awaiting my selections, ignoring all other tables. Then she took my order, put it into the kitchen, brought my beverage, and only then, moved on to do the same at the next table. It was excruciatingly slow for everyone. Someone needs to learn to multi-task.
Now, on the other hand, both raved about the pastas. In fact, both asserted that the fresh pastas were the raison d’être for coming to the restaurant, and ordering anything outside of that for the main course was likely a mistake. They also make note that they don’t use dry pastas, only fresh pastas, made in-house. That isn’t, I gather, 100% true. It’s not specified on the in-restaurant menu, but the delivery menu states that the spaghetti and mostaccioli are both dry pastas.
No objection seemed posed to ordering something to start with that wasn’t pasta. Among the short selection of empanadas was an osso buco empanada, which was simply one of the best empanadas I’ve had in awhile. It’s not just that slow braised osso buco meat, but the entire stew in there, with meat, vegetables, and even the unctuous braising liquid. 340 pesos, barely over $1 these days.
I love a good lasagna. And my attending waiter was quick to assert that of all the pastas, once again noting that pasta was the way to go, this was far and away the best one on the menu. Now, it’s listed as a “meat lasagna”, not a “bolognesa” style one, which it isn’t. It does include a very good bolognesa sauce, but not the usual ricotta and bechamel layers. Instead, the meat sauce alternates with layers of cooked ham and cheese – lunchmeat style slices, but quite good ones – not the usual supermarket tasteless ones, so I’m assuming something they get from a local deli. The whole thing liberally topped with mozzarella and parmesan, with more parmesan offered on the side (the scattering atop is my own doing), and more meat sauce. It’s a whopping meal for lunch, but it was so good that I finished off not only the whole lasagna, but all the extra sauce on the plate. 1720 pesos, or a bit under $6.
On the second visit I decided to go provoleta. Less interesting than the empanada. It was beautifully seasoned, and nicely browned below and above, but somehow managed to be solid and cold in the center. Almost like they’d pre-grilled it and then just it them warm off to the side somewhere. Not sure it was worth the 980 pesos it comes in at, a little over $3. It would have been had it been hot and gooey.
I decided to go simple on the pasta this time, their most basic being cintas, or pappardelle, with a tuco, tomato sauce, and a splash of pesto across the top. The quantity of pesto was so small that it did little more than add some visual interest to the dish, not like the half and half pesto and tomato sauce combos that appear on many other bodegón menus. It was good. The tomato sauce was a bit more acidic than I’d have liked, but some salt adjusted that just fine. Not near as good as the lasagna, but the pasta itself is cooked beautifully, I’d probably just pick a different sauce – they have a baker’s dozen to choose from. 1500 pesos, about $5.
There’s a 160 peso/person cubierto charge, about 50¢, not a whopping amount or anything, but I still hate cubierto charges – most old school spots still charge them.
Overall, I like the place a lot. It’s convenient to home, it’s comfortable to sit in, the service is friendly. The prices are reasonable, and the pasta is damned good.
