El Vegetariano - Bariloche

I just had the best meal of my whole Argentina trip. Actually, it was probably one of the best meals of my life. That may sound like an exaggeration, and my perception may be distorted by the fact that I have had so many unsatisfying meals down here, but I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a dinner so much.

The place? El Vegetariano in San Carlos de Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina (20 de Febrero 730). Our waiter was extremely friendly and was even cool with us sharing the main dish. They have a daily menu, meaning the main plate is different every day. Along with that, they have a soup of the day and an excellent salad. The prices are even reasonable for Patagonia ($25 pesos for main dish, P$12 for a sizeable salad).

I felt the need to note it, because this is exactly what Argentina needs more of. As much as I have enjoyed travelling this great country, they are sadly lacking quality vegetarian food. The salad was fresh, colorful, tangy, and perfect (too big, if anything). The main dish was an almost-vegan sampler of 6 different dishes, including a polenta with turmeric, a home-made soy milanesa with green onions, and some sort of green crepe with red peppers and the best sauteed onions I have ever tasted.

I don't want to gush too much. Suffice it to say, if you are ever in Bariloche (one of the top destinations in Argentina), you must go to El Vegetariano at least once, even if you are not vegetarian. The flavors and experience were better than I had in any other morsel in the last 7 weeks here.

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