C and I had high hopes for La Perinola, the name of which translates to "whirligig." The server was…read morefriendly and welcoming. And we had no trouble getting a table outside on a Friday evening. Indeed there was only one other table occupied at 8:45 PM because this is early for Buenos Aires dining. Once we were seated, the service proved to be good, however, other aspects of our experience turned us off.
First, there is the simple matter of organization: No wine list. It appears that they offer about two different wines, but you have to rely on the server orally reciting your choices. Of course, there are two problems with this. First, she can't possible remember everything they offer. Second, after the 4th or 5th name, you have already forgotten the first one. This is simply ridiculous and has been solved at other restaurants with offering a wine list.
For our appetizer we ordered Lagostinos En Panko. The lagostinos had promise, as they were large, but , sadly, they were uninspired. The panko is literally plain panko. That is, there was no discerible seasoning at all. It had the flavor of eating breadcrumbs.
By this time, all the tables were occupied.
For a main course we ordered the Vacio Al Horno De Barro con puree. Vacio is identified as flank steak. Perhaps it is, but the vacio we received was nothing like the flank steak cut in the U.S. It's a completely different cut. Unfortunately, the meat was incrediblly stringy and chewy. And, like most of these typical corner places, the meal is commonplace. No seasoning, that we could taste. You get exactly what is described on the menu: A hunk of meat and potatoes.
When I asked for the check, the server asked if the food was good. We gave a polite, but weak, response that everything was okay. She persisted, clearly hoping for definitve assurance that were pleased, but how do you lie to such a nice server? We reiterated our indefinite approval, but in truth, we were disappointed. Too bad, because it's a cute place, with reasonable prices, and reasonably good service. We want another "go to" place in the neighborhood, but we are wanting something better.
Food: 2 stars
Service: 4 stars
Ambiance: 3 stars
Price: Reasonable. $301 included a botle of water and a Los Cardos Malbec in March, 2015.
