Food in Bariloche is a way of life and a big part of the city’s charm
In Bariloche the gastronomy option is very varied. The cuisine has managed to blend the most representative of European cooking with the best of regional dishes. Classic recipes receive additional touches such as the taste of pine mushrooms, fine fruits and all kind of berries that make any recipe a specialty. Bariloche also offers the tourist a number of pubs, snack bars, pasta and pizza, as well as international and regional cuisine restaurants.
Delicious salmons and tasty trout, abundant in the Patagonian lakes and rivers, can be tasted fresh as well as smoked served with a variety of different sauces.
As far as meat is concerned, the Patagonian lamb is a local delicacy that, together with wild boar and venison all make up highly appealing dishes.
Also typical of this Southern region are smoked products, including salmon, deer, and wild boar, without neglecting classic dishes such as barbecued meat or on the spit, or home made pasta and pizza.
Patagonia has also been exposed to the profound influence of native indian tribes, in particular, those of the Mapuches and the Araucanos. A typical dish prepared by the latter is the “curanto” (a term standing for “hot stone”). Its preparation process involves digging a 15-cm hole in the ground, within which incandescent stones are placed inside a bonfire. A bed of nalca or maqui leaves is arranged on top of the stones, and these ingredients come, in turn, on top of this bed: beef, lamb, pork, chicken, chorizos (pork sausages), potatoes, sweet potatoes, apples and holed squashes filled with cheese, cream and peas. Subsequently, all these ingredients are covered with leaves and damp pieces of cloth are placed on them, so as to ensure heat preservation. Next, the preparation is covered with plenty of soil, thus turning the whole arrangement into a genuine pressure oven. Wisps of smoke start billowing out of the ground once the cooking process has come to its end.
In addition, home brewed beer as well as the wines and champagnes of the region make any occasion, a very special one.
Bariloche chocolates are a classic, both in Argentina and abroad.
Viennese and German cuisine and pastries are also typically associated with this region. The diversity of red fruits grown in the area is eventually turned into delicious jams and marmalades that together with delicious home made cakes and scons can be enjoyed in the traditional tea houses where the warm personal attention will leave you feeling relaxed and pampered.
The table set to enjoy a delicious meal with friends and family surrounded by landscapes of overwhelming beauty, large windows overlooking the lake and the warmth of a fireplace burning… will make the perfect setting to relax and make your stay in Bariloche an unforgettable experience.
