in my GLASS
The Paris of South America Steak, wine & special treatment in Buenos Aires
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BY » Trevor Burton | PHOTOGRAPHY BY » Trevor Burton
e spend as much time as we can in Buenos Aires. Not much touristy stuff, just hanging out and soaking up the city’s culture. Part of our soaking is a favorite restaurant, Fervor, in the Recoleta district of the city. Buenos Aires is full of old, touristy steakhouses that fill every guidebook. Fervor is not one of them. Located on a small side-street, it has a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Buenos Aires has the nickname, “the Paris of South America.” Sitting at a table in Fervor with few, if any, tourists in sight, closing your ears to conversations, you would swear you were in the City of Light— and that’s very okay with us. Fervor’s approach is simple, feature the finest steaks along with ultra-fresh, 20 LimitlessMagOnline.com | August 2021
south Atlantic seafood and cook them in classic Argentinean style over a smoldering fire of embers. Simple; great ingredients, exquisite preparation, cozy, family atmosphere—right up our alley. Our approach is also simple. We go with a dish of campo y mar, the restaurant’s description of itself, surf and turf to us. Add to that a special preparation of potatoes and you’re on to something. Perfection on a plate. As for wine, we always have a great time perusing Fervor’s wine list. With absolutely no data to back my opinion, a wine tastes better the closer it is to home. So we stay with Argentinian wine. The last time we were there, we went for a Malbec from Catena Zapata’s Nicasia vineyard in the Uco Valley sub-region of Mendoza. Maybe a little strong for the “surf ”part of our dish but right on for the “turf ” part.
Treated as “regulars”
We’ve become buddies with Fervor’s owner, we’re truly treated as “regulars.” And that brings me to a fun tale. Fervor’s dinner service begins at 7:30. One time we arrived a little early and joined the porteños (residents of Buenos Aires) waiting in the lobby area. Right away, up came the owner with two glasses of champagne and, ahead of the crowd, he led us to “our table.” We got a kick out of locals seeing us get special treatment. My command of Spanish is close to zero but I’m pretty sure that I heard porteño whisperings that we were probably George and Amal Clooney—at least, I like to think I did. One time we did drop into some touristy stuff. After about an hour’s drive out of the city, you’re way
