Argentina is best known as meat capital of the world with their style of bbq, “Asados”, as what most travelers are introduced to first. Tasting my way through Argentina was one of the main objections that drew me to visiting. While I enjoyed the incessant of amounts of carnivorous, carb-filled gluttonous feasts, our bodies were craving for a healthier meal. As I browsed through my trusted go-to travel site Lonely Planet, where I came across a section describing the recent fad of pop-up dinners at people’s homes. I came across “Jueves a la Mesa“, a highly-recommended home-cooked Vegetarian dinner at a home in the San Telmo Neighborhood. I can vouch that this is the Best Vegetarian Experience in Buenos Aires. Plus, they offer Yoga Classes you can attend before dinner with live music and organic wine!
“It’s Good to Eat Plants”
Their headline reads “It’s good to eat plants.” I thought, that is exactly what we need right now, and the same sentiment we would find with many others that pop in weekly to the fully booked, joyous table.
“Jueves a la Mesa brings the natural bounty of Argentina to the table. A good verduleria is a showroom of natural abundance, the raw materials with which to create spicy, succulent meals.
We all know we should eat plants because they are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that protect us from cancer, improve cell functioning, and cleanse our bodies of toxins.
And there’s another reason: turning plants into food puts us in direct contact with leaves, stems, seeds, fruits, and flowers. While many of us have lifestyles that limit our exposure to nature or even a garden, the handling and preparing of plants offer a connection to the natural realm.”
I emailed them and was given a quick confirmation with the time and address, with an invitation to their Yoga class before (also in the apartment). The 2 female Chefs are Meghan and Sofia who run a popular, successful business out of their apartment. Yoga classes and Vegetarian dinners are offered several days a week in their bohemian, free-spirited apartment since November 2010.
Best Vegetarian Experience in Buenos Aires
The focus is on local organic, seasonal vegetables/plants and fresh ingredients to create succulent, often spicier meals. The chefs tastefully create dishes from around the globe: Moroccan, Mediterranean, Vietnamese, African, Central/South American just to name a few.
They are not one bit shy to experiment various flavors in their dishes and get ultra creative with various spices. While most of the dishes are vegan and gluten free, it is not always 100%. Please inform them ahead of time if you have a strict diet. Meghan and Sofia are flexible and accommodating in making sure your experience is perfecto!
New Travel Friends from Unsettled
We arrived right on time and other guests trickled in within the next hour. Some were regulars who had become friends of the hosts (both locals and expats). A few others had heard about them from friends and good reviews on the internet like us. There were also a group of 6 people who came from a 30-day work-travel program called BeUnsettled. They were living/traveling in Buenos Aires while running their business abroad. I am always reminded that it is no coincidence that fate brings kindred spirits together. Like attracts like and our gypsy energy brought us all there that evening to enjoy that scrumptious nutrition-filled meal.
Our dinner started with Cardamon infused water on the long dinner table. Certainly my first time trying this savory drink and now have become a new culinary treat I’ve adopted. Not only is it tasty, it’s incredibly healthy. One of the biggest part of traveling for me is exploring a diverse range of culinary traditions and ideas from others’ homes you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.
The menus change weekly as it goes along with seasons, but you will surely not be disappointed.
For Dessert: A Sexy Home-Made Dark Chocolate + Seasonal Fruit!!
For dessert, they serve seasonal fruit with Meghan’s home-made dark chocolate. The meal ends with ginger tea which helps the body absorb protein and leaves a wonderful taste in your mouth.
Some evenings, they’ll even have live music. The talented performers Emily Kate Boyd and Jay Bird played music in the living room. Soulful, jazzy and acoustic is the best way to describe their genre of music. My favorite song of the evening was “Kitchen Conversation” with a verse that sings “..drunk off the feeling..“. We sipped wine from local regions and conversed with new friends from around the world on travel, politics, global affairs, philanthropy and more.
What I love about the organic wine in Argentina is that it does not contain Sulfites (preservative). This minimizes gnarly headaches and hangovers. It is also healthier for you. (Many of the local wine in France does not contain Sulfite either.)
They have generously provided some recipes on their site in case your mouth is watering from this post and want to get started right away on a hearty vegetarian meal!
Jueves a La Mesa & Buena Onda Yoga
Cost: AR$400* includes Organic Wine (AR$350 if you are a Yoga student!)
Time: 8:30pm – every Thursday
Place: San Telmo and Palermo Neighborhood in Buenos Aires. Exact address will be provided when you confirm your reservation.
Reservations: Email Juevesalamesa@gmail.com / https://juevesalamesa.wordpress.com
Yoga Class: Schedule on www.buenaondayoga.net
