Mama Racha

 

Mama Racha

Costa Rica 4602

Palermo, Buenos Aires

After three months in Buenos Aires with plenty of time to wander the streets, I have settled on the trendy Palermo as my favourite district. The stylish girls who walk around the area remind me a bit of Londoners with better hair, wearing the same skinny jeans and cool t-shirts (though they are very fond of clogs here, a trend I have still not come to grips with, especially with the many the irregular cobbled streets). The shopping is definitely the best in the city and, best of all, when the money in your purse has run out and you are carrying so many bags that you have earned the right to call it a workout, the streets are dotted with the most delightful cafés and restaurants.

Most of the places around are wonderful and a quick look at the menu and the dishes in front of the seated diners will tell you all you need to know, but one of my personal favourites is Mama Racha on Plaza Armenia, right at the corner of Armenia and Costa Rica. 

The atmosphere is laid-back and easy, I love the wooden tables and pale colour palette and the terrace upstairs is the perfect place to soak in some sun and watch the passers-by. The food is reasonably priced for the area and very good. I've had breakfast, a sweet orange juice to accompany facturas and dulce de leche, and lunch, once the grilled vegetables (done to perfection, though with their skin still on which made them a bit tricky to eat) and once the couscous salad which was light and delicious, but with the plastic-y cheese which is, sadly, ubiquitous in Argentina. The cakes and cookies on the counter taste as good as they look (the coconut-dulce de leche slice is ‘oh my god’ good), and are very generous portions as well – just see if you can finish one!

All in all, the perfect place to spend an hour, or the whole sunny afternoon with a book (and the refreshing orange, carrot and ginger juice).