Oro & Cándido

Traditional Argentine Food — By DiegoM on June 11, 2010 at 3:23 am

Oro & Cándido is a small deli and restaurant located on the corner of Guatemala and Maria de Oro. Their idea is to serve food that originates from all parts of Argentina, north to south and east to west. As you can no doubt imagine, their menu has a large variety of different foods, though perhaps the most appealing are the exotic meats that they serve – rhea (similar to ostrich), wild board, yacare (type of alligator). They have a fairly extensive menu that includes pastas, steaks, ribs, gourmet empanadas, and various appetizers. It is also a deli, so there are also a number of deli items you can purchase for home, such as deli meats, jams, jarred and pickled vegetables, etc.

We ordered a goat cheese provoleta, which had a great flavor, although was hard and spongy, more so than your usual provoleta. It was good, but the texture was a bit odd, and I wasn´t a huge fan. We also had some of the empanadas filled with lamb, which was delicious. The pastry was soft and flaky, and the filling was nicely spiced and had a hint of hotness to it. We then had their tablita Argentina which is an appetizer plate with a variety of meats. Wild boar, deer and rhea smoked meats, bread with a smoked salmon dip, cold stewed rhea, goat cheese, artichoke hearts, ad olives. Everything was good, the dip was surprising in that it was quite spicy, the bread was very fresh, cold cuts were flavorful and with a nice texture.

The wine menu is worth mentioning, not because it is overly extensive (probably less than 15 wines to chooses from) but there is a great variety and some really excellent wines at different price points, not to mention you can get a single glass for $6 pesos, and there are a few options for ordering half-bottles. There is also a good selection of artisan beers.

The atmosphere is nothing special at Oro, it is very relaxed, very Argentine, lots of wood, high ceilings, big windows, and somewhat rustic. The experience was good, and there are few restaurants in the city where you can order such exotic meats. I am looking forward to returning to try out some of the main courses.

Bottom Line: A relaxed spot with decent prices where you can try some really unique food items. Not a place for vegetarians.