With a name as memorable as La Brigada (The Brigade), this institution of Buenos Aires steakhouses inevitably pops up when discussing where to get a great, if perhaps expensive, cut of beef. Sitting in the picturesque San Telmo, La Brigada is famous for it’s colita de lomo (tail of tenderloin) so tender that it can be cut with a dull spoon by the waiter upon arrival at your table. A steakhouse with no need for steak knives is clearly worth paying attention to.
Rest assured, you will be provided with steak knife at La Brigada, along with a fun, if perhaps a little stereotypical decor of soccer paraphernalia and very attentive service. This steakhouse has oriented itself towards the tourist segment of the Buenos Aires meat market and has figured it out, as the many rave reviews attest. Of course, Argentines know their beef and so you will also hear the porteno accent mixed in with the English, German and Portuguese. They have an extensive and unique selection of cuts to choose from (colita de lomo for example is not common and they will have been known to grill up that most American of cuts, the mighty T-bone, known as Bife-t here) and the winelist is long, if perhaps quite heavy on the big and well-known Argentine bodegas. A notable difference is that they actually have a wine service and will be happy to accommodate requests for decanting that big-bodied Malbec. In a word, this place is polished. Polished and geared towards fine dining on great grass-fed beef.
Illustrious visitors to La Brigada include John Cusack and U2’s very own Bono, so you can start to imagine the hype around the place. And of course the prices match the hype. Old-timers will also remember La Brigada when it was a much smaller steakhouse not only because it was more charming but also because perhaps the grill was better prepared to handle a smaller quality of steaks. On my last visit, the actual grill was nowhere in sight, which may suit some diners but I always enjoy seeing the grill and how the meat is being prepared.
Nonetheless, La Brigada is a must-do on any serious tour of Buenos Aires’s best steakhouses. It consistently takes in hungry and demanding customers and returns them back to San Telmo’s cobbled streets happy and ranting about ludicrous notions such as meat that can be cut with a spoon. If you don’t believe them, it will be well worth your time to see what the fuss is about.
Steak Buenos Aires 