Living in Cordoba? Try These Restaurant Alternatives to the Local Cuisine

If you're looking for a place in Cordoba, Argentina to eat that doesn't sell lomitos, empanadas, pizzas, or sandwiches de miga, then try Chilli Street Food. It's fantastic! 

Located on Fructuoso Rivera 273, the restaurant has a hipster vibe to it that most Millennials will love, but old timers like me will also get to enjoy great quality food that's a huge departure from the local cuisine.

The thing I love most about Chilli (not to be confused with Chili's from the States) is that their business hours aren't limited to a few hours in the evening like some establishments here commonly are. They also don't adhere to the dreaded siesta, which is a major plus. They're open every day from Noon till 2 a.m. The only day they're closed is Monday. 

They serve alcohol, so if it's beer you want, then beer you shall have. But you can also order some ice tea, which isn't very popular around these parts.

Another cool feature about the restaurant is that they have an open kitchen, so you can see them making your food before the server brings it over to your table.

They offer a wide array of culinary options like Asian, Middle Eastern, American (like fried chicken with coleslaw), and Latin food!

Cochinita Pibil is my personal favorite, and I say this having ordered this frequently over the last month or so for $95 Argentine pesos (which is $5.56 USD).

My partner preferred the Pita De Pollo Jooleh for $110 Argentine pesos (which is $6.43 USD).

The prices on the menu are all in Argentine pesos, and since 1 Argentine peso is worth 6 U.S. cents, this is perfect if you're just vacationing here.

They also have assorted side dishes. My favorite happens to be the refried beans, which I haven't had since I moved to Argentina. Trust me, it's a lot tastier than it looks.

It's important to note that Chilli opened in July of this year, and it certainly deserves a lot of credit for bringing a diverse mix of food. I just hope that they manage to beat the odds of most new businesses in Argentina and actually become successful.

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(Update 10/31/2017: Las Tinajas has unfortunately gone out of business)

Of course, there's always the all you can eat buffet called Las Tinajas in Boulevard San Juan 32. Unlike some places in Cordoba, you only have to pay a set price of $220 Argentine Pesos per person and you can eat till you burst. The only thing that you have to pay extra for are the drinks.

There's a variety of food here like meat, seafood, and veggies! There's also plenty of Asian cuisine to sample, particularly Sushi, which I don't personally eat, but some of you might enjoy.

Once you empty a plate, you can go grab another and fill it right back up and keep on packing those calories until you simply can't anymore.

If your food gets cold, don't worry. They have a microwave that you can use to heat up your food, and don't worry about crowds. We've been here for lunch and dinner and it's never too crowded.

At this point, you can try grabbing some dessert. There are different types of pies, cakes, fruits, as well as ice cream. Who could say no to that?

The prices during the day are slightly cheaper, and a bit more expensive in the evenings, but certainly not enough to burn a hole in your pocket. 

The only downside are the hours. If you go during lunch time, make sure you go at 12:30 p.m. because if you get there by 2pm, you'll feel rushed because they close at 3 p.m. and generally stop making new food so the patrons will leave. At night I would recommend that you get there at 8:30 and no later than 9 p.m. if you want to spend a couple of hours pigging out. I know I do.

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Chicken Brothers is another favorite of mine. Aside from their delicious Texas burger, they also have fried chicken. Granted, it's not KFC. They use corn flakes to make the chicken crispy, but you definitely have to give them kudos for ingenuity.

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About a year ago, Jardin de Jade, one of the best Asian restaurants I've seen in Cordoba so far, closed. Fortunately, we found other alternatives like this one.

The egg rolls are to die for, but I'll admit, I'm still looking for a restaurant that makes spring rolls.

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There are plenty of other restaurants that I look forward to trying and reporting back on. Some are new, and some old, But there's one thing they have in common and that's the fact that they offer a taste of home.