Craving Something New to Eat? Punta Sal Wok in Cordoba City Has It!

As we all know, the pandemic has taken over our lives for better or worse. Today, I'm going to talk to you about the better. Eating out with my husband (and don't read into that you sick minds) is one of my favorite pastimes. However, being enclosed in a space full of people who might or might not have Covid is not my idea of fun. So, we do the next best thing... we order! 

Living in New York, we had a variety of foods to choose from, preferably American, Asian, Italian, Cuban, Mexican and Puerto Rican foods. But as you know (the ones who read my blog), variety is sparse here in Cordoba City. So, Punta Sal Wok was a welcomed surprise! Who knew a fusion of Asian and Peruvian cuisine could be so damn good? 

Punta Sal Work is a Peruvian restaurant in Cordoba City that offers a fusion of Peruvian and Asian cuisine. We've had the fortune of sampling their menu several times over the past year and even more so during the quarantine. So, I wanted to share some of their wonderful dishes.

Papas Punta Sal

Papas Punta Sal contain fried chicken chunks served with paprika seasoned potato wedges, covered with mozzarella cheese and their house sauce mixed with sweet and sour sauce, aka heaven in your mouth.

Tallarin Salteado Vegetariano (Beef Stir-Fried Noodles)

Move over, spaghetti! You've been replaced! Beef stir-fried noodles is my new favorite dish. I'm almost embarrassed to admit this but I practically inhaled my entire meal and wished I'd ordered seconds.

They also offer chicken, veggie, and seafood options for this dish as well.

Chaufa de Pollo (Chicken Fried Rice)

The chicken fried rice is sure quite nice. If you're missing those late night Chinese food cravings, then this is your pick. Each bite has the precise amount of salty flavor. This dish is also offered with steak, veggie or seafood.

Pollo Broaster (Fried Chicken)

If you've read my past entries, then you know how much I love fried chicken. Unfortunately, it hasn't been a big hit here. The only Argentine province that has a Kentucky Fried Chicken so far is Buenos Aires. Fried chicken did come to Cordoba City a few years ago in the form of American Chicken and Chilling Brothers. Sadly, it didn't seem to win the hearts of the locals and both restaurants went out of business.

Thankfully, Punta Sal Wok provides their own version of fried chicken. The outer layer isn't as crispy as what you'd expect at Kentucky Fried Chicken but it's still pretty decent and the citrus flavor is addicting.

So, yeah, you might be stuck in your house because of the pandemic, but it doesn't mean that you have to post pictures of your mediocre meal on Instagram. Look for Punta Sal Wok on Instagram and have an enjoyable, delicious, and mouth-watering meal. You can make a reservation to eat at the restaurant, place an order for pick up or place an order for delivery (when available.) Check out their full menu below.

Fall in Roll With Canerolls - Cordoba's Solution to Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are just one of the many foods we’ve missed eating regularly over the past eight years. Zach has made his own version a few times, and we’ve found some great ones during our trips to Buenos Aires. Our friend Melisa even made some as a gift for Zach.

But buying the ingredients and making cinnamon rolls takes time and money, so we can’t ask Melisa to make them every time we crave them. Luckily, we don’t have to—thanks to Canerolls!

Canerolls is a home-based company in Córdoba City, Argentina. They offer cinnamon rolls and a variety of other delicious flavors that put a new twist on the classic cinnamon roll. Check out some photos of their different flavors below.

Cinnamon Rolls

The first and second roll on the first row are Nutella flavored. The other four are apple flavored

Maxi Roll (Filled with strawberry and whipped cream)

Ham and Bacon (Jamon y Pacenta)

Serrano Rolls (The two on the left - contain bacon with cheese)

4 Cheese (4 Queso)

Prices will undoubtedly change

Some people might say there are many places in Córdoba City where you can order cinnamon rolls and donuts. But it’s rare to find rolls that have the same texture and flavor you’d expect from the United States.

No matter where you’re from, if you live in Córdoba City, check out Canerolls on Instagram and place an order. You won’t regret it!

Canerolls doesn’t just make sweet rolls—they’ve recently started offering some savory options, too.

These are just a few of their flavors. They also have Oreo, Chocotorta, and Dulce de Leche rolls.

If you’re ever in Córdoba City and craving something delicious and unique, Canerolls was definitely the place to try.

UPDATE: They appear to have shut down for good.

I Cheated on American Donuts With House of Donas

I cheated on American Donuts with House of Donas, but don't judge me until you read the whole story.

So a few weeks ago, I wrote about how much I loved American Donuts, a new shop that opened up in Cordoba City. I called their donuts the best donuts in the city, but in hindsight, that might have been premature.

We recently found another place that makes donuts and they offer some pretty tasty donuts too, including one flavor that American Donuts doesn't currently offer...Boston Cream donuts. I found this a bit ironic since in my last post, I mentioned how American Donuts didn't have donuts filled with Bavarian cream.

Fortunately, House of Donas does.

The only problem is that they don't deliver to our area. They don't even have a shop, but I wasn't about to let that stop us. So, after placing the order, I took a cab, but the driver couldn't find the exact location so they just dropped me off near a gas station.

After roaming around an unfamiliar neighborhood for about twenty minutes, I reached out to House of Donas on Whatsapp, and they guided me to a nearby apartment complex. A few minutes later, an extremely kind lady came out with my boxes.

Once I got home, we opened the boxes and were pleasantly surprised by how delicious the donuts looked. We couldn't wait to dig in!

The two donuts on the top are glazed lemon (glaseada de limon). The two donuts in the middle are cinnamon, and the two donuts on the bottom are Boston Cream with chocolate.

The top four donuts are powdered with sugar and have a jelly filling. The two donuts on the bottom are Boston Cream with white chocolate. 

Of course, the main reason we picked House of Donas was because of the Boston Cream flavor and they did not disappoint. 

These are also Boston Cream donuts but the top parts got a little messed up because I stacked all the boxes on top of them.

The two donuts on top are cinnamon flavored while the ones in the middle and on the bottom have a pink glaze with sprinkles on top.

This is the Choco-Lovers Box which costs $450. The flavors include: 

• Milka Oreo
• Cofler Block
• Snickers
• Nutella

I should point out that these delicious flavors are only available for a limited time. But given how popular and tasty they are, I'm pretty sure that at some point, they'll become part of the regular menu.

So, would we order from House of Donas again? Absolutely! There are plenty of other flavors we're looking forward to trying real soon. And if you're living in Cordoba City, check out their Instagram.

Spotlight: Maxi Tassi – A Local’s Perspective of What Gay People Face in Argentina

On June 26, 2020, the Cordoba government raised an LGBT flag in Parque Sarmiento in anticipation of Pride Day on June 28, 2020. But the gesture of support was ruined by alleged veterans of the 1982 war who attempted to take the pride flag down. They claimed they took this action because the only flag that had the right to be displayed was the Argentine flag. This action led to a series of protests, some of which resulted in vandalism and violence. If you can read Spanish, you can learn more about what happened here.

Now back in 2012, I wrote a blog entry called "Are Gays Safe in Argentina?" At that point, my husband and I had been here for five months, and I had no reason to believe that gays weren't safe. Not only had they legalized gay marriage, but LGBT couples walked around kissing and holding hands in public without anyone reacting unfavorably towards them. But what happened on June 26 of this year has made me question whether gays are indeed safe in Argentina. 

There's a level of homophobia in this country that I thought was long gone, or at the very least suppressed. Clearly, I was mistaken. So, I interviewed a young man named Maxi Tassi to get a better perspective of what gay people face in Argentina. The interview was originally in Spanish, so I included the Spanish version and the translated English version.

So without further to do, let's get to know Maxi.

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Hello Maxi! Please tell us a little about yourself.

Well, my name is Maximiliano Javier Tassi. I'm 22. I'm about to turn 23. I came out 3 years ago when I was 20. It was very difficult for me. I knew what I was since I was about 7 or 8, but because of the society we live in, I couldn't really come out and say it until I was in college. There were a lot of open minded people there and this helped me tremendously. So I will always be grateful for that because there were lots of parties and I had a friend who always supported me there. I am currently studying social communications. I've worked in various places like ice cream parlors and clothing stores. I've also been a waiter but I'm currently unemployed.

****

Hola Maxi! Por favor, contanos un poco sobre ti.

Bueno, me llamo Maximiliano Javier Tassi. Tengo 22 años. Estoy por cumplir 23. Me acepte hace 3 años atras a los 20. Para mi fue dificil. Estuve sabiendolo desde chiquito mas o menos desde que tenia 7 o 8. Por la sociedad en que nacemos no pude decirlo hasta que fui a la facultad. Habian gente muy abierta ahi y eso me ayudo muchisimo. A si que siempre agradezco eso, sumado que hay un monton de fiestas y tenia un amigo que siempre me apoyo. Estudio comunicacion social y eh trabajado en varios lugares como heladerias, locales de ropa, de mozo, pero actualmente por la pan de mia no estoy haciendo nada.

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What do you identify as?

I identify as gay and demisexual. Demisexual is when you can only have sex when you're in love or you have a strong connection with someone. This made it more difficult to find love because everything is so sexualized in life. And since sex isn't my main focus when looking for someone, finding a partner was very difficult. But eventually I learned to accept that this is how I was and took responsibility for that.

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Como describis to preferencia sexual?

Me describo como gay y demisexual. Demisexual es cuando solo podes tener sexo, o sea, pasarla bien en el sexo cuando estas enamorado o tenes un vinculo fuerte con alguien. Eso me costo mas todavia porque no podia encontrar [una pareja] porque todo el mundo esta o sea como que todo esta muy sexualizado en la vida y al que no me atrayera tanto el sexo fue dificil. Pero bueno despues lo aceptas y te haces responsable de eso, calculo.

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Can you tell us about a time where someone in the LGBT community was discriminated against in Cordoba province?

They hit a bunch of guys with chains not too long ago because they were trying to raise an LGBT flag. The flag was raised by order of the local government in Cordoba. But that's when an anti-rights group went out and started attacking people. I also recall a time when a guy was punched repeatedly for dressing up too effeminate, and they broke his jaw a few years back. So yeah, Cordoba's pretty intense.

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Nos podes contar sobre una situacion en cual alguien de la comunidad LGBT enfrento discriminacion en la provincia de Cordoba?

Hace poco le pegaron a cadenazos por subir una bandera LGBT a unos chicos. Por orden de la municipalidad, se subio una bandera LGBT y fueron grupos anti-derechos a pegarle a las gente. Tambien a un chico le pegaron un bollo porque iba vestido muy gay y le rompieron la mandibula hace un año aproximadamente, y es bastante fuerte Cordoba.

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Were you ever discriminated against based on your sexual orientation? 

Yes. Recently a group of five guys were driving past me and called me a faggot. But this tends to happen all the time when you dress different from other people. It's why I think it's very important to deconstruct these stigmas. For example, dressing differently, wearing makeup that people will see is one way to go. That way, people will get used to this and eventually feel less shocked, so they won't discriminate as much. At the very least, I think that such a change is bound to benefit someone down the line. But having people yell obscenities at me has happened to me many times. There was also a lot, and I do mean a lot of discrimination at the university even before I came out. 

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Alguna vez fuistes discriminado por tu orientacion sexual? 

Si hace poco me gritaron en la calle "Puto" cinco pibes en un auto, y sale pasar siempre cuando te vestis diferente a lo que la gente cree que es normal. Pero bueno yo creo que esta en eso en desconstruir esas cosas. Por ejemplo vestirse diferente, maquillarse para que la gente vea y la proxima vez que vean alguien asi no le choquen tanto, no discrimine tanto porque al menos yo pienso que si hay un cambio, a alguien le va resultar. Y si tambien me paso varias veces de que me griten cosas. Si en el colegio hay mucha, mucha discriminacion aunque no lo habia admitido todavia. 

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Did you ever feel as though your life was ever in danger for being gay?

As far as being afraid of being killed, no, I've never felt that. But I know friends who have experienced this fear that they may get beaten and it's pretty sad that our society continues to be this way.

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Alguna vez sentistes que tu vida estaba en peligro por ser gay?

Y sobre el peligro de morir no, pero si tengo amigos que lo han pasado. Que los cagan a bollos y es bastante feo que la sociedad siga siendo asi.

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Do you believe that members of the LGBT community are less likely to experience a hate crime in Argentina versus other Latin American countries?

I believe we're [Argentina] a bit more advanced than other Latin American countries like Paraguay, Peru or Bolivia who are far more conservative than we are. I believe that the issue stems from the eurocentric way of thinking that was proposed by countries like Europe which ultimately brought racism, homophobia and lots of things that come with religion, because obviously these hateful beliefs come from the church itself. So I think we need to deconstruct these beliefs. We will potentially become better people once we have accomplished this. But these issues continue to be a major problem in Argentina but not so much as in other Latin American counties like Brazil, where it's very dangerous [to be gay].

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Crees que las gente LGBT corren menos riesgo de ser atacados en Argentina que en otros paises latinoamericanos?

Creo que somos un pais un poco mas avanzado que los otros en latinoamerica por ejemplo paraguay... si nos comparamos con Paraguay o con Peru o con Bolivia que son todavia muchos mas conservadores que nosotros. Yo creo que el problema es el pensamiento eurocentrico que hay que colonizar (que eh estado estudiando hace poco), que es que a nosotros nos propucieron un mundo como Europa y nos trajeron el racismo, el homofobia y un monton de cosas que vienen con la religion obviamente porque eso eran pensamientos de la iglesia. Asi que creo que hay que desconstruir eso. Una vez que se descontruya vamos hacer otros. Pero si sigue siendo bastante problematico en Argentina pero no es tanto como en otros lugares de latinoamerica. Brazil por ejemplo es mucho mas peligroso.

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Please explain what happened in Parque Sarmiento with the LGBT flag during Pride Day? Who was protesting? What were they trying to do to the flag and why?

Well, in Parque Sarmiento, they raised an LGBT flag, and a group of militants (or rather alleged patriots of the Argentine flag), who were in fact established homophobic groups, came to stop them. In reality, they were part of the Ultra Derecha [a political movement that promotes and sustains nationalist and ultra conservative positions], but they pretended to be part of something else because if people knew what they truly represented, people would lose faith in them. So they found other ways [patriotism] to reach a broader audience and get their support much like the news media does. It's why using television to stay informed is such a problem because it continues to ferment all this hateful shit.

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Por Favor, explicanos un poco de los que paso en Parque Sarmiento con la bandera durante el dia de orgullo aqui en Cordoba Capital? Quien protesto? Que intentaron de hacerle a la bandera? Porque?

Bueno en Parque Sarmiento subieron una bandera, y fueron militantes (en realidad supuestamente patrioticos por la bandera), pero en realidad son grupos homofobicos que se establecen. En realidad es la ultra derecha nada mas que se la pintan de otra cosa porque si la gente se enteran que es la ultra derecha, no confiarian en ellos digamos. Entonces se la ingenian de otra forma para llegar a mas y es lo que hacen los noticieros. Por eso que es tan problematico informarce de la tele porque siguen fermentando toda esa mierda digamos.

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Do you think the level of homophobia and hate crimes towards members of the LGBT community are higher in Cordoba than in other provinces like Buenos Aires?

Yes. I believe it's different in Cordoba than Buenos Aires, but I can't imagine what it must be like in Jujuy, Salta, or in smaller provinces. Things are also very different in small provinces where the level of homophobia, racism and classism is disgustingly high. So let's just say that smaller provinces are the worst [in regards to hate].

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Crees que hay un nivel mas alto de homofobia y/o ataques contra las gente LGBT en Cordoba que en otras provincias como Buenos Aires?

Y si creo que es diferente en cordoba que en Buenos Aires pero no puedo imaginar lo que debe ser en Jujuy, en Salta, o en provincias mucho mas chicas. Tambien es muy diferente en los pueblos chicos, Es un asco la homofobia, el racismo, el clasismo, toda esas cosas. Los pueblos chicos son lo peor digamos.

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Do you believe that the provincial government of Cordoba and the national government of Argentina has done enough to support the LGBT community? Do you think they should be doing more to help out? Are there laws that protect the LGBT community against discrimination in the workplace?

Yes. The Cordoba government has been part of the Peronista party for many years. They have a mix of genders (including trans) but they keep that hidden to avoid the chaos that occurred when someone placed the LGBT flag in Parque Sarmiento. The same day that they raised the flag, the government tried to once again introduce the trans hiring quotas but it was repealed. So clearly, raising a flag isn't enough, which is something I've always said. But I do believe that the national government does more for us. They hired 50% of women and people who are LGBT, the other half is men in all businesses from the Sociedad Anonima (S.A.). They also approved the trans hiring quota in Banco Nacion. We need more obviously and we need visibility and exposure, which is something that President Alberto Fernandez does on his forums, where he's known to show his support  for the LGBT movement. I think that having a child who is non-binary gives him a different perspective, too. But there's still room for improvement [in Argentina]. We're not going to be satisfied with  trans hiring quotas for 280 people when we have 12,000 trans in Argentina. So clearly we need more but at least we have something.

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Sentis que el gobierno provincial y nacional les da el suficiente apoyo a las gente LGBT o crees que tendrian que hacer mas para ayudar a la comunidad? Hay leyes que protegen a las gente LGBT contra la disciminacion en el trabajo?

Si el gobierno provincial en Cordoba es Peronista por hace muchos años. Tiene una comision de generos (y de trans, todo esto) pero lo tienen como oculta escondida justamente por esto que pasa porque por el solo hecho de poner una banderita hacen todo este quilombo. Tambien el mismo dia que subieron la bandera fueron para hacer de vuelta el cupo trans laboral y la derogaron, que es no tratar una ley. Asi que no basta con solo una banderita, que es lo que digo siempre. Y si pienso que el gobierno nacional hace mas. Ahora pusieron 50% mujeres y personas LGBT... 50% hombres en todas las empresas de Sociedad Anonima y se aprobo el cupo laboral trans en Banco Nacion. Falta un poco mas obviamente. Y falta la visibilidad que eso es lo que creo que hace un poco Alberto (Presidente Fernandez) en sus redes que agita bastante para el movimiento. Yo creo que al tener un hijo que es no binarie es como que el tiene otra perspectiva. Sin embargo faltan cosas. No nos vamos a conformar con un cupo laboral para 280 personas cuando hay 12,000 Argentinos trans en Argentina o sea falta, falta pero bueno al menos suma un poco. 

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Are there places in Cordoba where members of the LGBT community can hang out?

Yes. In Cordoba we have a bar. They were going to open another one but they couldn't because of the quarantine. We used to have two bars, but they shut them down. Gay bars don't have a lot of success here because at the end of the day, the people who open them are heterosexuals pretending to  be gay in order to make a profit. We have about six parties/parades, three or four of which are run by members of the LGBT community and then the heteros throw their own parties to make money at our expense, which is something we don't like. So, no one goes to those events. We don't support them because this isn't something we need.

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Hay Lugares en Cordoba donde la gente LGBTQ puede reunirse?

Si. En cordoba tenemos un bar. Ahora iban a abir otro pero no lo abrieron por la cuarentena. Hemos tenido dos bares pero cerraron. No tienen mucho exito por quienes los abren son al final... son heterosexuales disfrazado que quieren ganar plata con eso. Tenemos alrededor de seis fiestas, siempre funciona la de los gays las mismas digamos que son tres o cuatro y despues los heteros abren otras fiestas para ganar plata con nosotros que no nos gusta entonce nadie va mas y no las apoyamos porque no es lo que necesitamos.

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One last question: How have you been handling the quarantine?

Well, emotionally, I suppose the quarantine has made me more sensitive [emotional]. Once in a while I'll watch a movie. But sometimes, things happen in life, like the poverty level and everything that's happening with the pandemic that makes me cry a bit. But all in all, I'm doing quite well.

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Como has estado pasando la cuarentena?

Y la cuarentena emocionalmente me trae mas sensible creo. Por ahi veo una peli o pasan cosas en la vida como no se... la sumada de la pobresa y todo lo que esta pasando por la pandemia ... nada... me hace llorisquiar un poco pero entre todo estoy bastante bien.
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Thank you Maxi for your input on the LGBT community in Cordoba and Argentina in general.
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Make sure to follow Maxi on his Instagram, and as always, remember to be a little nicer to each other. We're all on this Earth for such a limited amount of time. It doesn't make sense to waste it on hate. So do a little less hating and a little more elating. Okay?

UPDATE 9-4-2020
Argentine President Fernandez has decreed that 1% of all public employments must have transsexual, transvestite and transgender people.

Oklahoma Club is One Burger Club I'm Hungry to Join

When locals ask me, "What's the best burger in the United States?" my automatic response is usually McDonald's, Burger King, or Wendy's. Admittedly, this is a bit of a lie. The truth is, we love these fast food spots because they're a tradition. I've been eating at these places for as long as I can remember—first with my parents, then with friends, and eventually with my husband.

Now, don't get me wrong—those burgers are delicious, even if the service isn't always great, the order sometimes gets messed up, or the food arrives cold. But there are other restaurants that might not have the same reputation as these franchises, yet they still serve up some pretty impressive food. That’s been our experience living abroad.

Our latest burger discovery is a restaurant called Oklahoma Club.

Located at Avenida 24 de Septiembre 1946 in Córdoba City, we haven’t had the chance to visit in person yet due to social distancing. However, this past weekend, we were introduced to Oklahoma Club's delicious burgers thanks to an acquaintance.

Although the Argentine government has allowed dining in at restaurants, Zach and I are playing it safe and staying home until a vaccine is available or the number of infections decreases. But we still managed to connect with our acquaintance via Zoom. To make it more fun, we all decided to order from the same restaurant, so while we chatted, we’d essentially be enjoying the same meal.

When our food arrived, I quickly dug into the bag and pulled out the burgers. But as I unwrapped them, my first thought was, "These burgers are pretty small." But you know what they say—good things come in small packages. And in this case, they were absolutely right.

The burger had two layers of juicy meat patties, melted cheddar cheese, and red peppers on the bottom. There was also a nice hint of spice, which we absolutely loved. It didn’t come with lettuce or tomatoes, but that was fine by me since I’m not a big fan of either in a burger.

Once I took a bite, I was in love. The burger was flavorful and juicy, unlike the vacuum-packed patties served at most fast food places. My mouth watered with every bite, and I have to admit—I wanted another one.

But there are plenty of burger options to choose from, some of which come with lettuce and tomato, like the classic burger. There are also other delicious choices like the Oklahoma, the Quarto, the Bacon, and the Cheeseburger. If you're curious to see what these mouthwatering burgers look like, check out Oklahoma Club's Instagram.

The prices vary. A simple, single-patty burger costs $300, while a double-patty burger is priced at $350, and a triple-patty burger will set you back $400. You can also add extra meat, cheddar, and bacon for a small fee. And just to clarify, these prices are in Argentine pesos.

Oklahoma Club offers both delivery and takeout, but unfortunately, they don’t have dine-in service.

Business Hours

Monday and Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday to Sunday – 8 pm to 12 am

So, if you're an expat or a local living in Córdoba City, Argentina, and you're a fan of burgers, you should definitely give Oklahoma Club a try. They've already won me over as a lifetime fan with their juicy, delicious burgers.

American Donuts Have Come to Cordoba City

(Update: October 2023 - American Donuts went out of business.)

If you've read my blog over the last years then you know how disappointed I've been that Argentina doesn't have a Dunkin Donuts. In my humble opinion, every country should have one. But apparently they did have Dunkin Donuts in Argentina a while back. Unfortunately, the Argies chose their medialunas (croissants) over donuts. But when we went to Buenos Aires, they had a couple of places here and there that sold decent donuts like the ones in the states. But Cordoba City was left in the dark. Oh sure, you could find some at local bakeries and supermarkets, but they didn't really taste like donuts. They were more like stale bagels with sugar frosting on top. But that has changed!

There's a new donut shop in Cordoba City and they're called American Donuts. They're located in Boulevard San Juan 125 across the street from Patio Olmos Shopping, and they are a true lifesaver for anyone craving a decent donut. Now you can either go in person or place an order for delivery. They charge a little extra depending on how far you are from them. They charged us about $110 pesos for delivery, but it was worth every peso. 

Let's Talk About Flavors!!!

They have a wide variety of flavors all divided into different categories like the CLASSIC, which contains:

• Powdered sugar ($70 but prices may vary)
• Glazed ($70 but prices may vary)

The GLAZED category contains colored donuts:

• Amarilla (yellow) ($80 but prices may vary)
• Roja (red) ($80 but prices may vary)
• Rosa (pink) ($80 but prices may vary)

The PREMIUM category contains:

• Bon o Bon (basically peanut butter flavored) ($90 but prices may vary)
• Chocolate Blanco (white chocolate) ($90 but prices may vary)
• Limon (lemon) ($90 but prices may vary)
• Chocolate ($90 but prices may vary)
• Dulce de Leche ($90 but prices may vary)
• Nutella ($90 but prices may vary)

The BERLINESAS category contains:

• Berlinesa Blanca ($100 but prices may vary)
• Berlinesa Negra ($100 but prices may vary)

They also offer you the option to add extra toppings like sprinkles, nuts and things like that. They even provide you with these nifty looking syringes so you can infuse your donuts with chocolate or dulce de leche flavors.

How Do They Compare With the Donuts from the States?

Let me tell you a little about the flavors you can expect from some of these donuts because they're not exactly what you'll find at Dunkin Donuts. Take the Berlinesa Blanca and Berlinesa Negra donuts. I thought they would be filled with Bavarian cream, but they're actually filled with Dulce de Leche, which is a staple flavor in Argentine bakeries. Don't get me wrong. It was still delicious, but Bavarian cream filling would have really been nice. 

The glazed donut had a lemon-like flavor, which is not what I would have expected from a glazed donut which is usually just sugary sweet. Again, it was delicious but not the taste I was expecting. The Bon a Bon donut was an unexpected treat. It reminded me a lot of the flavor of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup which I've missed tasting since we moved to Argentina. But all in all, the flavors were wonderful and I would highly recommend American Donuts to expats and locals alike.

Store Hours

Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 7 pm

Sundays from 1 pm to 7 pm

New Locations!!!

There are also two other locations that will be opening up soon. One is in Cerro de las Rosa in Rafael Nuñez 4390 and the other one is in Nueva Cordoba, Estrada 46. So is American Donuts the Dunkin Donuts of Cordoba City? Why don't you see for yourself? Check out their Instagram and if you like what you see, place an order on pedixapp or pay them a visit.

Cordoba City - Quarantine: Day Whatever

What you're about to see are clips I took of Cordoba City on August 15, 2020. They focus predominantly on the cañada and downtown area. The Argentine president extended the (flexed) quarantine till August 30, but socializing with family and friends at home is still prohibited. 

As you'll see from the video, people are still allowed to socialize at restaurants, cafes and plazas. But the number of Covid-19 cases in Cordoba province and the country overall are continuing to increase at an alarming rate.

Eight Years in Argentina: Surviving the Social Distancing Era

2020's been hard on everyone and we're only half through the year. In fact, things have been so crazy with the quarantine and social distancing that I almost forgot that this month marked our eight-year anniversary of living in Argentina.

It's safe to say things didn't turn out the way Zach and I expected when we left New York. But that's okay because in spite of a few ups and downs over the years, we've been each other's support system. And that's been very important during this quarantine that took effect in March.

We drink, eat and laugh together. We also spend an insane number of hours playing classic video games like Baldur's Gate and Champions of Norrath on the old PS2. On occasion, we'll hook up the old Nintendo WII and play Super Mario Bros. But I'll tell you that World-9 is a pain and we end up cussing each other out every time we lose. And when we're not playing games, we pass the time watching re-runs of our favorite shows like Grey's Anatomy, The Closer, The Nanny, Golden Girls and Are You Being Served? Oh and we recently binge watched three shows called Control Z, She-ra and the Princesses of Power, and Sweet Magnolias on Netflix, which I highly recommend.

Of course, everyone has to work, and fortunately, we're able to make a living working from home a couple of hours a day every week. Although the pay isn't what we'd like, our needs are very simple, especially now that we can't travel or go shopping.

But I'm not going to lie, things can get very stressful, too, more so for me since I tend to worry too much. Over the last couple of months, I've been monitoring the progress of the virus through online Argentine media sites like La Voz Del Interior. And some of the reports have given me cause for concern.

Initially, there were only a handful of reported cases in the country, mainly in the city of Buenos Aires. You can check out the timeline here. But suffice it to say, the number of daily cases were initially minimal during a time when the virus was causing so much pain and suffering in other parts of the world, like in Italy.

But when the Argentine President Alberto Fernandez ordered the country to go into a mandatory lockdown, some of the locals weren't happy about it. In fact, by day 57 of the mandatory quarantine, there were a reported 24,000 people detained by police in Cordoba City for violating the quarantine. Some locals were even getting together to throw birthday parties, which led to more arrests. And then there was the group of friends in Cordoba City who also got arrested but claimed that they would rather get the virus than stop hanging out.

 And as the president was forced to extend the quarantine numerous times, business owners got antsy and started protesting the restrictions that were making it impossible for them to earn a living. And although it's obvious that the quarantine was extended to ensure public safety, even doctors started criticizing the necessity of the quarantine. And as if that weren't bad enough, the number of reported assaults, and in some cases, murder of women increased. Towards the end of March, there were over 60 arrests related to violence against women during the quarantine in Cordoba City.

But fortunately, the number of infections seemed to stabilize, at least, that's what everyone assumed. So, the health department and the government started doing what they call progressive reopening in certain provinces like Buenos Aires and Cordoba City. But then our host province started experiencing a spike in infected cases brought on by the reopening of a commercial zone called Mercado Norte. They eventually got it under control, but there have been several other minor outbreaks in Cordoba City. However, no province has been hit quite as hard as Buenos Aires.

In May 19, there were 438 new cases of infections nationwide. That was more or less the typical daily rate. But as of June, the number of daily cases have ranged anywhere from 1,200 to over 2,000 in the entire country. And most of the infections came from the country's capital.

In June 19, there were 2,060 new cases of the virus in Argentina. And as of June 20, about 41,204 people have tested positive for the virus. But of that number, 12,193 people have recovered and the total number of deaths are at 980.

As far as Cordoba City is concerned, the number of daily infections remains quite low. On average they range anywhere from 0 to 30 cases per day. But I worry that with the reopening of the malls, that number will likely grow within the next 14 days, which is pretty stressful to think about. But with so many new cases popping up, I started to wonder whether people were actually adhering to the health and safety protocols.

So, a few days ago, I went grocery shopping to find out and was glad to see that some people are still using face masks and obeying the social distancing rules. But not everyone's doing it and that's pretty sad. For now, the number of people that are allowed in the pharmacy at a time is limited to 4 (though this varies from pharmacy to pharmacy). And you can't walk into a store without a mask.

I took some videos to share how things were like right now in Cordoba City. Now this isn't the downtown area. It's just a semi-quiet neighborhood with the occasional drama, like when one man tried robbing a health store. Well, actually, I'm not entirely sure what the details were. He was either trying to rob the store or someone who was waiting in line to get in. The point is, he got the crap kicked out of him and a huge crowd gathered around while the cops assessed the situation. The man's eye was swollen, and he was in a lot of pain, too, but no one was feeling sorry for him. Here's a brief video I took. Focus on the man sitting in the middle of the screen while the cops stand over him. It's a short video so if you blink you'll miss it.

Here are some other videos of the area. As you can see, traffic is pretty hectic and there are a couple of stores open. It's almost as if there was no quarantine in place.

I took a photo of the bakery in the photo above, which was open. But customers could only order at the counter, grab what they bought and leave. The chairs have been put away so that no one will sit down and drink their coffee or croissants.

Well now that you're all caught up on what's been happening in Argentina, I'm going to address what's been happening in the States lately. Things have been pretty tense with all the protests, which will hopefully lead to some positive changes in our society. Then there's the skyrocketing number of infections, which has left us very worried for the safety of the people we left behind. But Zach keeps reminding me that we need to focus on staying alive where we are. And it's true. For the moment, all we can do is get by one day at a time and hope things get better for the world very soon. While I'm at it, I plan to get back to my writing.

Now I know I've been pretty absent on my blog these past few weeks, but that has more to do with me than anything else. As I said before, I've been pretty stressed (We all have!) and maybe a little depressed over what's been happening with the world. I also think that my sour mood has to do with the fact that I'm turning 43 in a few weeks. But I am looking forward to one positive change that's happening very soon. Unfortunately, I can't talk about it right now. Sorry! You'll just have to keep reading my blog to find out what it is. In the meantime, expect to see me pop back up next month. For now, stay healthy and safe! I'm sending you all a big hug!

This is What Buying Groceries Looks Like During the Quarantine in Argentina

We were trying to hold out until the quarantine was lifted on March 31, but we were worried that everyone, including Corona carriers, would go rushing to the supermarket to replenish their food supplies. So, we decided to go on March 27, but it wasn't an easy decision.

Cops have been stopping people who have broken quarantine. Some have reportedly mistreated locals and foreigners. But for the most part, they've been doing their job and detaining people who shouldn't be out without a good reason, which I've found shocking. 

Over the last eight years we've seen cops in Cordoba City do very little to stop crime. Last Christmas, we witnessed a shoplifter in action, but when a cop grabbed the thief, they forced her to leave the items behind and then allowed her to leave. Local authorities rarely seem interested in doing their job. They mostly huddle around in groups on the corner of the street and do nothing. But from what I've read, they're actually stepping up for a change and keeping order. I really appreciate that, but some of the locals don't. They think that cops are abusing their power and yet, there are lots of people ignoring the mandatory quarantine for silly reasons.

Cops have reportedly arrested over 9 thousand people in Argentina for violating the quarantine, so far. Of that number, about 2,600 people were arrested in Cordoba alone. So when my husband and I decided to go grocery shopping, we were a little nervous. Oh, who am I kidding? We were very nervous, but decided to go anyway. We were expecting cops and checkpoints in every corner, but we were really surprised by what we found.

UPDATE: 4-5-2020
6,402 people were arrested in Cordoba for violating the quarantine and over 27,000 people were detained for violating the quarantine in the entire country.

There was no one. No authorities. No barricades. Nothing. The sidewalks and streets were emptier than usual, but there were a couple of people walking around heading to the few stores that were open.

Now I know that the CDC has said that masks won't protect people from the Coronavirus, but I figured that it's better to be safe than sorry. So we did wear our masks and felt a little silly at first. Then we noticed other people were wearing them, too, so that made us more comfortable.

When we got to the supermarket, the parking lot was emptier than usual. We went looking for a shopping cart and used an antiseptic wipe to clean the handrail before heading in. Then we noticed a large line but fortunately, we didn't have to wait long.

A security guard made sure that we were all standing about a meter away from one another to prevent the potential spread of the virus. Unfortunately, one person was so impatient (AND IGNORANT!!!), that she simply left. She started mouthing to herself that she didn't understand why people were making such a big deal about the virus and that if bad things are going to happen, they're going to happen no matter where we are.

They were allowing 7 people to go in at a time, so I thought that this was going to take forever, but I was wrong.

A supermarket employee disinfected everyone's shopping carts while we waited in line

We got in within 15 minutes and there were other people already shopping. I thought only 7 people were allowed to shop and when they were done, 7 more people would be allowed in, but that wasn't the case. The supermarket was only trying to slow down the number of people going in so that there wouldn't be a super large crowd inside. Unfortunately, some people didn't know how to follow the rules.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Argentines don't usually cover their mouths when they yawn, cough, or sneeze, which is annoying but potentially fatal in this day and age. A couple of people started coughing and sneezing and they weren't covering their mouths the way the Argentine Ministry of Health instructed them to do. They weren't wearing masks either, so the first thing we thought when we heard people hacking their lungs out was, we have to get the f*ck out of here.

We stuck it out but stirred clear of people whenever they got too close. Fortunately, we were able to find everything we needed on our list, which was a pleasant surprise. We've been monitoring local chatter on social media and people have been complaining about supermarkets not having enough bread, milk or toilet paper. But the supermarket we went to was fully stocked and more importantly, they didn't have any restrictions on how many items one could get per household.

So we headed to the register where everyone in line had to maintain a respectable distance. I really wish they would adopt this concept on a permanent basis.

When we got to the register, we noticed a partition separating the cashier from us, but it wasn't the only safety measure. They were all wearing masks and latex gloves, too. So I got worried, but not because of that.

I was afraid that my money wouldn't be any good. We heard a rumor that the supermarkets weren't accepting cash because they were afraid this would help the virus spread, but that wasn't the case at all. The total came out to almost $5,000 Argentine pesos, which is about $77.92 USD. Usually we only spend about $2,500 Argentine pesos for our groceries, but given the country's spiraling economic decline, I wasn't surprised by the increase in grocery expenses.

We made it home in one piece and sterilized our food items with Lysol Wipes before putting them away. Was the last step overkill? Maybe. But I figured it's better to be safe than to get crowned with Corona.

Now we just have to figure out how we're going to pay our bills, which are due in the next ten days. We normally pay through a service called RapiPago, but most of the locations are closed for now. They were offering the payment service at the supermarket we went to, but you have to have your bills printed. Unfortunately, my printer's broken and the copy centers in our areas are all shut down. So I'm looking for ways to pay online, but that's a story for another day.

Hopefully, this crisis will be over soon, though realistically, the Argentine government will probably extend the quarantine until Easter.