Chuí is a plant based, vegan and vegetarian restaurant in Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires. While Argentina's capital is known for its steakhouses, the fast moving and vibrant restaurant scene has lots of options for everyone. Chui's offering is healthy, organic vegetarian and vegan fare in a stunning semi-open wild garden style setting and is helmed by a female chef.
Chui is located on Loyola in a semi open warehouse. It sits right next to a railroad bridge and every 20-30 minutes or so, a train rumbles past. In the recent past, it was an abandoned overgrown lot with industrial garbage that has now been completely transformed. At 12pm the green doors with the name Chui on the front are closed. When they slide open and you see inside, it's a surprising sight as you look into the lush, verdant setting and follow the staff to your table. The Head Chef at Chui is Victoria Di Gennaro who has worked in Argentina, Chile, Brazil and The Netherlands.
Booking at Chuí is easy and can be done online but once you receive the email make sure to confirm by adding a credit card to secure the booking. I booked just a few days before and I was able to get a table for one at 12pm when the restaurant opens. The dress code is casual and the furniture is handcrafted and eclectic.
Diners can sit in the garden or further in towards the open kitchen where the industrious bandana-clad chefs are busy working and prepping. There is a brick oven in the centre of the kitchen as well as a pizza oven. Two large fridges on the side hold a colourful range of pickles. Another fridge holds all of the mushrooms that they are cultivating on site that feature on the menu. Service is lovely and polite and they quickly replace my Spanish menu with an English one and deftly switch to English giving some decisive recommendations when I ask for them.
There's a range of cocktails but I'm looking for something non-alcoholic. There are kombuchas as well as an intriguing range of sodas using mushrooms. I go for the one that my waitress recommends with lions mane mushroom. It's lightly sparkling, has a slight fermented flavour but with an absence of strong mushroom flavours and is perfectly nice.
Charred avocado, kimchi, ‘leche de tigre’ $6500ARS/$11.68AUD/$7.58USD, Wood-fired sourdough focaccia $1800ARS/$3.23AUD/$2.10USD
Shortly after she brings out a plate of three slices of spongy and light focaccia made with some wholewheat flour that is perfect for the first two dishes. The charred avocado dish arrives at the same time as the focaccia. It is half a avocado, charred on top and paired with a mild daikon kimchi with a tangy but balanced Leche de Tigre or Tiger's milk citrus marinade. It is finished off with toasted pumpkin seeds, fresh dill and coriander that really brings it all together perfectly. Normally I find leche de tigre can be quite strong but it is tempered here with the other flavours and a creaminess from the avocado. This is one of my favourite courses for the balance of flavours and satisfying textures.
This wasn't one of the waitresses recommendations but I'm glad that I ordered it. Llandaro cheese is an Argentinean cheese made traditionally made in the low-lying plains of the Orinoco Basin. It is very versatile as it can be grated, shredded, fried or used in creamy sauces. This cow's milk cheese is similar to halloumi, but less salty and squeaky, but nonetheless, absolutely delicious with a glaze of strawberry vinaigrette, a light hot sauce and oregano. This pairs perfectly with the focaccia.
Marinated lion's mane mushrooms, smoked akusaym crispy onion, shiitake emulsion, cucumber and turnip $12000ARS/$21.56AUD/$13.99USD
The lion's mane mushrooms are marinated in brown sugar and vinegar on top of half of a charred and smoked Akusay (Napa cabbage or Wombok). There are plenty of crispy, golden onions, a creamy shiitake emulsion as well as turnip and cucumber slices. The lions mane mushrooms are a tad on the dry side for me but I enjoy the charred cabbage and the rest of the dish. It was a toss up between this all their pizza and I think next time I’d go for the pizza made with dough that has been fermented for 48 hours and made from organic flour.
I've eaten a lot but dessert is naturally a separate stomach so I also ask for my waitress's recommendation for dessert. She recommends a dessert that isn't on the menu: a Basque cheesecake. This version is a wonderfully smooth and ultra creamy cheesecake paired with a jammy figs.
My bill for one person with a curious hunger and one soft drink came to $36,000ARS or around $68AUD or $43USD.
So tell me Dear Reader, what do you think of this food here? How often do you eat vegetarian food when dining out?
This meal was independently paid for. NQN travelled to South America as a guest of Qantas.
Qantas
https://www.qantas.com/au/
Chuí
Loyola 1250, C1414 Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Monday from 7pm to midnight
Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm to midnight
Sundays from 12pm to 4 pm
Phone: +54 9 11 5471-8397
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