Casa Saltshaker But Not?
 

Odd title but I couldn't think of a better alternative.

I do not eat red meat. Period. Last time I ate it was 26 years ago after not eating it for two years. I became very sick and have not eaten it since I was 16.

That being said, I would love an experience similar to what Casa Saltshaker offers. Are there any other places similar that might be more accomodating regarding my aversion to red meat? I understand they will work around food allergies but they clearly state that vegetarian is a lifestyle choice, not an allergy. I do eat poultry and seafood of all kinds.

I will be spending several days in BA solo prior to my boyfriend arriving so this communal dining is very appealing to me.

Thanks in advance!

As has been said over and over both in this forum and in other Argentina forums, you will certainly survive in our country without eating red meat.

I'm certainly quite ignorant on the subject of communal dining places and even more so if they are vegetarian, but I suggest you read the "Buenos Aires, Punta del Este Travelogue" thread in this forum, as well as this
poster's www.travelmusings.net

Besides being extraordinarily entertaining, this travelogue mentions Casa Félix, apparently a place for vegetarian communal dining.

Not being a vegetarian, I wouldn't be caught dead there, but that most certainly doesn't mean it can't be good.

Have a great time in our country.

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Hi!
We have not been to Casa Saltshakers yet, looking forward to it though...we don't eat red meat and have had no problems at all finding plenty of delicious meals.
They make great salads here, sandwiches and right now, the tomatoes are beautiful and delicious..last night we had dinner at a place called Rodi Bar on Ayacucho in Recoleta..a noisy bistro very reminiscent of Paris..we had caprese salads, my husband had pasta with calamari and I had chicken that had been grilled, lemon squeezed on it and served with big fat papas fritas (french fries)..but the thing that we noticed is that in many restaurants, women dine alone..
So do men , but it does not seem to be uncomfortable for ladies to have dinner out alone.
Cafe Biela is our favorite lunch spot, we like to eat outside, the waiters are rushed and harried but very nice and you can have all sorts of non-meat dishes.
good luck..the weather is glorious right now..

BTW, Avrooster and Scarlett, I think you may both have misunderstood my post. I am aware that there are plenty of options for those who do not dine on cloven hooved animals. :-) I just wanted an option similar to what Casa Saltshakers offers as it appeals to me.

Although I always enjoy my solo travels, I like the idea of eating with others as an opportunity to socialize in a fun environment. I did check out the link you provided, Avrooster, and that is a great trip report! Casa Felix looks like the perfect option for me! I will be sure to report back after I return from my trip in Nov.

Thanks!

eurotraveller/PDXWindJammer: if you wish, check back with us in October, or just before your trip, because November is a very popular tourism season here and we have had forum members get-togethers for dinner at that time in previous years.

BTW, not being a TA forum member anymore, I'm happy that you got some answers here, but a big fat ZERO in the TA forum. LOL!!!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/17...surfacing.html

In case you have not seen this-

Scarlett is trying to get you some answers in the other forum.

You two are superstars!

Avrooster, I will definitely be looking for a possible get together in BA in early or late Nov!

Cheers!

Euro/PDX: I'm quite SURE you won't want to leave BA!!! LOL!!!

avrooster, I organized a Bangkok get together with forum members in Nov of this past year. It was really fun meeting everyone and being able to put a face with the screen name! There were about 15 of us and it was a hoot!

Well, Euro/PDX, for various reasons I don't think there will be 15 of us, but we'll have a great time, anyway.

2,3,20, it doesn't matter to me! I will partake in just about any size group and enjoy myself and the diversity of the people attending!

I hope it works out!

Speaking of get togethers, we were happy to have an afternoon coffee with Saltshaker today...it was a real pleasure!
Have great visit !!

Euro/PDX: when you go to Tigre, you can go and/or return with the Tren de la Costa http://www.trendelacosta.com.ar/site/

Get off at San Isidro and, when you feel like leaving, just get on the train again. I lived there for about 30 years.

Avrooster, thanks for answering the question that I posted on the "other" forum! ;-)

LOL!!!

Euro/PDX:
http://www.parquedelacosta.com.ar/

Euro/PDX: ask me, not "them". LOL!!!
Go to "Info General"

Euro/PDX: During May, the Parque de la Costa is open from Friday to Sunday and holidays, from 11 AM to 7 or 8 PM.

Therefore, your best bet, to avoid the crowds, is to go at midday, on a Friday.

Thanks av!

What about for November? Same days and hours?

Dear Euro/PDX: If you look up "Info General", you will see it just tells you their timetable for May.

We'll see in November, but, being spring, they MAY be open more days and longer hours, but I doubt it.

Hello AV

Do you think that Parque de la Costa deserves a visit?

There are many better parks around the World

But the Navy museum is unique, the same about a ride in lancha colectiva…

Tigre is unique, tropical forest, traces of Belle Epoque..-.

Sorry: without time for long descriptions

Gaucho, I really want to visit the park because I LOVE rollercoasters! Wheeeeeeee....

Gaucho, Euro/PDX said in another forum: "Amusement Park?! Are there rollercoasters? If so... yippeee! I am all over that! Please tell me more about the amusement park!"

So, who am I to argue? It's clearly a matter of taste.

I visited Paris recently for the first time and was bored stiff at the Louvre, but had fun being interviewed by USA TV at the Trocadero. I also liked a place (Notre Dame?) where pigeons climbed all over me. It's a matter of taste.

Alors, "à chacun son goût". LOL!!

See what I mean, Gaucho?

oui

Euro/PDX: when you are here, we'll see what we can do about that sailing thing. LOL!!

avrooster, you crack me up! Nice to have3 you still as an inactive member of Tripadvisor so you can answer my posts on there on this forum! ;-)

If you could hook me up to go sailing as part of a crew rather than a tourist I would be forever in debt to you! Do you know any sailors that are looking for crew members during the week?

Here in Portland, OR, I have many friends that I sail with on a regular basis and they are often looking for more experienced crew members.

Skipper: no, I don't know "any sailors that are looking for crew members during the week" (six months from now!! LOL!!!), but I DO know a lady who is a prominent and extremely active member of one of our leading nautical clubs and she MAY be able to hook you up.
http://www.cnsi.org.ar/nuevo/index.asp

Well, I seem to be in high demand here in Portland because I can sail during the week when others are working as long as I am not working with clients. Many retired people around here have a hard time finding crew so I thought the case may be the same in BA.

Skipper: that MAY be the case here too, but I simply don't know. I'll check when you are here.

So you are a sailing crew

I am member of a sailing club, I didn’t renew my sailing license for years and now I have to ask a new one at the Coast Guard (Prefectura) I have been delaying it for months. If I do it I will be able to ask a boat in the club. I don’t know if they will take me exam again and any other requirements so I make no promise.

But the good news is that I can contact you with other skippers. Not many people are sailing during the week, but if you arrange in advance it is possible. Are you racing? Do you sail in any particular class?

Of course this is too much in advance for any arrangement but this is my contact

[email protected]

Get that license tomorrow, Gaucho!! LOL!!!

OK avrooster, but have in mind that the boats I can borrow in the club are far from luxurious

I mixed the forums, I should have posted my contact in the other forum. AV you already have my mail and of course you will be invited

Eurotraveller sorry I will post my contact in the other forum since it was intended for you

Gaucho, I don't need a luxury boat to sail on. As long as it moves gracefully and soundlessly across the water I am in heaven!

I will contact you via your email. You have almost 6 months to get the license renewed! ;-0 Get on it now!

Cheers!

No more of that South American "mañana" spirit, Gaucho!!!

You "heard" the lady: "Get on it NOW!"

The capitals are my contribution. LOL!!

Are you sure I'm invited, Carlos, or maybe three is a crowd? ROTFLMAO!!!

I knew the name "Windjammer" was related to sailing, but I didn't know for sure exactly what it meant. So I asked our friend Yahoo and now I know. LOL!!

Euro - I responded to your post of the same over on TA, but don't know if you saw it - so here's my response:

First, depending on your timing, approximately every 8-10 weeks we offer a vegetarian weekend menu. Second, most of our dinners are not red meat dinners - there's so much of it around that we tend to cook with fish and poultry alot more than red meat (and the menus are posted in advance, so you can see what's coming up. You're right, I do state on our site that being vegetarian is a choice, not an allergy, but I also state that if I can, I'll work around people's dietary considerations - you left off the second half of the sentence - that goes for choices or allergies, sometimes I can accommodate them, sometimes not. I need to know when I'm planning menus what sort of things would end someone up in a hospital if they have contact with it and what sort of things I can just leave off of a portion (i.e., if I'm working with peanuts but just leave them off of a peanut allergic person's portion, there's still a risk that a cutting board or my hands contain the allergen and they could have a reaction; not the same as substituting a piece of chicken for a piece of veal).

Beyond that, the only option I know of that's in a puertas cerradas, is Diego Felix - he's a new arrival from San Francisco (I think he was born here but grew up there, I'm not clear exactly). He offers a tasting menu that's vegetarian with some occasional fish items I think. I haven't had a chance to go and check his food out, but a couple of friends have tried it and been impressed. You can find him at www.diegofelix.com. There also was a guy named Diego Castro doing a raw food vegetarian puertas cerradas, however he's now doing the same food in a regular restaurant space on J. Newberry, the place is called verdellama, but I don't have the address handy. And, third, there's a lunchtime restaurant called Providencia at the corner of Arevalo and Cabrera that serves vegetarian food and has long picnic tables that are basically communal tables, though I wouldn't say they're always particularly social - sometimes folks just come to eat and not chat, and they come and go, but it's still an alternative.