La Cabrera

AARRRGGGHHHHHH!  That pretty much sums up our night at La Cabrera.  Little did we know, thanks to our concierge, that reservations stop at 8pm and although we had a reservation at 930 that just puts us on the list. 

 Like all restaurants, you really aren’t sure, on some nights, how the place works.  There is no doubt that we got screwed, that much I do know. 

 We got there at 930 and were told we were on the list, no worries, about 30 minutes.  The restaurant serves champagne and warm chorizo outside while you wait.  The woman who has the list gets swarmed the second she steps outside.  It is an insane way of doing business but they obviously could care less.  It does not add to the charm, believe me.

There are 2 restaurants.  The original and then the second one down the street which was obviously built for the overflow because it was packed too. 

 Last night, we waited for almost 2 hours.  Why didn’t we leave?  Good question.  We stayed because by the time we got somewhere else, it would be late and she kept saying that our table was almost done.  They had supposedly paid their bill and were waiting for them to leave.  After a certain amount of time, the restaurant should tell them to get up and leave, nicely, as there are other people waiting. What I think really happened is they gave our table to someone else who they knew.

 At 11:15, we were told that they were so sorry, we had definitely been screwed ( basically ) and they were holding a table for us down the street.  Did we want to go down the street?  Not really but at this point, who cared. 

Even if this was the best meal that I have ever eaten in my life, I’d never go back.  The entire frustration at waiting put such a damper on the entire night.  

 So, here it is for the food.  The portions are tremendous so if you go, 2 appetizers for the table is ample.  We ordered a mozzarella, tomato and jamon plate.  Delicious tomatoes and mozzarella with a touch of pesto.  The jambon was a bit hard and not that interesting.  We also had a mixed baby arugula salad with sliced salmon ( nova ) on top and avocados.  The salmon and avocados were really good but the salad but itself was bland.  After eating up the mixes, the lettuce was in need of serious dressing.

 Then, of course, the steak, which is why people flock to La Cabrera.  We ordered 3 Bife de Chorizo, bloody and red.  They like their meat more well done in BA and if you order medium-rare expect your meat to be done.  Our meat came out on the rare/medium-rare side which was perfect. The meat comes out on wooden planks surrounded by small bowls of extras.  The extras run from sun-dried tomatoes to mashed pumpkin to drenched lentils in some weird sauce.  I barely touched any of them. 

Everyone raved about the steak.  Maybe it was me, maybe it was the night but I did not think it was the most flavorful steak I have ever had.   Peter Lugers blows their steak out of the water, IMHO and many other places that I have been through out Italy and NYC.  If I thought about it, I could put together a serious list. 

They were going to give us free desserts for the table because they felt so bad about the situation which only proves that we got hosed because believe me, this place could care less about people waiting. But we were so done after dinner.  Instead, we had some of the lollipops which is their gimmick that they give at the end of the night.  Josh filled his pockets.

Bottom line, no interest in ever standing and waiting for more than 15 minutes.  Is it worth it, absolutely not.  Every restaurateur that I know talks about customer service and hospitality.  That is the key to success.  The owners of La Cabrera could give a shit about hospitality.  There are plenty of wonderful steak restaurants in this town and for the experience, run, don’t walk, in the opposite direction of La Cabrera.