The Vibe
Located in the trendy neighborhood of Maboneng, Che Argentine Grill exudes same the hip, cool vibe that the neighborhood gives off, but with an added touch of elegance. Smartly decorated, the restaurant is set in a large industrial space, with a patio to dine outdoors and a private dining area upstairs that can be reserved. The decor is rustic, with wooden tables and mismatched chairs. There are candles on every table that use old wine and water glass bottles to hold them. The dried wax on the side of the bottles is a very nice touch, adding to the ambiance.
There are nods to old Argentine life throughout the restaurant, including projected images on the wall. These made for an intimate but yet relaxed and mellow vibe. Definitely a great date spot or a place to come when you want to chow down on some good meats.
Since I had a reservation, I was seated quickly when I arrived and greeted by Oscar, one of the owners. Oscar is originally from Uruguay and came to South Africa as a young boy. We chatted in depth about his experience in the country and also about the restaurant. Oscar and his co-owner Benardo, who hails from Argentina, began selling food in the food markets in Johanesburg, including Arts on Main, Neighborgoods, Fourways, and after much success and fanfare, they opened Che Argentine Grill.
The Food
Now to the good part, the food! Che Argentine Grill serves Argentine and Latin cuisine and offers specialty wines from Argentina and South America, as well as, South Africa. They offer a full menu that includes small, shareable tapas plates, larger full meals of beef, fish, chicken, and pork, and vegetarian options as well. They also offer meat platters that can be shared if that’s your preference. The platters consist of chorizo, pork belly, short rib and rib eye steaks. If you haven’t already gathered, this is the place to go if you’re a meat lover!
I began with the Chorizo Casero as an appetizer. This dish is a spanish style sausage made with free range pork belly, white wine, paprika, parsley and chill. It’s served with Chimichurri sauce and Ensalada rusa. They don’t put sauces on their meats, so you will taste the true flavor of any dish they serve, and I must say, the sausage was delicious. When eaten with the salad, it only added to the goodness.
Che Argentine Grille first made a name for themselves selling empanadas at the food markets so of course I had to try both their Carne (beef) and Jamon (ham) and Queso (cheese) Empanadas. After the first bite, you soon learn why they became so popular. In addition to these fillings, they also offer empanadas with chicken, spinach/mozarella/feta, mozarella/basil/tomato, or sweetcorn/spring and feta cheese. I honestly wish I could have sampled them all, but sadly I had to save room for the main course.
I went with the Aranita (spider) steak with a side of papas fritas (french fries) for my first entre (yea, one wasn’t enough) and the Asado short ribs for the second. This steak is made from the inside hip of the cow, making it very tender since there’s not much wear and tear on that area. The meat itself is prepared on the grill in coarse salt and was very flavorful and seasoned to perfection. I can see why they won Eat Out’s Best Steak in 2016. They also offers a Chimichurri sauce which I had on the side which adds even more flavor if you desire.
The short ribs were also very tasty. They are cooked with the fat on them as well, which adds an alternate texture to the already flavorful meat.
Che Argentine Grill has a great selection of local wines to chose from. It’s best to let them make a few recommendations or let them select one for you. I chose the latter and we went with Alma Mora, an Argentine Malbec. This wine paired wonderfully the main course and tasted deeeelicious.
Given my sweet tooth, I couldn’t wait for dessert. I ordered the Flan Del Rio De La Plata and Alfajor Helado for dessert. The Flan, their signature desert, is a cream caramel with dulce de leche. The caramel was simply amazing. The Alfajor Helado was made of layers of pecan nuts biscuit, dulce de leche ice cream, chocolate glaze, and a mixed berry sauce. Another tasty treat that I could certainly had another helping of.
Flan Del Rio De La Plata
Alfajor Helado
Final Thoughts
All in all, the meal was great, the wine spectacular, and the service fast and attentive. Kudos to Oscar and their staff who played a great host during our visit. I recommend you visit Che Argentine Grill, meet the owners, hear their story and have a hearty lunch or dinner with a lovely ambiance. When you do come though, be sure to come hungry!
HOURS
Tuesday – Sunday 12pm – 11pm
ADDRESS
303 Fox St, Johannesburg 2043
http://cheargentinegrill.co.za
EMAIL
reservations@cheargentinegrill.co.za
Instagram: @Che303foxstreet
Geron is an avid traveler, entreprenuer and mens style aficionado. He love’s mac and cheese, getting discounts, his momma, and a good whiskey, not particularly in that order. It’s alleged he lives in Miami, but no one really knows anymore.
Follow him on instagram at @geronp
