This commentary is long overdue. I’ve been putting it off for close to two years.  After all, I rank restaurants and write restaurant reviews. The list of the World’s 50 Best restaurants in Latin America, is, at least in theory, my competition. So I’m not exactly the most objective party to be screaming «foul play».

And I knew that writing this article would put me into the position of talking trash about a few restaurateurs and chefs who are not at fault for having been named in media and marketing company, William Reed’s, dubious list of “The World’s 50 Best” restaurants in Latin America. But quite frankly, these restaurateurs have undeservingly been reaping the benefits of having been named in this list, which ranks highly in the internet search engines. So, I’m not going to lose too much sleep over whatever consequences come of my stating some candid opinions about the mediocrity of their restaurants.

Simply stated, many of the restaurants in the list aren’t even in the top 250 restaurants in Latin America. I’ve had at least twenty-five street tacos in Mexico that were tastier than the vizcacha sandwich I was served at El Baqueano (#13 on the 2016 list) in Buenos Aires and there are at least 50 restaurants and cafés in Buenos Aires that a have a more pleasant décor and ambiance than that restaurant.