Hierbabuena

I had read enough of the online chatter about Hierbabuena to know I wasn’t going to be disappointed. But my early Saturday afternoon visit to this little bakery cum bistro on the back side of San Telmo turned out to be an education. That’s because I discovered a little part of San Telmo I had yet to experience and discovered four additional restaurants that warranted a visit.

There is a very cute and clean part of San Telmo (hard to believe) lying on Caseros between Bolivar and Defensa. And on this single block there are five little restaurants that rival any in Buenos Aires.

But on this day I was there to visit Hierbabuena. I was hoping I could convince the waitress to convince the cooks and the manager to let me partake of the Brunch which under normal protocol is only served to couples (or groups of four, six, etc). I’ll be returning in a couple of weeks to give the full blow by blow on what is likely the most memorable brunch in all of Buenos Aires. But for today let’s focus on the breakfast items and the little early afternoon meal I had.

Now if you’re familiar with my reviews you know I’m not a huge fan of the “girly, frilly, natural, organic, antique porcelain, granny’s tea pot bakery cum pastry shop that happens to serve salads and sandwiches” kind of places. But it just so happens that one of my favorite restaurants in all of BA is one of “those” kind of places. I’m referring to Oui Oui in Palermo Hollywood. But I’ve just now found another one of these unlikely favorites. It’s Hierbabuena and this place is as cute as a bug. From the little garden carts outside full of potted flowers and herbs to the weathered (albeit fake) paint effect tables out on the sidewalk this place is just brimming with cool, country and natural vibes. You just somehow can’t help but like the place.

And the food is as good as the ambiance. I ordered the Patagonic fruit smoothie and the Eggs Artichoke. The menu didn’t really indicate how the eggs were prepared. Since each version was accompanied by hollandaise sauce I assumed I’d be getting a variation on Eggs Benedict.

Well, in fact, what all these egg dishes are is actually an assortment of various kinds of quiches. And to be honest, the hollandaise sauce was not hollandaise sauce (not even close). It was some sort of mayonnaise or cream cheese. The pastry shell for the quiche was crisp and flaky and the custard was fluffy and full of artichokes. This was one of the best quiches I’ve had in Buenos Aires.

That little glob of mayonnaise (that wasn’t hollandaise sauce) and the mound of arugula were a nice little addition that made me think I was doing something very organic and healthy.

The fruit smoothie was delish.

Service was spot on. The waitress was friendly. The vibe outside on the sidewalk was wonderful. Young couples strolling by with their toddlers. Young bachelors out walking their Labrador puppies. The whole experience was kind of like a fairy tale. OK. Maybe I’m slightly exaggerating but it was a pretty nice experience.

Good enough that we’re adding this little spot to our “must go” list in BA. Stay tuned for the upcoming update on the Sunday Brunch at Hierbabuena.