Sep 13, 2010
Il Gatto
Corrientes 959
6.5 Out of 10
Food: 7
Service 6
Atmosphere 6
Location 8
Buenos Aires Restaurant Reviews - Il Gatto
Review:
My mission this Friday night, seek and subsequently destroy (by eating) a fine plate of Ravioles (Ravioli). As I walked down the main Avevida of Buenos Aires 9 de Julio, I stumbled upon several places that I was intrigued by. But ultimately I decided to enter a place I had seen several times before, in different places throughout the city. The name of this eatery was “Il Gatto” and the reasons why I was first attracted to this place should tell you a lot about the atmosphere here.
The first thing I noticed is that this is part of a chain of restaurants here in Buenos Aires, something that you do not find often. Because of my American prejudices which tell me that an established chain must be good to have reached that level of success, I decided to dine there, instead of several other strong contenders.
The setting:
Immediately I find that I am confused over what to compare the interior styling with. One part of me is reminded of small family owned Pizza place from my home town of Chicago called Gino’s East, with its overly red decor, dark nature, and uniformed staff. And then at the same time I get the feeling like I am in a Chuck E Cheeze’s, with the red balloons, corny music, and loud chattering masses. Either way after spending some time in one of the little corner booths I found myself forgetting about the decorum of the restaurant and focusing more on the food and service.
The Food:
The menu here was quite a refreshing change from the usual fare here in Buenos Aires. Instead of having a million items and maybe only having a handful that are good, this restaurant keeps it offerings to a bare minimum by B.A. standards about 30 all included. With pizzas to pastas, to chicken and steak, this place has the normal well rounded B.A. scope without all of the fluff.
What I Had:
Ravioles All Uso Nostro
My Ravioles filled with spinach & basil, came out lightly covered in a wonderfully crisp tomato basil sauce. Once dusted with Parmesan cheese, it made for a surprisingly easy to eat meal. No crazy flavors, not out of this world tastes, and no problematic Argentine blandness to speak of. Just like something I would throw together at my house late at night back home (Did I mention I love to cook?).
Service:
I found the staff to be acceptable, with no extraordinary acts, good or bad occurring.
Price:
Cubierto 5.80
Gaseosa 7.90
Ravioles All Uso Nostro 35.50
I found Il Gatto to be a little too pricy the quality, but not by any means outrageous. Back in the States you would expect to pay this much for this meal, but here in Buenos Aires, you should get more for this price. Partly owing to location however (At the intersection of the two busiest streets in the city), I am letting this it slide a little bit because I know that this location must cost many times more than others elsewhere in the city…but that doesn’t mean that I like it.
Conclusion:
Il Gatto is a solid reliable find that for most North Americans will succeed in making them feel like they are at the neighborhood Olive Garden back home (Albeit with a massive red décor overall). If you’re looking for a truly authentic Porteno dining experience, this is not your place. But if you looking for something that will be easy on an American palate that’s not MacDonald’s, this would be a wise choice for you.
By Dominick Dal Santo
Editor In Chief
American Expat Since 2008
