[image]
[title]Some places make you want to stay a little longer the moment you walk through the door. Porte Bar is definitely one of them. Located on the ground floor of a French-style petit hotel dating back to 1900, in the heart of Recoleta, this space offers an extensive selection of cheeses, charcuterie and bistro dishes, alongside cocktails and wines. The kitchen is led by Facundo Berti, while Ezequiel Cunzolo, better known as “El Tano,” runs the bar. The wine list is curated by sommelier Florencia Alvarez.
“El Tano’s” signature cocktail menu, inspired by The Little Prince, is an invitation to start the visit with one of its drinks, and that’s exactly what we did. We tried El Aviador, made with gin, apple, lime and absinthe, and Saint-Exupéry, with gin, oloroso sherry, grapefruit and caperberries. Two cocktails that take their cues from classic mixology while adding personal combinations, with a focus on flavor and clarity.
To accompany the drinks, it was time for the house specialty: exploring the world of cheese. The selection is divided into soft, semi-hard, hard and blue cheeses, with options including stracciatella, Brie, goat Camembert, Morbier, raclette, Grana Padano, aged Parmesan and different blue cheeses. We chose a tasting board selected by the frommelier, accompanied by artisanal charcuterie, ideal for sharing and snacking on as the night unfolds.
Then came the starters: beef tenderloin tartare, duck pâté and cauliflower. Porte’s offering is rounded out by dishes from both land and sea, with a menu that changes according to the seasons. For the main courses, we went for two indulgent options. First, the beef cut, served with French fries and Café de Paris sauce, one of the classic bistro preparations; and second, the braised lamb parmentier, topped with potato purée gratinated with Gran Reserva Parmesan cheese.
The night ended with the cheesecake, a dessert that provides the perfect finishing touch to the restaurant’s offering. After exploring the selection of cheeses throughout the meal, ending with a sweet preparation based on the same ingredient feels like a natural way to bring the experience to a close.
But at Porte, it’s not all about the food: much of the charm lies in the space itself. The two rooms that make up the venue also function as an art gallery, with a selection curated by Paula Zaccaría and Gabriela Pelaez. It’s a concept that brings together art, architecture and gastronomy.
The details: Open Monday to Saturday from 6:30pm to 1:30am. You can make a reservation and check the full menu here.
Where: Azcuénaga 1268, Recoleta.