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[title]When Pablo Basco decided to open his first gastronomic venture, he never imagined it could fail. The idea was to set up a prearranged franchise, but problems kept piling up every day—mainly with a supplier. It reached a breaking point where he decided to take matters into his own hands and turn the business around.
“We couldn’t lose the number of customers we had—550 people per night on weekends—so we decided to make a change. That’s when Trattoria Conte was born,” he explains, admitting that at the beginning it wasn’t easy at all, since he didn’t come from the restaurant industry.
“We couldn’t lose the number of customers we had—550 people per night on weekends—so we decided to make a change”
The Family Story Behind Trattoria Conte
The restaurant is located in Resistencia, Chaco, and had to be built from the ground up. Still, the story that gave it its identity has deep roots, tied to a family history of more than 60 years.
“My grandmother told me that, along with her uncles, they had a trattoria in Martignacco, in Udine, in the Friuli region. Her father, who was the one that came to Argentina, helped them set up the restaurant from here,” he recalls. That was the spark that led Pablo to research every detail of his family’s history for a long time.
After much digging, Pablo discovered that the trattoria was more well-known than he thought: on the town’s own website, there was a history of the place, highlighting how people from all over Friuli Venezia Giulia would come to try some of its dishes. “It was a surprise. That’s when the idea came to me to replicate that same place, but in Chaco, Argentina,” he says.
“The idea came to me to replicate that same place, but in Chaco, Argentina”
Today, Trattoria Conte offers mainly an Italian experience. Once you step through the door, everything revolves around Italy: from the music, food, and décor, to the events they organize. “The truth is, a really beautiful atmosphere has been created,” he adds.
What to Eat at Trattoria Conte: Italian Flavors and Generous Plates
The menu at Trattoria Conte has everything you’d expect from a place with Italian flavors: from panzottis and pizzas to a wide variety of pastas and bagna cauda. There are also other options like milanesas and piadine, made with pizza dough and various toppings.
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“Nona always visits us. We created a dish named after her: Nona’s pasta. It reminds me so much of what she used to cook for me when I was a kid, and it’s one of our best sellers,” he says.
“Nona’s pasta reminds me so much of what she used to cook for me when I was a kid, and it’s one of our best sellers”
Show Cooking and Tradition: Pasta Inside a Wheel of Cheese
The success of the dish is not only in its history and flavor but also in the experience: it’s cooked inside a wheel of Grana Padano cheese and served right on the spot. A show cooking moment that catches the eye not only of the customer who ordered it but also of everyone else in the room.
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On top of quality ingredients, careful flavors, and attention to detail, Trattoria Conte also solves some of the problems of the city’s dining scene: a private parking lot and a play area where kids can spend time while parents enjoy lunch or dinner.
“I think what we’ve created is something unique. On Fridays and Saturdays the restaurant is packed. People line up to get in,” he says, adding that they’ll soon build a reception area so guests can enjoy even the wait. “We want Trattoria Conte to remain the family’s restaurant, without losing the details that make our customers appreciate us,” he concludes.
“We want Trattoria Conte to remain the family’s restaurant, without losing the details that make our customers appreciate us”
What began as a challenge ended up becoming a tribute to family memory and a new gathering spot for the city. Trattoria Conte not only serves Italian flavors but also delivers an experience that rescues stories and becomes the protagonist of many new ones.