Insomniac in BA

I guess this can only be of some use if you live in Buenos Aires and go out even less than I do, or you're planning on visiting the city.

Cumaná (Rodríguez Peña between Arenales and Santa Fe) is a cozy little restaurant or a spot where you'll find good food and an infernal racket, depending on who you ask. I say the latter. I'd say they have almost 30 tables, between tables for two and for four people, but even when it's not crowded it sounds like there's a million people in there. Sound bounces off the walls, crisp and annoying, appealing to the social radars of people that don't feel they're in a hip place unless it's loud and full. Speaking in there equals yelling. The only good thing I can say about that is that the atmosphere in there is visually relaxing, and only that much noise could give the place that snob touch some people seem to like. The walls are painted in a dark brownish red (we call it "bordeaux", but Merriam Webster says that's not a color), and as decoration they have all sorts of tiny objects stuck to the walls, that give it a "north of Argentina" look that can easily be mistaken for a hint of mexican. The tables and chairs are all wooden and rustic-looking, and instead of table cloths you get plain paper and a tiny basket full of crayons to draw. The lights are dim, and there's a candle on each table; but the lack of light can go from soothing to upsetting, specially when the noise brutally murders the relaxing mood and you just want to see what the hell you have on your plate. For many reasons, Cumaná's biggest sin is lack of acoustic insulation.

The decor goes well with the food. Their menu includes a wide variety of pizza and empanadas, and everything else in it screams "homelike". You have foods your grandmother would cook you (if she was argentinean), like pastel de papa, and lots of food that, as the tiny objects on the walls, remind you of the northern provinces of the country. Every meal I ordered there was served in earthenware bowls on a small wooden tray. But of course, they cater to people who want to be at a place that's in; there's basil in almost everything, you see the word bocconcino in the menu a couple of times, a few of the dishes include dried tomatoes, and all sorts of posh little details like that.

Their merit is that the food is very good, and (at least for what I know) there aren't many places in the area that offer this kind of dishes, most definitely not at this price. I'm all about the feeling when going places, and I'd never be seen twice in a place that's loud for all the wrong reasons, but I do eat there every once in a while because they offer a rare combo: good food at good prices. Of course, calling and having their food delivered to your place is always an alternative (and it's even a couple of bucks cheaper). As far as food delivery goes, Cumaná is an excellent option, considering again the food and the price, and the fact that they're usually pretty quick but not ashamed to let you know if they're swamped and there's going to be a delay, so you can decide whether to order or not (unbelievable but true, some places will leave you waiting for an hour without warning).

For drinks and dessert.. They do have a selection of wines, though of course not the most expensive. Generally good, fairly priced wines. They have a more than decent enough variety of beers for a restaurant, offering both a few industrial options and different flavors of craft-brewed beers from El Bolsón. Coffee.. is a weak spot. Burnt and sour, a crime in the eyes of a coffee freak like myself. I can't say anything about desserts because I haven't tried any, even though I was very curious last time about tres leches, something a fellow blogger mentions a lot and I've never tried. At Cumaná they stick to the homey feeling in this section as well, and you get to order desserts like queso y dulce, amongst others.


In conclusion, Cumaná is a great place to visit every once in a while, when you're in a good mood, maybe a little tight on money, and don't have a headache nor a sore throat. Either with your significant other or with a loud bunch of friends, you won't be out of place there.