In one little corner behind Thamrin’s rigid office buildings, lies Sudestada, an Argentinian restaurant that prides on delivering an alternative cuisine when dining out. Even though you may not be well acquainted with Argentinian food, that shouldn’t stop it from being under your radar. Especially when the cuisine itself is a combination of influences you will find familiar, such as Spanish and Italian.
To present the eclectic side of Argentinian cuisine, chef and owner Victor Taborda whips up foreign-influenced dishes such as the Arroz Caldoso (brothy rice served with lobster and octopus) that’s reminiscent of seaside lunch on the Spanish coast and the Spanish Broken Egg (scrambled egg with chorizo and confit potato) that is popular for breakfast. Another quirk represented in Sudestada is the Argentinians’ love for pizza, so much that the Argentinian version of Italian pizza exists in Argentina, aptly called the Argentinian Pizza. Theirs are thicker and cheesier which is how they love them. Finish your meal with a fun tequila cocktail in hand, like the Albahaca Refrescante, or a plateful of hot Churros Con Dulce de Lece, or both together if you fancy.
For meat lovers, their command at the grill is easily the highlight of the establishment. Dishes fresh off the grill like the Tira de Asado (beef short ribs) only needs a quick dip into Sudestada’s homemade chimichurri sauce to be thoroughly savoured. The same can be said of their Hand-Cut Beef Empenadas that’s good to share during the prelude.
Food aside, the Argentinian mood is heightened by an equally seducing interior that highlights the rustic side of their culture: the intimate terraces, the brick walls adorned with trinkets and objects symbolic of their homeland. You may not set foot in Argentina anytime soon, but to be in Sudestada is like a glimpse to a night in San Telmo neighbourhood in Buenos Aires accompanied with delectable food to ravish on.