As the Gill family once said, "Eat at Randall's! Seriously. Go there. Today." With the opening of Marc Randall's new "classic American greasy spoon," there's no longer any reason for yanquis to crave their favorite grub. You might say there´s probably no reason for another yanqui-style eatery in Buenos Aires.
Randall's has it all. Not just a couple two three things that kinda taste like back in the old country ...but a positively encyclopedic bill of fare that, I swear, is bigger than any blog post I have ever written. I´ve seen Greek diners with smaller menus! And the flavors are pure Americana, knock-down, drag-out, down-home.
Sheri might be right. The coffee tastes like the best diner coffee you ever had. Strong and flavorful in the American style ...and perfect for everything I ordered.
So what's a poor boy to do when confronted with una carta as long as my cousin Ant'ny´s rap sheet? I figured, put 'em through their paces: Biscuits & Gravy.
Almost everyone cooks one or two things well. I have always held, however, that anyone who makes good biscuits can be trusted to cook everything well (if you are single, you probably should inquire as to the cook's marital status.) Biscuits require a deft touch. The best are mixed only with the fingers. Women make better biscuits than men; their hands are colder and don´t melt the shortening as much. 'Nuff said? No.
Randall's biscuits and gravy are tremendous. These are no whomp biscuits, ladies and gennlmens. They are light with a great toothy crunchy exterior. I imagined them coming from a great cast-iron skillet. The flavor of the sausage gravy was the perfect pairing.
I mistakenly ordered them with eggs but since it was breakfast time ...hell, make 'em over-easy! Since we have chickens on the ranch, I´m well acquainted with farm-fresh eggs. Marc Randall must keep chickens.
With the addition of the house's Breakfast Potatoes (great cubes of perfectly browned potatoes, savory onions and a touch of green and red pepper) we were suddenly talking a lot of food ...but how could I leave, how could live with myself without a side of bacon?
I didn´t wait for the incredibly attentive wait staff come back again ...I rushed to the counter to make amends.
The side of bacon was everything I could ask for. Slightly thick, smoky sweet salty, slices of great streaky pork belly browned stiff but not crumbling. Maybe half a dozen slices. I´m not sure. Hee hee!
I dug in like a farm-hand. My inner-trencherman emerged with all the joy of a man escaped from prison.
Seated in the courtyard, I was visible to passersby. On those occasions I looked up, I saw two of the three last known Argentines in Palermo Soho pausing to peer through the wrought-iron wonderstruck at the mad man and a breakfast they´d never seen outside of the cine.
The great goofy chewing grin on my face caused every US expat to smile ...and maybe two or three to enter!
They may have been the only three people in the whole place.
That´s another thing I wanted to mention. Every review I´ve read says the same thing: incredible food, the best service ...and nobody in the place. Sheesh, if there was ever was a restaurant that had something for everyone, that satisfied so many cravings of so many yanquis smack-dab in the center of yanqui gravity and no gouging the customers ...it´s Randall´s.
(Don´t forget brunch with Bloody Marys!)
Folks, this place is literally a dream come true (have you ever dreamed of bacon and maple syrup?) I hope he gets so much business that he opens a second location en mi barrio! Seriously. Go there. Today.
Randall's
Malabia 1530
(between Gorriti and Honduras)
Palermo
tel: 4832-5070
Tuesday through Sunday
tel: 4832-5070
Tuesday through Sunday
6:00 am - Midnight
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