SOTTO VOCE

Meat restaurants abound in Argentina but one other cuisine with a strong national influence is Italian which is often explained by the numerous Italian immigration which affects not just the local cuisine but the local accent as well. Aside from the ubiquitous parrilla on every corner, there is always an Italian restaurant nearby.

In a city filled with pasta palaces, Sotto Voce is a cut above the rest. The restaurant is often packed for lunch and dinner by locals enjoying the convivial atmosphere and the exceptional Italian cuisine. The extensive menu has several appetizers, pastas, risottos, meat main courses plus a good wine list. According to my parents-in-law, the best bartender in town is also here at Sotto Voce where apparently, the cocktails are done as they should be although I haven't had the chance to try one yet.

We had lunch over the weekend at the Libertador branch and had a pleasant lunch accompanied by a 2006 Crios Torrontes. A basket of homemade bread - grissini, parmesan crackers and rolls - was served along with our salad of arugula with Parmesan slivers and our main courses came soon after.

Three generations of men in the family had gnocchi - potato gnocchi with butter for my father-in-law, semolina gnocchi with ham, tomato and cheese for my husband and potato gnocchi with tomato cream sauce for our son. My mother-in-law and I deviated from the tables's "gnocchi" theme and had a chicken spezzatino and rice for her and spaghetti with sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and arugula for me. The gnocchi were delectable and the chicken with a curry-flavoured sauce was very good as well. I have to say that I felt a bit cheated with my plain spaghetti and vowed to return to Sotto Voce and order something else next time.

We finished the meal two desserts shared among us - tiramisu for them and pineapple carpaccio with a mango sorbet for us. Espressos were needed after our big lunch and we spent the rest of the afternoon walking off the calories at the Paseo Alcorta mall.

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Sotto Voce
Ave. Libertador 1098 (corner Ayacucho)
tel: +5411 4807-6691
Open daily for lunch and dinner
Valet parking available

**** Food (Consistently delectable pastas)

**** Service (Efficient and courteous)

*** Ambience (Bustling and filled with locals)