The Closed-Door Restaurant

I needed a few cocktails to help me get over the images of Qaddafi's severed head, so last night I went with my American neighbour and her Argentine friend to one of Buenos Aires's many closed-door restaurants. Believe it or not, I hadn't heard of this concept before, but individuals or families open restaurants, often in their houses, with a limited number of tables and certain opening hours. They have set menus and you usually have to book in advance.

My neighbour and I took the bus to Cocina Sunae, located on a very quiet, dark residential street in Colegiales district. I wouldn't have wanted to have walked here from the bus stop alone but, that said, had I been by myself, I would have got a taxi. 

The door to the house was unmarked and we rang the doorbell before being let in through a normal, white residential gate. We were greeted by the husband of Christina, an Asian-American woman from New York who owns the restaurant. We met my neighbour's friend and the three of us girls sat at a large table in the middle of the restaurant - a cosy, converted living room with a big kitchen off the side of it. 

We paid 110 pesos (£15) upfront for the four-course menu that included mineral water and hot tea, and ordered delicious, mouthwatering cocktails for a little extra. Soon, Christina came out to greet us and stopped for a friendly chat before rushing back into the kitchen as the restaurant was pretty packed with fellow tourists and locals alike.

The first course was Chinese pork and beef wantons with a Thai sweet chilli sauce - my favourite. After that followed a Thai Shrimp Salad - a bed of lettuce filled with prawns, red grapefruit, mint, coriander, red onions, lemon-soy dressing and crushed roasted rice. I am sad to say that I simply despise coriander, but despite the strong taste, the second course was absolutely delicious. The crunchy texture of the roasted rice combined with the zing of the grapefruit juice and the kick of the mint made it one of the best things that has touched my lips since arriving in BA.

For the main course, there was a choice of either a Thai Yellow Curry or a whole, fried market fish served with Thai sweet spicy sauce and steamed rice. I went for the fish, of course. A huge oval-plate-sized fish appeared in front of me, bones, head and all, and I savoured every last bite. My only complaint was that the flavour was similar to the wanton starter, making the meal a bit sweet and samey, but I could happily eat it all again.

I'm not sure the photo really does it justice

Dessert was a Filipino Cassava cake with green tea and taro ice creams and a mango and sweet coconut milk reduction. All pretty original!