i Latina combines the style of a fine dining experience with the flavors of northern South America (Think Colombia, Venezuela and Peru.). Be prepared to try new things at this Buenos Aires restaurant.
What can you expect here? The experience consists of a seven-course set menu with plenty of flavor.
As an example of a recent experience at i Latina, the menu started with an appetizer of corn arepas with a red dipping sauce. The bread board arrived with small slices of savory banana bread, coconut bread, olive focaccia and small Guarani rolls made with cassava, all accompanied by lime and pepper butter.
The setting at i Latina — Photo courtesy of TESS Worldwide
The first course was a bit of tamarind-glazed duck on a small bed of quinoa salad. As a second course, they served caramelized prawns with spicy pineapple and fennel. For the third course, there was ceviche made with seasonal fish with seasoned mango and coconut.
The fourth course consisted of grilled octopus, while the fifth course was pork braised with Colombian coffee and sugarcane reduction. For the sixth course, there was the Ecuadorian cacao truffle with sea salt and olive oil. The seventh course consisted of avocado and aguardiente ice cream served with some rich caramel corn.
For the final course, there was Colombian coffee infused with cardamom and cinnamon (with an option for herbal tea, too, for if you're not a coffee person) and a plate of small cookies.
If you can hold your liquor, the optional wine pairing is a great value: six full glasses of good wines. Although, be warned that the number of white wines outnumbers the red wines. The wines mostly hail from Argentina. Otherwise, you can order wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails and soft drinks.
Making reservations in advance is essential. Also, if you're a vegetarian or if you have other dietary restrictions, this is when you should tell them. Thankfully, i Latina is happy to create alternate courses for people with special diets.
If you don't speak Spanish, that is not a problem here. The staff is bilingual, and an English menu is available, too.
The restaurant is run by a trio of Colombian siblings. In fact, the service is one of the highlights of i Latina. The staff is warm and attentive, and each course is explained as it's served. The staff is also happy to answer questions about the food.
So if you like to try new things, then you'll definitely enjoy i Latina restaurant.