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The Chorimobiles of Buenos Aires

Sam Ginsburg

By | October 2, 2009

Men at a choripan stand in buenos aires argentina

The first thing people usually think about when talking about Argentina other than soccer, wine, tango, Evita and economic crisis is the beef. Argentine beef is supposed to be among the best in the world, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. However, as impressive as it may be, these bovine delicacies may not be served up in the way you imagined.

I have a theory: good beef is good beef. I know, it’s pretty groundbreaking. Let me explain. No matter where you go in the world, if you order the best steak at the best restaurant, it’s going to be good. The best steak in Argentina is a very good steak, as are the best steaks from the United States, China, Brazil or even France. However, to truly judge the quality of a country’s cow-flesh, you must dig a little deeper. In my opinion, the best way to test the quality of a region’s beef, you must find the worst steak, the lowest form of steak, try it, and see if you come out alive.

This brings me to the Chorimobile . The Chorimobile is a portable cart where you can find a number of different meat and sausage sandwiches at very, very low prices. Friendly chefs trade small talk while grilling your meal right in front of you, and the aromas coming of the parilla have similar effects to smelling your mother’s chicken soup. They are most popular at heavily trafficked areas, like Plaza de Mayo, Retiro train station and Plaza Italia in Palermo. Within a culture that is too tranquilo to take a cup of coffee to-go, these street-side eateries have remained a fast food staple for both tourists and locals alike.

The best place to go for a full Chorimobile experience is the paved walkway right outside of the Ecological Reserve, just blocks away from Microcentro and Puerto Madero. Here you will find a chorizo -enthusiast’s heaven: dozens of Chorimobiles all in a row like a delicious parade that never seems to end. This is a very popular area during lunchtime and on the weekends, and has the added bonus of ample space to sit in the sun or shade. Coming from Avenida Córdoba, the first cart you’ll see harbors a boldly painted message: Fueron, Son y Serán. This sign proclaims that this authentic institution was, is and always will be a part of Argentine culture. (Ok, so maybe the sign is talking about the Malvinas Islands, but you get the point)

So now that you know where to find them, you still need to know what to do. Picking the right Chorimobile is a lot like finding your favorite cigar or bottle of wine. You have to go by trial and error. It’s usually a safe bet to choose one of the more crowded ones. You may have to wait longer, but at least you know that other people are eating the same meat and living to talk about it. Note that Chorimobiles are not for the faint at heart. Everything is outside and chefs are often gloveless. Germaphobes, just sit this one out.

Sign showing available food

I usually choose my Chorimobiles by the spread of condiments they have available. After your typical ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, large jars of sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes are there to complement your meat or sausage. Chimichurri , a red, oily sauce that is considered spicy by Argentine standards, is an absolute must. Even if I’m not going to use all of them, it’s always comforting to know that they’re there.

More importantly, however, is the kind of sandwich you order. Some of the carts by the Ecological Reserve have begun to offer things like chicken, hamburgers and french-fries, but to really experience the Chorimobile you should stick to the classics. Choripán , a chorizo sausage sandwich, is a classic, and can be ordered by simply saying “Un Chori, por favor .” Morcipan , a blood sausage sandwich, is also a solid option. But this sandwich is only for those of you who care most about good taste and don’t mind eating congealed blood. (Seriously though, it’s delicious.)

As for meat sandwiches, the menu can be diverse and your selection depends entirely on personal preference. Churrasco , or churasquito , is a thin skirt steak that goes especially well with the chimichurri . Bife de chorizo is a strip steak commonly served in traditional asados . Bondiola (a delicate cut or sausage made of pork muzzle) is also a good choice, especially if you have a very large appetite. Sometimes the smaller carts will only hold one of these meats at a time on a given day, so you may end up with whatever the friendly chef wants to give you.

Once you finally take your first bite, you will certainly be amazed with the results. A few minutes after you scarf down the rest of your juicy sandwich and sit there happily rubbing your satisfied belly, you will come to a great realization: you just paid 8 pesos for a steak sandwich. And a delicious steak sandwich at that.

This brings me back to my point about trying the lowest form of steak in a given country. In Argentina, the Chorimobile sandwich, as delicious as it is, is just that. The closest equivalent from the United States, for example, would be the Philadelphia cheesesteak. While cheesesteaks are known for their greasiness and munchy-quenching properties, they are not known for their quality of beef. You can buy a bife de chorizo at a Churimobile for the same price as, if not less than, a sandwich in the US. But your roadside Argentine sandwich will not come complete with the same paper-thin, often-microwaved mystery meat that needs to be covered in Easy Cheese to be edible. And that is what makes Argentine beef so good.

But the world of Chorimobiles is not all rainbows and unicorns. Be sure to check inside your sandwich when it is given to you, as eating undercooked meat could make you very, very sick. Also, like in many other situations in the city, it could help to keep your foreign accent down to a minimum, as it can often lead to inflated prices. I once saw an older Brittish couple charged 25 pesos for two bottles of water, but didn’t say anything because I had yet to be charged for my own choripán . It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, but if you make it all the way through, at least you’ll have a juicy sandwich waiting for you on the other side.

Sam Ginsberg
LPBA Staff

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