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© 2008 Dan Perlman
Casa SaltShaker
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Chef: Dan Perlman
Host: Henry Tapia
July 12, 2008
Trust me, none of us dressed up in ill-fitting leather bikini briefs, and there was no archery, nor horse-racing, nor wrestling. Come to think of it, none of us are all that burly. Still, we thought we ought to at least raise a fork and glass to the annual three-day sporting fest held at this time of year in Mongolia, with cuisine that was inspired by, if in no way traditional to, the country - and particularly not the festivities, which tend towards the local version of picnic fair - “bread, fruit, cold meat pancakes, tea, and fermented mare’s milk”.
Comments from some of our guests:
"D... and I had a great evening at su casa. Lovely menu, perfectly served, and, well, a very interesting group! Not sure how I feel about you feeding a precocious 14 year old with a flight of wines -- on the one hand it made the conversations a tad awkward, but on the other, he was pretty amusing! Only comment about the evening is that the ending felt a little abrupt. Perhaps you can find a way to allow the guests to linger a little while before getting your apartment back! We'll be recommending you guys highly to friends." - S.H.
"Although I am sure you have my family and myself well-documented, let me begin by saying that we had the pleasure of dining with Henry and yourself on Saturday 12 July 2008. To be honest, my primary motivation was to sample the cuisine you prepare; the social interaction was actually a surprise to me. Normally at a dinner party, the hosts are the common thread for all those attending; however, at Casa SaltShaker, you have communicated with those attending, but usually haven’t had any opportunity to meet them. No matter. Any trepidation was quickly eliminated, and I felt comfortable with meeting and communicating with everyone else. Thank you for such a wonderful evening. I’ve told everyone about my experience as a first-time visitor to Buenos Aires and as a first-time patron at Casa SaltShaker . Both receive very high marks. Walking home that night, a dozen or more questions came to mind that “I should have asked Dan.” Your approach was so low-key and comfortable that you avoided the “being taught” routine that sometimes can arise. That, in turn, gave us all the confidence (armed with your reviews and insight on your site) to sally forth and explore the city. We vow that we will return." - M.S.
