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© 2008 Dan Perlman
Casa SaltShaker
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Chef: Dan Perlman
Host: Henry Tapia
November 21 & 23, 2008
There was much speculation, much buzz, much questioning… just exactly what were we going to do at Casa SaltShaker to celebrate 45 years since the pilot of Doctor Who aired - celebrating the longest running science fiction show on television - a show that every sci-fi technogeek nerd has watched untold episodes of - except me. It was very odd. I got all excited about the idea as a theme - it’s one of those wacky ones that basically make no constraints on what I do in the kitchen, they’re more of an excuse to simply play around with pots and pans...and then I realized, here I consider myself a sci-fi type of guy - it’s what I read for enjoyment most of the time, my preference in films and television, this particular one started up when I was five years old and has therefore been running consecutively with me most of my life, and… umm… err… I’ve never seen the show. I didn’t even know what it was about. Really....
Comments from some of the guests:
"We enjoyed our dinner and the company." - J.&D.M.
"Dinner was wonderful. I met a group of 5 men from Texas while in El Calafate, and told them of Casa Saltshaker. Your place is exactly what they were looking for. You may be hearing from them! Thank you again." - C.G.
"Thanks again for a lovely evening. The food was wonderful and the company very nice." - L.E.
"Your concept is a great one and came highly recommended by friends, who had been for dinners at your home several times while in Buenos Aires. Since we share their ideas about great food, I'm going to be completely candid. T... and I really enjoy meeting all different kinds of folks and had a nice time with those at the dinner. We would have enjoyed talking a bit more with you and Henry. But, I have to admit, we were disappointed in the Dr. Who dinner. When talking about it later, we thought maybe it was possible that we came on an "off night." For us (and maybe others did not share our thinking), the courses were somewhat monochromatic, as well as "mono-textural." Buenos Aires is so incredibly rich in diversity that a meal can easily tap into a broad array of color, taste, and texture. I had expected something fresh/crunchy in one of the courses. Anyway, like I wrote above, it may have been the night we chose to come. We do wish you continued success, because it is a good idea! " - S.B.
"What a great meal! I will be requesting all my Chicken Kiev’s inside out from now on…" - D.D.
"Thanks guys. We had a great time and stayed out till 3 with our fellow diners. Don’t know what else you could have done. All was close to perfect." - S.K.
"We had a wonderful time at your place - thanks so much for having us. The food and wine pairing matched perfectly, and was all so tasty. We really appreciate you introducing us to a dish (lamb tongue) that we would have been reluctant to order on our own. Trying this dish has definitely opened up our culinary horizons! And all the other guests were a real delight. It was nice to enjoy a tasty meal with a lively bunch of travelers, most from our own backyard!! We all got along so well which was nice. We thought everything was perfect. I thought it would have been funny to offer Mars bars along with the bill (to go along with the sci fi theme), but of course your dessert was so much better!! Thanks again for such a unique dining experience, Casa SaltShaker was a definite dining highlight for us during our BA trip. We have friends that plan on visiting BA, and we will definitely pass on your info." - M.&R.C.
"Thank you again for inviting us into your home. We had a great time - food and company alike. It's so nice to be able to share good food while meeting new people who also enjoy dining & conversation. It definitely made for a unique vacation experience." - A. & D.M.
"Thank you for your note.... much fun tasting all the food, drinking wine and talking. It was funny how most people were from CA. We all had a great time and ended up for a round of drinks and more chatting near the wall of the cementary. I particularly loved the soup and your version of chicken kiev...then there was the dessert! I loved how each wine selection matched so well with the courses. I enjoyed discovering the new wines. Thanks, again, for your hospitality." - A.L.
