If you order just one dish at El Yugo, it ought to be mollejas (sweetbreads). I have always asked for bife de chorizo (similar to New York steak) at this rustic grill restaurant in the heart of swanky Recoleta. The steak would arrive perfectly cooked, juicy and pink. Then a friend urged me to taste his order of sweetbreads, and that was the end of bife de chorizo.
The sweetbreads are grilled whole, then cut thin and grilled again, producing irresistibly crunchy, crusty slices of meat. Like most restaurants, El Yugo sets out a basket of rolls and butter (you pay for these whether you eat them or not), and that would be enough with the mollejas. But don't miss the opportunity to try papas pai—French fries handcut as thin or thinner than shoestring potatoes.
The sweetbreads, potatoes and a small bottle of Weinert Carrascal 2004, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Mendoza, made a fine lunch for about $13, including a bottle of water.
El Yugo (The Yoke) has a strong local feel. Families, sometimes with a nun in tow, gather around the larger tables, and couples come in with small kids, even at late hours when children are normally in bed. Rough logs stretched over the long, narrow room and horseshoes tacked to the walls with extensions for hanging hats or coats contribute to the ranch atmosphere. The grill at the front is fueled with quebracho, a northern wood that is prized for barbecues.
El Yugo claims to have the best meat in Buenos Aires. I don't know about that, but whatever I have eaten there has been very good.
El Yugo, Ayacucho 1629, Recoleta, Buenos Aires. Tel: 4806-2009.
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