Guaica - Buenos Aires

We talked to Javier when he was at a table next to us in a Peruvian restaurant in Montserrat. He gave us some tips about Buenos Aires and recommended his restaurant as a place for lunch. We went there the next day and really enjoyed it. Javier has explained the menu to us, and we have decided to try an Arepa, a Maishahn with various fillings and a Pabellon, beef with rice and beans. Both were very delicious! The place was tricky to find it is in a shopping center (Torres Florida) from Florida a level below the ground. An additional bonus for anyone who is gluten intolerance is that the entire menu is gluten-free, the rolls made from corn! It is worth looking for this place as it is so close to the tourist areas, but only away from the masses. With great food and great service I strongly recommend.

Everything is great: food, service and ambience. The place is small, but they have a big heart.

The only best place in Buenos Aires to taste genuine Venezuelan food. Their arepas are the best, full of delicious and unique flavors like no other.

Great little place to get authentic Venezuelan food! Everything from Tequeños to Pabellon was great. It's small and gets overfilled as soon as it opens.

Tucked off in a basement corner of the multistory computer stores complex, Galeria Jardín/Torre Florida, this small but bright, colorful, and welcoming Venezuelan restaurant is the definition of a hidden gem, and it must be the best deal for cheap 'n ' tasty eats for the whole length of Calle Florida. I 've been here twice now, the first time tipped off by Guaica 's owner while we were both eating at Los infernales in San Telmo. She said at the time that her arepas were better than Panachef 's, which I thought would take some doing. I took the challenge a couple weeks later (she remembered me) but had to beg to differ. The flavors were wonderful, particularly the fiery rocoto hot sauce, but the pork was chewy and not much beats the queso fresco at Panachef. Still I was satisfied, because arepas. I 've included photos from the first visit. While shopping to replace yet another faulty lightning to USB connector, I stopped in for a second try and ended up loving it even more. This time I tried the arepa of the day, which was filled with a succulent carne asada, not particularly venezolana, but rather a nod to local tastes, I imagine. Great. With squirts of hot sauce on every bite, I was happy and full for hours. The plate also came with a small side of good black beans which made me even happier. I don 't often go to Calle Florida unless for a specific errand, but Guaica is worth a special trip for my arepa fix, especially since Panachef is quite a bit farther away. Coincidentally, that restaurant 's jefe was seated at Guaica 's counter the afternoon I visited, waiting for several containers of carry-out, or maybe black beans for his own place. Is there a better recommendation than that?