FOODNOTE - At El Sanjuanino, in Buenos Aires

The house red immediately suffused warmth in my chest (it´s slightly cool outside after the rain, fall is coming). The wine is not bad (El vino es no mal) - it´s a house ¨blend¨ thick with tradition. The condiment on the table - a main stay - before my empanadas came, is hot chili oil - tasting it, I say, hot herb oil of Italian savor. (By the way, the wine carafe is a ceramic peguin; pretty odd but works well with the personalities here of the clever wait staff - old porteños not friendly not rude but cool.) The corn and cheese empanada is pretty tasty - the kernels pop and the pie pie is perfectly chewy and crunchy. Here comes my lorcos - squash and meat stew (wll give it a taste). Oxtail, creamy soup of distinct provenance - maybe an unknown flavor to me, certainly original; it has a hint of peanut sauce but very subtle; squash butter washed; nothing stands out; it´s just regionally good - like herbs and tendons became stock. The composition of the herb oil is really excellent with the pie; it´s polished and makes you want to drink more vine to balance. There is a very cured, crunchy hard chorizo in the locros - the stew I´m having with my pie - like it was marinated in olives and acorn for centuries, and blessed by the mission church. I can´t get enough of the oil - the herb oil - I just dumped a huge dollop on my last empa. I will fork it like a cake! FYI: The peguin carafe is only 3 bucks! It´s one of the best wines I´ve had, given the food I´m having now. The new combinations and discoveries, the relaxed (not loud) accordion orchestra piped-in Spanish fiesta music, and being in Argentina the first time, brings this country in small plates! I had written a note on a napkin about my impression here at this restaurant and had asked a solo customer (like me, but who looks Latino) to translate for me. I´m memorizing it now so I could sound impressive to the waiter when I say it to him. I think I know how to say, ¨What is the best dessert here, sir?¨ Como es el mejor el postre aqui, señor? I enjoy the fact that I can linger here. Here comes the flan! - with walnuts! and caramel nutella?! Where is the sweetness that´s run of the mill in typical Spanish flans? The intense sucre in the syrup? What is this dessert? It´s French!