Comfort meets craft in four new restaurant openings across Buenos Aires 

The troubled restaurant scene in Buenos Aires is nevertheless sprouting in unexpected directions. The Herald recently tried a well-established chef’s new retro-inspired restaurant in Retiro, a quiet bistro in Colegiales, a lively Palermo neo-parrilla and a rule-breaking slider joint.  Leaning into comfort, precision and personality, these recent openings prove the Buenos Aires food scene still has plenty left to offer. Chuchú  Libertador 405Everyday, noon to 3 p.m.@chuchu.ba  Right next to the Railway Museum on Libertador avenue in Retiro, Chuchú (yes, as in “choo-choo”) is the new venture of chef Facundo Kelemen, the mind behind neo bodegón Mengano, a Michelin Bib Gourmand. There, Kelemen already revamped classic dishes through fine dining presentations. Now, he proved he can also deliver a classic porteño menu with pitch-perfect techniques and great service.  A bold move in terms of location, the place will surely stand as a 140-pax oasis — especially its private terrace — within a rather isolated area of Retiro, unless you arrive by car.  Conceived as a family-friendly place, Chuchú’s interior blends the feeling of an American diner with the ease of a neighborhood restaurant — one where you can spot the old Presidential train car through the window, that is.  Comfort food is the closest idea we can use to describe bodegones, and in Chuchú they put the stress on the comfort part. So, expect huge milanesas (chicken or bife de chorizo), hearty pasta — the barbecue ragú and bechamel lasagna can knock you down — classic parrilla cuts — like asado banderita, entraña and vacío — and a simple but powerful dulce de leche flan.  Our favorite whim? The French fries that come in two versions, regular-sized and thin. Our advice? Try both. Parrilla Maravilla Godoy Cruz 1740Wednesday to Saturday, 7:30 p.m. to midnightSundays 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.@restauranteparrillamaravilla On that same return to the classics trend, the people behind cool Chacagiales spot Lardito, Lardo&Rosemary and LPV opened Parrilla Maravilla (“Wonder BBQ”, that is) in the heart of Palermo. It’s drawing relatively young crowds  Set in the former studio of late architect/designer Alejandro Sticotti, Parrilla Maravilla’s simple decor coexists with mindful service and an eclectic wine list that features labels from both established winemakers and emerging producers.  Edited in Tezza with: BUTTER Patrons are welcomed by an open kitchen, a long salon dominated by paper lamps hanging from the very high-roof, plant-filled backyard seating, and a very welcomed complimentary cañita (a small draft beer), served as soon as you sit down. The menu is a varied combination of parrilla choices (the flawless yet slightly overpriced marucha is definitely a highlight), interesting main dishes (like a deceptively simple lettuce salad), Asian-inspired appetizers and nostalgic side dishes — mashed potatoes, buttered rice and spot-on triple-cooked French fries. The desert list is short but solid, with a fine tiramisú and a can’t-go-wrong banana split panqueques. Smak Viirey Avilés 3488Tuesday to Saturday, 8 p.m.@smak.ba Discreet Smak sits in the small original house in Colegiales where Marta Restaurante operated before. This new venture by Polish expat Max Fuzowski and manager Roberta Salpurido is a quiet and honest choice in the growingly ambitious, concept-driven local restaurant scene.  A small, ultra-homey bistro with a few tables, stripped-off decor and a nice and intimate roof terrace — with its own orchard yet temporarily haunted by a construction site — Smak’s short menu bets for quality rather than quantity. Venezuelan chef Virginia González —formerly in Sacro — skillfully delivers childhood flavors into a somewhat uneven menu that features some round and accomplished appetizers, like the ossobucco croquettes with tamarind chutney, the cutest shrimp panchito with corn tartar and crispy shoestring potatoes, and the tiradito with watermelon aguachile, citrus and sweet corn, served with a fried plantain tostón. At the time of writing, the main dishes have an undisputed winner: the braised veal cheeks with creamy rice and a black garlic alioli, poised to be Smak’s icon dish this season. Distant seconds are the pierogi — an almost experimental mixture of dumpling and empanada filled with ricotta and crispy bacon with an amaretto ponzu sauce — and the cabbage on miso honey.  The interesting churro with a whisky parfait and iso toffee share the short desert list topped by the silky chocolate mousse served with seasonal fruits and the indispensable salt and olive oil. Luisa’s Ramallo 2307, CABA.Tuesday to Sunday, 7 p.m. to 0:30 a.m.@luisas.ba After touring the American Midwest, food entrepreneur Rodo Cámara and musician/burger influencer Santiago Candegabe (aka @sandals_burger) decided to bring the original slider burger format — a single, square patty cooked on a low temperature with onions on top — to the saturated burger scene in Buenos Aires (Cámara is also behind The Food Truck Store chain.) Simple, precise and served straight-up, sliders set the tone for the whole Luisa’s experience. Designed as a quick-bite diner rather than a typical fast food joint, the salon is ruled by a curved bar where patrons are a few centimeters away from the cooking. Sliders are served on ceramic plates and metal cutlery, there are two choices of beer (Blue Moon and Miller’s) and one single dessert: an imported slice of Cheesecake Factory cake.  Luisa’s offers five versions of sliders — at a cost of roughly AR$6000 each, three is a good, fulfilling number — including the 1921 Original — mustard and pickle relish, no cheese — a Classic with lettuce, tomato and a mustard+buttermilk sauce, and the Bacon one with — you guessed it — imported Sugardale bacon.   The peak of Luisa’s traditional This is America, Jack experience is the No Fries policy, straight from original slider joints in the US. Instead, Rodo and Santiago found a great loophole and partnered with Gauchitas brand to create their own, thicker chips for those who need it. The idea, they say, is to focus on the slider itself, since you’re expected to order more than one. Still, there are mac’n cheese and chili con carne for those in need of an appetizer.  In a burger scene that seemed already closed to any new initiatives, Luisa’s made it through with a — paradoxically — imported original idea. The long cues at the door seem to prove that there was still room for surprise in Buenos Aires’ burger scene.