For meatheads, in the Argentine style

This is not a review about a lowbrow reactionary from the southerly latitudes of the Western Hemisphere. It's about where a meathead might go for lunch.

The barbecue as a North American cultural phenomenon is an originally Mexican innovation that spread to the rest of the United States by way of Texas. But of course, Panamanians aren't Mexicans. Historically and culturally, we're not even Central Americans.

Panama is more than anything a South American country, one of the Bolivarian republics, a place that got its national appetizer (ceviche) from Peru. Down here, when a supermarket chain makes TV commercials emphasizing the quality of its meats, it is likely to claim that it meets Argentine standards.

So if you're out to satiate a craving for meat from the grill here in Panama, in the capital you have a couple of options for North American-style barbecue ribs, a few Mexican choices here and there, and two really good Brazilian places. In the city and all across the country there are also many generic parrilladas that grill things in no particular national style, or arguably in a Panamanian fashion if the fuel is the wood of a nance tree. But especially notable among the choices for isthmian meatheads are several good Argentine grills. We're a South American culinary culture and the Argentine style dominates our tastes when it comes to things cooked over the coals.

I wasn't in the city for this edition's Sunday lunch, but in Las Uvas, on the Pan-American Highway 99 kilometers west of the Bridge of the Americas, a couple of hundred meters past the turnoff for El Valle. As in Gaucho's Steak House, a modest little bohio housing a bar and restaurant set back a comfortable 50 meters or so from the road. They have a Gaucho's in the capital as well, where I have also dined and found the standards comparable, but here under the thatched roof the atmospherics are much more relaxed.

Argentine culinary culture has a heavy Italian influence, but in its interior Argentina is largely cattle country and the food reflects that. At Gaucho's there are various pasta options that you may want to order. Since this is Panama, you can also get a few standards, like ceviche as an appetizer or corvine al ajillo as an entrée.

But I was in meathead mode, out to experience the primary aspect of Argentine cuisine. I ordered two appetizers, the picado chorizo and the roasted pepper, and a half order of grilled filete. It was an enormous amount of food.

First they brought out a little loaf of fresh Gaucho-style bread --- hot, moist, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, with grill marks on the crust --- and a basic lettuce, tomato and onion salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Then came the roasted green pepper --- a big one --- and a couple of Argentine-style sausages with cubes of bread. With the latter, and also for the main course, came a couple of little cups of churre, one a green herb vinaigrette, the other a tomato, onion an vinegar concoction.

The main event was a lengthwise slice of tenderloin with french fries on the side.

Yes, the spot was hit. The service was instant and friendly. The breeze through the bohio was cool. The modern South American ballads on the music system were tastefully selected and not too loud. Though you can spend more if you want to order lobster or run up the bar tab, and for most meals you will spend less, for this massive Sunday lunch the bill came to under $14.

It was worth it. Gaucho's is an option that ought to be on your list if you're in that part of Panama Oeste or adjacent Cocle province.

dining

Archie Bunker, South American-style