Amigos is waiting for you
13 August 2008, 21:10acts about it – it was supposed to be a restaurant with a proper Latin American atmosphere, authentic food prepared by Cuban and Argentinean chefs, and occasional tango lessons. Considering that there are very few places in town serving Spanish and South American food, I was really excited, yet I couldn’t help wondering, why I’d never heard of it before?
As we neared the place, I got my answer – tucked away at one of those very quiet and mostly deserted Podil streets, Amigos surely had difficulty becoming famous. And its casually painted signboard situated on the corner of the building didn’t look especially tempting either.
The restaurant itself is located in a semi-basement – there are windows, but on the ground floor, and the interior consists of three halls – the bar and two dining halls – smoking and non-smoking respectively. When calling to book a table, I was informed they were having a private party in one of the rooms, and as we took our seats, we already could see and hear it starting. “Amigos” were arriving and some ugly Ukrainian pop was playing in the background. It certainly worked against Latino's atmosphere – and the walls painted with landscapes of a Spanish or South American city, as well as some colorful flags attached to the wall didn’t quite improve the impression. I almost found it hard to believe that tango lessons ever take place there, even though I have material proof that they do (see picture). Our waitress – smiling, amiable and very hospitable – helped break the charms of the supposed Latino tavern further by offering us Olivier salad, pickled cucumbers and herring, which weren’t on the regular menu, but were prepared for the party. She certainly meant well – her whole countenance said it, but after this my expectations for a Spanish-style meal weren’t so high anymore…
Still, I hoped to try something authentic and expressed this to the waitress, which she didn’t seem to quite understand, but politely withdrew, leaving us to study the menu. It started with a set of regular Ukrainian cold appetizers and salads with names like “Macho” “Seville” and “Barcelona,” but actually being common local mixes of vegetables, with cheese, mushrooms, ham, etc., dressed with mayonnaise. The two pages that followed were billed “Spanish Cuisine” and “Argentinean Cuisine” – much more inspiring. The Argentinean part was mostly about grilled meat, and in the Spanish part I discovered my favorite gazpacho (Hr 25), which immediately raised my spirits. It also contained several kinds of paella, and some Spanish-style garnishes, including grilled sweet corn (Hr 8 per one), which was quickly included in the order.
Along with gazpacho, I decided to choose some meat grilled Argentinean-style, and finally selected “Amigos” pork (Hr 65). My friend preferred “La Conga” salad (Hr 46), and “Milanese” veal (Hr 45). In addition we also took Argentinean pasties “Empanadas Pollo” with chicken (Hr 30).
Our sweet waitress apologized several times saying we’d have to wait 15-20 minutes for the food, as they had a party to cook for. Frankly, having waited for 30 minutes at some fancier places in Kyiv without any party going on and no warnings, we surely couldn’t complain. The downside was that we had to wait for our drinks – Cuba Libre for me and white Chilean Frontera (Hr 15 per 100 grams) for my friend – even longer.
While the food was being prepared, we went to take a closer look at the jukebox – the bad music playing was seriously getting on our nerves. After browsing the selection of songs for some time, my friend put on Gipsy Kings – to help create a Latino party illusion.
When we returned to our table, the pasties, the salad and the soup were already there. The drinks still weren’t, but when they did, I was amused to see my Cuba Libre served in a strange glass – it was a bit like a Margarita glass, but very round, and hardly suitable for such a drink.
Imperfections aside, about the food… the “Empanadas,” shaped like small cheburecks, where made up of thin deep-fried pastry inside filled with a mixture of chicken, green onions, pepper and some special spices – it was not only delicious, but clearly an authentic dish prepared by a pro, and my opinion of Amigos quickly began to improve. The pasties came with two sauces – one of them, the very spicy red one neither of us liked much, but the mild green sauce of oil, garlic and herbs was great.
My gazpacho was perfection (for its price) – a generous portion of thick creamy light red concoction came in a bowl covered with a plate with all the traditional additions to the soup – croutons, cucumbers, pepper and onion were placed. It was a bit too mild even for me, and I spiced it up with some black pepper, but apart from that I enjoyed every spoonful.
My friend, who ordered her “La Conga” salad simply because it contained her favorite egg-plants with garlic, mixed with fresh vegetables and dressed with mayonnaise, was quite satisfied with her choice, though pronounced it a bit too salty. She wasn’t quite as happy with “Milanese” veal – a long flat slice of meat fried in breadcrumbs – it was really dry, though perhaps it was missing a suitable garnish or sauce.
I, on the other hand, savored my grilled pork – it was a really big piece of tenderloin, juicy and soft with distinct smoky flavor, and it went well with the remains of the green sauce. Finally, both of us simply loved the grilled corn – it was very sweet, the kind you’re not likely to purchase at the regular street market.
As there were no desserts to tempt us on the menu, we decided to check out the specials menu of cold coffee drinks placed separately on the table. We took two different coffee cocktails with creamy toppings and ice-cream – those took about 20 minutes to arrive, but again tasted fine.
Amigos gave us mixed impressions. We received a very warm reception and enjoyed the modestly priced authentic food, yet the place felt like it wasn’t sure what it was – a Ukrainian restaurant with some exotic dishes on the menu, or a Latino tavern unable to reach its target audience. After all it’s the people who make up the atmosphere, and when more fans of Spanish and Latin American cuisine come in to appreciate the cooking of the two chefs, I’m sure Amigos will prosper.
Amigos (45/24 Pochaynynska/Khoryva, 417-6164). Open 11 a.m. till 11 p.m.
English menu: No
English-speaking staff: No
Average meal: Hr 100