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Gran Dabbang

Buenos Aires

An homage to Asia with an emphasis on flavour

On the Pass

Camila López Gordillo, Amanda De Goñi, Mariano Ramón

What makes it special? As far away as it gets from stuffy fine dining, Gran Dabbang is one of the most vibey, laidback joints in Buenos Aires – and serves some of the best food around. It’s all about sharing, with guests encouraged to order for the table and be prepared for dishes to arrive when they’re ready. There are no reservations, so arrive early and join the queue at this tiny, in-demand spot in restaurant-packed Palermo.

About the food: Influenced by chef Mariano Ramón’s travels around Asia, Gran Dabbang serves a simple menu that mixes Indian, Thai and Arab influences with the best of Latin America. For starters, you’ll find the likes of wood-fired roti with homemade spiced butter, labne with prune chutney and chickpeas, and pakoras with yoghurt. More substantial mains include lentil makhana with smoked butter and cream, and wood-fired pacú, a South American freshwater fish. Served on no-frills metal dishes and without tablecloths, the emphasis here is very much on the flavourful food.

And to drink? Championing all things Argentina, the drinks menu offers a series of great wines predominantly from Mendoza, plus kombucha, lager, cider and a refreshing dill tonic.

Chef CV: Ramón quickly realised that sports journalism wasn’t for him and went to cook under legendary chef Francis Mallmann, then with vegetable-focused Narda Lepes. After travelling the world, he settled back home in Buenos Aires, opening Gran Dabbang in 2014 in a bid to democratise Argentina’s abundant pantry.

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