Mercado del Puerto

If you have ever asked, Where's the beef? you will be happy to know I have found the answer. The beef is at the Mercado del Puerto in downtown Montevideo.


Imagine steamy grill after steamy grill lined with meaty delectables. Chorizo, Asado, Sausage links, Rump Roasts, Ribs, Chicken, and cuts of meat I don't even want to think about.


The people at Mercado del Puerto were super friendly. The men at our parillada insisted we come around the table to take a photo with the grill behind us. They handed us pitchforks of meat and we just kind of stood there smiling awkwardly and profusely.


Later, after our delicious meat dinner, we wandered around the market chatting with a few locals and enjoying the sounds of classical Uruguayan songs by meandering guitarists.

Parillada

So what does one eat when they go to Argentina? Well, let me tell you. It's beef. That is what you order. In particular, parrillada. But, you have to be careful, parrillada can include some interesting cuts of meat. This site says: "In Argentina, the meat is often grilled at the table, and includes various cuts of steak, lamb, pork, sausages, sweetbreads, and internal organs not often found on US menus." Mmmhhhhmmm. Knowing what you are ordering is the name of the game. Stay away from the chorizos, kidneys, intestines, livers, udders, and sweetbreads. In my opinion, avoid being "adventurous" when it comes to strange words on the menu of a parilla restaurant.


I ordered a bife de costilla which is a t-bone. As you can see it turned out to be huge. I'm not the biggest red meat fan, but this steak was good. Yes, Argentina has good meat if you stick to costillas alone.