LUGARES MAGAZINE Nro. 68
Pags. 46-49
By: Julia Caprara
LUGARES MAGAZINE
VILLA LA ANGOSTURA
The village is unadulterated peace, despite livening up when the young and not-so-young gather - at any time of the day or night - in Nativa, on the main street, to watch the world go by, drink coffee or a beer, eat pizza or a hamburger, traditional local specialties- and the latest addition to the menu, Spanish tapas.
It is a well-known fact that anyone who visits La Angostura has to take a walk along Arrayanes, the avenue that runs the length of the commercial district. They will find a new shopping centre that incorporates shops and businesses of every kind and without compromising the "village look" of the Villa.
Stroll to La Aldea, a succession of small surprises: for sybarites there are tobaccos, champagnes and delicatessens of every type, sportsmen and adventurers will find sophisticated fishing tackle and sporting knives of the finest German steel.
La Angostura has made spectacular strides in the gastronomic field in recent years. La Macarena, run by Leo Morsella, is an example. The menu combines a wide range of regional dishes with many unique chefs' specials, including one or two gourmet caprices and an excellent wine cellar.
Las, Tres Caracolas, the restaurant managed for the last two years by young Sot Montes at Las Lomas del Correntoso apart hotel offers top quality in its comfortable cabins and maintains its tradition of crepes, fondues and raclettes. A new place that is guaranteed to attract the younger set is the Cardiff beer-house with its tempting food and a wide variety of local and imported beers.
The asado reaches its peak in the well-known Las Varas and Los Troncos and now also in their new neighbour, El Boliche de Alberto, a Ion,(, time Bariloche classic that has just opened a new branch in the Villa. El Mentidero de la Villa offers a wide menu with one or two Tex-Mex touches. It is another business venture of Carlos Cervera who also runs the cabins and hotel of Pichi Rincón. In La Angostura when one talks about accommodations one naturally talks about cabins.
Cabins like those at Las Torres del Bayo, set in front of the mountain of the same name. A comfortable and tasteful option, with just a touch of the exotic, is Taio, run by Adrian and Miho, a young and charming couple; he Argentine, she Japanese. Miho prepares Japanese food for their guests and many guests have enthusiastically recommended her gastronomic skills.
Another alternative is Puerto Arauco, which enjoys, among its many advantages, a truly stunning view over Lake Nahuel Huapi. Its cabins are large, perfectly equipped and decorated, with comfortable beds and bathrooms with hydro-massage.
For those on a tight budget the cabins at La Posta are a good choice.
If you like local handicrafts or furniture don't miss the charming shop belonging to Maria Paz and Ernesto Alvear in the middle of the forest. The majority of the furniture is the work of Ernesto, but there are also stunning local knitwear and ceramics. Neither should you forget Susana Di Lorenzo's workshop or the silverware made by her husband Pedro and inspired by Mapuche Indian art.
|