A Local Chef’s Guide to Buenos Aires’ “Barrio Chino”

This weekend, January 21-22, Buenos Aires’ “Barrio Chino” neighborhood will again play host to a Chinese New Year celebration, with their popular street festival expected to attract more than 60,000 people this year. Events include the requisite food, festivities, and cultural presentations, along with some local tango. In honor of the holiday (and the neighborhood), we’ve asked Chef Mychael Henry, owner of the popular Pan-Latin and Asian inspired pop-up restaurant Poke, to recommend his favorite spots to buy hard-to-find or specialty items in Buenos Aires’ small, but stocked, Chinatown.

Asia Oriental | Mendoza 1661

“Asia Oriental has some of the best fish in the city with a selection that includes snapper, squid, shrimp and trout. It has good produce too. A lot of the produce you’ll find in Barrio Chino, like cilantro, green onions and Asian vegetables, is actually grown by Asian farmers here in Argentina.”

Snack Bar

“A hidden gem within Asia Oriental is Snack Bar. I always get the sesame noodles or the wonton soup.”

Ichiban | Arribeños 2233

“Ichiban is where I go to buy pork, but it also has a great selection of Japanese products and American gum and candy, like Skittles. It’s also more orderly than the other shops in the neighborhood.”

Casa China | Arribeños 2193

“Casa China is the best place to shop for dry goods like mushrooms, beans, and lentils. It’s also good for basic foods, for those who don’t know a lot about Asian cooking.”

You can find Mychael cooking his seasonal, Asian-infused menu (like ahi tune poke, white salmon ceviche and karaage) every Wednesday from 8:30pm – 1:00am at Magdalena’s Party (Thames 1795, Buenos Aires).