Ñandú: It's What's For Dinner

Today's NYT food trendspots in Buenos Aires, calling out a rise in the use of indigenous Inca empire ingredients like meat from the ñandú (right), a local kind of ostrich that usually appears to be decked out in a nappy shag rug. The idea is that this is surprising because Argentina has historically been so Euro-centric that it would never admit to indigenous roots (as Mexican novelist Carlos Fuentes once snarkily said, "The Mexicans descend from the Aztecs; the Peruvians descend from the Incas; the Argentineans descend from the boats."). Putting aside that new world foods and drinks like locro stew and yerba mate tea are muy popular, and that the evidence cited for the trend is that three restaurants are using more Incan ingredients and a native ingredient food supplier has seen his number of customers go from six to 120 in eight years, it is good to see something other than Argentine steak and pasta getting served--and covered in the media.

Still, it's fun to see how Argentines--not a nationality known for adventurous culinary tastes--react to these foods. The lead restaurant in the article, De Olivas i Lustres, gets largely positive reviews in the comments section of the oft-harsh Guía Oleo restaurant guide, but a few posters can't help but freak at the weird foods. "This stuff that everyone thinks is so fabulous seems ridiculous to me; they explain every plate to you as if it were the new invention of Super Chef when it's just half a carrot with some mushrooms stuffed inside," says one. Another huffs: "If you prefer Modern Art Museum style plates to good and abundant food, this place is for you."

At the end of the day, though, gamey ñandu rocks.