Missing something good in your life? Find it at Tango…

Let me just set the stage here for a moment…J and I decided to go out for a nice, romantic dinner to celebrate our anniversary. We decided to think outside the Beantown-box and headed out to Arlington.

Bad directions and about an hour later, we were a bit frazzled when we finally arrived at Tango…not the greatest opening for a romantic evening. We were warmly greeted at the door and seated right away. I don’t pretend to know what Argentinean décor looks like, but it didn’t take us long to realize we were in the midst of authenticity. Within minutes, any agitation from getting lost was relieved…primarily by Gabriel, our server.

We confessed to being first-timers and he walked us through the menu. Argentina is apparently very well known for their beef, and I’d say at least half the menu consisted of it. Normally, I’m not a heavy red meat kinda girl, but when in Rome Argentina, as they say… We started with some bread with chimichurri sauce (already on our table). The sauce has a vinegar and soybean oil base, with some spices thrown in, and it was delicious! Gabriel recommended the empanadas as an appetizer and we happily polished off one beef, and one chicken (though he recommends the ham & cheese) - $2.75 each. Based on just the bread and apps, J and I were getting really excited about dinner…

By the way…around this time a guitarist and a singer filled the room with some beautiful music – I highly recommend going on a Wednesday night between 7 and 10, as that’s their performance time…we just got lucky! More good news - we found out Tango is expanding. They started out in one tiny storefront, and are working on moving into a 3rd at this point! Good news for food lovers everywhere.

We decided to share a couple meals, each coming with two sides. We got the Medallon Roquefort (filet mignon, grilled and topped with Roquefort cheese ~ $30) and the Milanesa a la Napolitana (filet of beef breaded, fried, and prepared with red sauce and cheese ~ $20). For sides, we ordered Puré Porteño (mashed squash and sweet potato), mixed veggies, mashed potatoes, and rice. For wine, Gabriel suggested Malbec, a native Argentinean grape, to go with the Milanesa and the Cabernet Sauvignon (also an Argentinean variety) to go with the filet.

I’m really at a loss of words to describe how good everything was. Some highlights…the filet was perfect…melt in your mouth good – the cheese was rich and delicious. J loved the Milanesa and its similarity to veal parm. Our favorite side was the Puré Porteño – apparently lots of butter and cream does the trick! Normally I wouldn’t go into so much detail on the sides, but the veggies were cooked perfectly, potatoes were smooth and creamy, and the rice was flavorful! Perhaps the best part was the wine…I may have to go find a bottle of the Malbec…it was very smooth, but had rich flavor (good if you’re the Merlot type). The cabernet went beautifully with the filet.

Apparently I’m not capable of giving “highlights” when everything is delicious… No need to give an “overall” opinion here, since I have nothing negative to say, except that I selfishly want Tango to move closer to my apartment so I get there faster and more frequently (though, it really isn’t that hard to get to if you have better directions…). Go for a romantic night out, go with a group…just GO! You’ll love it.

Chau!
A very happy Little B :)