As an authentic Argentinian steakhouse, Puerto La Boca offers a large menu filled with terrific South American dishes. It can be tough to know where to begin, so we'll help by telling you where to start: the starters menu, and its assortment of mouth-watering Argentinian appetizers.
Anyone of these appetizers provides a tremendous start to lunch or dinner, and always as worthy complements to wine, beer, and cocktails.
Empanadas
Everybody's favorite Argentinean treats are these little pockets of savory goodness. The small turnovers feature a crispy crust stuffed with a choice of beef, chicken, ham and cheese, and cheesy spinach or corn. While this portable pastry concept was originally brought to South America by Spain, Argentina made it all the more appetizing by adding a little something called chimichurri.
Mojellas
We call them sweetbreads in the U.S., but the organ meat most often associated with this mouth-watering Argentinian delicacy is the thymus gland of a cow. While it may not sound like a first choice appetizer to the uninitiated, to those in the know it's going to be tough choosing between the two ways we offer to prepare the tender beyond compare mojellas at Puerto La Boca: sautéed in a reduction of Jerez wine, or grilled to perfection.
Provoleta
Cheese-enthusiasts will not find a better choice of an appetizer than provoleta. Served in the pan, a thick slice of provolone is grilled with olive oil, oregano, and a slice of tomato. Try each gooey hunk on a slice of bread or toast, and if you want to enhance the experience, add a little chimichurri, of course.
Chorizo
Chorizo sausage is served in many different cultures and takes on many different forms. In San Diego, people may be most familiar with Mexican chorizo, the minced pork sausage flavored with chilies. In much of the world, they think of the original, Spanish chorizo, usually a cured sausage with lots of paprika in pork casings. Argentinian chorizo is less spicy than either and made with a blend of pork and beef. We serve it for lunch on a roll — called choripan — but also on the starter menu as a mouth-watering Argentinian appetizer.
Morcilla
While not for everyone, Morcilla offers delectable flavors to adventurous meat eaters willing to overlook its English description: Argentinian blood sausage. Those open to enjoyment will discover a wonderfully seasoned treat; it's even tasty enough sausage to eat without chimichurri.
Rabas Mixtas
Rabas are better known to American diners as calamari, and this Argentinian take fries squid with shrimp and vegetables, and a touch of garlic for a sumptuous mixed appetizer of different fried flavors and textures.
Bread and Chimichurri
Of course, almost no Argentinian dish seems complete without chimichurri. The fresh, green herbal condiment goes with just about everything. So while eating it with fresh, warm bread will help you appreciate why people consider Puerto La Boca's chimichurri the best in town, ordering this Argentinian appetizer ensures you'll have chimichurri to enjoy with all the other appetizers you order as well.
