Cocina Sunae: Delicious Closed Door Restaurant in Buenos Aires

Just a note – Cocina Sunae is not paying me for this review. I attended a dinner as a regular guest and this is my honest opinion.

I recently dined at Cocina Sunae, a closed door Southeast Asian restaurant in Buenos Aires. It was a lovely experience from start to finish.

The location is very charming as it is just the cook the home of the cook, Christina Sunae, in the Charcarita neighborhood. The house is what is called a casa chorizo (sausage house) which means it is very narrow but long. This style tricks you into thinking the house is tiny when in reality the house may be very spacious.

The home had a lovely patio lit with candles. The trees and lighting were very nice, but unfortunately it was just a little too chilly to sit outside. Christina told us that during the warmer months she sets up several large tables under the trees and stars.

I had mixed feelings on the table set-up inside. There were several small tables, all set apart in classic restaurant style. Many closed-door restaurants seat their guests at one or two communal tables, making the experience a much more social event. Although I had excellent company (Ayngelina and Stephanie) we were all a little disappointed that we would not be meeting anyone new. On the other hand, I do see the value in offering a private dining experience, the communal tables do not appeal to everyone.

The entire room was low-lit with candles on each table. While it was not at all conducive to photography, it gave the room a great ambiance. Thankfully, Cristina was able to provide me with photos and I can simply attest to the fact that they are accurate depictions of the delicious food I consumed.

Thai Shrimp Salad

The first course was a Filipino steamed pork bun served with a spicy tomato sauce and hoisin dipping sauce. Cristina was nice enough to make a veggie version just for me since I do not eat pork. The sauce was slightly nutty and the small slice of chili gave it a nice kick.

Next up was a Thai Shrimp Salad made with shrimp, red grapefruit, mint, cilantro, red onions and spring onions tossed with a lemon-soy dressing and sprinkled with crushed roasted rice. I was happy to see that the spiciness did not diminish just because it was a salad. Everything was fresh, crisp and had just the right amount of flavor. Christina noted that we could also eat it with our hands as a wrap, but as the shrimp still had the tails attached and I tend to be a disaster with food spills, I didn’t want to take any chances.

For the main course there was a choice between Northern Thai yellow curry or whole market fish baked and stuffed with lemongrass. I chose the Thai yellow curry which included coconut sauce served with chicken and egg noodles, topped with pickled mustard greens, shallots, fresh chilis and crispy noodles. I thought it was very flavorful but I honestly, I wish the sauce itself had been just a little bit spicier.

I didn´t actually try the fish dish, but Ayngelina and Stephanie both seemed to enjoy it. That “whole fish” business was no joke, the fish barely fit on the plate!

Dessert was my favourite part of the meal, Two Filipino rice cakes topped with a coconut reduction, homemade green tea ice cream and fresh fruit, all shown in the featured photo. It was easily one of the best desserts I have ever had. My only complaint was that the ice cream scoop was so tiny – I really take my ice cream seriously so it was almost a tease! Luckily, the rice cakes were so delectable that I was able to look past the small scoop.

The whole dinner cost $110 pesos ($27USD). I splurged for a $50 peso ($12USD) bottle of wine to split with Ayngelina, but unlimited water was included with the meal. The price is really reasonable for the amount of food and the food was truly delicious. I had a lovely evening and left with one happy belly.

If you are ever in Buenos Aires, make sure you stop by Cocina Sunae!