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Sensational Argentine Fare When it comes to meat, Argentines don’t mess around. Valencia’s South Point Argentine Grill recreates an authentic gaucho barbecue with the Argentina Mixa, a carnivorous cavalcade of skirt steak, short ribs, half chicken on the bone, chorizo argentino, morcilla (black sausage), sweet breads, French fries, and grilled zucchini. The feast, at $32.95, can feed two to three people. While beef figures prominently on the menu, vegetarians can also enjoy a fine dining experience at the Town Center hotspot. Green raviolis, stuffed with spinach, cheese, and spices, then topped with a light tomato cream sauce, pack a lot of flavor within their meatless depths, while a cilantro Caesar salad gets a festive Latin touch from pepitas and its namesake herb. A recently added Caprese salad bursts with fresh tomato and basil, accented by creamy mozzarella slices and a tangy drizzle of vinaigrette “There are two main things about Argentine food. First, the steaks. Then it’s all about Italian food. Immigration created a melting down of European cuisines, especially French and Italian, even English in the south part of Argentina,” said Fabian Gil, one of three partners at South Point. Gil, a former manager at Gaucho Grill, immigrated to the United States from Argentina in 1986. In addition to his food service experience, Gil brought along something extra to South Point when they opened their doors in 2004 - 95 percent of the restaurant’s offerings are Gil family recipes handed down from generations. “I was trained at birth from my mom and grandma, who are Italian. I grew up with food. We had to get together for lunch and dinner. No way would we eat outside the table or in front of the TV. It was all about family,” he said. Well known as a hopping bar and date destination with late night dining on weekends, the remaining hours find South Point catering to local professionals and families. Lunch specials start at $7.95 while a kid’s menu features healthy plates of familiar favorites with a personal touch. “Our macaroni and cheese is homemade, as is the spaghetti with red sauce. We can serve entrees with salad instead of fries for the health conscious and have a lean chicken breast with broccoli, too. We don’t want to feed junk food,” Gil said. Ingredients are delivered to South Point daily, including all of their prime and choice meats. Every meal starts with a bowl of chimichurri ensconced in a basket of warm bread. It’s not the traditional way of serving Argentina’s version of salsa made with olive oil, chili pepper flakes, garlic, and parsley, Gil said, but it’s catching on. “It’s funny, at home we would have chimichurri with chicken and steaks, never with bread. But it’s really good together,” Gil said. “One girl liked the chimichurri so much, she ate it with a spoon.” At the octagon-shaped bar, a menu of exotic specialty drinks awaits: Rumrita (Cruzan rum with lime juice, simple syrup, and orange juice), caipirinha (Chacaca sugar cane liquer, lime juice, and simple syrup), gancia con limon (vermouth on the rocks with lemon juice and soda water), and the house specialty, sangria, a potent concoction of red wine, orange and lemon juices, topped with lemon lime soda. An extensive list of wines and beers circle the globe, with rare imported varieties and choices to fit any budget. Desserts are just as unique, including the to-die-for panqueques dulce de leche, crisp Argentine crepes filled with caramel, then drizzled with chocolate (voted the second best dessert in Santa Clarita by The Signal). A potent new addition, Strawberries Buenos Aires, features fresh strawberries marinated with sugar and grand Chevalier Liqeur, topped with homemade chantilly creme. $9.95
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