Carlitos Gardel is an Argentine steakhouse on the western edge of Melrose Avenue operated by Armenian brothers Gerard and Max Bozoghlian since the mid-'90s. The restaurant offers expertly grilled chops, razor-thin beef carpaccio, homey empanadas, and a wide wine selection. The small dining room features large mirrors, high ceilings, white tablecloths, and leatherbound menus that evoke an old-school Midtown Manhattan vibe. Menu highlights include provoleta served tableside, paper-thin carpaccio with arugula and Parmesan, craggy baked empanadas, grilled sweetbreads, and the traditional parillada or a la carte cuts such as entraña and tapa de ojo. A covered back patio built during the pandemic contains a cocktail bar for martinis.
"Provoleta, cut tableside and served with a glorious golden sear, is a salty, satisfying way to start. Cut the richness with sliced tomatoes or herbaceous and tangy chimichurri on crusty bread. Paper-thin carpaccio with a mound of peppery arugula and crumbled Parmesan cheese is a nice way to feel like you're eating a salad when you're really eating meat. Empanadas are baked until craggy and well-browned, like warm torpedoes filled with cheesy spinach or seasoned ground beef, also best dabbed with chimichurri."
"Thin-sliced sweetbreads, grilled like yakitori skewers, gain a smoky flavor from the charcoal grill and taste like tender beef nuggets. The traditional parillada has five different cuts, including short rib and blood sausage, but if ordering a la carte, focus on the entraña (skirt steak) and tapa de ojo (ribeye cap). The former is juicy and pleasantly chewy with an iron-like funk, while the latter is sumptuous and tender, a beefy coup de grace sourced from the cow's best cut."
Read at Eater LA
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