Latina love
PAULA Caporalini makes food for her customers with the same love and care she would her family.
The chef from Argentina arrived in New Zealand three years ago, and always dreamt of opening her own restaurant. Last week, she did it.
Caporalini opened the Buenos Aires Tango Bistro in Left Bank off Cuba Mall with her German husband Robert Hempel. The pair renovated the space themselves.
Hempel, a carpenter, built the tables from scratch, Caporalini painted them
The bistro serves traditional Argentinean dishes, like Caporalini’s favourite, empanadas.
“We use a lot of stuffed food. We stuff the meat, the pasta, we stuff everything,” she laughs. “We use meat and potato, and there’s a lot of flavour. We don’t use much deep fried food or fish.”
Caporalini’s father was also a chef, so she’s brought the family recipes and traditions with her to New Zealand.
“We’ve got a tradition of feeding people with love. What I bring from my family is the way we cook, the freshness. I don’t have a freezer here because everyday I go out and get new ingredients.”
Caporalini says a bistro isn’t the same as a restaurant. Instead, it’s small and personalised with daily specials.
Buenos Aires Tango Bistro offers coffee from Bolivia, the famous Latin yerbe mate tea, and imported delicatessen food.
Caporalini plans to hold weekly events with live entertainment, dance and music.
She will be showing off empanadas, salads and lomito sandwiches at the upcoming Latin Festival at the Botanic Gardens.
Festival organiser German Renthel says he wants to expose Latin American culture in Wellington, and a year ago, he helped set up a non-profit trust, Latinarte Wellington.
“I also have a radio show on Access Radio and it was coming up to one year on air, so we decided to celebrate with something big,” says the Argentinean. “The whole festival is going to be structured and presented like a radio show.”
Renthel encourages everyone to join in on dances such as Salsa, Capoeira, Tango and Samba on the night, and enjoy live performances from Latana Band, Wellington Batucada, Viva Latina Dance Company and Crazy Fat Brazilian.
“Personally, I really like dancing the Tango and the Salsa because it’s fun and sensual,” he says. “For me places like Wellington give us the opportunity to show off what we like to do.”
Latin Fest 2010, Sound Shell, Botanic Garden, 12-7pm, March 28.
The chef from Argentina arrived in New Zealand three years ago, and always dreamt of opening her own restaurant. Last week, she did it.
Caporalini opened the Buenos Aires Tango Bistro in Left Bank off Cuba Mall with her German husband Robert Hempel. The pair renovated the space themselves.
Hempel, a carpenter, built the tables from scratch, Caporalini painted them
The bistro serves traditional Argentinean dishes, like Caporalini’s favourite, empanadas.
“We use a lot of stuffed food. We stuff the meat, the pasta, we stuff everything,” she laughs. “We use meat and potato, and there’s a lot of flavour. We don’t use much deep fried food or fish.”
Caporalini’s father was also a chef, so she’s brought the family recipes and traditions with her to New Zealand.
“We’ve got a tradition of feeding people with love. What I bring from my family is the way we cook, the freshness. I don’t have a freezer here because everyday I go out and get new ingredients.”
Caporalini says a bistro isn’t the same as a restaurant. Instead, it’s small and personalised with daily specials.
Buenos Aires Tango Bistro offers coffee from Bolivia, the famous Latin yerbe mate tea, and imported delicatessen food.
Caporalini plans to hold weekly events with live entertainment, dance and music.
She will be showing off empanadas, salads and lomito sandwiches at the upcoming Latin Festival at the Botanic Gardens.
Festival organiser German Renthel says he wants to expose Latin American culture in Wellington, and a year ago, he helped set up a non-profit trust, Latinarte Wellington.
“I also have a radio show on Access Radio and it was coming up to one year on air, so we decided to celebrate with something big,” says the Argentinean. “The whole festival is going to be structured and presented like a radio show.”
Renthel encourages everyone to join in on dances such as Salsa, Capoeira, Tango and Samba on the night, and enjoy live performances from Latana Band, Wellington Batucada, Viva Latina Dance Company and Crazy Fat Brazilian.
“Personally, I really like dancing the Tango and the Salsa because it’s fun and sensual,” he says. “For me places like Wellington give us the opportunity to show off what we like to do.”
Latin Fest 2010, Sound Shell, Botanic Garden, 12-7pm, March 28.
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