We have a bad reputation in the kitchen, us Brits. Unlike our European counterparts – the French with their boeufs, the Italians with their pasta, the Spanish with their tapas – most people screw their noses up at the idea of ‘English cuisine’. Or laugh and make a lame joke about fish and chips.
But contrary to popular belief, the English can cook. And one man and his brand new restaurant seem to be here to throw the misconception out of the window, defying popular belief.
Martyn Scourse has been in Buenos Aires for ten years now, but his steak and kidney pies, beef in ale, and jacket potatoes with chilli con carne are just about as English as they get.
I suppose chilli con carne is not technically English (Mexicans might have something to say about that!) nor would be the curries that are on offer in the new San Telmo spot Mash every night, but if you take into consideration the ‘multiculturalism’ that former PM Tony Blair was always lauding, we can probably claim them on some level. And chicken tikka masala was voted the ‘most British dish’ a couple of years back, proving Tony’s point.
Going into Mash for the first time, the one thing that I felt was the warm sense of familiarity and how much my dinner ‘tasted like home’.
The food will not blow you away with the presentation – that’s not really the point. And when people criticise ole Blighty’s food, they are right in thinking it’s not ‘nouvelle cuisine’ – three lettuce leaves with a prawn on top. What Martyn offers in Mash is good old comfort food – the kind of thing your mum used to serve up. And he does it well and at a good price.
And what will make Mash a success is probably that he is aware he’s onto a good thing. Martyn knows the market well – he opened the first English pub in BA – Three Lions, which imported all of its beer. The 2001/2 financial crash put an end to that, and after a couple of other ventures and a stint back in the UK, Martyn returned to open Rocket, a restaurant in the centre, which was a huge success.
Rocket recently closed its doors to make way for Mash – and with the news roast dinners are on offer on Sunday lunchtimes, I’m pretty sure the success Rocket enjoyed will be following on shortly.
When I pass by to talk to Martyn, despite Mash only having been open a matter of days, I met regulars who live around the corner from Rocket and have followed him to San Telmo. They are only slightly put out by their new commute.
Terry and Elizabeth can’t get enough of the food, and Elizabeth is enthusiastic about how good the salads are. “They’re not just a mixed salad to have on the side as a gesture of healthiness – these are full-plate ‘meal salads’ with everything in.”
As it’s barely spring on the day of my visit and raining to top things off, I take on board the English climate and opt for beef in Guinness instead. It’s warm, hearty and hits the spot.
And I realise there is really nowhere else that has done this. It’s quite ridiculous given the number of expats who are flooding into the city, that Mash is – and probably will remain – quite unique in its authenticity.
Looking around the restaurant, while a nice spot, it is not a slick Palermo kind of place. It could almost be called no frills. But the décor is not important – the food and perhaps a laid-back chat with Martyn thrown in is what Mash is about.
If you are British you will recognise the food and love it, if you are Argentine you will ask for the curry to be toned down, and if you are French you will probably turn your nose up at the presentation.
But the promise of roast dinners and curry in the heart of San Telmo will surely be enough to make people go and keep going back.
Mash – México 518. Open Monday-Friday for lunch (12.30-4.30pm) and dinner (7pm-midnight). Open Saturday nights, from 7pm and Sunday for lunch, 12.30-4.30pm.
My favourite dish: the promise of roast chicken
Some people will love: Martyn’s yarns
Likely to be sitting next to: a Brit asking for more spice
Likely to spend: $30
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