[image]
[title]Gran Dabbang is more than just a restaurant in Palermo. It’s the pioneer of "sharing plates," the place chefs choose to dine out, the reason for the long lines on Scalabrini Ortiz (the ones not waiting for the bus), and a little piece of Bollywood in Buenos Aires. Small and simple in appearance, but impressive in flavor, this emblematic Palermo restaurant is celebrating its 10th anniversary. At Time Out, we’re celebrating by chatting with Mariano Ramón, the chef, creator, and soul of this space.
Gran Dabbang’s menu reflects what Mariano learned while working in kitchens in New Zealand, England, and Southeast Asia, but with an Argentine twist: all ingredients are local, except for coconut milk, tamarind, and some spices.
Mariano, how would you define Gran Dabbang’s cuisine?
There’s a strong Asian influence in the spirit of the cuisine, the way we eat, and the atmosphere. But an Asian person wouldn’t recognize it as Asian food. Similarly, there’s a strong influence from various communities here, but an Argentine wouldn’t recognize it as Argentine food. Our idea is to showcase the diversity of Argentina and its communities: the regional ones, like the Guarani, and those that came from abroad, like the Korean, embracing them as our own. We want to highlight that diversity and strengthen it, taking advantage of all the nuances of our immigration.
And you don’t use potatoes or beef in your dishes...
That’s because dishes with those ingredients were already everywhere, so we looked for something different. It’s said that Argentine diners are very conservative, but I think it was us, the chefs, who were conservative by not offering other options. Argentine diners are curious, but if you always give them the same thing, they’ll expect the same thing. Just as Argentine cuisine is developing, so is the diner. The level of spiciness we can use in the restaurant now is much higher than it was 10 years ago. This happens with customers of all ages: younger people, for example, love sweet and sour flavors. We wanted to offer something different to our customers, and we still do.
"Argentine diners are curious"
How has the restaurant evolved over these 10 years?
The place is super simple; our idea is to always maintain the same essence. There are new things that improve the experience, but we always want them to be invisible. Maybe 10 years ago, the tables would wobble like a samba, or the chairs were so hard that after half an hour, half your body would go numb... Now, you’ll find a table that in spirit is the same, looks the same, but doesn’t wobble and is bigger so you can have a wine bottle, glass, and 2 or 3 plates without juggling.
But the essence of the restaurant hasn’t changed. Often, with growth and exposure, places change their essence, and we’re working to make sure that doesn’t happen: after 10 years, we want to keep it intact.
"After 10 years, we want to keep the essence of our restaurant intact"
It’s always packed, and there are long lines to get in. Why haven’t you expanded
For several reasons. I run the restaurant alone, and expanding would likely involve bringing in partners, especially in a country like Argentina, where one year is one way, and the next year is another. I like having the freedom to manage all aspects of the restaurant and invest money where I see fit. Our investment focus is on raw materials and human resources. This allows us to offer a ticket that, while not exactly affordable, is much friendlier. Also, I like having the restaurant under control. From the kitchen, I can see all the tables. Being small lets me control everything we serve. Plus, I have two young children, and a bigger restaurant would take up a lot more time, which I’m not willing to give up right now. Their childhood will pass quickly. When I hear interviews with chefs from big restaurants, many say they regret not spending more time with their families. I take that as a lesson and try to learn from them.
"Our investment focus is on raw materials and human resources"
How do you see the development of Argentine cuisine?
Sometimes it’s said that our country doesn’t have quality products, but I disagree. Argentina has very high-quality and diverse products. It’s true that it takes effort to access those products and producers, much more than in other cities where everything is already developed. Argentine cuisine is in development, and often, we chefs want to speed up the process and be like a market somewhere else, where you can call and have what you need flown in. But we’re under construction, and we need to enjoy the process.
"Argentine cuisine is in development"
But there’s been some evolution in the past 10 years, right?
Being part of this process for a little over 10 years, sometimes I wish things would move faster. But when I look back, I see all the progress and think it’s the right path, building little by little. And the good thing is that it’s a collective construction, something many chefs are doing together. When I’m a bit tired, there’s another chef who takes over, and then another, and another. There’s always someone with the energy to keep promoting, and that’s wonderful.
Why did you decide to settle in Argentina?
After spending so much time cooking for others, there comes a moment in a chef’s natural development when you want to start showcasing what you’ve learned and the cooking style you like. Philippa, my wife, is a gardener by profession, so our first idea was to open a nursery with a small café, something very traditional in England. However, we had no money and couldn’t find any suitable properties for that. So, we started with a café. When we found the location 10 years ago, Villa Crespo had a much more Arab identity, which suited the cooking style I liked. The idea was to have a small café where you could have breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner, with a constantly changing menu.
And how did you go from a small café to running a restaurant?
It happened because we were on our own—my wife attending the café, and me in the kitchen. We quickly saw that dinner was a hit. So, we said, “Let’s focus on one thing and see where it goes,” and we decided to keep only the dinner service. Now we have a team of 10 people.
And why the name Gran Dabbang?
Gran Dabbang is named after a Bollywood movie that was at the top of the box office and left a big impression on me during my time in India. So when we returned, my wife bought two posters of the movie, and that’s how the restaurant got its name.
It’s a very popular restaurant, as we mentioned. Can you give us a tip to get a table?
In winter, from Easter until October, any day after 10 p.m. Everyone goes early, thinking it’s better to get a table, but between 10 and 10:30 p.m., it’s easier. Or, you can go really early, at 7:30 p.m., on a weekday.
Recommend us a dish…
I really like the duck curry and the pacú we cook in the wood oven. I also enjoy a pear and sweet potato dish, as it’s pear season. And the pakoras, which is the traditional dish: it’s been on the menu since day one, and people always come back for it. I try it periodically, and it keeps convincing me that it’s up to date.
And for dessert…
The chocolate dessert is the classic, the only fixed dessert. These days we also have a strawberry dessert because Narda (Lepes) found a strawberry farmer in Coronda. If I used them for a dish, they would spoil because of the amount I had to buy. So now, for a limited time, there’s another dessert. But the traditional one, the one that will never change, is the chocolate dessert. Regular customers know it, and they come specifically for it.
Over the past 10 years, there have been several economic crises and the pandemic. How did you manage to stay afloat?
There’s something innate in us Argentines: we know how to handle the ups and downs. We’ve been through everything. Keeping the restaurant small, running it alone, and doing something so artisanal allows you to maintain control. And that helps. For the past 10 years, and even now, day by day, the restaurant is my motivation. I wake up thinking about how to improve it, how to stay current, how to develop it, because as the restaurant develops, I develop as a person and as a chef.
"For the past 10 years, and even now, day by day, the restaurant is my motivation"
The secret is to be very committed to what you do but also to know how to enjoy the process. Argentina can be a challenge, but it’s also what makes every achievement feel even more special. Looking back, all the effort and difficult decisions brought us here, and I wouldn’t change any of it.
Where: Av. Raúl Scalabrini Ortiz 1543. They don’t take reservations, but you can message them for inquiries on their Instagram account.