WA-BA-barriochinodragon-GustavvDev — photo: GustavvDev

Editor’s note: Click here to find out about this year’s Chinese New Year Celebrations
On Sunday, February 6th Buenos Aires’ Chinatown will be ringing in the Year of the Rabbit, 4709 of the Chinese calendar.

The festivities will include the yearly dragon dance through the streets, advanced martial arts performances, live music and even tango demonstrations made up of Argentine and Asian-Argentine dancers.

The streets will be shut down to automobile traffic and lined with dozens of stands. There will be calligraphy and origami demonstrations, information on Chinese astrology, Feng Shui, Buddhism and a wide variety of economical Asian street food.

The inauguration will begin at midday. Carlos Lin Wen Chen, or Carlos Lin as he’s known on channel 7 and as the host of the automobile TV program, Carburando, will emcee the event. Performances will begin at 2:00 p.m. and run until 8:00 p.m.

Once a small celebration enjoyed mostly by the Asian community, 2010’s Chinese New Year celebration saw a record 50,000 people come out to ring in the Year of the Tiger.

“A lot more Argentines are studying Chinese now to operate in the business world,” says Maria Antonía Diaz, secretary at the Chinese-Argentine Cultural Association, one of the groups organizing of the event. “Others are drawn to this area because of the variety of businesses and an interest in the rich culture of China.”

Due to the huge turnout of last year’s celebration there will be two stages this year. The main stage will be at Olazabal and Arribeños and the secondary stage will be located at Montañeses and Mendoza.

Chinese New Year 4709, Year of the Rabbit

Sunday, February 6, 10 :00a.m. —8:00 p.m.

• Main stage: Olazabal and Arribeños

• Secondary stage: Montañeses and Mendoza

Barrio Chino

Buenos Aires’ Barrio Chino may only comprise two city streets, but it’s a bustling commercial area packed with people, restaurants, small shops, and, most notably, supermarkets that sell many of the items those with adventurous palettes long to encounter but have failed to find at major grocery chains such as Disco and Carrefour.

Shopping highlights of Barrio Chino:

Slippers, Cookware, Art Supplies and lots of 保定健身

The typical trinkets that can be found in Chinatowns scattered across the globe – incense, baoding balls, little Buddhas – are in Buenos Aires’ iteration as well, displayed on shelves inside unnamed shops. These locales, which are easy to browse quickly, are crammed with touristy items like Chinese nameplates as well as seemingly random cast offs, like old makeup. There are some good finds if you search around though.

There’s a nice selection of detailed Chinese slippers in the back of Regalaría Ruyi (Arribenos at Juramento) for 30-35 pesos, as well as knockoffs of TOMS shoes. Further down, at Arribenos 2217, a store marked simply as ‘Fábrica’ (Factory) on the top of the door, has an impressive selection of kitchenware. Barrio Chino is also a good place for bargain art supplies, from paintbrushes of all sizes to little sets of gouaches and watercolors.

Chinese Supermarkets

Far and away the best shopping to be found in Barrio Chino is in its supermarkets. The crown jewel of the bunch and also the oldest in the neighborhood is Casa China, stocking Asian, macrobiotic, organic, and dietary products.

Casa China is expat heaven, with its multitude of otherwise difficult-to-find ingredients that provide a break from the meat and carbohydrate diet of Argentina. Porteños are known for shunning spices and have little tolerance for anything hot. Thankfully, Casa China, exists for the rest of us: there are shelves of different spices and a lot of sauce options too, including various types of mustard and soy sauce (a 5-liter jug is available, if you’re looking for a lifetime supply), as well as standout Thai Sriracha hot sauce, made from sun-dried chilies. Casa China also stocks peanut butter, which is a reason to visit in and of itself.

Other items at Casa China include a variety of grains and legumes, such as black beans and lentils, and soy products, like tofu and soy milanesas (breaded patties). There are also shelves of rice noodles, as well as different types of instant ramen. As for frozen foods, Casa China sells frozen wontons and dumplings filled with pork and vegetables. There’s also a decent selection of imported teas, dietary and nutritional powders to stir in drinks for a morning energy boost.

Lastly, if you get hungry while shopping, you can pick up a sushi roll or a nigiri for a bargain price. There’s not much variety with the sushi – each roll seems to be a variation on the Philly Roll or the Salmon Roll – but it is fresh and tasty.

Another longtime supermarket that warrants a mention is Asia Oriental. What sets Asia Oriental apart is its fish market. Located at the back of the store, the fish market sells fresh trout, sole, calamari, and a variety of other seafood at decent prices. Pre-packaged fish, such as a salmon filet, is available as well. Asia Oriental is an enormous store with a reception desk and small counter for ordering Chinese food on the spot. Almost all the products are labeled in Chinese but, besides the fresh fish and Chinese fast food, Asia Oriental sells more or less the same items as Casa China.

The latest market to the scene, Tina & Co. a ‘bio market and cafe,’ brings a more upscale flavor to Barrio Chino with three floors of specialty food items, including items for celiacs, sauces from around the world, a wide variety of teas, organic wine and imported alcohol. On the upper floors are home decor and beauty products. The third floor features a sunny and comfortable ‘gourmet’ cafe serving up lunch items such as sushi, salad, tartas, and empanadas.