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GASTRONOMY
A kitchen rooted in Patagonia. A table open to the world.
SLOW FOOD · RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX MEMBER · LOCAL SOURCING
Moments of the Day
7:30 — 10:30 AM
Breakfast by the Lake
The first light finds the lake perfectly still. Local jams, freshly baked bread, smoked Patagonian trout, eggs from valley suppliers — and a view that makes it impossible to look anywhere else.
Served daily in the dining room or on the terrace, weather permitting.
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12:30 — 3:00 PM
Long lunch after the Outdoors
Return from the trail or the water to a table set for unhurried pleasure. The midday menu follows the season — light in summer, hearty as autumn deepens — always paired with wines chosen by our sommelier.
Open to hotel guests and outside visitors. Reservations recommended.
4:00 — 6:00 PM
Afternoon Tea
One of the most beloved rituals at Las Balsas. Gathered beside the fire or on the terrace as the sun begins its descent, tea is served with homemade pastries, dulce de leche, and seasonal cakes. French champagne available for the sunset hour.
Served daily.
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8:00 — 11:30 PM
Quiet Dinners as light fades
As darkness settles over the lake, Chef Duvan Ochoa's tasting menus unfold across six or eight courses — each one a dialogue between Patagonian tradition and personal creativity. Impeccable pairing. Unhurried pace.
Seasonal tasting menu and à la carte.
THE CUISINE
Slow food. Deep roots.
Every plate begins with a question: what does this land offer right now? The answer changes with the season — wild mushrooms from the forest floor, trout from Nahuel Huapi, Patagonian lamb from high-valley ranches, herbs from our own garden.
A cuisine of restraint and clarity. Never masking the ingredient. Always serving the place.
THE CHEF
Duvan Ochoa
Dear Guest,
I came to Patagonia from Colombia, after years in kitchens where the ingredient was often secondary to technique. What I found here reversed that.
The lake, the forest, the valley — they set the menu, not the other way around. What we cook follows what the land offers, changing with the season, sometimes day to day.
This is not a cuisine built on excess, but on clarity, guided by the rhythms of this place. The principles of Slow Food are not something we apply, but something that emerges from the way this landscape works.
I hope you taste that in what we serve you.
— Duvan Ochoa
PRACTICAL NOTES
Everything you need to know
Hours
Breakfast · 7:30 – 10:30 am
Lunch · 12:30 – 3:00 pm
Afternoon Tea · 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Dinner · 8:00 – 11:00 pm
OPEN DAILY · YEAR-ROUND
Reservations
The restaurant is open to guests and outside visitors. Reservations required — we recommend booking dinner at least 48 hours in advance.
LIMITED AVAILABILITY · RESERVATIONS ONLY
Dietary Requirements
We accommodate all dietary requirements with care. Vegan tasting menu available on request. Please inform us of any allergies when booking.
GLUTEN FREE · VEGAN · NUT-FREE
Dress Code
Smart casual — relaxed but considered. The dining room at Las Balsas is not formal, but the setting warrants a little thought.
NO FORMALWEAR REQUIRED
THE CELLAR
Wine & Pairings
Our cellar holds over 150 labels — Argentine wines and a careful selection from the great regions of the world, curated by Daniela Scigliano to speak to the same landscape that inspires the kitchen.
Among them, wines from Mendel Wines: a Mendoza estate whose Malbec vines in Luján de Cuyo were planted in 1928, grown between 900 and 1,150 metres above sea level, and crafted by Roberto de la Mota — one of Argentina's most respected winemakers. Consistently rated above 90 points by leading international critics, they are not the only bottles on the list, but a good place to begin.
HEAD SOMMELIER
Daniela Scigliano
Daniela Scigliano built the cellar around a single conviction: that what is in the glass should respond to where you are, not the other way around. Argentine wines, a careful international selection, and a particular focus on the high-altitude Malbecs and Patagonian Pinot Noirs that speak most directly to this landscape.
She also leads the gin tastings — expressions made with Patagonian botanicals, served at dusk on the terrace as the Andes change colour.
Private cellar tastings can be arranged at any hour.
Culinary Experiences
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Tasting Menu Pairing
NIGHTLY PAIRING
A sequence of wines chosen to move alongside each course of Chef Ochoa's tasting menu. Never prescriptive — always conversational.
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Cellar Tasting
PRIVATE EXPERIENCE
An evening in the stone cellar with Daniela — exploring the great regions of Argentina by glass, from Mendoza's high-altitude Malbecs to Patagonian Pinot Noir.
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Sunset Gin Hour
ON REQUEST
As the Andes turn amber, a selection of Argentine gins made with Patagonian botanicals, served on the terrace with the last light of the day.
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