Here is a cheat sheet of Comida Típica (Local Foods) | A sampling of can't-miss local specialties

• Asado: Barbecue(d).
• Asado de tira or tira de asado: Rack of ribs.
• Bife de chorizo: Rump or sirloin steak.
• Bife de lomo: Tenderloin or filet.
• Cantimpalo: Spicy, pepperoni-like pork sausage used in pizzas, empanadas, soups and stews.
• Choripan: The Argentine version of the sausage sandwich, typically sold at roadside stands, soccer stadiums and festivals.
• Chimichurri: Recipes vary for Argentina's most famous sauce, but it's usually made with some combination of oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic, paprika and roasted peppers. It’s ideal for topping choripan, steaks, or any type of meat.
• Dulce de leche: This rich milk caramel forms an integral part of most Argentine desserts, from crepes (panqueques de dulce de leche) and ice cream to cakes and alfajores (filled shortbread cookie sandwiches).
• Empanadas: Stuffed pastries similar to turnovers. Most empanada shops offer beef (carne), chicken (pollo), cheese and onion (queso y cebolla), ham and cheese (jamon y queso) and sweet corn and cheese (humita) varieties.
• Escabeche: A marinade made with oil, vinegar and herbs.
• Fiambres: Cold cuts.
• Locro: A thick soup or stew. Ingredients vary, but most versions include some combination of corn, hominy, sausage, and potato, and are garnished with paprika, cumin and red pepper.
• Medialunas: Croissant-like pastries made in the shape of half moons. Standard breakfast fare with a café con leche.
• Milanesa: A thin cut of beef, veal or chicken that is breaded and fried.
• Parilla: Grill or steakhouse.

The cuts of beef vary a bit from what you may be used to in the Nothern Hemisphere, so if you’re feeling bold, try out the Bife de Chorizo or heavenly entraña.

Click here for a diagram of Argentina's favorite beef cuts.

For a more complete listing of food translations, see Food and Drink in Argentina, by Dereck Foster and Richard Tripp (available for purchase at Amazon.com and distributed in Argentina at bookstores including Yenny and Librería Cuspide).