Throughout her travels, Claudia Luna West has formed appreciations for many cultures and the way those cultures express themselves through food.
Born and raised in Tucumen, Argentina, Luna West has also traveled through Europe and experienced many culinary cultures, picking up many new recipes along the way.
Now a Shawnee resident, she said she’s long wanted to fuse those cultures together with her own culinary concept. That idea will officially come to life with the opening of Buenos Aires Restaurante, her Argentinian restaurant in downtown Shawnee.
The restaurant will open its doors with a grand opening event on Jan. 11.
Buenos Aires will be at 10919 Johnson Drive
- The restaurant moved into a space in downtown Shawnee, just off Nieman Road and Johnson Drive.
- Tech store Avies previously occupied the space.
- Once it opens, Buenos Aires will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
Buenos Aires will serve Argentinian and European dishes
The restaurant will offer “prepared with love” dishes with Argentinian, Italian and Spanish influences.
On the menu: entrees like Italian mortadella sandwiches, Argentinian-style chicken fried steak, and spinach and cheese pie, along with appetizers like empanadas and samosas.
Buenos Aires will also offer an afternoon tea time with English tea and baked goods from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, as well as a weekend brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Ultimately, Luna West said she hopes to make Buenos Aires a place where customers can experience new cultures and each other.
“People can gather together here,” she said. “It’s a place where people can enjoy themselves, can meet people and be a part of this cultural and culinary experience.”
The grand opening will offer several festivities
Starting at 3 p.m. on Jan. 11, the restaurant’s grand opening will kick off with a tea party and tango show, followed by dinner alongside two more tango shows at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Buenos Aires isn’t Luna West’s first culinary concept either. She has owned her own catering company, Claudia Luna West Catering, for more than 20 years — and she also co-owns local empanada company Mom’s Empanadas.
But cooking for people isn’t just business for her — it’s also part of what brings her family and friends together over a shared meal. With Buenos Aires, Luna West said she hopes to pass that tradition along to others in Johnson County.
“Meeting new people and serving them is my passion,” she said. “I’m (looking forward to) keeping that culture and tradition, getting together around the table.”
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