Malbec and Tango House recently opened in NoHo as a shrine to two of Argentina's greatest cultural treasures. In the trendy upstairs restaurant, a great wall of corks is a monument to Malbec House's Argentinean wines -- including some 50 malbecs -- each of which the knowledgeable and insanely handsome bar staff can describe in tantalizing detail.
But tango also has a story, every bit as rich and complex as the wines. And while the stage favors boldness over the subtleties that define tango on the social dance floor, the nightly show downstairs at Tango House, which features some of the world's top tango dancers, also warrants a connoisseur's explanation. Of course, you can easily just get drunk on the sheer spectacle of the show -- and there's nothing wrong with that.
The live music, lavish costumes, exquisite dancing and sexy, cabaret-style setting make a feast for the senses, no matter how much or little you know about tango. But watching the show a second time, I found myself wondering what was behind all the high kicks and high drama. So with the goal of refining my tango palate, I requested an audience with three authorities on the matter: owner and producer Juan Fabbri , who has three tango clubs to his name in Buenos Aires; tango singer Hector Pablo Pereyra, better known as "El Pulpo" in his cirlces; and Jorge Torres , one of the show's star dancers and a tango impresario in his own right.
One sunny September afternoon, I arrived at the restaurant at the same time as Torres, who had his lively five-year-old daughter in tow. A slinking, strutting panther on stage, offstage Jorge is warm, soft-spoken and ever the doting father. Pulpo then greeted us at the door. A hoarse voice betrayed the wear and tear of singing six shows a week, but did nothing to diminish the mischief in his eyes.
Finally, Fabbri arrived, tall and silver-haired, with a low-cut shirt and a brand of charm all his own. I extended my hand to greet him, but he leaned in further. The show itself is "Esquina Carlos Gardel," which Fabbri has been touring worldwide for 12 years, in addition to presenting nightly at his club by the same name in Buenos Aires. The musical arrangements, choreography, costumes and even some of the performers are the same, but Fabbri is keen to point out a difference.
