“Dinner followed by a dance show”: It may sound like a Buenos Aires tourist trap, but Tiempo de Gitanos is far from a spot for tourists. Founded 11 years ago by Osvaldo Decurnex, an Argentine passionate about flamenco dance and music, Tiempo de Gitanos offers an authentic Spanish evening.

Tiempo de Gitanos, more than a spot for tourist (Photo: Meghan Stone)

The restaurant in Palermo Hollywood is small and cosy; miles away from what a “dinner and dance show” might suggest. The green walls are littered with photos of dancers, fans, masks and newspaper cut-outs, and all of the tables are close to the small stage at the front, ensuring intimacy.

There are no tourists here, something which Osvoldo’s staff are quick to point out. The main demographic appears to be enthusiastic women in their 60s, and a few young couples.

The evening is divided into two parts: first dinner, accompanied by a soundtrack of flamenco songs, followed by a show. There are three set menus to choose from, ranging from $140 to $190, and although the price includes the show, it’s not a budget evening out.

Three-course menus include paella, seafood, and tortillas, preceded by bread and ali-oli, a popular Spanish condiment. The food is good, and with a bit of salt and a squeeze of lemon, the paella is delicious. But as soon as the show begins, it quickly becomes evident that this place is not really about the food.

Just before midnight, with the sound of heels clicking, the performers take to the stage. There is one guitarist, one singer and two dancers. Although the group changes each night, tonight there are three Argentine men and a woman from Uruguay. All are of Spanish descent, and each have enjoyed flamenco for much of their lives.

With a change of lighting and the start of the music comes a great change in atmosphere. The restaurant is brought to life with the band’s energy, and suddenly feels far more like a small and intimate live music bar.

With all eyes on stage, it’s quite easy to forget that you’re still sat in the same restaurant in Palermo. Bewildered passers-by peer in through the windows to see where all the noise is coming from. And this is one noisy show. With the clapping, drumming and of course, the very dramatic stomping of the dancers’ shoes, the rhythm is flawless. There is never one slip up, and the restaurant staff even join in clapping the rhythms from the sides.

The traditionally dramatic nature of the flamenco dance is upheld on stage (photo: Meghan Stone)

When the dancers perform, the traditionally dramatic nature of the flamenco dance is upheld, but at the same time, the atmosphere remains friendly and relaxed. Plenty of smiles, laughs and wondering glances escape, betraying how much the dancers adore what they do. Although the four performers work well together, it is in the solos where each really shines, given the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion. At the end of each one, the performers let out another playful smile to the cries of “Ole!”.

Perhaps it’s a sigh of relief, but it also breaks the drama and tension, meaning that the show never takes itself too seriously. And it’s those smiles, glances and laughs, that give Tiempo de Gitanos its magic, and probably what has made it a successful concept in Buenos Aires for the last 11 years.

In a dance where passion and drama are integral, these outlets of emotion prove just how happy the dancers are to be there, and how much they enjoy what they’re doing. The show is, above all, fun. And it’s very hard to resist its charm.

This is an unpretentious affair; the singer jokes around, patting the dancers on the back, and at one point demands to see the male dancer’s lucky coin, kept lodged in his shoe, and displays it to his audience. The show is so infectious that at one point, one of the tables of women stand up to dance, and then find themselves led on to the stage by the dancers. The women, surely all over 65 year of age, look thrilled, excited and vibrant, having caught some of the energy of the performers. It’s both endearing and inspiring to see them lose all inhibition and join in.

While this may not be an evening of the finest Spanish cuisine, or even one of technically faultless flamenco dancing, there really is something special here. It’s great live music, and it’s almost impossible not to be swept away with it all. Once the lights come back on, finding yourself not in some small, dingy live music venue, but actually in a bright green restaurant, comes as quite a surprise.