THE recently-opened Pampas Restaurant in Assila Hotel, a Rocco Forte hotel located on Prince Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz Street (formerly known as Tahlia Street) in Jeddah, has quickly become a popular destination among lovers of fine food who are seeking an exciting new culinary experience.

Pampas is also a family favorite for the South American Brunch Buffet available on Friday between 1:00pm - 4:30pm.

Among Pampas specialties are prime meat cuts from the Argentinian Asado grill, a wide selection of seafood cooked Patagonian style, and authentic Argentinian Empanadas based on Chef Lucas Farias’ secret family recipe.

For Argentinians, especially those living in the Pampas regions of Latin America, Asado means more than just simple BBQ, it’s a cultural way of life. Since cattle were introduced to the region around the 1500s, gauchos on the move roasted beef over hot coals or embers. Among the two popular ways of Asado cooking are with an Asado grill featuring an ember maker, and Patagonian grids which are designed to roast specific cuts like prime rib and even roast the whole animal over hot embers. The theatre of grilling meat and seafood Argentinean style is open for all see in the open view kitchen.

The Pampas scene is set by the distinctive space created by Director of Design for Rocco Forte Hotels, Olga Polizzi, and world renowned designer Martin Brudnizki, who have given the restaurant a décor that reflects the style of the South American country. Dramatically different from the rest of the hotel, the characteristic Argentinean themed interior features a strikingly beautiful painting of a bull, specially selected from the Assila Hotel’s extensive art collection.

Signature dishes on the Pampas menu include Argentinean Tapas such as chard fritters, starters such as Patagonian octopus, and Argentinean king prawns with potatoes, aged cream and caviar. Argentinean Empanadas served with Llajua sauce include traditional corn stew, and hand cut beef with onions. Soups include cumin soup with Parmesan foam and Focaccia croutons, and Patagonian seafood chowder with mussels and scallops.

Mixed grills include the Pampas Mixed Grill consisting of lamb chop, baby chicken, beef ribs, rib eye, tenderloin, and chorizo sausage, the Lamb and Goat Mixed Grill consisting of lamb chops, goat shoulder, goat patties, goat ribs croquettes, lamb garlic and rosemary sausage, and the Sea Food Mixed Platter with lobster, hammour, baby squid, prawns on the skewer, najil and scallops. The superb seafood selection includes whole Canadian lobster a la parrilla, king prawns, grilled hammour and najil rom the Red Sea.

Highlights of the Pampas dessert menu are chocolate tart with passion fruit jam and achiote chili ice cream, mandarin panacotta with spiced pumpkin preserved in syrup and caramelized pistachios, and a selection of Argentinian sweets including alfajores, panqueques, pasta frola, and churros con chocolate.

“I am proud to bring the authentic taste of my home country to the beautiful city of Jeddah,” said Argentinean national Lucas Adrian Farias, Chef de Cuisine of the Pampas. “Also I am very pleased to say that Pampas has already developed a regular clientele of Jeddah residents who come back again and again to enjoy the very best of Argentinean cuisine.” — SG