Bien Hecho Pampas

O’Bryonville’s new gastro-gem embarks on a delicious Argentine culinary pilgrimage

Written by Sheree Allgood / Photography by Rachel Lutz of Andrew Kung Photography

It is encouraging to note that there are tremendously brave investors and fearless chefs with the chutzpah and vision to embrace the ever-elusive dream of transcendence in today’s tentative dining climate. Even in the most prosperous of times, the prospect of opening a new restaurant can be daunting. But the inspired dream of owner Juan Imeroni and Chef Patrick Bowling has merged into the stunningly creative confines of Pampas. This new restaurant is a delight for all the senses and chock-full of warm hospitality and sublimely delicious food. Pampas is pure magic!

Chef Patrick Bowling

Be assured that it is truly a gastro-gem, much more elevated from the realm of the mere gastropub. The dining experience is distinctly elegant, comfortable, and eclectic. Some elements of the décor within this circa 1862 farmhouse are natural holdovers from past establishments. I have it on good authority that this establishment is, in fact, the original building of the O’Bryonville neighborhood. The cozy fireplace in the bar is a charming spot for a cockle-warming libation on a cold night. There are nooks and quiet romantic corners, more intimate spaces up a broad staircase, as well as a two-sided bar for those more sociable types.

Whimsical antiques decorate the dining areas

The restaurant’s owner, Juan Imeroni, brought influences from his childhood visits in the Pampas of Argentina to both the restaurant’s style and its outstanding flavor. While there are many whimsical remembrances of his time at his grandfather’s farm in the Pampas (a charming picture of his stunning mother is proudly displayed in one booth), there are also romantic flashes from Mr. Imeroni’s adopted city, including an impressive wrought iron chandelier from the old Emery Theater. It is a decidedly rustic look, expertly curated without being garish or kitschy. I imagine it to be very much like a farm kitchen or pequeno restaurante filled with a posse of famished gauchos home from the cattle drive.

Pear Salad

And assuredly, the most urbane gauchos of the Argentine plain or the sophisticated damas elegantes of Buenos Aries would want only Chef Patrick Bowling to dazzle them with their favorite repasts, nuanced and expertly prepared. Chef Bowling is a tour de force in the kitchen, warm and generous with his time, talent, and energy. He is fully invested in every functional aspect of the Pampas dining experience and has gathered around himself an amazing staff, from servers to sous and bartenders. Cincinnati should be very proud to have given rise to this talented cook from the West Side, who apprenticed, as he puts in, “in the school of hard knocks.”

A graduate of La Salle High School, Bowling grew up watching his grandmother cook. When he was working as a server at one point in college, he stepped in when a cook was a no-show. From that point on, he knew his destiny. His resume includes the award-winning Blackberry Farm in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, and most recently, Jean Robert de Cavel’s Restaurant L in downtown Cincinnati.

Chef Bowling’s menu is positively inspirational. Much like the U.S., Argentina’s cuisine evokes a tapestry of countries and immigrant influences, with an abundance of European and Mediterranean essences. Chef can infuse the dishes at Pampas with an almost Provençal eye while adding a dash of whimsy via southern U.S. touches. While many might think Argentinian food is hot-spicy, it is most delicately flavored to enhance all the nuances of each dish. Chef has designed a meticulously crafted menu that is refined to capture the very essence of this fabulous dining experience.

The house cocktails are exquisite and inspired by some of Argentina’s traditional libations. By far the most traditional drink is the Fernet Y Coca, paring the Italian digestif with a good ol’ bottle of Coke. The concoction is so popular in Argentina that 75% of the world’s Fernet is consumed there. Several signature cocktails give a nod and a wink to the Italian influence on the country’s tastes. Cocchi Limone uses the blanc aperitif Cocchi, with a house-honey cordial and cane sugar lemon-lime soda. The Pampas Aperol Spritz is a beautifully composed drink fusing Aperol with passionfruit simple syrup.

Aspirational Argentine send-ups include the El Gaucho Del Camino with rye whisky, Ancho Reyes Chili Liqueur, a charred orange demerara, and fresh lime; a whoop whoop of an Oldfashioned, wreathed with a hint of heat. The Argentine G&T uses Principe De Los Apostoles Mate Gin with a rich botanical base teasing the tang of red grapefruit juice and tonic for a delightful combination. The Clerico was wonderfully refreshing and very easy sipping for sure, with Torrontes Wine with Apricot Liqueur, Triple Sec, and rum-soaked pears and apples. The beer and wine list are perfectly tuned, with well-curated selections from the world’s great wine regions. A stellar Malbec is a great pairing with the Pampas menu, and I highly recommend the gorgeous Humberto Canale 2017.

Lamb: Lamb Shank, Merguez, Cannelloni Beans, Hazelnut, Braised Carrots, Charred Fennel, Pickled Cabbage Slaw

Chef Bowling has divided the menu into three distinct columns, which indicate how to proceed with ordering. Get Ready are the starters/sharables which directly chaperone diners into a truly outstanding culinary experience. This section’s offerings include octopus with chorizo, grilled onion, Marcona almonds, romesco, piquillo pepper, serrano, and cilantro. The Baby Corn Elotes are phenomenal, a perfect dish of amped-up Mexican street corn. Baby corn is lightly nestled in tangy limon crema with cilantro, chili, and queso fresco. Order one for the table and then one for yourself. Another sharable are the mussels, which are seasoned ever so slightly with briny boquerones, bacon, chili flakes, a splash of white wine, cream, basil, and served with a chargrilled bread to sop up all the delicious broth.

One of the most exciting offerings at Pampas is the charcuterie, a magnificent array of some of the most tempting and delicious meats and accompaniments imaginable, most homemade or purveyed from the area’s most highly respected vendors, and lovingly curated by Chef Bowling. The chef is known for his pickling expertise, offering savory jams and marmalades, and has perfected this art for use on his meat and cheese trays. He makes unbelievable pâtés, a smooth creamy liver pâté is resplendent in its depth, and a rustic potted pate reminiscent of a ploughman’s lunch. This is the place to go for a perfectly assembled charcuterie.

The Gaucho Experience: 32oz Dry-Aged Ribeye

The second menu column, Settle In, features delicious lighter fare, soup, and salads that shouldn’t be overlooked. Especially tasty are the Pear Salad, with peppery arugula, crispy Jamón, creamy whipped goat cheese, spicy pecans, rounded up with a preserved lemon vinaigrette. The Beet Salad is a colorful mélange of spinach, grilled onion, rosemary-smoked grapes, queso fresco, dressed in a spiced vinaigrette. While ordering, under no circumstances should you miss the fried cauliflower gratin. This dish will marry beautifully with any of the entrees, or on its own with soup or salad.

The menu’s third column, Go, is where you’ll find the entrees, and they are magnificent. The Lamb Shank is a hearty piece of meat, carefully and wonderfully seared with a fabulous crust and fork-tender center, and nestled on a bed of housemade merguez, cannelloni beans, hazelnut, perfectly braised carrots, charred fennel, with an in-house pickled cabbage slaw. The Pork Shoulder is also a heavenly cut of meat, lovingly prepared and beautifully presented. Accompanying this tender, savory dish is outrageously delicious fried cauliflower, pickled egg, capers, chestnut, and apple fennel slaw.

Chocolate Torte: Caramel, Olive Oil, Seasalt, Fresh Berries

Argentina is noted for its outstanding beef, and there is no shortage of this tantalizing fare at Pampas. The three main beef offerings include a stunningly prepared skirt steak served with mushrooms, chimichurri, garlic, watercress, and in-house steak sauce. This beautiful cut of meat is so fork-tender that a knife is unnecessary. Another beef dish is the superb Gaucho Experience. This meal is for two guests and features a 32-ounce dry-aged ribeye with two sides and two salads. The final beef feature is, by far, the most outstanding burger going in Cincinnati. This beauty is a Wagyu patty, with perfectly grilled onion, bacon, provolone, bibb lettuce, Chef Bowling’s own pickled tomato, an aioli of smoked garlic and onion, and tangy mostarda on a perfectly toasted bun. Razor-thin homemade chips accompany this exquisite sandwich. It is, quite simply, outstanding.

Finally, to round out these splendid entrees is a revolving selection of desserts, expertly created by Lola’s Coffee Shop. A homemade chocolate olive oil tart, with a caramel and sea salt filling, was one of the most outstanding desserts I’ve enjoyed in recent memory and a perfect end to a perfect meal. It was the kind of meal where you smack your lips all the way home. Everything about Pampas is sheer delight.

Pampas is located at 2036 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208. Hours are currently Thursday – Sunday 4 pm – 9:45 pm (last seating at 8:30 pm). Pampas@ IgniteEntertainmentCincy.com / (513) 321-0863