Salta Parilla @ Icon Village

Argentinean cuisine is foreign to me, yet they are known for grills as showcased by Salta. I have walked past this tons of times and not once walked in to try. You can call it mustering of courage or being adventurous that we decided to check this place out. It spots a 5 metre grill in the open concept kitchen but none of us smelt like dinner when we walked out – yay!



Interior.



Laid for gluttony

Tomato bread with pate and condiments

Warm and toasty bread served with watered down pate and tasty condiments. I suppose it is great to have warm bread but this was hardly as fragrant and addictive as some others that I have attempted.

Smoked Tomato Soup ($12)

I disagreed with the smoky fragrance – somewhat burnt and not too friendly. A different kind of tomato soup but I am no fan of it. The accompanying garlic bread is a restaurant signature and I particularly adore the buttery aftertaste.

Black mussels in white wine, garlic and cream sauce ($20)

I kind of think that Belgium laying claim on the best mussels is a hoax. These are soooo delicious, a eureka moment! The rich wine, garlic and cream sauce worked well for me and mussels too – fat and fresh. There was a combination of black and white mussels used, while the black was a tad metallic the whites more than made up for its freshness and succulence. I am so sold on mussels now.

Mixed grilled: Short ribs, beef skirt, chicken, black hog pork, mixed sausage, lamb rack, vegetables and potatoes ($90 for two)

Armed with a carnivore, I had the liberty to order a platter like that. This itself could serve 3 adequately, what more 2? The spread is enough to make any carnivore smile like crazy from within. The sausages came in varying degrees of spice and flavour but all were fat and juicy. I can almost imagine them sizzling on the pan – perfect bangers and mash calibre. The beef is amazing, charred and lean without compromising on taste. Lamb was equally tender as was the chicken. I am not such a huge chicken fan and this slab of grilled chicken spelt t-a-s-t-y.

Impressed with Salta. This ain’t no hidden gem but we were satisfied and have a return on the cards. I like visiting places that leave me surprised and happy.

There was a festive anti pasti buffet that went for $10+ with every mains. I was tempted as can be to give it a go but ultimately did not. This ended on 31 December so I hope they bring it back!!

Salta Parilla

Icon Village