La Pampa Restaurant

Posted By: R. Paschal

I’ve spent a lot of time in the south of Brasil, specifically Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul. The state is the birthplace of Brasilian BBQ, otherwise known as churrasco. The meat there is without exaggeration, the stuff of legend. Even my good friends, Guachos, natives of the state concede, “Those Argentines can cook a steak. Maybe better than us.” I’ll be honest, I didn’t believe it.

So when I arrived to La Pampa restaurant, in Laureles I was a skeptic. Truth has a way of revealing skepticism to be a lack of knowledge. I knew something was up when I cut my first slice, the knife moved through the meat with barely any effort. I wasn’t even using a steak knife. I had the meat cooked medium, anything more and you’re burning the taste out of the steak. After my first bite, any lack of faith in my Argentinian brothers left. The meat melted in my mouth, ridiculously tender. I was humbled. I’m ashamed to write this but it was better than any steak I’ve had in Porto Alegre. I am so sorry to admit that.

As I was eating I smiled for a second time and not because of the meal. The place mat on the table had a picture of Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer on the planet dining at the La Pampa ten miles away in Poblado. Clearly, he chose well.

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