Malbec Pasadena｜Delicious Argentine Cuisine

OpenTable recommended this Argentine restaurant to me — and this meal did not disappoint! 👉🏿 Appetizers 1️⃣ Ceviche 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Delicious! Tuna and octopus were fresh with no fishy taste. The dish was slightly tangy and spicy, with rich flavor. The tuna melted in the mouth, the octopus was chewy, and crispy fried corn (I think?) added nice texture. 2️⃣ Empanadas 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Definitely not a trap 😂. Fried pastry filled with juicy, well-seasoned beef. Quite large — not recommended one per person as a starter. 3️⃣ Chorizos 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Not sure what to pick, so the server suggested a classic trio — likely chorizo-style beef sausage, regular beef sausage, and chicken sausage. Not greasy, but a bit salty. Perfect for sharing among five. 👉🏿 Main Courses 4️⃣ Ribeye 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Served on a sizzling iron plate. Ordered medium-rare, but it stuck to the plate as we got distracted eating other dishes 😅. Pink in the middle, edges slightly charred — if you like it juicier, go for rare and eat it fast! 5️⃣ Lamb Chops 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Served on the same plate as the ribeye (about four chops). Non-lamb lovers thought it had a lamb taste, but as a lamb enthusiast, I found the gaminess well-handled. Slightly sweet sauce — could rival French lamb chops! 6️⃣ Arroz con Mariscos (Seafood Paella) 🌟🌟🌟 Available in single or double portions. Generous seafood, but compared to some top-tier paellas I’ve had, the rice was slightly undercooked and the broth made it a bit too wet. 👉🏿 Desserts We tried Budin de Pan (bread pudding), crepes, and crème brûlée. All very sweet! For the crepes, ask for less chocolate sauce unless you want a sugar coma. The bread pudding itself was fine, but the fig-raisin topping was overly sweet. The crème brûlée had a light lemon and hint of cinnamon — tasty but rich after a few bites. 👉🏿 Overall Nice ambiance, good for drinks, not too noisy. Food was generally delicious. We didn’t get to try everything we wanted (like bone marrow and mussels). For five people: five empanadas, chorizo, ceviche, and mains for four were just right. Cost around $60–70 per person before tip and drinks. P.S. Lighting is dim — my photos aren’t great, but their Instagram has nice shots for reference. Enjoy your meal! 🍴 #LAFood #PasadenaEats #LARestaurants #Malbec #LosAngelesFood 🥩🍷