Malbec
1001 E Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91106
626. 683.0580
This is a solid restaurant with good Argentinian food. Unfortunately, I have only had a chance to have one of their dishes to give a thorough review. But I will go again in the near future and try other dishes to give my two cents.
Atmosphere
This is a nice restaurant to take a date, or have a group of people to celebrate an occassion. Like most restaurants in Pasadena, the restaurants are nice but not too fancy. You can either dress down or dress up. I went there to celebrate my birthday (yes.. I celebrated twice this year) and they easily accomodated our group of 12. I would advice to stay away from going here on a first date. The ambient noise is on the louder side, with multiple conversations going out that you might have a hard time conversing with your partner. The lighting is dim but not dark. The decor of the restaurant is very simple with alot of warm earth tones.
Food
Even though I went with 12 people, I saw a trend in the food we ordered. We only had 4 varieties of dishes. It almost reminds me of the time during my internship in DC when I went to eat Thai Food with my coworkers and everyone ordered the Pad Thai after staring at the menu for 10 min. I though my dish was awesome, and everyone seemed to have liked their dishes as well. I am only going to post a review for my dish since it seems only fair. However, the other dishes that were ordered and were loved are: Tallarines Golfo Nuevo, Bife al Malbec, Entrana al Chimichurri. (FYI, the pasta looked a little small so you might want to share an appetizer if you are getting the pasta)
Sangria
Their Sangria is not found on their dinner menu, but it exists. I think my friend mentioned that he found it on the dessert menu. The sangria was decent, but not the greatest. However, if you have a large group of people, it’s a cheap and fun way to share a drink! We got two orders of sangrias and shared it, and there was enough for each person to get a glass worth. I wish there was fruit inside the sangria but it still did the job.
Ojo de Bife al Ajo
As you can see in the gallery, my steak was a good size steak (8-9 oz.?). It first looked small but at the end, I was really full. The side of potatoes helped fill me up. The steak is actually a ribeye with a roasted garlic-demiglase, and it comes with a side of roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach. My steak was immaculate. Very tender and juicy, and was seasoned just enough. The red sauce that it comes with was not strong and did not overpower the steak. (On a side note people.. If you’re going to a really nice steakhouse, cut the sauce.. please.. or there really is no point in going if you’re tasting only the sauce. A little dab of sauce is all you need. And pour it on the side and just dab, don’t drench the steak in sauce)
The steak itself was very impressive but the entourages (the sides) really took it all the way. The potatoes were perfectly cooked and seasoned. Not too salty and not overpowering. Just a tad hint of the herb & salt so it doesn’t clash with the steak’s flavors. and the sauteed spinach really impressed me. I did not believe it was spinach at first. It was very soft but flavorful and was not bitter at all. Spinach can sometimes be very bitter if overcooked even just for a tad too long.
Overall
I love Pasadena. There are so many restaurants that are all equally good. And the awesome part is that most of them are not chains that you can only experience it in Pasadena. It really adds to the atmosphere and overall experience of your night. Malbec is very deserving of its location in Pasadena, especially off of Green St., where many amazing restaurants exist. If you feel like a little latin flavor, but not Mexican food. The food is bold but not overpowering and you will not be disappointed.
FYI, corkage fee is $15. Our wine we brought was cheaper than the corkage fee.
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