Restaurant: Pampas Argentine Grill Address: 8690 Aero Drive San Diego, CA Phone: (858) 278-5971 Price Range: $5.50-$8.75 for sandwiches and entrees, including sides. Note: These may be the lunch prices only. The paper menu we have for reference seems not to include many of the dinner items we saw on the menu in the restaurant.

Number of visits: 1
Last visit before review: August 5, 2000

Jeff had: Ensalada mixta (mixed baby greens, tomatoes, red onions), beef short ribs.

Randy had: Pampas salad (spinach, walnuts, roquefort, arugula, watercress), mini bife de loma (6 oz. filet mignon).

We also shared: Empanada de pollo (chicken turnover) as an appetizer.

Rating 8 (of 12) Good

Jeff says: The ensalada mixta (mixed salad) had nice baby greens that I really like. I found the dressing, however, a tad too vinegary. The beef short ribs were good, but they were cooked over coal or wood which gave them that char flavor I don't particularly care for. Randy's steak also had much too much char flavor for me.

Randy says: The pampas salad was good. I thought the mini bife de loma could have used more seasonings and flavor.

Jeff says: I thought the empanada de pollo was good with its flavorful spiced chicken.

Randy says: The chicken empanada I found a little greasy and the crust a little too thick, but I would still have it again.

When we arrived at Pampas, we found our reservation, which we had made probably a week in advance, had been lost. A good table by the window opened up immediately, so it didn't really matter in the end. The restaurant had just recently started up, so maybe their organization has improved since then.

Pampa is the name of a region in South America (Argentina and Brazil) known for its beef. The restaurant, located in a business park across the street from Montgomery Field (a small private airport) touts Argentine beef as being free range, organic, free of hormones, steroids, pesticides and antibiotics, and 15% lower in fat and cholesterol than other beef. It therefore seems compelling to order beef, but if you're not into beef they also have chicken, salads, and fish. This is about the only place we know of in San Diego to get preparations popular in Argentina, such as empanadas and milanesas.

Because it is not in our immediate area we have not returned to Pampas since our first visit, but having been reminded of it by virtue of writing this review, we'll probably make a repeat visit soon to try some of the other items on the menu.