Latin Cuisine With Salsa at Pachanga
Dubai Marina, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Cuisine Style: Argentinean, Brazilian, Latin
Average Price: $$$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Review Updated July 25, 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
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Executive Chef:
Chef Jorge Rivero
The word Pachanga translated from Latin means party and comes from a genre of music, which is described as a mixture of son montuno and merengue. This type of music has a festive, lively style and is marked by jocular, mischievous lyrics, a style of music in Cuba from 1955, played with violin, flute, and drums as danzón, danzonetes, and chachachá. As a dance, Pachanga has been described as "a happy-go-lucky dance" of Cuban origin with a Charleston flavor due to the double bending and straightening of the knees.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Dubai Marina |
In Dubai at the Hilton Jumeriah Beach Resort, near the marina and Palm Island is a different kind of Panchaga. It is not a song or a dance, but on Friday nights, they have songs and Salsa dancing. Pachanga Restaurant is a Latin American Restaurant with a Chef from Argentina who brings it all to life. Make sure you do not mention the Falkland Islands to him, he might get mad. Pachanga is a combination of Latin foods, from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, and Cuba. Every night they have a different theme from Brazilian Steak House Churrasco on Tuesday’s, to Salsa on Friday’s which is the night that I attended.
Menu:
- Platos Pequeños (Starters)
- Sopas Y Ensaladas (Soups and Salads)
- Del Mar (From the Sea)
- Asado (From the Grill)
- Platos Principales (Entrees)
- Guarniciones (Sides)
- Desserts
The Chef has created a menu based on traditional South American foods that enticed my palate just by reading the menu. I decided to split it up into multiple courses, having several appetizers, my entrée, and then a dessert. The starting item consisted of a black olive bread, and chips with a guacamole, that was semi-salty. I took three appetizers from the small plates section and broke them down to be served individually.
I started with the “Seleccion de empanadas Argentinas,” translated as the selection of traditional stuffed Argentinean empanada pastries with selections such as braised beef with onion & cheese sweet corn stew beef with mushrooms, and spinach with ricotta.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Empanadas |
The second course was the “Ceviche de salmon rosado con batatas y manzanas asadas,” roughly translated as salmon ceviche with sweet potatoes and roasted red apple pieces. I ordered a bottle of the Casa Lapostolle “Cuvee Alexandre” Merlot, 2010, from the Colchagua Valley with to slowly drink over the course of the remaining dishes. It had a little too much lime which did overpower the taste and flavor of the other ingredient, and what I could taste was lacking slightly and I expected a bolder texture from the salmon but did not get it.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Salmon Ceviche |
The third course was the “Terrina de Pato con datiles y Ensalada de tomates,” or a duck terrine with dates, and assorted tomatoes. It was right on point, with a wonderful flavor profile. The Merlot I was drinking paired perfectly with this plus the upcoming fish entrée, and the dessert, as Merlot is known to pair wonderfully with chocolate.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Duck Terrine |
The server then brought over a nice palate cleanser of passion fruit sorbet, known as an Intermezzo before the entrée arrived. The entrée dish I chose was the “Merluza negra con pure de porotos blancos estofados, pimientos de piquilla y esparragos peruanos.” The Patagonian toothfish, (Chilean Sea Bass) as American’s call it, was served with braised white beans, piquillo peppers, and Peruvian asparagus.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Chilean sea bass, mashed beetroot with lime-yellow chili-oregano cream |
Dessert:
For dessert besides coffee, I had the Dos Amigo’s, which was a “trio of chocolate,” with mousse, traditional dulce de leche on a biscuit with dulce ice-cream, making my night complete. For the Salsa, they had instruction lessons before the actual dance event, so it added to the spectacle for the evening, though by this time, as intoxicated as I was, I would have probably hurt myself, so I observed the dancing instead. When paying the bill, taxes, and gratuities for your server are already included.
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Dos Amigo’s Leche Dessert |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
Other Noteworthy Latin Articles and Restaurants similar to Pachanga:
Latin Refers to typical foods, beverages, and cooking styles common to many of the countries and cultures in Latin America (Central and South America), and the Latin Caribbean Islands.
Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse Rodízio buffet and churrascaria in the Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
Castile Restaurant Med-Latin and tapas café with 360 views at the Hotel Zamora, in St. Pete Beach, Florida
El Jibarita Casual, local, and traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, Old San Juan, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, USA
Fogo de Chão Upscale Brazilian fair with 49 locations. Review based in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia
Frevo Restaurant Authentic churrascaria dining at the Fairmont on Palm Island, Dubai, UAE
Inka A journey through the culinary heritage of Peru, Located in the Sofitel Hotel, Dubai, UAE
INKANTO Authentic and traditional Peruvian cuisine in Sarasota Florida
Nitally’s A Fusion of Thai and Mexican Cuisine from a husband and wife team in St. Petersburg, Florida
Nueva Cantina Vibrant, Authentic, and contemporary Mexican cuisine in St Petersburg, Florida
Nueva Cantina - The second article from that “Mexican Place” in St Petersburg, Florida, October 2017
Peruvian Cuisine Andes, Amazon, and Lima - A culinary tour with recipes and history
The Test Kitchen Modern eclectic and Nouvelle Latin cuisine in Cape Town, South Africa
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Dubai restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Acclaimed upmarket classic & innovative Italian
Dubai Marina, Dubai, UAE
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Posh and artful French cuisine + culinary experimentalism at Intercontinental Hotel
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
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Upscale fine dining global cuisine
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
A Top 20 on Wine Dine and Play
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Take a tour of the tallest building in the world
Dubai, UAE
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Contemporary Japanese restaurant, sushi, & cocktail mixology
DFIC, Dubai, UAE
A Top 20 on Wine Din, and Play
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Relaxed bar and lounge with English cuisine
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See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Pachanga a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they were outstanding. The only disappointing dish, in my opinion, was the salmon ceviche starter, but the rest of the food, wine, service, and ambiance made up for that.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Pachanga
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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9.5
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9
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0
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Food quality
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9
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8
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0
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Plate presentation
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8.5
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8.5
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0
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Customer service
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8
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5.5
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0
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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6
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0
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Total regular points awarded
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44
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37
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0
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.840909090909091
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0454545454545455
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.886363636363636
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
89% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Cuisine style:
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Argentinean, Brazilian, Latin
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Halal, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Arab Emirate Dirham (AED)
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د.إ
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Argentine Peso (ARS)
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$$$$$
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€€€
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Pachanga:
Hilton Dubai Jumeriah
The Walk, JBR
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Farm-to-fork new American fare
Sonoma, California, USA
|
Country style market & café w/craft beer
Dundee, Oregon, USA
|
Refined eatery with Lowcountry fare and Southern Brunch
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Entrance |
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| Pachanga Restaurant / Salsa night |
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
