Pablo’s now has new menu as well as signature dishes

Just off the lobby of the Best Western hotel on Argwings Kodhek Road, Pablo’s offers a decidedly upgraded experience from the typical hotel “3-meal” restaurant.

The menu features international cuisine with a strong leaning towards the Mediterranean, including vegetarian options as well as some signature dishes and creative takes on typical hotel fare.

The seating area is visually separated from the hotel lobby, giving the sense that one is dining in a restaurant rather than a hotel dining room. We chose a table on the outdoor deck to enjoy fresh air and a brief hit of sunshine in the middle of a cold and overcast week.

Except for the view overlooking the parking lot, the seating was comfortable and pleasant. The hotel also offers outdoor dining with incredible views at its rooftop restaurant, Mezze.

Chef Yossi Taragano and his team suggested we try some of their most popular dishes, and we were happy to oblige. Though one might normally shy away from a steak starter, the pepper crusted beef is a must.

The black pepper crusted filet is sliced and served over a bed of chimichirri. The meat is recommended cooked to medium, not overdone. We were offered a side of hot chili sauce with a slight smoky flavour, which further enhanced the meat.

The special chef’s salad was a creative mix of ingredients including butter beans, artichokes, sugar snaps, olives and arugula leaves with a coriander and yoghurt dressing.

The combination of flavours and textures made for a filling and tasty vegetarian option. A delicious vegetarian main dish, the falafel is a great choice for meat-eaters as well – four large falafel patties served with green tahini dip, chips, salad and house-made pita bread.

Breads are all baked in-house, so diners can’t go wrong with any sandwich here.

We enjoyed the ‘Diablo’, served on fresh focaccia, and opted to include chicken (though it can be ordered without meat) with the ripe, creamy avocado, mozzarella cheese, roasted peppers, onions and mayonnaise – and a hint of spice. Pablo’s burger is served with gouda cheese, crispy onions, and chili.

The beef patty is slightly dry, and we found the cheese slices too thick, giving the cheese flavour more prominence than the meat.

Pizzas are a specialty, and the Polo pizza was a favourite at our table – a thin, crust- topped with tomato sauce, cheese, tender chicken strips and roasted peppers.

Whole fresh oregano leaves added to the presentation and flavour. The Turkish pizza was tasty, but could disappoint those seeking a typical pizza and expecting sauce and cheese.

Pizza dough is topped with minced, spiced beef, parsley, pine nuts and cherry tomatoes – ideal as a snack to be shared by the whole table before dinner.

Whole oven-baked tilapia was recommended as a signature dish, and absolutely surpassed its description on the menu. In fact, we did not initially order it but were convinced by the service team – thankfully so!

The fish was served tender and moist, with its crispy skin intact and stuffed with fresh herbs and a side of root vegetables. A dousing of juice from the generous wedge of lemon served as garnish added just the right acidity to balance the herb flavours and oil in the fish.

The carrot cake for dessert was moist and delicious, with shredded carrots and nuts in the cake, a cream cheese frosting and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Espresso chocolate cake, by comparison, was somewhat dry and lacking both an espresso and chocolate flavour – it needed the ice cream more than the carrot cake.

The winner, however, was the chocolate soufflé, tasting slightly of ‘brownies’ and a bit heavier than a classic soufflé; its gooey chocolate was absolutely satisfying, and nicely complemented by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.