Patagonia Bar and Grill

Thai, Mexican and French cuisines combine with the owner’s Argentine roots in Richboro.

By: Amy Brummer

   When I noticed that Patagonia Bar and Grill had sprung up in the space formerly occupied by Jim Breen’s in Richboro, Pa., I eagerly anticipated my first visit, as I delight in the bold, zesty flavors of Argentine cuisine.
   Owned and operated by Daniel Lucci, who also owns Café con Leche in Newtown, the restaurant has a fresh, contemporary look. Bold orange and yellow walls are softened by the natural stones of a koi pond at the entrance, and cascading water separates the upper and lower floors of the main dining room. A sleek martini bar is tucked away down a hall decorated with panoramic views of its regional namesake, and handsome photography books of Patagonian vistas are displayed along a long table.
   It took a few minutes for the hostess to get us settled, and when she did, it was at a nice window seat on the lower main floor. Our waitress arrived to take our drink order, but we had never received a wine or drink list. I ordered a Grey Goose martini ($9), and my companion asked for a wine list, which turned out to be a descriptive, balanced list with many bottles from $22-$65.
   The menu, which pays tribute to Mr. Lucci’s Argentine roots, is reasonably priced and diverse — maybe a little too varied for my tastes. Appetizers range from a Thai chicken satay ($6) to grilled barbecued eel with a sun-dried tomato and mushroom risotto cake ($9.50), as well as empanadas ($7) and quesadillas ($8). Salads include pineapple and crawfish with a cilantro persimmon dressing ($10) as well as one with endive, watercress, walnuts, apples and gorgonzola ($9), in addition to the classic Caesar ($3.75-$5.50) and tomato/mozzarella ($8).
   Entrées were all over the map as well. A Costa Rican tilapia is prepared either blackened with Cajun spices, in a Mediterranean style with tomato, caper and kalamata olives or crusted with wasabi cornmeal ($19.50), while sashimi-grade tuna is served rare with whole mustard seeds, black peppercorns and a shiitake-ginger soy sauce. Piquant tortellini ($17) is spiced with jalapeño and stir-fried veggies get an "Oriental" sauce ($8), while roasted pepper and goat cheese ravioli are served with a curry cream sauce and cubes of salmon ($18.50).
   Since we realized it would be difficult to get a real read on the strengths of the kitchen with so much variety, we opted for the "for two" offerings, a tapas del dia ($16) and a parrillada ($56), a mixed grill showcasing the kitchen’s preparation of chicken, beef, lamb, sausage and sweetbreads.
   But first we had to wait for our waitress to return to take our order, which she eventually did, but without our drinks. She then made a prompt reappearance with the drinks, and the martini was strong and dry, but the house Chianti ($7.50) was fairly tannic. By the time our appetizers came out, we estimate it had been at least 40 minutes since we arrived, and we were hungry.
   The tapas plate arrived chock full of interesting tidbits — asparagus wrapped in proscuitto, spicy bruschetta, goat cheese ravioli, a skewer of grilled shrimp and scallops, smoked salmon in endive and a few slices of sopressata and Argentinian Reggianito parmesan. The standouts were the firm, sweet shrimp and the lively bruschetta, but we found the ravioli, which was supposedly fried, to be tough and overcooked, while a curious salad of olives and grapes was an interesting concept, but suffered from the use of cocktail olives.
   The mixed grill was a mixed bag as well. Served on a stainless steel warming tray, the presentation was a little institutional, though it was accompanied by a separate plate of colorful veggies and a peak of whipped potatoes. I made a bet with my companion that they wouldn’t bring us steak knives, and I was right, but we opted not to track our server down to get them. The only time it was a true difficulty was with the skirt steak, which was tough, and a disappointment to me because this dish is the essence of an Argentine menu. But the other offerings fared better. The lamb chop and the pork chop were the best of the bunch — well-cooked and seasoned, while the chicken breast was plump and juicy. A finely textured, spicy chorizo was a delight, but we both felt the sweetbreads were gummy and should have been served hotter. A decent chimichurri sauce and an herbaceous green sauce kept it interesting.
   Desserts are classic French — a traditional fruit tart, crème brulee and almond dacquoise, reflecting the pastry chef’s turn at Le Bec-Fin, where she served as sous pastry chef for the last eight years. We ordered a chocolate mousse cake ($8) and a sampler of ice creams ($7.50) along with a decaffeinated coffee ($1.50) and a cappuccino ($3). The desserts did not do much to excite us — the mousse in the cake was more like a dense butter cream, and while the chocolate hazelnut ice cream purely reflected its flavors, the white chocolate gelato was creamy but bland, and the tiramisu ice cream had too much rum and icy chunks of cake.
   In leaving, we felt that the overall atmosphere of Patagonia was beautifully conceived, and some of the dishes we tried showed that there was some promise in the kitchen. But the service, while friendly, did not meet our expectations and could benefit from better training and oversight. It is my hope that this reflects some of the kinks that a new establishment needs to work out and will improve over time, but by the end of the meal, we were more ready to leave than to think about returning.