Ferro Restaurant: A Parilla to Remember

Tucked along a quiet side street, a block from Parque Poblado, Ferro Restaurant has been serving up high quality, imported beef from Argentina and the United States for the last two years.

Purposefully catering to a more sophisticated, adult clientele, the restaurant’s interior offers an intimate atmosphere suitable for any occasion, from business lunches to a night out with friends, or a romantic dinner date.

In the US, we’d call it a steakhouse, but here in South America it’s known as a parilla, a restaurant where grilled meats are served.

The first thing you notice when stepping inside the restaurant are the cuts of meat on display in three refrigerators to your right.

Ferro prides itself on importing high quality meat, including Certified Angus Beef from the United States, so it makes sense for them to show it off.

The interior decor is industrial, with old scales and gauges hanging on exposed brick walls. The sinks in the restrooms are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so be sure to excuse yourself at some point to take a quick look.

Diners have several seating areas to choose from, including a few tables on an outdoor patio near the entrance, a section in front of a large wine rack, as well as an outdoor patio in the rear.

I’d contacted Ferro in advance to arrange my visit, therefore one of the head chefs, Santiago Bustanmante had offered me a chance to preview their new menu (which is due to be launched this weekend).

Ferro has an extensive wine selection on offer, but I’m not took picky, and as I was dining alone, so I opted for a glass of the house red.

I was first presented with two pieces of soft bread served with an asparagus cream sauce on a cute little wood board with a small metal saw. I always take note of presentation, and the unique cutting board was a detail I appreciated.

Next up was Pulpo a la Gallega, an appetizer off their current menu featuring tender pieces of octopus mixed with cubes of fried potatoes and covered in a red wine reduction sauce.

Octopus isn’t a creature I typically choose on my own, as I’ve had some bad experiences with it in the past, but Ferro’s version was nicely presented, properly prepared and tasty too.

For the main course, I was served one of the dishes from the new menu, Osso Buco.

Osso Buco is an Italian dish based on veal shank, a traditionally tough piece of meat made tender by a long braising time. Later, Sebastian mentioned they braise their meat for the Osso Buco for 13 hours!

And I appreciated every minute of it, as I easily pulled the meat off the bone with my fork. It slid off with little to no help, just the way I like it.

The meat was presented in a tomato-based sauce, on a bed of penne pasta and vegetables, including broccoli, mushrooms, and carrots. As if this fist-sized hunk of juicy meat wasn’t enough, there were also cubes of beef on the plate too.

I loved every bite, but eventually realized I wasn’t going to be able to finish the dish in one sitting. In fact, it was so big I’d be comfortable sharing it with another person next time.

Eventually, recognizing I had to leave room for dessert, I waived the white flag. I asked Javier, my waiter, to kindly wrap up the rest so I could take it home.

Dessert was also from the new menu, a lulo and tequila sorbet accompanied by chocolate cake garnished with dried fruits.

The cake was composed of three different kinds of chocolates, and was double the length you see in the photo above.

The sorbet was amazing, and while not a combination I could’ve imagined, the flavors and textures were all complimentary.

After dinner, I had a chance to chat briefly with Santiago. He’s paisa, and has worked in some of Medellin’s top restaurants, including one of my favorites, El Cielo.

In addition, he spent several years working in Buenos Aires, and it shows, from the concept and design of Ferro, to the quality of ingredients being used.

I hesitate to share too much from the old menu, given it’s all about to change any day now. Instead, I think it’d be more useful to give some price ranges.

Appetizers run from 11,000 to 17,5000 pesos ($6 to $9).

Steaks are anywhere from 24,000 pesos ($12) for a half portion, to 58,500 pesos ($30) for a certified Angus rib eye. All steaks are served with a house salad, and choice of one side dish.

The menu also features a selection of chicken, pork and seafood entrees. For the vegetarians out there, there are a few salads too, but Ferro isn’t the kind of place you go when you want something green and leafy.

Ferro is a little hidden. You’re unlikely to stumble across it walking around, unlike some of the places closer to Parque Lleras. Now that I’ve experienced it for myself, I prefer it that way.

My dinner here reminded me that there’s so much more to Medellin’s restaurant scene than what you’ll find on TripAdvisor.

When you’re in the mood for a high quality steak from the grill, combined with attentive service and a warm, inviting atmosphere, head to Ferro.

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My dinner was provided compliments of Ferro.