This cool colonial-chic bar grill on Sentosa takes over the space previously occupied by the old IlLido restaurant at the Sentosa Golf Club. Its quiet, recluse location makes it a place you must purposefully get to, and worth the trip there if you’re into Latin cuisine.
As you might have guessed from the restaurant’s name, on the menu are food and drinks inspired by those you’ll find when traversing the Pan-American Highway, a 50,000 km of open road connecting North, Central and South America.
Head barman Ricky Paiva (formerly from Manhattan) and executive chef Mathew Woon offers up a solid selection. Food wise, there’s a focused menu of small and big plates, featuring items like Peruvian ceviche ($16), salt-baked trout ($40), Cuban-style corn ($12), tender rib eye ($42), and much more. There are bar snacks too, like the lamb empanadas ($8), that’s great with Panamericana’s spicy homemade sauce. For sweet endings, there’s churros ($12) of course, and the surprisingly good sticky date pudding ($10).
But the experience won’t be complete without the drinks. There’s a selection of “Booze & Juice”, a drinks program by both Paiva and owner Julian Serna (you’ll remember him as the former group bar mentor of the Lo and Behold Group), which is exactly what it says it is—a mix of alcohol and fruit juice that serves as a sorta healthy starting drink. Get the really good Bulleit Bourbon & Apple ($10).
Then there are the Panamericana signature cocktails. The Aperol- and Prosecco-based Grown Up Fanta ($18) is a fun concoction to have, while the Panamericana Sangria ($18) is perfect accompaniment to the flavorful foods. You can have the spiked Fanta in large format (serves 6-8) too. And staying true to the Pan-Am theme, there’s a good selection of Agave to choose from as well. Not into spirits? Have a go at their own Panamericana Pilsener ($15) bottled beer.
