Guest Author - Amanda Masoner

There is a book out there called Martin Fierro. It is a novel-length poem written by Jose Hernandez about the life of the gauchos. The gauchos are Argentinean cowboys whose lives in the wild have been made famous by Hernandez. The book gave prestige to the lives the gauchos lead. It is a permanent fixture in the curriculum of Argentinean schools and its tale is woven throughout the Argentine identity.

Now, there is also a restaurant out there called Martin Fierro (yes the book is where it got its name). It has painted its face on the Paducah downtown strip and has brought with it exquisite cuisine from Argentina. In fact, its full name is Martin Fierro, Argentinean Grill and Rodizio.

We all know what a grill is but what about “rodizio”? This is a term used to describe the Brazillian style of restaurant where guests pay a fixed amount and the waiters bring several different types of meat to their table throughout their visit.

Once the guest has decided this is the meal they want they are given a card with red on one side and green on the other. They flip the card to the green side to indicate they would like more meat whenever the waiter comes around. When the card is flipped to the red side the waiter knows to stop bringing meat to that table.

At Martin Fierro they make continuous rounds with 14 different cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. There is an incredible gourmet salad bar toting anything from large chunks of specialty cheeses and prociutto, to warm pastas and soups. They also have a full bar that boasts Argentine wines and specialty drinks from Brazil and Argentina.

The family who opened the restaurant (this is their first and only) is from Cordoba, Argentina. It is run by a couple, their son, and their nephew. Being the first open-fire grill in Kentucky they do a marvelous job of flaunting that fact through the wall-size window which separates the grill from the strip.

The décor allows the mind to wander away from the American borders into a romantic and exciting grill in South America. The stone walls and dim lighting add to the coziness and allure of the restaurant. On the walls are large, lovely, images of the gauchos and their lifestyle.

It is a fantastic escape from the ordinary into the exotic cuisine and atmosphere of Argentina.