Over the last few years, we have seen quite a growth in the number of really good restaurants opening up in Fresno. Now, it is time to add Pangea to the top of that list.
Located in the heart of Fig Garden Village in Fresno, Pangea is the sister establishment to another great restaurant, Campagnia. With a family connection like that, Pangea automatically gets extra points from me.
My first foray into Pangea was back in late December. I stopped in while doing a story on New Year's Eve dining around the Central Valley. From what I have learned, the name Pangea, when translated, means 'All Earth.' Very earthy, huh? Well, don not let the name fool you. There are no hippy lovefest earth-children from the 60s serving you recycled food or making you wear hemp clothing.
No, instead, this 'All Earth' is very chic and sophisticated. From the walls to the tables to the sign on the door, I was really impressed at how the earth tone elements mixed with modern furniture designs. Basically, its stone age meets futuristic steel. Very hot! At Pangea, the experience goes way beyond the design and the furniture.
From their website, Pangea's staff writes, "Meant to be enjoyed among friends, Pangea is a dining experience, likened to a trip around the globe, of fine cuisine and premier spirits from every corner of our world."
The website goes on to say, "At Pangea Restaurant, our global flavors range from Pacific Rim and Latin to Mediterranean and Italian, and eclectic California Cuisine. Because our menu consists of various small plates; larger than typical tapas and smaller than an entree, we refer to our menu as 'global small plates.' We encourage the sharing of our dishes, which allows everyone to try many of our items in one sitting in an elegant, casual and fun environment."
I agree! Pangea is very eclectic-chic. In fact, it is a very new, different experience for the uber-traditional style of the Central Valley.
Because I had to hit six other restaurants in the next two hours, I did not get to stay at Pangea for more than a few minutes. But I promised myself, I would be back real soon. And I made good on my promise, returning later with two friends. We went for a late lunch, but ended up just ordering drinks and filling up on appetizers at the bar.
Actually, that was a good choice because we each ordered a few appetizers, a few drinks, gorged on the free bread and hung out for a while. Since it was not very crowded, we were able to ask the bar and wait staff for their suggestions on which appetizers they thought rocked.
Well, thank you staff members. You were right four out of four times. Here is the rundown of our appetizer feast and the prices (which are highly affordable).
Seared beef nigiri, asparagus & enoki mushroom with wasabi aioli ($5.00) This tops the list of my favorite appetizers of all time. The beef is sweet and tangy, which goes perfect with the asparagus. The taste is intensified by the wasabi aioli. Nice!
Pangea California roll in soy paper ($8) You really can't go wrong ordering a California roll anywhere. But I've not found any one who does it better than the Sushi makers of Pangea.
Crunchy Mexican spicy tuna roll topped with chipotle citrus aioli ($12) It's Latin ... it's Asian ... it's fusion done right.Tasty.
Ginger and garlic poached bok choy ($3) When we first decided to order this, I wasn't so sure I was going to like it. But for three bucks, I was willing to take a chance. It was pretty tasty. I was shocked, surprised and eventually, ordered a second round for the table.
And let us not forget the bread and the amazing Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Man, they could just sell that as an appetizer and I would be there all the time.
I have been back for drinks several more times; often ordering the same exact appetizer feast. Maybe next time, I will actually go for dinner and try one their extraordinary sounding dinner entrees. Hope to see you there doing the same.
Contact Information: Pangea Restaurant
Located in Fig Garden Village, Fresno
Phone: (559) 225-3800
Website: http://www.pangearestaurant.net
Eddie Cadena is an Emmy Award Winning Writer who currently writes for Valley 411, the Central Valley Entertainment Portal powered by Netricks, Inc., a Central Valley internet company managing clothing site Bella Chica. He is also the recipient of the 2006 NAACP-Fresno Chapter Image Award for Broadcast.
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