Review · By Winston
Carmen — Winston's verdict
Rob Pevitts and Carmen Angel's El Poblado garden restaurant — the founding restaurant of Medellín's modern food scene and still the standard.
The restaurant that taught Medellín fine dining didn't have to be stuffy. Garden seating, technical kitchen, perfect Saturday lunch.
Carmen opened in 2008 and arguably created modern dining in Medellín. Rob (American) and Carmen (Colombian) brought California technique to Colombian ingredients with a garden room that still wins the city for atmosphere. The ceviche is the Pacific version — corvina, passion fruit, leche de tigre that's sharp not heavy. The lechona pibil is the soul dish: slow-cooked pork shoulder, served with house arepas and the pickled vegetables that make it. The tasting menu is the serious move but à la carte works for lunch. Service is bilingual without missing a beat. The garden patio is the seat to ask for.
Highlights
- Garden patio for Saturday lunch — book it
- Ceviche del Pacífico — the dish to start
- Lechona Pibil — the dish that earned the reputation
- Tasting menu when you have time, à la carte when you don't
- El Poblado location — walk to nightlife after