By Liz Leamy
It is a given that the main attraction of the Greenwich Polo Club is its extensive roster of talented world-class players and horses, who, every summer, amaze the thousands of spectators at this famous New York metropolitan-area venue with their skills, strength and aptitude; however, the post-match asado has also evolved into a centerstage event there in recent years, and with good reason.
Since its inception back in 2018, this popular authentic Argentian barbecue has turned into a huge attraction at the Greenwich Polo Club with its tasty menu of superior-quality ribeye steak, pork, chicken, chorizo and morcilla sausage, all of which are cooked on an open-fire grill (or parilla), along with its offerings of salad, bread and Argentinian chimichurri sauce.
This outdoor dining experience, offered at just 30 dollars, has in fact, become so popular at the Greenwich Polo Club that its clientele has been growing at an exponential rate.
Initially, the total number of weekly clients attending the asado averaged about 100 people, whereas now, more than 400 individuals line up post-match every Sunday at the Greenwich Polo Club to enjoy this delicious barbecued fare, indicating its huge success.
Standing at the helm of this incredible asado is Pablo Calandroni, the amiable and talented Argentinian Greenwich Polo Club and White Birch Farm grill master who, through his dedication, experience and expertise, has helped this event earn its stellar reputation while also steadily gaining a loyal, satisfied and ever-expanding clientele of customers.
For Calandroni, the main goal is to provide everyone with the best Argentinian barbecue experience possible.
“I love doing this,” said Calandroni, who grew up on a farm about three to four hours outside of Buenos Aires, where he learned the basics of grilling and cooking. “I want to make sure I give everyone the best barbecue experience each week. That’s what matters most.”
For Calandroni, just like the players, ponies, handlers, management and staff at the Greenwich Polo Club, it’s all about doing an optimal job, which means he makes sure to cover all bases.
Each week, Calandroni spends time seeking out the finest traditional-cut ribeye steaks, poultry, pork and chorizo sausages at various local specialty stores.
Then, on game day, he salts (and does not marinate) the steak and chicken for several hours prior to grilling, a method that is famously known to be the key factor for the incredible taste of this internationally-inspired barbecue.
At the same time, Calandroni also makes sure to bring two flatbed open-fire grills to the field along with a plentiful stock of meat, pork, chicken and chorizo so there is enough food available for everyone.
“We try to make sure we have enough of everything so we can provide for everyone,” said Calandroni, who was brought into the Greenwich Polo Club and White Birch Farm organizations back in the 1990s through his longtime friend and colleague, Mariano Aguerre, the world-renowned White Birch number-three player who is a member of the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame. “When I go to the stores, I always try to think of all the things so everyone is taken care of.”
Notably, Calandroni stressed the importance of having enough charcoal on hand, all of which needs to be heated at the proper temperatures in order to ensure optimal grilling for the meat, chicken, pork and sausages.
“Charcoal is everything because it affects how everything is cooked and how it tastes,” said Calandroni, whose asados have come to be so well known that he has started doing private parties and dinners all over the Fairfield and Westchester County areas these past several years.
In seeing the satisfaction of the ever-growing lineup of people who partake in this event each week, Calandroni, his team and the Greenwich Polo Club staff have been certainly been successful in terms of providing them with delicious and authentic Argentinian barbecue fare.
For Calandroni, the primary goal is to make sure everyone has a good and memorable experience. (Along with the asado, there is also a live DJ featured at the Greenwich Polo Club after the matches every Sunday, further adding to the fun and energetic vibe of this venue.)
“I like to do whatever I can to make people happy,” said Calandroni. “This is my work and it is very important to share the goodness of what I do with everyone. This is what I like best.”
The next asado will take place at the Greenwich Polo Club following the first round match series of the 2022 East Coast Open on Sunday, August 28.
For more information, please go to www.greenwichpoloclub.com
