A Plate & Cork talk with Nacho Figueras on The Polo Room restaurant

As an entrepreneur and one of the world's best polo players whose good looks have earned him big-brand model status, Argentine-born Nacho Figueras has added Palm Beach restaurateur to his impressive list of accomplishments thanks to the December opening of The Polo Room on Sunrise Avenue .

Figueras, a featured player and fixture on the winter polo scene in Wellington, is the frontman-leader of the new restaurant with a polo-inspired interior and a "Palm Beach chic" dress code.

The Polo Room, which is garnering devotees, is in the 251 Sunrise Ave. space formerly occupied by PB Catch.

Currently open for dinner with a cocktail program and a hundreds-strong wine list, the menu features items ranging from raw-bar fare, salads, crudos, empanadas and pastas, to such entrees as braised short rib, duck breast with blood orange and caramelized Chilean seabass "Veracruz."

Figueras is partial to, among other things, the restaurant's steaks and seafood prepared asado-style — an Argentine barbecue method traditionally involving grilling meats over an open flame.

The new restaurant is "deeply meaningful to me and my partners from the polo and Palm Beach community," Figueras told the Daily News. "Polo has introduced me to extraordinary places, people and flavors around the world and this restaurant…brings those inspirations to life."

To learn more about Figueras and his new restaurant on the island, the Daily News asked him to discuss the venture in a wide-ranging conversation.

PBDN:As an exceptionally gifted polo player, model and entrepreneur, you are engaged in many pursuits. What prompted your decision to open a restaurant — or has this been a long-term goal?

Nacho: Figueras:Opening a restaurant has always been in the back of my mind. Not because I wanted to own one, but because I've always loved what happens around a table.

Polo has taken me all over the world. I've played in incredible places, but what stays with me are the meals: long lunches after matches, simple dinners with teammates, asados with family. Those are the moments where people really connect.

The Polo Room isn't a business decision as much as it is a feeling. I wanted to create a place where people feel relaxed, welcome and together. Somewhere that reflects the life I've lived through sport, travel, and friendship.

PBDN:When planning opening a restaurant in Palm Beach, you understandably chose a polo theme. What facets of the polo lifestyle lends itself well to the vibe of a restaurant located in the heart of affluent Palm Beach?

Figueras:Palm Beach and polo have real history together. Families like the Phipps family helped build the culture of polo here decades ago. The Palm Beach Polo & Country Club became one of the great centers of the sport in the United States. Legends of the game played here. It's not a trend; it's part of the island's DNA.

When we designed The Polo Room, I wanted to respect that history. The walls are lined with photographs by Ricardo "Snoopy" Motrán — images from the late '80s, when I was growing up and watching my heroes play. Those pictures aren't decoration. They're memories. They're the players who shaped my life and my career.

The restaurant reflects that era when polo was raw, competitive, elegant and deeply connected to family and tradition. It feels right in Palm Beach because this town understands legacy. It understands continuity. The Polo Room is my way of honoring that history while keeping it alive.

PBDN:The menu at The Polo Room includes everything from longtime Palm Beach favorites to crudos, pasta dishes and entrees spotlighting seafood, meat and poultry. One menu section highlights "asado-style" steaks and seafood. Why was it important to you to include this and how are items prepared to approximate traditional methods?  

Figueras:The menu reflects the way I've lived. Polo has taken me around the world, and I've been lucky to experience great food in many different cultures. Palm Beach also has its own traditions and favorites. I didn't want the restaurant to feel limited to one influence. I wanted it to feel layered with classic dishes, clean crudos, strong pastas, seafood, meat — food people genuinely want to eat more than once.

At the same time, I couldn't ignore where I come from.

The asado-style section is very personal. In Argentina, asado is more than cooking, it's how we gather. It's fire, patience, respect for the ingredient. It's simple, but it carries weight.

To approximate traditional methods, we focus on high heat and open-flame technique to create that deep sear and natural flavor you get from cooking over fire. We keep the seasoning straightforward and let the quality of the meat and seafood speak for themselves.

The rest of the menu reflects the places I've been. The asado reflects who I am.

PBDN:Right at this moment, please choose three current Polo Room menu favorites of yours — an appetizer, entree and dessert. What do you love about each?

Figueras:For an appetizer, handmade mini empanadas. They're simple and real. I grew up eating them. They represent home, family, and sharing something warm with the people around you.

For an entrée, asado-style Wagyu (beef). That dish is the fire. It's Argentina on a plate. The chimichurri, the sear, the intensity… It connects me to where I come from every time.

Dessert: Mima's Chocolate Mousse. It's my mother's family recipe. It's personal. It's not about reinventing dessert; it's about honoring something that meant a lot to me growing up. Mima is how my children call their grandmother. 

PBDN:How are you managing to balance all you do, now that you have a restaurant in your portfolio of achievements?  

Figueras:Polo teaches you discipline and perspective. You learn to focus on what matters and trust your team. I'm involved in a lot of things, but they all come from the same place: passion and connection. I'm lucky to have strong teams around me, especially at The Polo Room. When I walk in and feel the energy… It reminds me why we started this.

At the end of the day, it's about building experiences that feel real.

The Polo Room is open for dinner starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Reservations currently are available via OpenTable at  OpenTable.com/r/the-polo-room-palm-beach . For more information, call 561-655-5558 or visit the restaurant's website, ThePoloRoomPalmBeach.com .

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Nacho Figueras talks about The Polo Room, its food and inspiration