Executive Chef Emanuel Zarlenga has overhauled the menu at Saddlebrook Resort's flagship restaurant, RARE 1981, replacing much of the original lineup with Argentine-influenced dishes.

Zarlenga, who is from Argentina, joins Chef de Cuisine Mark Davis in the kitchen at the Wesley Chapel resort's signature dining room, located at 5700 Saddlebrook Way. The menu shift is part of a broader transformation at the 480-acre property, which completed a $92 million renovation that added four new dining concepts, updated all 451 rooms and suites, and rebuilt the golf program.

Neighborhood News, which reviewed the new menu on Friday, Sept. 18, called the offerings unlike anything else in the Tampa Bay area. Writer Gary Nager singled out the Choripan, an Argentine-inspired dish featuring chorizo cooked sous-vide, then grilled and served on warm brioche with mustard emulsion. "Our favorite of Chef Emanuel's homeland-inspired dishes was the Choripan … Amazing," Nager wrote.

The prime steaks remain. An 8-ounce filet mignon runs $56, a 12-ounce filet is $76, a 14-ounce prime New York strip costs $68 and a 16-ounce prime ribeye is $75. Gulf Coast seafood also features prominently, with a seabass of the day at $42 and a catch of the day at market price, sourced from Florida waters.

New appetizers lean into Zarlenga's Argentine roots. The Whey-Melon Tuna ($24) pairs 48-hour compressed melon cultured in whey with tuna, onions and carrot escabeche. The Pascualina ($23) is a savory tart of greens and cheese finished with black truffle. The Lengua a la Vinagreta ($18) features 72-hour corned beef tongue cooked sous-vide. A Pasco County Surf & Turf ($42) pairs Gulf Coast alligator with pork, seared and basted in butter over mushrooms.

Family-style sides include Hay Asparagus ($14), Two Potatoes ($14), 30 Hours Beet ($16) and Humita ($16), a South American corn and squash preparation with queso fresco and a caramelized crust.

Zarlenga brings more than 20 years of experience to the role. He trained at the Ecole Ritz Escoffier in Paris and worked at three-Michelin-starred L'Arpège and the Ritz Paris, according to Alexandria Living Magazine. His career includes stints as executive chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires, six years as corporate chef and culinary director at Aerolíneas Argentinas and three years as culinary director at the Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires. His most recent Florida role before RARE 1981 was executive chef at Amrit Ocean Resort on Singer Island.

RARE 1981, named for the resort's founding year, serves dinner Sunday and Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. The restaurant is closed for dinner Monday through Wednesday. Breakfast is served daily from 7 to 11 a.m. The dress code is resort casual, and the resort offers complimentary valet parking. Reservations can be made at RARE1981.com or by calling (813) 907-4466.