Paladar

Sarah’s parents babysat and we went to Paladar tonight. Not that the sitting was absolutely necessary–we were ten feet from a three year-old while we ate.

Paladar is located right off the Chagrin exit of I-271 at Eton Plaza. We’d heard good things about Paladar, and we weren’t disappointed. We started with the guacamole, which was very buttery and flavorful. The best part was the chips–plantain, yucca, jicama, all sliced thin and fried. Corn chips were included as well.

The drinks were also excellent. The margaritas are on ice, not frozen. Sarah got a mango, and I got traditional. I also had a caipirinha with muddled strawberries. It’s a cocktail made with cachaça, a Brazillian brandy made from distilled sugar cane. It was strong and unlike anything I’ve had before, and I’d definitely recommend it.

For our entrees, Sarah ordered the Mojo Marinated Salmon with Butternut Squash Purée, Yucca Spaetzle, Roasted Spaghetti Squash, and Olive-Pasilla Sauce. I had “Slow Roasted Pork Cubano,” a Rum Glazed Pork Shoulder with Black Beans, Coconut Mango Rice, and Pico de Gallo. Both were good, but Sarah’s was a bit more flavorful. She would have liked more vegetables, though, especially because they tasted so good. Mine was distinctive for the subtle sweetness of the pork and the more overt sugar in the coconut mango rice, which was essentially drowned in mango scented coconut milk. The pico de gallo added a sharp counterpoint, and, unlike Sarah’s dish, there was no shortage of beans and other vegetables.

For dessert, we split the cheesecake with dulce de leche. It was a lot lighter than New York style cheesecake, and the dulce de leche was a nice touch. Our server, Adam, was friendly and very knowledgeable about both the food and the drinks. This would definitely be a repeatable excursion.