Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar

I always love to try new restaurants, but am so frequently disappointed. Such was not the case last week when I met my family at Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar in Annapolis, MD.

So many great restaurants have gone up in the Annapolis area, and I get so excited to try each and every one.

The family was just my mom, dad, brother, and me, and it was really nice to just have the four of us together again. Once we got there we had to wait a few minutes to be seated, and we had made a reservation. Lots of people usually means the restaurant is good, so I was ok with waiting.

Unfortunately the bar was too crowded so I occupied myself learning about different rums.

Once seated we started reading over the jam packed menu and started blurting out dishes we were interested in. Turns out we all wanted to try everything. It all sounded incredible and very authentic. After much deliberation we finally decided on our drinks of choice, and then 2 appetizers to share.

There were so many different drinks to choose from, and all of them hit my fancy so it was very hard to choose. I finally chose the DARK & STORMY, which was Goslings Black Seal Rum, Saranac Ginger Beer, Fresh Lime, Served on the Rocks. I’m more of a tequila person myself, but I wanted to give rum another chance. Still not my thing, but the drink wasn’t so bad. Next time I’ll try one of their famous mojitos or sangria.

For the appetizers we went with the Mini BBQ Shrimp Tacos: Diced Shrimp, Sliced Red Onions, Black Beans and Fresh Oregano sautéed in a House Made Jerk BBQ Sauce served with Crunchy Jicama and Pineapple Slaw, Lime Wedges and Soft Flour Tortillas and the Mini Braised Short Rib Soft Tacos: Shredded Beef Short Rib served with Fresh Lime, Queso Blanco Cheese and Citrus-Carrot Slaw alongside Warm Flour Tortillas.

Both equally fantastic, flavorful, and very different. I definitely tasted some cinnamon in the shrimp. I wouldn’t normally put those two things together, but this was honestly some of the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever tasted. I was perfectly satisfied with one, but could have eaten the entire thing.

Again having trouble on what to order for entrée, my brother and I decided to split the Ceviche Trio and the Braised Beef “Ropa Vieja”

CEVICHE TRIO:

SWEET & SPICY SALMON CEVICHE
Fresh Atlantic Salmon diced & tossed with Plantains, Pickled Red Onions, Basil & Pineapple in our Citrus Mojo Marinade with Sliced Jalapeñnos served with Crispy Plantain Chips

BRAISED BEEF “ROPA VIEJA”:
Slow Cooked Shredded Skirt Steak served over Sweet Plantains, Rice Pilaf and Adobo Black Beans topped with Red Onion & Jicama Slaw and Spicy Aji Pepper Sauce

WOW! That is all I have to say. The ceviche was so fun to try different styles and flavors. Each one was better than the last, and I love how each one came with different chips to eat it with. The ceviche was refreshing, and a nice palate cleanser to the braised skirt steak we ordered.

The Ropa Vieja can easily feed 2 people. Everything was really spicy, but like I said it had so much flavor. I really enjoyed a bite of the spicy beef with a bite of the sweet fried plaintains.

My parents were pleased with their meals as well. With all that food there was absolutely no room in our stomachs for dessert. But we will definitely be back. And maybe this time we will try out a few more drinks.

The service at this restaurant was great. The only negative thing I have to say is that it was a little fast. Sometimes I like a little more time to just sit an enjoy time with my family. But other than that I loved the atmosphere, the vibe, the food, the presentation, and I definitely want to come back. This restaurant is a winner to me!

Tagged as: Annapolis MD, Ceviche, family, Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar, Ropa Vieja, Rum, Tequila