I’ve noticed a rising trend in the culinary world recently of Latin, Spanish, and Asian cuisine. I’ve also noticed a rising popularity of Latin/Asian fusion. The crew over at Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar in Annapolis, MD invited me to come back to their restaurant after I visited last November to enjoy some of their best dishes and learn more about the restaurant and the inspiration behind the food.
The restaurant is located in the Annapolis Towne Centre, and has a huge indoor seating area, but also a lovely outdoor seating area for nights that were not quite as hot as the night I visited. I brought along my parents, and since the place gets pretty crowded during the week, the restaurant had a great table set up for us in a quiet area so we could enjoy lots of their great food and ask as many questiosn as we wanted with out being disturbed.
As appetizers (courtesy of the restaurant) started pouring out, I decided to unwind from the day with one of the restaurants signature cocktails; The Paladar Mojito. Simply 10 Cane Premium Rum, Fresh Mint, Lime, Sugar, and Soda.
It’s so hard to find a well made Mojito, but Paladar does it right. It’s not syrupy or too sweet, and you get the perfect combination of lime and mint. The restaurant offers up a variety of beverages including wine, beer, mixed drinks, and of course an array of different rums and rum flights.
Then came on the food. The restaurant was so incredibly nice to send out a few complimentary appetizers to our table so we could try many different dishes and really get a feel for what the restaurant is all about. The first appetizer was by far one of my favorites.
Cuban Braised Beef aka Ropa Vieja which is “Slow Cooked Shredded Skirt Steak served over Sweet Plaintains and topped with Red Onion & Jicama Slaw and Spicy Aji Pepper Sauce“.
Most of the dishes at Paladar focus on contrasting flavors such as sweet and salty. I loved this combination of the savory beef with the sweet plantain. The beef pretty much just melted in your mouth and no flavor was overpowering.
The second appetizer that was brought out to us was Paladar’s Trio of Guacamole, which was Served with their Housemade Chip Blend of Plantain, Yucca, Malanga & Tortillas.
The Traditional Guacamole consisted of Avocados smashed with a puree of tomatoes, onions, and garlic, fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper, while the Spicy Guacamole was Tomatilla & Apple Salsa and Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa. And then there was the Flavored Guacamole which included mango and that gave it a touch of sweetness. Of course that one was my favorite because I like my salsa and guacamole on the sweeter side.
At this point I was sipping down my mojito, enjoying some delicious Latin cuisine, and I couldn’t have been happier. But then they brought out three individual Papusa’s. I had actually never had a Papusa before, and this one was a Chorizo and Cheese Papusa.
Basically this Papusa was “Chorizo Sausage & Chihuahua Cheese stuffed between Stone-Ground Plantain & Corn Cakes seared on a Plancha Grill and served with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Fresh Herbs“. The Papusa, again, had this great combination of sweet and savory which I enjoyed. It was a little on the spicy side too, which excited my palate and had me looking forward to what was next. I really loved the freshness of the tomato sauce with the herbs and felt all the flavors came together in harmony.
At this point is was definitely time for another drink. Especially after that spicy Papusa. So I ordered the Paladar Special Mojito which was a Peach Tea Mojito if I remember correctly.
This was good, but I think I liked the Signature Mojito better. I like my drinks simple and a little less sweet. But I’m sure this drink is a crowd pleaser.
Although a little full, the restaurant surprised us with another appetizer to enjoy. They brought out the Adobo Rubbed Seared Tuna, which is actually an entree item on their menu. I had been eyeing this dish the whole time so I was very happy when they chose this one for us to try.
“Sushi Grade Tuna seared rare on a Plancha Grill topped with a Crab & Jicama Salad served alongside Crispy Yucca Cakes with a refreshing Cilantro Sauce“. I love Seared Ahi Tuna, and eat my fair share of it at restaurants, but this was absolutely delicious with the crunchy jicama salad and the savory yucca cakes.
I’m a huge fan of yucca, and this meal taught me that there are so many ways to eat yucca: fries, chips, Spaetzle (see below), cakes, and more. It’s definitely a versatile vegetable.
After all those delicious appetizers we were a bit full, but we decided to order dinner anyways because that’s just how we roll. I had a hard time deciding, as usual, because everything on the menu looked interesting. But I finally decided on Paladar’s Blackened Fish Tacos.
“Blackened Tilapia drizzled with Cilantro Adobo Sauce topped with a Pickled Red Onion & Pineapple Slaw and Shredded Cabbage in Warm Soft Corn Tortillas served with a side of Frijoles” There was so much going on in this dish, but I loved all of it. The fish wasn’t dry which I was worried about. It was nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It paired really well with the Pineapple slaw and jicama. Obviously I had to box this up and take it home, but it was still delicious the next day.
My mom and dad ordered the two other dishes I had my eye on. I guess we all enjoy the same things, or maybe it was the great recommendations from our server. Speaking of our server, the wait staff at Paladar is wonderful. Our server knew the menu very well and could answer any question we had about the food. He was very personable and knowledgeable about the restaurant and about the food and drinks there as well. I find that extremely important when dining out these days.
My mom ordered the Mojo Marinated Atlantic Salmon which looked incredible. My mouth was literally watering when the dish was served.
“Fresh Salmon seared on a Plancha Grill topped with Sautéed Zucchini Squash and served over Roasted Carrot Puree and Crispy Yucca Spaetzle with our Olive-Pasilla Sauce” I was very happy with my fish tacos, but the salmon was out of this world. Cooked perfectly and just blended so well with the roasted carrot puree and the yucca spaetzle which became soft in the sauce and had a similar consistency to gnocchi.
My dad ordered another Paladar favorite; Grilled Skirt Steak Churrasco. After seeing a picture of this on the website it was the first thing I wanted to order. “Marinated Skirt Steak served over Pinto Beans and Cuban Sofrito Rice topped with our Fresh Housemade Chimichurri”
I do love my steak, and this was cooked medium rare with a flavorful Chimichurri sauce on top. Chimichurri is basically a sauce or marinade that usually consists of parsley, cilantro, olive oil, cumin, garlic, and a couple other ingredients. It is extremely popular in South American cuisine and adds a pop of flavor and freshness to the meat.
My mom and dad loved their dishes as well, and I was happy they shared. 
This restaurant never ceases to amaze me. I was huge fan the first time I came, and this time just sealed the deal. There are still so many dishes I want to try so I guess I’ll just have to keep coming back. They really have something good going on here. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, the food is authentic and delicious, the drinks are well made, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. It’s pretty rare to find all of those qualities in a restaurant, and this restaurant definitely has it all. I highly recommend Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar if you are in the Annapolis, MD area. It’s great for a a relaxing dinner or even a fun night out.
Thank you so much to everyone at the restaurant and to Ean for taking such good care of us, for all the delicious appetizers, and for making our night so special. I’ll definitely be back soon!
