Paladar
New York, NY 10002
Phone: (212) 473-3535
- Price:
- $$$
- Directions:
- F at 2nd Ave.
- Hours:
- Sun-Wed 5:30pm-11:00pm, Thu-Sat 5:30pm-2am
Editorial Review for Paladar – by Rachel King
The Scene
Paladar tries to create a south-of-the-border vibe with beautifully presented Pan-Latin cuisine, colorful decor and--somewhat incongruously--loud Middle Eastern music.
The Food
Things seem to be just as confused behind the kitchen door. Pork tamal is more soggy than moist (you don't want to eat it so much as pick it up and wring it out); salmon, although seared to perfection, is set adrift in a pea-green sea of bland tomatillo sauce; and juicy mahi-mahi is suffocated by a drab caper, olive and tomato sauce that bears an odd resemblance to puttanesca--which may be pushing the fusion envelope too far. Ironically, Paladar means "palate" or "taste" in Spanish. But most likely, it's the eyes, not the tastebuds, that will get the most satisfaction from a meal here.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Late Night EatsPaladar is open until 2am on the weekends, making it a logical spot to stop at the end of a Ludlow Street pub-crawl, or between sets at Arlene Grocery.
All in the FamilyOwner-chef Aaron Sanchez is the scion of a well-known restaurant family (his mother is Zarela Mart¿nez of Zarela). He was trained in the ways of Latin fusion during his days at Patria.
User Reviews for Paladar
01/14/2008 Posted by infinity2x0
I've worked in the restaurant industry before. The place is trendy, with a fairly diverse age group present. Lit for a more comfortable cozy feeling, the food is good, with a fine mixture of foods that mostly come together well. Just pay attention to the finer details. I've never been there for lunch, only for dinner and drinks. With that in mind. I'll outline the bad, which can be forgiven. While seating is fairly prompt and the staff very friendly and competent, but the atmosphere can be loud. The drink list has a good number of wines and beers, but the cocktails are a smaller section and you'll have to order cocktail drinks from the mostly full bar out of your own memory ( I know I did). Service can be slow at times, so for those whom take it upon themselves to order for the entire table, be alert you'll be asking for things fairly often. The ambiance is good for groups, though seating can be cramped at times. The Menu isn't the biggest, but its all focused really well. Now for the good, which for any restaurant, has to be the food, drinks and desserts. I've had nearly a third of the menu and am yet to be disappointed by one thing I've ordered. I will admit that the adobo chicken isn't the most spicy menu item we ordered, it did have good texture and certainly didn't taste like a hunk of wood. Ordering the right combinations of food such as the stuffed pork chop married with a spicier ceviche or main appetizer results in a good warm spicy feeling, even so far as to make the top of your head sweat. Make no mistake, the food is VERY GOOD but it isn't going to be spicy enough to remove paint. You cannot go wrong with what you order, go in with an open mind. If your wallet seems a bit on the light side that evening, don't order drinks and instead savor the food that you've ordered. Have at least 2 of the desserts, a fair number of people I've taken here have giggled happily while savoring both main courses and desserts.
Pros: the general ambiance, the food and desserts and the friendly staff.
Cons: Slightly small menu, spotty service and raised speaking levels.
12/02/2007 Posted by rolfrestaurantsux
you have to expect the annoying trendy types anywhere you go in NYC, ok the bar can be annoying with these types crowding you out. but the mojitos are awesome here. best in the city.... the food isnt authentic latin, its more like trendy time out new york version...but its good...and after some of these powerful mojitos who cares?
Pros: best mojitos anywhere
Cons: trendy annoying trust fund babies frequent here.
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