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| - Paladar is one of my new go-tos in Cleveland. I've been 3-4 times, now, and each experience has been 4-star. Really great, but just short of perfect. Nothing in particular to keep it from 5-star territory, it's just not THAT good.
The atmosphere is great - "clean and contemporary" as Jamie said, but certainly not overly trendy. A place you feel good to be inside.
Service has always been top notch. The servers seem to know the menu well, and even if they're faking it, they seem to have favorites they're passionate about. I've yet to have a bad recommendation.
I've had the 8-hour short rib on corn grits, the skirt steak, and one of the chicken dishes (and bites of plenty of others from generous friends). Everything is very tasty.
Some of the food is predictable and somewhat unimaginative. But, the spices that are used are so flavorful, that the food is predictably GOOD. I'm not complaining about the food... you're just not going to say, "I never would have imagined these flavors together."
The short rib on corn grits may be my favorite... it is just incredibly rich and comforting. But the skirt steak is right up there - it has a sharper flavor that is well-complemented by the delicious beans. On this dish, the rice falls flat but is a good filler.
The mojitos and margaritas are both very good. I'm usually a "spring for the premium version" kind of guy, but there's no need unless you're trying to impress someone or your palate is just that sophisticated. Both drinks are refreshing and delicious in "base model" form.
All in all, Paladar is an easy choice for entertaining friends, or just a fun date night out. I'd love to see some turnover on the menu and for the executive chef to challenge his patrons to enjoy some more inventive flavor combinations, but I'm nit picking. It's always an above-average, very enjoyable experience.
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