Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine
Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine: 1135 N Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33304
Restaurant:
Another couple that we are friends with asked us to head out for dinner. It was our choice to choose the restaurant and since they love to try new places as much as we do, we figured why not check out this new location where the Melting Pot used to be. Padrino’s has several other locations, and the reviews had been mixed about this particular location. So I fired up my app to make a reservation, and bam we had one in seconds. Although to be honest I don’t really think we would have needed it on this particular night.
Padrino’s opened their first restaurant in 1973. And now the children are involved in this family owned business. The restaurant is a little hard to find if you do not know where you are going. So I recommend that you enter it into your GPS. There is plenty of parking, and a friendly and inviting entrance. If you so choose, you can eat outside on the terrace area. Inside there is a nice sized bar to your right with a few high top style tables. The main dining room is basically split into two sections. One is for larger groups/families with table and chair seating. The other side has a few booths, a nice family sized booth, and a few tables with one side a booth style seat and chairs on the other side. All of their locations are open for lunch and dinner.
When we walked in a lovely hostess greeted us. Our friends arrived before us, which apparently caused her come confusion when she could not find the reservation in the system. This is a minor thing, but still note worthy. Luckily I saw them sitting down. We were quickly greeted by our waitress and she took all of our drink orders. Both Joe and I tried their Cuban Beer, Cerveza Hatuey. It’s a very good light ale.
The Food:
To help us enjoy our drinks and some lively conversation, an appetizer was in order. We started with Mariquitas, or simply crispy plantain ships served with garlic sauce. Not too bad for only $5. However they do lack seasoning as many other places usually have. They also only give you a very small amount of the garlic sauce which you can’t even drizzle over them all. We were also treated to some very good cuban bread. I just love Cuban bread!
For the main dishes, we chose a mixture. Jerry went with the Bistec Palomilla. It’s a traditional Cuban marinated minute steak topped with sauteed onions. Because it is such a thin piece of meet it will most likely be well to medium well done when you order it. A cup of white rice, black beans, and sweet plantains accompany the dish. Jerry was in heaven and said that it was one of his all time favorite dishes.
Dino decided on the Pollo Asado. This is a slow roasted half chicken seasoned with a combination of fresh garlic and herbs and then topped with sauteed onions. He said it was alot of food and that he couldn’t eat the whole thing. It is definitely a nice portion size and you might even want to split it. White rice, black beans and sweet plantains accompany it, but Dino decided to get yellow rice instead of the white. He said it was very good and he had never really had plantains before, but he loved them.
The last dish was the Masas de Puerco. Joe and I both got the same thing, and this has to be one of my all time favorite versions of it. The pork was cooked perfectly and well seasoned. Topped with sauteed onions (I think there is theme here with onions), it is accompanied by arroz moro rice and yucca. Joe kept his the way it comes, but I opted for yellow rice instead. Instead of being fried, the yucca was boiled which gave it a different texture and flavor with the spices they used.
All four of us went away stuffed and completely satisfied with our meal at Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine.
Pricing: $$-$$$ for lunch or dinner, depending on what you order and any drinks you might have with your meal
