Latin America meets Cork

Fancy a taste of Latin America? Look no further as there’s a new cocktail bar and restaurant to sink your teeth into on Leeside.

Bridge Street in Cork city this week welcomed Paladar, a Latin American-inspired cocktail bar and restaurant into the area.

Having opened on Monday, Paladar is the 2nd premises from the team behind Cask, the award-winning cocktail bar and restaurant on MacCurtain Street that's known for its season-led cocktail and food menus.

Latin American spirits like rum, cachaça, tequila, mezcal and pisco will form the backbone of the cocktail menu at Paladar which will include classics like the Margarita, Pisco Sour and Caipirinha. The team also plans to revisit some lesser known Latin American classics such as the Night Cap, a mix of Bolivian gin, cognac, house-made creme de cacao and lime.

Paladar’s co-owner Andy Ferreira said he was excited to bring something new to Cork: “Paladar is an homage to Latin American culture. The vibrance and energy found there is so infectious and it’s epitomised in their food and drinks culture. In Cuba, a paladar is a small, family-run restaurant which offers a unique insight into Cuban hospitality; the name comes from the Spanish word for palate. Our goal is to present an ever-evolving cocktail and food menu letting seasonality and availability guide us along that path.”

The food menu consists of small plates from the Caribbean Islands, Central and South America, with sample dishes including cured mackerel with raspberry aguachile and green apple; deep-fried beef empanadas; Picanha anticucho, salsa Creola and grilled sweet corn; and monkfish with moqueca sauce, seasonal vegetables, coriander and biquinho chilli.

As with Latin American culture, music will play an integral part at Paladar with DJs taking to the decks at weekends. Paladar is collaborating with SOMA Coffee Company to serve unique Latin American coffee blends, kicking off with a delicious Guatemalan roast, roasted in Cork. Located at 6 Bridge Street, Paladar has undergone a dramatic refurbishment, resulting in a vibrant yet eclectic interior seating up to 65 people. Walk-ins are welcome or book online at paladar.ie.