Destino is my go to spot when I'm craving ceviche and lomo saltado. Now that I'm pregnant (and they have a refreshed menu), we're branching out. Dishes we fell in love with in Puerto Rico such as Mofongo and Ropa Vieja can now be had.
Destino, like Mission Beach Cafe, now requires advance planning on our part. Too often just dropping by yields a wait of an hour or more; reservations are definitely recommended. After being disappointed last Thursday night, we made plans to dine at Destino on Sunday.
Our mission has been to sample everything on the refreshed menu. (Some items sadly are currently off limits for me, but cubes obligingly describes the flavors dancing on his tongue.) A few full-size photos from our dinner are up on Flickr.
We ordered two new tapas to try: the Tamal de Alcachofa and the Chile Relleno. The other tapas we selected were the Ropa Vieja and the Tacos de Pescado. The Ropa Vieja continued to amaze: rich flavors, moist, tender beef paired with crisp cornmeal biscuits filled with melted Fontina cheese. This tapas should be everyone's must have list when dining at Destino. Our other favorite was the Chile Relleno (top right in the collage above); again rich, balanced flavors.
The Tacos de Pescado (bottom right in the collage above) continues to be inconsistent - some snapper cooked through and some on the rare side. The flavors are good, but I'm just not sure what's happening with the snapper, maybe uneven pan heat? Needless to say, it won't be a dish we'll be ordering again. The taste is as close as I can get to ceviche while pregnant, but I'm content to wait another 8 weeks for my ceviche fix.
The other tapas that needs work is the Tamal (bottom left in the collage above). With the piquillo pepper reduction I was expecting a little heat that the artichoke and lima bean would balance. Unfortunately the overall flavor profile was bland. It's new to their menu, so we'll give it another try in a month or so after they've had time to work on it some more.
When it came time for dessert, we had a hard time choosing. Luckily Destino offers a sampler plate where you can choose three desserts. We selected the Chocolate Panna Cotta, the Rompope Bread Pudding (top left in the collage above), and the Triple Chocolate Bunuelos. All three were delicious. Our favorite was the Chocolate Panna Cotta - it was hard to share!
Bon Apetit!
Eden
