La Paloma Restaurant Review

116 Escondido Ave Escondido, CA Driving Directions

La Paloma Restaurante is much more than a traditional Mexican Restaurant. The menus (they had three the night we were there) contain over ninety choices. The owner, Steve Hollick, is a patron’s dream. He states, “The customers and patrons own the business, we just pay the bills”! Steve has owned the business for 11 years and he has his heart and soul in this very successful, high volume establishment. His approach is quite simple, provide quality and consistency and strive for constant improvement. Let’s use a fish entree as an example. He starts with a unique recipe. He then searches for the purveyor that will provide the highest quality and freshness regardless of cost. Then he works with his culinary team until they perfect the taste and presentation that meets his high standards. Finally, close supervision insures the quality and consistency. This approach is taken with every dish.

Our meal started with fresh delicious homemade salsa and chips. The restaurant uses up to 88 five-gallon buckets of freshly made chips a day. Break the chips and they will snap with freshness. And don’t you just love a chunky fresh salsa? We then sampled three appetizers, Sliced Chile Poblano con Queso Fresco ($7.95), Zesty Shrimp Sauté ($8.95) and Hongo Portobello Con Salsa ($8.95). The Sliced Chile Poblano was heavenly. A Poblano chile stuffed with feta sauce served in a sauce of roasted red peppers. The feta cheese blended superbly with the tender marinated chile. It is an appetizer I highly recommend. The Zesty Shrimp Sauté was just that, plump shrimp sautéed in an original zesty sauce. Swabbing our flour tortillas in the flavorful sauce was heavenly. The Hongo Portobello Mushroom topped with cheese was particularly tender and tasty and served with crispy vegetables on the side.

For entrees we enjoyed La Paloma Paella ($20.25), Rellenos de Mariscos ($17.25) and Camarones Matzatlan ($18.25). The Paella was superb; moist tender rice embedded with lobster meat, scallops, shrimp and sliced chicken and circled with green lipped New Zealand Mussels. The Rellenos de Mariscos was an interesting, flavorful dish featuring two roasted Poblano Chiles stuffed with a variety of seafood and topped with a rich creamy sauce. The Camarones Matzatlan featured tender sirloin steak served beside plump sautéed seasoned shrimp served with black beans and rice.

If you are a lover of flavorful gourmet Mexican Food you will enjoy frequenting La Paloma and experiencing the upscale entrees. For the person with an adventurous palate the restaurant also presents some exotic choices such as ostrich, antelope, duck and pheasant. On my next visit I want to try the Pork Tenderloin with Ancho Chile-Cherry Sauce ($18.25). Imagine lightly marinated pork served with an ancho chile-cherry sauce accompanied by roasted Poblano mashed potatoes and Shitake mushrooms.

When researching for a restaurant to review in the City of Vista, it seemed like all the recommendations led to La Paloma Restaurante. After sampling their foods I certainly understand why. It is an excellent choice. And remember if you are in the mood for the more traditional Mexican foods and combinations they are available.

I am so impressed I invite you to experience this delightful restaurant. Email your comments to Steveblair7@yahoo.com

Written by Steve Blair, associated with the restaurant industry for 49 years. “I hang my hat and reputation on this article.

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