Cacao dessert [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
Maiz dessert [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
Dove-Dope and Traditional Margaritas [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
Inside of Paseo [Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort]
Mama's Cochinita Pibil, Rajas Con Crema and Mextlapique Trout [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
Outdoor seating at the Paseo [Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort]
Queso Fundido [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
Entry-way of Paseo [Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort]
Paseo's freshly made, tri-colored corn tortillas [Candice Merrill/Pasadena Now]
It’s not everyday that a Michelin-Star chef opens a new restaurant, especially in Downtown Disney. Paseo is the brain-child of Chef Carlos Gaytán and is under the Patina Restaurant Group. Paseo offers a modern and visually-appealing dining experience that pays homage to Mexican culture. The restaurant’s interior design features a blend of natural elements, including rich wood tones, custom leather furnishings, and lush greenery. It also features many outdoor dining areas, taking advantage of the glorious So Cal weather.
Chef Gaytán’s menu is a contemporary take on traditional Mexican cuisine, drawing inspiration from his childhood memories and culinary heritage. The dishes are a blend of authentic flavors and innovative techniques, featuring an array of chiles, aromatic spices, and freshly made tortillas.
Every good Mexican meal starts with a tasty Margarita. I chose the Dove-Dope, a refreshing mix of espolòn tequila blanco, crème de pamplemousse rose liqueur, lime juice, and fever-tree sparkling pink grapefruit. It was a warm day and this light and citrusy drink was just what I needed to quench my thirst. I really liked the “slick” of salt and seasoning that I could either avoid or partake of. My companion tried the Margarita Clasica which was redolent of lime and orange flavors for an authentic taste.
Paseo’s menu offers many small plates and a cold bar featuring fresh seafood dishes like roasted octopus, mussels, clams, oysters and ceviche. I looked past all the tantalizing seafood to the other gems on the menu and chose queso fundido. This is not your typical queso fundido, Chef Gaytán’s version was an umami bomb of chorizo, gruyère cheese, wild mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and rosemary and was served with a crusty toasted masa madre bread not the ubiquitous chips. The cheese and wild mushroom combo reeled me in, then the salty, spicy chorizo kicked in and I was hooked.
The larger plates are divided into two categories; Mar and Tierra. My companion went for the Mextlapique Trout, served in a corn husk wrap with an assortment of vegetables and a roasted red pepper and almond pesto. A departure from the usual pan fried preparation, this trout dish was more a sum of its parts: the boldness of the pesto, the earthiness of the vegetables and a gentle reminder of the trout.
I on the other hand had a laser focus on Mama’s Cochinita Pibil. This is one of my favorite Mexican dishes from the Yucatán Peninsula. Chef Gaytán’s recipe was from something his mama used to make, redolent with citrus and spices and cooked low and slow for a succulent, fall-of-the bone pork dish. It was served with the de rigueur pickled onions (I would have been disappointed if it hadn’t been), a black bean pureé and freshly-made corn tortillas. Layering each ingredient on a tri-colored tortilla made for the perfect bite.
We also ordered a side dish of Rajas con Crema, a melange of poblano pepper, Mexican zucchini, onion, tomatoes, with a sour cream sauce. The corn and crema combination gave the dish a slightly sweet taste which was further enhanced by the slightly tangy taste of the poblano. It was a great addition to both the trout and pork.
Dessert was a whimsical affair with a corn-shaped white chocolate vessel filled with saffron corn ice cream. The plate was adorned with cocoa sponge cake, caramel popcorn, cinnamon bark, and honey gelee. With a crack of the outer shell the ice cream was revealed. The other dessert we sampled, Cacao was a decadent chocolate sorbet in the shape of a cacao bean and accompanied by sponge cake, orange peel puree, cinnamon foam and cacao bean. A fun and tasteful way to end a lovely meal.
Being Disney-adjacent, I was able to turn the dinner at Paseo into an evening of fun. Its location in Downtown Disney makes the trip to Anaheim more than just a delicious meal, but an outing. I enjoyed wandering around, looking in the shops and especially my dinner!
Paseo is located in Downtown Disney at 1580 Disney Drive, Unit 106 in Anaheim. For reservations or more information call (714) 204-3354 or visit www.paseoanaheim.com.
