Zach and Alyssa Ladner — along with partner Carl Quagliata — opened Paloma two years ago at Van Aken District in Shaker Heights. Now, after earning a reputation as a casual but chef-driven taco restaurant, the team is preparing to make a shift. On Sept. 14, the restaurant is closing its doors for 10 days to usher in changes both to space and menu. The goal is to elevate the entire experience, says Zach.
“We’re looking at this as more of an evolution of the concept,” the chef explains. “We’re taking what we have and we’re building on it. We want to grow beyond just being thought of as a place to go to get really good tacos.”
Much of the motivation for the changes, adds Ladner, stems from the roster of talent that he feels is being underutilized. The goal is to give people like chef de cuisine Kytana Bradley — a 13-year veteran — more room to showcase her range.
“We have a really great staff with a lot of talent — and I want to let these people shine,” Ladner says. “I want to allow them more freedom to express themselves.”
Already, guests have been experiencing as nightly specials some of the new dishes, which retain their Latin roots while aiming for higher culinary ground. The tacos will remain, albeit sequestered to the bar menu, replaced in the dining room by new small plates and entrees, many of which are vegetarian.
Some of the new items include trumpet mushrooms with salsa macha and toasted pumpkin seeds, smoked cauliflower “burnt ends” with fig-chipotle BBQ sauce, Alaskan black cod in banana leaves with annatto and orange, smoked lamb shank with salsa verde, and shrimp Diablo with chorizo, chilies and lime. There will also be a handful of steaks from sister business The Village Butcher.
To facilitate these changes, a partition separating the bar and dining room will be installed. The dining room will be upgraded with new furniture and a private dining room. A new wine and cocktail list will also debut upon reopening.
Guests who visit after the reopening will discover a new “guacamole bar,” a station dedicated to crafting “the best guac in Cleveland.” The made-to-order guacamole will be served with salsa rojo and housemade chips. Add-ons like blue cheese and jalapeno bacon, charred zucchini, Maine lobster and smoked brisket will be available.
“I like doing things that help make an experience more memorable for a guest – but memorable in a way that is meaningful and not fake or gimmicky,” says Ladner.
Paloma reopens Sept. 24.
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