The Lounge at Restaurant Paradis Offers Comfort and Sophistication

The lounge at Restaurant Paradis in Rosemary Beach is a place to see and be seen. Many regulars frequent the sophisticated, yet casual atmosphere for upscale libations and delicious culinary creations. Take a seat at the bar or in one of the over-sized lounge chairs, and your good time is guaranteed. 

My friend and I arrived and we took a seat at the modern and inviting bar. Manager Lindsey Hedglin recommended the popular Paradis Martini and the Border X-Crossing, which is a new addition to the bar menu. The Paradis Martini is made with Pearl Pomegranate vodka steeped with a white tea lavender-citrus infusion. The martini starts out a whitish-clear color and transforms into a lovely red as the tea bag steeps into the mixture. 

The Border X-Crossing is served on the rocks with Milagro Blanco tequila, lime juice, Agave nectar, X-Rated Passion Fruit liqueur with sugar and a lime.  Both drinks were refreshing and had just the right amount of sweetness. 

Our second round of drinks consisted of the Whiskertini and Strawberry-Kiwi Lemondrop. The Whiskertini features Cathead Honeysuckle vodka, lavender simple syrup, St. Germain with a lemon twist, and half of the proceeds of this particular martini go to Alaqua Animal Refuge. 

The Strawberry-Kiwi Lemondrop is made with Pinnacle Strawberry-Kiwi vodka, lemonade and served with a sugar rim. It was hard to choose a favorite because all four had unique flavors that were pleasing to my taste buds. 

Along with our cocktails, we decided to share a few appetizers and that night’s featured soup.  We first tried the Smoked Tomato Basil soup with a fried eggplant medallion, Asiago cheese and chopped scallions. 

The smokiness of the tomato, the sweetness of the basil and the crisp of the eggplant had a complex and exceptional flavor. It was some of the best soup I’ve ever had. The Beef and Blue Cheese Tortellini was presented with a crispy filet, Maytag blue cheese with roasted garlic cream and truffle demi-glace. The flash fried filet was cooked perfectly and the truffle demi-glace was a sweet addition to the blue cheese.

Next, we indulged in the Diver Scallops and Tempura Lobster Roll. The Diver Scallops are U-10 Diver scallops, seared and served with a wild mushroom, sweat pea risotto and a carrot beurre blanc. The scallops were very fresh and the risotto had a clean, well-balanced flavor. 

The Tempura Lobster Roll is made with lobster, spring vegetables and truffle risotto, tempura fried and topped with a wasabi aioli and lobster saffron sauce. I thought the lobster and vegetable combination was nice, and I really liked the lobster saffron sauce. 

During our meal, we met a nice couple who spends half their time in SoWal and the other half in Enterprise, Alabama. They are Paradis regulars and order the Black Skillet Filet Mignon every time they visit. They were generous enough to let us sample the filet and I understand why they are so partial to it. It was perfectly seasoned, buttery and had a nice crispy outside. It is one of the best steaks I’ve had. 

Our overall experience and the lounge Restaurant Paradis was really fun. I can’t wait to go back with our friends. Reservations are recommended so be sure to call them at (850) 534-0400 or online at www.restaurantparadis.com.