PADAM: FINE DINING IS ALIVE AND WELL IN TIRANA, ALBANIA
The Cost - $45 per person
The Atmosphere – Padam is inside of the Padam Hotel, one of the top hotels in the city. The hotel is a large villa designed to be an urban escape within the city. It’s not a formal restaurant but the space is very nice and if you feel like dressing up, it would be appropriate.
Albania, a beautiful country nestled in between Montenegro and Greece with a sizable coastline on the Adriatic Sea, is worth a visit. During my time in the capital, Tirana, I visited some great sites and enjoyed strolling around the lively city. On my last night in town, I decided to go to Padam to try one of the country’s fine dining establishments led by farmer and chef Fundim Gjepali.
The Order - Seasonal Salad, Veal in Tonnato Sauce, Sea Bass Carpaccio, Tagliolini with Truffle, and the Steak.
The Great - The most impressive dish of the night was definitely the Tagliolini. Homemade Tagliolini with a nice amount of shaved truffles, butter, and 30 month aged parmesan cheese on top, this dish is a winner. Note that the pasta is good but it truly just serves as a vessel for the truffle and cheese. Not far behind was the Sea Bass Carpaccio. Topped with large amounts of olive oil and kiwi, the flavor of the dish was really nice but it took a little bit away from the fantastic flavor of the raw fish. An interesting and very tasty dish nonetheless. Lastly, the steak was also great. Cooked perfectly to my specifications, the meat was juicy and flavorful; it was also topped with cheese and served alongside asparagus and red onions.
The Good - The Seasonal Salad was a mix of greens, fennel and what I believe to be a quail egg. It was tasty though not what I would traditionally expect of a spring:summer salad. The Veal was slow cooked and placed in a tonnato sauce, with fresh cooked peas on top. The dish was presented beautifully but was served at room temperature and was too cold for my liking.
The Verdict - Padam was a great dining experience. From the nice ambiance to the creative and tasty food, I enjoyed the meal and would definitely recommend a visit!