Indulge in premium steaks complemented by a gourmet assortment of Italian cuisine and seafood with a Caribbean twist. Sample the rich fare of land and sea alongside an expertly curated wine list at Palio Ristorante, located int he Wyndham Grand Rio Hotel.After a few days in Old San Juan, we transferred to this beach resort for a little R&R in the sun. With the hotel being a little remote, there are several dining options onsite. We chose to dine here for our first night. Though we had reservations, we had to wait for a table. The interior design was typical of a cruise ship or hotel.
I started with a Caesar Salad - crisp romaine lettuce, classic Caesar dressing, parmigiano reggiano, focaccia croutons and boquerones. It was pretty basic.
Keith at the Polpette - homestyle meatballs, Amatriciana sauce, and fontina served with focaccia toast. He orders meatballs at every Italian restaurant we go to - kind of his thing to test each one in search of the best (?), or maybe just an obsession. He found these to be okay.
For my main course, I ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. Crispy airline chicken breast was topped with pomodoro, Mozzarella di Buffala, basil, and parmigiano reggiano. This dish came with a side salad. Had I known, I would not have ordered the Caesar salad. The chicken was thick and the sauce had fresh tomato flavor, but I've definitely had better versions at other traditional red-sauce Italian restaurants.
Keith ordered the 1855 Angus 8oz Filet Mignon. His steak was a little overcooked, seasoned with a house rub, and served with creamy mash potatoes, fresh cherry tomatoes, and broccolini.
Overall, the food was decent but it was a little overpriced and we did not love our table, being right next to the swinging door entrance to the back kitchen. We were nervous every time a server came hustling out that plates of food would come crashing on us.
Total Rating: 3.75
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5
