We Review Palm & Paddle Grille

The words palm and paddle alone tend to evoke thoughts of sand and surf, fruity drinks and tropical breezes. A laid-back, coastal escape isn’t something I’d expect to find on south Campbell Avenue since this ultra-busy stretch of road is usually a place I try to escape from. But I had my heart set on some spicy Caribbean-style food, so my husband and I ventured over to Palm & Paddle Grille (2515 S. Campbell Ave. Suite 400, Springfield, Missouri, 417-605-7500) on a midweek evening to check it out.

The towering gray and white palm and paddle logo brings a boat dock feel to the two-story building with outdoor dining spaces on both levels. I love a good patio, so this was encouraging from the get-go. The interior continued the coastal theme with wrap around windows, ocean blue wainscoting and tables with woven rattan and bamboo-style chairs. Several tables were occupied both inside and out, including a group of 15 or so celebrating an occasion. The vibe was happy, and the staff was eager to describe menu items and fetch drinks.

I was torn on what to start with, but I ordered the Dominican Manhattan made with rum, orange curacao and a house made Caribbean falernum syrup that I now want to drizzle on literally everything. It’s a dreamy mix of lime, sugar and spices like cinnamon and cloves. Swirled with a large single cube of ice, an orange slice and a cherry, it made the Manhattan feel like a walk on a sunset beach. My husband sipped the Club Mango, a Cuban-style daiquiri on ice with house made mango puree. Off to a good start for sure!

I can never pass up coconut shrimp and didn’t on this occasion either. Six butterflied shrimp arrived light, crispy and just the right temperature with a sweet chili orange-lime sauce for dipping. I loved everything about this appetizer and resisted the temptation to order a second one.

The menu made it a challenge to decide on an entrée. I chose the Ahi Tuna Island Bowl with seared tuna slices on rice, surrounded by roasted corn, pickled onion, pineapple chunks, diced mango, cucumber and avocado with a drizzle of pepper sauce. The ahi was seared a bit much for my taste and needed some serious seasoning, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and couldn’t finish the whole bowl. My husband devoured the grilled mango-habanero chicken, which was a chicken breast topped with melted jack cheese, bacon and green onion finished with a habanero sauce and a side of rice and seasoned black beans.

My biggest regret is that neither of us tried the jerk chicken. I watched as the blacken-seasoned bowls and tacos passed by us and was seriously tempted to order some to take home, but I would much rather enjoy it in-house, so I resisted. That’s something to look forward to on another visit, along with one of the many dessert offerings like the salted caramel plantains.