Pao Pao Latin Cuisine — Restaurant in Rutland City

I had high hopes when I saw that Pao Pao was opening and have been meaning to give it a try for awhile. A real Latin place In Rutland would be a much needed change from the traditional spots to be found around time. Realistically I didn’t actually expect Latin food, after all we are in Vermont.

What I did expect was a level of honesty; the photos on the website are stock photos, or if not stock photos they are definitely NOT a representation of what is being served.

Call in a take out order, and initial I thought I had the wrong number as the person who answered said nothing more than “hello”, no business greeting and none of the background sounds you would expect to hear calling a restaurant. I put my order in for empanadas, seafood rice and Chaufa Rice (chicken rice). Was told it would be ready in 20 minutes; and my girlfriend went to pick up our $50 order.

First thing my girlfriend said when she got home was the bag seemed really light for $50 worth of food. I wasnt concerned till I opened the bag.

Let’s start with the empanadas. The website shows good sized empanadas with three sauces. What you actually get is four dumpling sized empanadas with maybe a tablespoon of filling each with none of the sauces shown on website. These things look nothing like what’s on the website; they are so small it’s actually funny. These bite size empanadas are not bad but they’re not great, but due to the size the filling to casing ratio is completely wrong.

The Seafood rice didn’t help the experience; again photos on website don’t come close to what’s being served. Photo on website shows whole clams in the dish with a good amount of seafood. What I got was rice with about 10% seafood; if I had to guess the seafood is a bagged frozen seafood mix from a bulk supplier. It’s flavorless and rubbery. The rice was bland. Nothing about it was good.

The Chaufa Rice (chicken rice) my girlfriend got at least looked better than anything else. The chicken to rice ratio was decent but the chicken was dry and rubbery; like the seafood rice the whole dish lacked any real personality. My girlfriend’s first response to it was it tasted like chicken fried from a fast Chinese place. Personally I thought that was overly generous.

If you’re looking for quality Latin food with bold flavors and freshness look elsewhere because Pao Pao is...

We came to Rutland a day early before a concert to explore. We were looking for something that we could not get at home (near Lake Placid, NY) Hubby isn't very familiar with Latin American food beyond basic "Mexican" or Carribbean. I have traveled to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Dominican Republic but never Peru or Venezuela, so I was eager and open to trying a variety of things. Hubby was ecstatic to see grilled octopus on the menu, as it wasn't on the online menu. He fell in love with it on a trip to Spain at the Festival of St. James. He has had it Spanish, Greek, Turkish, and Japanese styles and he said this was THE BEST he has ever had. The Chimchurri sauce complimented it very well. I had the Fried rice, which was bright and delicious, perfect for a hot day. We also had the tequenos, and Peruvian chicken wings. I love the anticucho marinade so much I have looked up recipes and found the aji panca paste online. It may be my new go to for wings. I also tried the Inca Kola. It was sweet, but not too sweet and refreshing. It had a pineapple with hint of bubblegum flavor, light but not syrupy, I'd get it again. We live over 3 hrs away but PaoPao would be a motivating reason to come back to Rutland, nevermind any of the other attractions. We...

If you’re in Killington and looking for something different and truly flavorful, Pao Pao Latin Cuisine is a must-visit. The restaurant perfectly captures the vibrant spirit of Latin American food, with dishes full of flavor, color, and personality.

The menu is diverse, offering everything from classics like tacos and arepas to more elaborate dishes inspired by different parts of Latin America. You can tell the ingredients are fresh and that every dish is prepared with great care. One of the best things about Pao Pao is that they stay true to authentic recipes while making them accessible to all palates.

The atmosphere is cozy and laid-back, perfect for a casual lunch with friends or a special dinner. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and makes you feel welcome right away.

Don’t leave without trying the birria tacos (juicy and packed with flavor), the ceviche (fresh and well-balanced), and the empanadas (crispy on the outside and perfectly filled). Also, if you enjoy a good cocktail, their margaritas and mojitos are excellent.

Pao Pao Latin Cuisine is a breath of fresh air in Killington. A perfect spot if you’re looking for a real explosion of authentic flavors in a relaxed environment. I would...