Island Time: Papaya Club Serves Up a Caribbean Escape In Orlando
Don't miss this exclusive rum-focused event this Friday, October 23 inside the Conrad Orlando at Evermore Resort.
Courtesy The Papaya Club
Friday dinner plans could use a little island hopping. Especially when someone else handles the itinerary — and pairs every stop with a cocktail.
Papaya Club will welcome the Florida Rum Society and Planteray Rum for its Pau Hana event at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, bringing together a five-course Caribbean-inspired dinner, rum tastings and the stories behind what’s on the table.
The evening offers a chance to explore several islands’ culinary traditions without the airport shuffle. Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Cuba all help shape a menu that moves from citrus and Scotch bonnet peppers to curry, handmade roti and ropa vieja.
First, though, there’s the matter of settling into the weekend.
Courtesy The Papaya Club
A welcome reception will open the evening with chef-selected canapés and rum tastings, giving guests time to mingle before the seated dinner. From there, specialty cocktails will accompany the five courses, with guided tastings and culinary storytelling connecting the pours to the plates.
The Jamaican-inspired crudo brings together island citrus and Scotch bonnet peppers, a combination that promises brightness with a little attitude. A Trinidad and Tobago-inspired curried chickpea dish follows with handmade roti — an appealing reason to slow down and savor the bread course’s considerably more interesting cousin.
The menu also features a Barbadian-inspired “flying fish” and couscous dish, along with Cuban ropa vieja. Together, the savory courses give guests several distinct flavors to explore, with rum playing a supporting role throughout the meal.
Executive pastry chef Caroline Ballam will provide the tropical finale. The dessert’s details remain a surprise, leaving one more destination to discover after the savory courses.
For rum enthusiasts, the draw is clear: an evening with the Florida Rum Society and Planteray that puts the spirit in conversation with food. For the simply curious, the guided format offers an approachable way to explore how a cocktail and a dish can bring out something different in each other.
And for anyone whose usual Friday routine involves debating takeout options, five courses and a Caribbean cocktail itinerary make a persuasive case for going out.
Papaya Club’s Pau Hana event takes place at 1500 Eastbeach Way in Orlando. Tickets are available through OpenTable for $128 per person, plus applicable taxes and service charges, and include valet parking.
Bring an appetite. The island hopping is already arranged.
