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| The Palm Restaurant - upscale casual **** 3391 Peachtree Road Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 814-1955 In 1995, the New-York based Palm Restaurant opened at the slick Swissotel across the street from Lenox Mall; within a one-mile radius, at least five other steakhouses operate today. Proving there’s always room for a great beef emporium, the Palm excels at straightforward classics and great service in a friendly environment. Think very upscale Cheers — if you’re a regular everyone will know your name. MENU: **** There are a few updates (salmon fillet) but mostly the menu remains unchanged from its 1920s origins: clams casino, lobster bisque, veal parmigiana, baked potatoes, heart of palm salad, lamb chops, shrimp cocktails and steaks. FOOD QUALITY: **** The Palm buys only dry aged, corn-fed Midwestern beef prime steaks; then chef Chris Cannizzaro ages them an extra 48 hours in-house. Fat, red tomatoes are bursting with flavor; the Nova Scotia lobsters are admirably fresh. FOOD PRESENTATION: *** * Simple white plates ring with a dark green border showcase heaping helpings of meat, sides and salads. ATMOSPHERE: ***** It’s fun spotting local celebrities along with national ones immortalized in colorful caricatures on the walls throughout the restaurant and bar. Less formal than some local steakhouses, the Palm has the standard dark wood booths and white linen tabletops but also boasts high, tin ceilings painted white, so the effect is airier and more open. Moreover, it’s not too loud. CLEANLINESS: *** My dining companion notices a layer of dust on the ledge above our booth and crumbs on the seat. Bathrooms and kitchen are quite tidy. SERVICE: ***** Friendly, youthful and well trained (six days, according to our waitress Kelly), the staff, from host to servers to chef to bartenders, is a delight. After a close encounter with a lobster, you’ll receive a hot towel with a squeeze of fresh lemon to tidy up tableside. There’s even a frequent diner club that rewards you in food certificates. MENU RECOMMENDATIONS: The Gigi salad of chopped green beans, bacon, shrimp, onions and tomatoes dressed in vinaigrette is a terrific starter, especially with the addition of bleu cheese crumbles. The Slater special features one terrific crab cake sans filler and nicely redolent of the sea and a butterflied shrimp in dijon sauce (I’d love to see a fatter shrimp). Asparagus fritti are billed by Kelly as “little stick of fried goodness” and I’d agree. But the much ballyhooed creamed spinach tastes slightly metallic and the half and half, a gargantuan mound of cottage fries and fried onions, is a distraction from the main course. Focus instead on the outstanding steak a la stone, a perfectly seared, well marbled sliced steak dredged in olive oil and kosher salt and placed atop grilled onions and pimentos and toast points. The rib eye is also tender and flavorful and perfectly cooked. After all this protein, do save room for carbs in the form of a heavenly, unadorned slice of cheesecake flown in fresh from S&S Bakery in the Bronx. OVERALL RATING: **** Dr. Atkins, rest his soul, would bless the Palm. This institution knows what it does well and continues to do it with consistency and a sense of fun. Just be careful or the next day you’ll be in a self-induced beef coma! review by Suzanne Wright |
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