Restaurant: The Palm (http://www.thepalm.com/)
Location: Dupont Circle
Total Rating: 3.75
Food: 4, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5
Summary: Still owned and operated by members of the Bozzi and Ganzi families, The Palm continues to serve as a second home for countless patrons, thanks to the exceptional standard of hospitality established by its founders. This legendary steakhouse offers traditional steak and seafood fare, specializing in whole lobsters. Steaks weren’t a part of the original Palm menu. "Whenever a customer would ask for steak during The Palm’s early years, John Ganzi would run to a nearby butcher shop on Second Avenue, buy a steak, and then cook it to order. Steaks eventually became a regular menu item to accommodate guests’ frequent requests." Another interesting fact is that the "caricature tradition began when, instead of singing for their supper, artists paid their tab by painting an original portrait on the wall. The proximity of New York’s cartoon syndicate offices led to the proliferation of colorful caricatures found at every Palm location." Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.
In honor of their 85th anniversary, we received a gift card to the Palm and decided to try this classic restaurant for dinner. The dining room is fairly dark and we were seated in one of the booths near the back. The place was already packed with early diners, yet we never felt rushed. Keith chose a nice bottle of red wine and we nibbled on the fresh bread while waiting for our meal. The entrees came out relatively fast and were large portions. Cooked very well, yet under seasoned, our meal was reminiscent of the classic dinners from the 1960s or so. Although we enjoyed our food, there was nothing spectacular about it and it was slightly more expensive than other steakhouses in the area. I can see why the Palm may be more popular amongst the older generations, but not nouveau enough for younger crowds.
What I ate:
Chilean Sea Bass
with corn relish
Creamed Spinach
Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Plus Keith ate:
Prime Rib
