Portions play a factor, as does the “comfort-level” of the restaurant, which is grouped in the ambience category. Being crammed tightly into a space or learning that the gentleman next to you had a prostate exam that day would tend to lower this score. Lastly, the diversity of the dining patrons will be evaluated. In fairness, restaurants cannot control completely the diverse nature of its clientele. However, let’s face it, we are often more likely to dine at a place in an environment befitting our cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Thus, this criteria will be evaluated as well. Additionally, I will note if there are vegetarian options and also whether choices are available for the lactose intolerant.
The Palm
One of my all-time favorite movies is “Broadcast News.” If you’ve seen it, you’ll no doubt remember the scene where Albert Brooks is chastising Holly Hunter for her poor choice in men (William Hurt), asserting that Hurt, “Just coasts along—flash over substance.”
Restaurants also have a propensity to do this on occasion, especially in Atlanta where often style is more celebrated than substance. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that restaurants of this ilk fare miserably and usually incur my wrath. After all, you’re going out to eat to be satisfied with your meal, not just to look cute, don’t you? Right? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
You get my drift.
The Palm, a glam steakhouse chain for the ostentatious, reminds me of the principle Brooks outlines to Hunter in the movie.
Yet, there’s a myriad of paradoxical pairings at this Buckhead establishment. For one thing, it’s upscale dining but in a room full of garish celebrity caricatures splattered on the wall, who all supposedly have dined at this chain. “I’ll be back,” says Governator Schwarzenegger’s drawing on the wall.
Another example is the wait staff, most of whom are formal, yet delightfully congenial and welcoming. I feel almost torn marginalizing The Palm just because of how friendly these people were.
However, plain and simple, most of the food just doesn’t deliver on any level.
It started with the calamari, which, in a nutshell, was utterly bland. Even the marinara couldn’t resuscitate how unappetizing and devoid of taste this was. It simply tasted like, well, fried nothingness.
Then, the aforementioned convivial wait staff sent out a complimentary onion strings and cottage fries appetizer, since this was my first time at the restaurant. Apparently, it was battered in the same drab breading as the calamari, as the coating was really all you could taste. Onion strings where you can’t detect the onion? The more I munched, the less I enjoyed and the more I could feel my arteries clogging from the overpowering unsavory fried mess. One positive thing I could say---the portions were quite large, but again, with a dearth of taste, I wouldn’t have needed a ¼ of size.
The coup de grace came in the form of the $37 a la carte 9 ounce filet, which was served moderately tepid. The Terminator would not have been back had he eaten this. Apparently, my steak had been sitting while my friend’s lamb was being cooked. I will say his lamb was prepared superbly and easily the best dish I tasted all night, even though I’ll admit I’ve historically not been a gigantic lamb fan. It was served hot, as I had wished my steak had been...
Yes, back to my steak. This filet, lauded by our waiter effusively as the best in the city when I noted I had tried all of the other steakhouses in Atlanta, was woefully ineffectual. Aside from the temperature, it just didn’t burst with the sapidity you’d expect from USDA Prime. I’ve enjoyed USDA Choice better than what I was served here. With the price tag almost doubled what USDA choice would cost, you can imagine my disappointment.
The side dishes were spinach and hand cut fries. The former was acceptable and the latter was quite good actually.
Dessert, in the form of key lime pie, was the most appetizing part of the evening, though I can’t ever recall a restaurant seriously maiming key lime pie, can you? I must heap some praise on The Palm here, though, in that the portion size was quite substantial. It was at this point that I thought maybe I should have skipped the whole dinner thing and just proceeded directly to dessert. Would have saved me about $75.
Patrons wise, despite its Buckhead location, the restaurant was surprisingly diverse on my visit, though you’ll no doubt have to encounter a plethora of the stodgy supercilious folk. Just ignore them. I always do.
Plenty of options for the lactose intolerant including lobster, lamb, chicken, and pork chops. Vegetarians of the world will struggle, not surprisingly, since this is a steakhouse, but there are several salads and a pasta dish which will fit the bill.
I’ll leave open the possibility of redemption with the Nova Scotia lobster, which I did not try, but was touted as one of the house’s specialty by our waiter. However, keep in mind, he also sang the praises of the steak, too, so his credibility was in a tenuous place from my vantage point. In light of the fact the disappointing steak was already close to $40, I’m not sure I’d be willing in the future to sink the budget even further with the prodigious price tag attached to the lobster.
As you can tell, the restaurant elicited a great deal of ambivalence on my part---wowed by the inviting staff but underwhelmed by the quality of the food. Amazing really considering the crowd to which this restaurant appeals. I certainly do not consider myself to have an aristocratic palate, but if my meal on this evening was not an anomaly, I’m thoroughly confounded as to how this restaurant could possibly please the Buckhead upper echelon? Yet, somehow, I must be in the minority or perhaps stumbled into a rough night in the kitchen.
If I were to ever to return, I guess my best bet would likely be to try the lobster or the lamb. Frankly, however, if I’m going to drop this kind of money, I’d rather not take any more chances.
Food: C (The lamb buoyed the grade.)
Service: A
Portions: A
Ambience/Comfort: A
Diversity Of Dining Patrons: Good
Vegetarian Options: Limited
Options For Lactose Intolerant: Yes
OVERALL GRADE: C
FINAL COMMENT: Did I mention the wait staff? Man, those people were sublime!
Restaurants also have a propensity to do this on occasion, especially in Atlanta where often style is more celebrated than substance. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that restaurants of this ilk fare miserably and usually incur my wrath. After all, you’re going out to eat to be satisfied with your meal, not just to look cute, don’t you? Right? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
You get my drift.
The Palm, a glam steakhouse chain for the ostentatious, reminds me of the principle Brooks outlines to Hunter in the movie.
Yet, there’s a myriad of paradoxical pairings at this Buckhead establishment. For one thing, it’s upscale dining but in a room full of garish celebrity caricatures splattered on the wall, who all supposedly have dined at this chain. “I’ll be back,” says Governator Schwarzenegger’s drawing on the wall.
Another example is the wait staff, most of whom are formal, yet delightfully congenial and welcoming. I feel almost torn marginalizing The Palm just because of how friendly these people were.
However, plain and simple, most of the food just doesn’t deliver on any level.
It started with the calamari, which, in a nutshell, was utterly bland. Even the marinara couldn’t resuscitate how unappetizing and devoid of taste this was. It simply tasted like, well, fried nothingness.
Then, the aforementioned convivial wait staff sent out a complimentary onion strings and cottage fries appetizer, since this was my first time at the restaurant. Apparently, it was battered in the same drab breading as the calamari, as the coating was really all you could taste. Onion strings where you can’t detect the onion? The more I munched, the less I enjoyed and the more I could feel my arteries clogging from the overpowering unsavory fried mess. One positive thing I could say---the portions were quite large, but again, with a dearth of taste, I wouldn’t have needed a ¼ of size.
The coup de grace came in the form of the $37 a la carte 9 ounce filet, which was served moderately tepid. The Terminator would not have been back had he eaten this. Apparently, my steak had been sitting while my friend’s lamb was being cooked. I will say his lamb was prepared superbly and easily the best dish I tasted all night, even though I’ll admit I’ve historically not been a gigantic lamb fan. It was served hot, as I had wished my steak had been...
Yes, back to my steak. This filet, lauded by our waiter effusively as the best in the city when I noted I had tried all of the other steakhouses in Atlanta, was woefully ineffectual. Aside from the temperature, it just didn’t burst with the sapidity you’d expect from USDA Prime. I’ve enjoyed USDA Choice better than what I was served here. With the price tag almost doubled what USDA choice would cost, you can imagine my disappointment.
The side dishes were spinach and hand cut fries. The former was acceptable and the latter was quite good actually.
Dessert, in the form of key lime pie, was the most appetizing part of the evening, though I can’t ever recall a restaurant seriously maiming key lime pie, can you? I must heap some praise on The Palm here, though, in that the portion size was quite substantial. It was at this point that I thought maybe I should have skipped the whole dinner thing and just proceeded directly to dessert. Would have saved me about $75.
Patrons wise, despite its Buckhead location, the restaurant was surprisingly diverse on my visit, though you’ll no doubt have to encounter a plethora of the stodgy supercilious folk. Just ignore them. I always do.
Plenty of options for the lactose intolerant including lobster, lamb, chicken, and pork chops. Vegetarians of the world will struggle, not surprisingly, since this is a steakhouse, but there are several salads and a pasta dish which will fit the bill.
I’ll leave open the possibility of redemption with the Nova Scotia lobster, which I did not try, but was touted as one of the house’s specialty by our waiter. However, keep in mind, he also sang the praises of the steak, too, so his credibility was in a tenuous place from my vantage point. In light of the fact the disappointing steak was already close to $40, I’m not sure I’d be willing in the future to sink the budget even further with the prodigious price tag attached to the lobster.
As you can tell, the restaurant elicited a great deal of ambivalence on my part---wowed by the inviting staff but underwhelmed by the quality of the food. Amazing really considering the crowd to which this restaurant appeals. I certainly do not consider myself to have an aristocratic palate, but if my meal on this evening was not an anomaly, I’m thoroughly confounded as to how this restaurant could possibly please the Buckhead upper echelon? Yet, somehow, I must be in the minority or perhaps stumbled into a rough night in the kitchen.
If I were to ever to return, I guess my best bet would likely be to try the lobster or the lamb. Frankly, however, if I’m going to drop this kind of money, I’d rather not take any more chances.
Food: C (The lamb buoyed the grade.)
Service: A
Portions: A
Ambience/Comfort: A
Diversity Of Dining Patrons: Good
Vegetarian Options: Limited
Options For Lactose Intolerant: Yes
OVERALL GRADE: C
FINAL COMMENT: Did I mention the wait staff? Man, those people were sublime!
posted by Thomas | 8:16 PM
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