Palma

09/16/2008 Posted by Moniq77

The food is very flavorful, the menu has a lot to offer and I can go there with my vegetarian friends. Absolutely looooove the aragosta salad!!!!!!!! Its my favorite thing to eat there... Its huge and great!! My friend gets the gamberoni , which he loves! The pappardelle ragu d'agnello is sooo good and its hard to stop eating then once youve started!! I love coming here with friends.

07/27/2008 Posted by secretagentman469

I’ve eaten here a number of times and usually it’s a pleasant experience. Palma has always been talked about for their quality food and service. Just found it odd on a weekend night when there were 7 tables outside with one server. With one person serving 7 tables, it is obvious there is only so much 1 person can do. With a single server, a host who is standing around looking jovial, I was questioning the management of the establishment especially on a weekend. Since I’ve eaten here a handful of times, I know things are not run like this all the time. I

Pros: Fine dining

Cons: Shorthanded service and questionable teamwork.

07/18/2008 Posted by carolineshine

I have been dining at Palma since it's opening in 2001. I am happy to say that I consider it one of my top 5 "regular" places to go when I want a meal that I know will be exactly what I am in the mood for. Although there have been some evenings, when it is crowded, the service may be somewhat delayed but I have never experienced any one being outwardly rude. The calamari is some of the best I have eaten anywhere, the zuppa fragrant and so fun to eat! Fresh branzino and some very fine specials created by Chef Elena that I have never found anywhere else. Eating in the garden in the summer is so delightful, at lunchtime I just want to stay for hours! My only gripe is that I wish they would bring back the "di mare", a dish with assorted grilled seafood - clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, lobster - I miss it!! I always enjoy the cuisine here and will continue to dine here year round!

05/20/2008 Posted by lauranal

First of all, Cornelia Street is one of the best streets in NYC, right in the middle of the West Village, so quaint! Second, Palma is on this street and it is truly a "find"! My friend introduced me to this restaurant because she rented the back "house" portion of the restaurant for a private birthday dinner. The food was excellent. Lots of seafood on the menu with fresh pastas. Great wine and the whole ambience made you feel like you in were in a rustic home in Italy. Fabulous!

Pros: Cute, Quaint

02/18/2008 Posted by ornswayl

We had our wedding dinner in the carriage house and couldn't have asked for a more intimate and romantic dining experience. The food was unique and very tasteful. The wine was excellent and the service was superior! An unexpected was the cake, hands down, the wedding cake was the best cake I have ever tasted period. It will most certainly be a destination every trip to New York!

Pros: Atmosphere, food, service,

Cons: none

02/02/2008 Posted by DavidandSusan

Interesting to see two such sharply divided opinions about this place. While one group has been treated horribly, the other has had wonderful times there. Sadly, we’re in the former. We live nearby, and were hoping to make this one of our haunts, because – admittedly – the food is very good. We’re very patient, and have a high tolerance for the occasional restaurant snafu when things get busy. We always make an effort to be pleasant, because we feel that human interaction is an enjoyable part of the dining experience. We gave Palma a couple of tries in the hope that their rudeness was just a glitch. For some reason, the staff behaved each time as if they preferred we drop dead. Each of the negative reviews reflect some aspect of our treatment there, including being ignored, lied to about reservations, and treated with such cold disdain, I wondered if I had forgotten to shower. We had been planning to book their house in the back for our daughter’s wedding party, but that became unthinkable. Too bad. I’m going to miss that calamari.

Pros: Good Food

Cons: Horrible Service. Have never been so badly treated in any restaurant

09/08/2007 Posted by linda_lukas

As a resident of the West Village and someone who likes to cook I have the choice to dine in a lot of restaurants and know good food. After two visits to Palma I can't wait for my next visit. Arriving on a busy summer Saurday evening we were warmly welcomed and enjoyed fabulous strawberry mojitos at the lovely bar while we waited for a table in the enchanting garden. Before we finished our drinks we were escorted to our table. We chose from an abundant and interesting menu. Both the calamari and grilled baby artichoke stuffed with ricotta were perfect starters. Crispy, succulent and pefectly prepared. Not to mention unbelieveably generous portions. For our second course we shared an unusual lamb ravioli with a very noteworthy spicy, plump marinara sauce. We shared a superbly prepared swordfish in caper and lemon sauce. Our waitress was delightful and very pleased to hear our comments about recipe experiences. The charming host stopped by the table periodically to see how we were doing. In spite of how busy the restaurant was we were never rushed and when we left the staff including the chef bid us goodbye as though we were family. Eating at Palma feels like being in an Italian country home surrounded by happy people in a sparkling courtyard, intimate, festive and absolutely delicious.

Pros: Excellent cuisine in sparkling intimate atmosphere

Cons: Festive dining can be a little noisy...not for intimate conversation on a Saturday night.

08/28/2007 Posted by rock4ya

Amazing, outstanding and a touch of love is how I will explain my dining experience at this restaurant. I was told to dine here from an elite group of friends. Let me say, they were right about everything from the service to the food. We were greeted by the manager who seated us quickly on what seemed to be a busy night. I love him, by the way, he was easy on the eyes. The sea bass course was delightful, while friends enjoyed the zupa and homemade gnocchi.....The lovely waitress was so right in her wine choice. Everything was right about this place, just a bit loud at times. Anyway, I will definitely come again and send my friends but next time I want the beautiful garden. See you next time in New York..........

Pros: Manager and staff, plus garden and fresh fruit drinks.

Cons: noisey a bit

08/28/2007 Posted by boygreen

Alright, coming from the west coast and dining at places such as the famed IVY, ORSO, PASTIS, CHOCOLAT and so on, I think I know a thing or two about some fine dinin'. Palma, is definitely now my new favorite place. I completely forgot I was in the nations largest city and my god was the food amazing! I do highly recommend the sea bass with artichokes accompanied by a white sangria. If you have a huge appetite you have to have lamb over pasta for starters. To finish off or maybe if you're itchen' for some sensual sweetness, a must is the dark chocolate sorbet; it is absolutely sinful but oh so heavenly. Along with the exquisite food, the service was absolutely charming. It's unfortunate that the previous reviewer carried a sense of entitlement prominent in the Blondie hazed glitz of LA LA land. I found the eccentric & entertaining New York personalities refreshing leaving me definitely wanting more.

Pros: personable and attentive staff, impecable food, and beautiful floral arrangements.

Cons: It may get a little too loud becuase of the large groups.

08/18/2007 Posted by budur1

Beware of the nasty bartender/manager who insists on a self-imposed assumption that he is God's gift to this Earth. Even though the food is good, we will not be returning as we just don't feel like in New York City, where there are thousands of fabulous restaurants, we should have to be subjected to mood swings of badly-mannered staff. I'd much rather walk the extra block and enjoy the splendor of BABBO where the staff is actually happy to see you!

Pros: The food and the simple setting of this restaurant are really wonderful

Cons: dismissive and annoying staff with a major chip on their collective shoulder