Palma

11/04/09

Romantic, Warm and Genuine

by Santorini

If you want to fall in love go to Palma's. The chef is really from Italy so the food is made with care and is fresh and delicious. The Zuppe de Pesce is to die for and can be shared. The pasta is fresh and the fish is superb. I celebrated my birthday in the 1810 Carriage House in the rear of the Garden. Everyone is still talking about it. How about warm chocolate souffle or Panna Cotta to dream in. The Carriage House is like a Farm House in Tuscany or France with Candles and family photos. I loved it!!

• Pros: A unique Garden and Carriage House
• Cons: Garden Seats Fill up Fast

09/14/09

Disappointing

by bchbumnyc

We finally decided to eat here one evening after a few years of saying, "we should eat here one evening." Food was fine but not memorable. Service was inconsistent - we probably had 4 different servers through the evening which is fine however they apparently don't speak to one another. We were asked if we were ready to order drinks twice, said yes, but then the servers would leave without taking an order. We asked what the specials were, which seemed to be an imposition. One of the persons in our party order a special and raved about it, the remaining 3 of us ordered from the menu and were not wowed. Dessert was wonderful! I might give this place another try because it may have been an off night but I wouldn't rush back.

• Pros: lovely indoor space with warm lighting & a beautiful garden
• Cons: service

07/27/09

Best little Italian Place!

by mbrook

This place is just like dining in Tuscany! We've passed it by for years and now we wish we had gone in earlier. The garden in the back is to die for... just like being in Europe! The food was amazing and the chef even came out to check on us. We felt very taken care of and very charmed. We will definately be back for our anniversary!

• Pros: Good service, great food!

06/30/09

Best Kept Italian Secret in Town

by BillyMae

While the food is wonderful, the atmosphere is relaxing, magical and very European.

• Pros: Great Organic Fresh Italian Food

02/02/09

Homey Yet Elegant: Perfect place for a date, or taking family

by PrimroseGirl

I have lived in the neighborhood for ages, and when I finally found Palma, I knew I'd just found my FAVORITE neighborhood place. The combination of homeyness, hipness, truly tasty food, and just..NICE. people,was lovely. I'm always looking for a place that I can bring friends and family, where I'll feel really at home, but at the same time, it's a bit upscale,. I love the fried artichoke chips as a starter. The best thing is the Mediterranean Sea Bass, which I've had wrapped in paper (!?)and is delicious!! Someone else mentioned thye tours that come through once in a while on a Sunday (in the garden) , but , as a longtime Village resident, I love that people get to see this pretty place with it's 1810 carriagehouse...it makes them feel protective of the Village's beauty!! We do Sunday brunch in the garden all the time in the summer. Support little, homey, artisanal restaurants like Palma...they survived 9/11 with their joyous spirit intact, which is when I firsdt started going there. Go support 'em and find your new cozy place. And when I was there last night, there was an Olson twin and the guy from "S*x and the City!" (not together)

• Pros: Homey but elegant, food can be terrific, lots of celebs, garden is wonderful
• Cons: A little hard to find...Cornelia Street is a really small side street in the Village .

12/10/08

It was okay.

by ShnnnS

The rucola salad was good but the other dishes were all very salty. The wine list wasn't very impressive either.

The service was good but they were definitely in a hurry to clear my plate. (Nothing annoys me more than trying to clear my plates when I'm still eating)

I had a good time but I credit that to my dinner companion. Probably won't be back.

10/27/08

Nice for weekend brunch, but didn't like tacky practice the restaurant has....

by yippee

I've come here for weekend brunch twice. The food was excellent. The ambiance (particularly the outdoor garden out back) is very nice.

But I had a very big problem with the fact that....at least on the weekends (on both my dining occasions there)...I saw that the restaurant apparently allows private tour groups to traipse through the entire restaurant in order to visit the historic carriage house in the back of their garden property. During my last brunch there, four separate tour groups, each with approximately 15 people, came in through the front door (on a very chilly day mind you, which resulted in a drafty feeling) over the course of about 1.5 hours. They walked to the back of the property and when they were done a few minutes later, they all came walking back through the restaurant, (discreetly) looking at the customers, what they were eating, etc..

I can only surmise that the restaurant either gets a "cut" from the tour company, and/or that they are hoping that the tourists who visited the carriage house out back might return to their restaurant one night for dinner...

I find this to be EXTREMELY tacky and inconsiderate on the restaurant's part, and as a result, and on principle only, I will never eat there again.

• Pros: garden out back
• Cons: restaurant allows tour groups to walk through restaurant to see carriage house out back

09/16/08

I love it!

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.

07/27/08

Good Food, questionable service?

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.

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• Pros: Fine dining
• Cons: Shorthanded service and questionable teamwork.

07/18/08

Best crispy calamari in town!

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!