Visit #7 · Theater District, Manhattan
The Palm West Side
- Score
- 66/100
- Worth a return visit
- maybe
- Ranked
- #7/8
Manhattan, 6 out of 10
Arrived in a martini glass rather than a coupe, with a Luxardo cherry on a cocktail pick across the rim. Nice and cold. It was “light on the bite” and a bit too sweet.
Shrimp Cocktail, 6 out of 10
Four good-size shrimp. The snap was on the soft side, and some parts were “slightly mushy.” The cocktail sauce had good taste, texture and bite.
Filet Mignon, 22 out of 30
The center-cut filet was cooked perfectly to the medium rare I ordered and it was great in parts and lacking in others. The crust was terrific in some areas and non-existent in others; it could’ve used more salt. For the most part, the meat was slightly “tough” and a bit “chewy”; there was very little fat throughout, though several cuts had noticeable strings of fat.
Creamed Spinach, 7 out of 10
The creamed spinach tasted good, though it was a bit too saucy.
New York Cheesecake, 3 out of 5
There was no graham crust. The tip and center had a great texture: firm, creamy, velvety, smooth and rich. The back had an almost “feta”-like texture. It came with a very thick caramel “drizzle” and whipped cream; no berries.
The Room, 8 out of 10
The room had character, with distinctive cartoon caricatures covering the walls and good partitioning throughout. The ambient dimness was well judged, with the right amount of task lighting on the tables. The acoustics were good. The classic background music wasn’t too loud.
Service, 7 out of 10
Service was generally good, though the wait between the shrimp cocktail and the filet was quite long. Creamed spinach debris remained on the table, so crumbing would have been appropriate. Also, oddly: the server warned me that the cheesecake was a “cranberry concoction” and asked whether I still wanted it - but what arrived was a typical New York cheesecake.
Extras, 2 out of 5
The bread basket was fine, but there was no white bread or rolls.
Value, 5 out of 10
The filet was $73, the Manhattan $22, the creamed spinach $16, the shrimp cocktail $25 and the cheesecake $14. That is $150 before tax for the order. Not bad, but felt a bit hefty all-things-considered.