Restaurant Review: The Palm

Restaurant: The Palm
Address: 200 Dartmouth St (inside the Westin), Boston, MA
Website: www.thepalm.com
Rating: D

If you're looking for a great steakhouse in Boston, it's best to look else where. Nay, L, and I were looking forward to trying The Palm since we made Restaurant Week reservations almost a month ago. We strategized entree choices through frequent e-mails and debated the pros and cons of chocolate cake for dessert vs. key lime pie. I've personally been to many of Boston and NY's finer steakhouses and was as giddy as a schoolgirl when I realized that the Restaurant Week reservations were for this evening. Unfortuatenly my calories would've been better spent on a McNugget value meal.

As the last of our trio to arrive, I patiently waited at the bar while Nay and L spent almost 10 minutes flagging down the bartender so they could clear out their tab. We were then led to a dining room so dingy that I would've sworn that the Palm was a Ground Round in its former life. Our waiter was a personable guy (the only reason why this place didn't get an F) but even he had some polishing up to do. For starters we had to specifically request the Restaurant Week menu. After taking my drink order (a 12 year Glenfiddich on the rocks) he arrived back 5 minutes later to loudly announce to the entire dining room that for an extra 75c I could upgrade to the 15 year Glenfiddich. The only way to answer that question is in the affirmative and lucky for me the Glenfiddich I received was so large that Michael Phelps could've swam a gold medal race in it. It should've been. Especially when I looked at the tab and realized that the 2 Glennfiddichs I ordered would be setting me back $29.

The three of us ordered lobster bisque for an app, which was tasted like lukewarm cream of tomato soup. Our main entree was described as twin tenderloins topped with bernaise sauce and lobster garlic mashed potatoes. I ordered my medium rare; L got hers medium; and Nay specifically requested medium well. While mine was medium rare (ice cold, but medium rare), Nay's was so undercooked that I swore I heard a moo come off her plate. L's request of "medium" was largely ignored as well. The lobster garlic mashed were sans lobster, but had plenty of garlic so it wasn't a complete mis-representation. Luckily my Glenfiddichs managed to hit me by the time dessert rolled around, so the chocolate cake wasn't a huge disaster.

It could be the fact that it was Restaurant Week, but for the $33 Fixe Prix menu, my money would've been better spent at Outback. The food at the Palm was so awful that I wouldn't use my expense account at a place like this, never mind pony up for a full priced meal out of my own pocket. Luckily when I'm hanging out with L and Nay I'm always in good company, plus this place happened to be literally across the street from Back Bay Station so getting there was simple enough.

If you're still considering actually eating at this place, the Palm is located at 200 Dartmouth Street in Boston's Back Bay. Parking is available at the Westin as well as the lots in and around Copley Square.