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I've been a longtime aficionado of the landmark
Palm Restaurant in Los Angeles, which is famous for its great food, celebrities, and as a place to 'see and be seen'. I was looking forward to having dinner at the Palm Las Vegas for the first time. The Palm Las Vegas is located in the fabulous Caesar's Palace Forum shops, which is a gorgeous location for a restaurant.
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The Las Vegas Palm Restaurant.
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The
Palm Restaurant is the nation's oldest classic American steakhouse. The northern Italian entrepreneurs Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi`s original 1926 New York City steakhouse on Second Avenue has grown into a thriving empire of 30 restaurants, spanning the continent from Boston to Los Angeles, the newest one in San Diego.
The Palm
Restaurant's tradition in 1926 intended it to be a restaurant specializing in cuisine from their native Parma, Italy. Some of John Ganzi`s original Italian dishes are still on the menu today, reinforcing The Palm`s reputation as the Italian steakhouse.
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The Palm Los Angeles.
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It was pleasant and interesting to discover the history of the
The Palm
Restaurant's 'dynasty'. The restaurants are the oldest family-owned white tablecloth restaurant to expand across the United States and still maintain family ownership. They have built a core of "regular" customers supplemented by convention-goers, business travelers, and tourists.
The Palm
Restaurant's have prospered while remaining true to the original owners credo: "Exceed the customer's expectation, and treat everyone who walks through our door as if they are family." And that is exactly what they do. You are made to feel welcome and accommodated.
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Waiter Frankie Storione and assistant general manager Tayna Hodge of The Palm Las Vegas.
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Dining at the
Palm restaurant in Las Vegas definitely puts you 'in a New York state of mind'. There is an authentic New York Italian flavor. Our delightfully entertaining waiter, Frankie Storione, could have been a character out of a Robert DiNero or Sylvestre Stallone movie (I wanted to sign him right there on the spot!). Being part N.Y. Italian, this is a genre that is close to my heart. I loved experiencing the true old-fashioned New York vibe that is rare anymore in the progressive, fast-paced world of today. And while being personable and entertaining, the service was right on par.
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The Palm insures outstanding quality of all their steaks and prime rib by owning their own meat company.
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And, of course, a legendary restaurant would not be so if it were not for it's memorable cuisine. T
The Palm
Restaurant's menu is known for distinguished preparations of fresh seafood, poultry, pasta, veal, prime steaks, Nova Scotia lobsters, and more. Steaks and seafood were not part of the original concept of
The Palm
Restaurant began out of an effort to cater to its clientele of artists and writers. Every time a customer asked for a steak, John Ganzi ran up Second Avenue to a nearby butcher shop, bought a steak, and cooked to order. Today, The Palm runs its own meat wholesale company to ensure the quality of its steaks.
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Their hugely popular Lobster Diablo.
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The Palm
Restaurant's reputation for seafood started with third generation owners Wally Ganzi and Bruce Bozzi who introduced the gargantuan four-to-eight pound lobsters in the 1970s and disproved the theory that large lobsters are tough. Almost overnight The
Palm
Restaurant went from selling 150 pounds of lobster per week to 25,000 pounds per week. The night I was there I was amazed to see so many lobster dinners being served all night. All I could think of was 'Why did I not get the lobster?!'. Then I looked down and took another bite of my amazing filet mignon and I never looked back.
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Caricatures of celebrities and customers adorn the walls in all the Palm Restaurants.
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If all this was not enough to make the
Palm
Restaurant
a truly memorable restaurant, the walls of each
Palm are covered with caricatures of local notables and national celebrities. The tradition started when John and Pio had no money to decorate. In a twist on the old saying "sing for your supper," local newspapermen would draw a cartoon in exchange for a plate of spaghetti. The original
Palm Restaurant at 837 Second Avenue is a virtual museum of cartoons and caricatures. Many of the familiar faces drawn on its walls date back to the 1920s when the restaurant was opened by Italian immigrants Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi.
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Cityscape of New York City, circa 1920.
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Back in the early days of The Palm, most of the caricatures were drawn using magic marker, charcoal, or pastels. Unfortunately, many of the original colors have faded over time. In 1995 the caricatures were professionally restored to preserve these legendary drawings. Presently, each of the walls in the New York flagship are insured for a half million dollars. T
he Palm has an affiliation with the American Cartoon Association which holds its annual dinners at The Palm. These cartoons can still be seen on the walls of the original Palm. The caricature tradition was started by King Features artist Jolly Bill Steinke. Legend has it that Jolly Bill spent so much of his free time at The Palm, he was often asked by other regulars to draw their caricatures. Since then,
Palm customers from all over the globe have contributed their likenesses to The Palm`s restaurants.
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The Las Vegas Palm is located in the beautiful Ceasar's Forum Shops.
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At
The Palm, the past and the present merge as one. Its enduring influence is a testament to exceptional service and an unmatched atmosphere that have made
The Palm "The Classic American Steakhouse" and definitely a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Las Vegas Palm ~ (702) 732-7256
www.ThePalm.com
3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
The Palm Los Angeles
9001 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90069
(310) 550-8811 Fax: 310.278.5334
The
Palm Restaurant has recently announced the release of its first-ever cookbook, The
Palm Restaurant Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Classic American Steak House, by Brigit Legere Binns. You can go to their website for more information.
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