A sunny day with the perfect temperature and a vibrant blue sky is a rarity in Pittsburgh. But, at the new restaurant Palm Palm in East Liberty, it’s an everyday experience.
Palm Palm Paradise
A concept by Herky and Lisa Pollock along with Chef Ed and Amanda Smith, Palm Palm brings a Palm Springs attitude to the Northeast. Think large, waving palm trees, shades of emerald green, gold embellishments, and an overall commitment to all things California. With their official opening on July 6, Palm Palm extended an invitation to TABLE Magazine to take a tour, to try the best and brightest on their menu, and have our own little escape to the West Coast.
Travel to the Coast
When you walk into the large glass doors of Palm Palm on the corner of South Highland and Center Avenue, it feels like you’ve taken a plane ride to somewhere special. Natural light floods the lofty, open space with high ceilings and contemporary pendant lamps shedding copious light.
The lounge at Palm Palm.
A huge, horseshoe-shaped bar wraps around one end of the restaurant while a stylish lounge sits off to the right, full of vintage Palm Springs photographs. The kitchen awaits in the back, just a short walk from the entrance. Just inside the kitchen are two private dining rooms which look directly into the action of the kitchen but maintain an element of intimate privacy. These rooms feature custom-painted murals of cooling greens with gold leaf details, and scalloped velvet chairs.
Inside the kitchen. “Green returns as the focal color of two private chef’s tables. These are separated by walls of glass from the busy (and immaculate) kitchen,” Recker explains. “One is decorated with stylish hand-painted gold foliage inspired by classic Degournay patterns. The other immerses you in watery, cool green brushtrokes and references to lily pads. Both elegant spaces would be fantastic spots for private parties. They’re shielded from the din of the kitchen but not its graceful dance of waiters, chefs, and sous-cooks.”
An Adventure Through Decor
TABLE Magazine Editor-in-Chief Keith Recker found a fondness for the space almost immediately.
“A lovely and lively sense of style creates an atmosphere that provokes a smile, and invites you to linger,” Recker says. “Slim Aaron’s elegant photographs of Palm Springs from the 1970s set the tone: swanky, suave, and unafraid of glamour. References to palm trees, swimming pools, and sun-drenched swimmers clad entirely in white simultaneously lighten the mood and put a little pep in your step.”
“A scalloped architectural grill made of gold-tone metal defines the glamorous bar. A green velveteen banquette anchors the longest wall with a comfortably optimistic appeal. Though we’re seeing the space for the first time in the heat of summer, it promises to be a much-needed anti-depressant during our winter months, when massive doses of sunny color and breezy style are absolutely required.”
Clockwise from top left: Frankie Louise, Palm Reader, Can’t Elope, and Passionista.
The Lively Menu of Palm Palm
Besides the cultivated setting, it’s the warm, friendly waitstaff and what they bring to your table that makes Palm Palm a success. The menu unfolds to reveal tropical cocktails that carry a mature confidence. Our group sipped four different quaffs. Their flavors range from refreshing, bubbly passionfruit in the Passionista to a Frankie Louise with dark rum, pineapple, as well as a red li hing powder. But the selections only expand from there to include a long list of wines from various regions, brunch cocktails, coffee, and homemade sodas.
Left: Flat Iron Wagyu. Right: Tuna Sushi Tots.
Each of these beverages lines you up for a menu of small and large plates from Chef Ed to share with your whole table. The point here is to inspire you to be as present as possible during your stay at Palm Palm. You’re talking with those around you, you’re engaging with the dishes you’re diving into, and you’re immersing yourself in the “total package” of atmosphere that the interior, the team, and the menu present.
Left: Korean Fried Chicken. Right: Bluefin Tuna Steak.
Bite Into a Taste of Palm Springs
On the small plates end of things, nostalgia meets elevated cuisine. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Dumplings take wontons full of cheese and place them over a savory, freshly made tomato soup. Tuna Sushi Tots change up the sushi roll concept by frying the rice into balls and topping them with cucumber, Yum Yum sauce, sesame seeds, scallions, avocado, as well as tiny bites of tuna. Even Street Corn Taquitos upgrade this classic street food into a crunchy shell in a creamy avocado drizzle.
Street Corn Taquitos
If you’re opting to share a larger meal, you cannot go wrong with Korean Fried Chicken, Flat Iron Wagyu, Wagyu Ragu, and Bluefin Tuna Steak. The fried chicken has one of the crunchiest coatings with a sweet and spicy Szechuan syrup. Then, the Flat Iron Wagyu gets doused in a blackberry chimichurri that mixes sweet and herbaceous notes in intriguing ways. The Wagyu Ragu, a riff on the traditional Neapolitan Genovese Classico, is a dish for pasta lovers, featuring a veal demi-glace. Plus, the Bluefin Tuna Steak simply melts in your mouth with a sesame and pistachio coating.
Right: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Dumplings. Left: Pommes Frites & Caviar.
For dessert, look forward to a pastry case full of small cakes, pies, bonbons, and macarons. We ordered the Coconut Mirage, Dark Desire, Key Lime Pie, and The Orange. Each is utterly unique, finishing with beautiful garnishes. Various mousses, ganache, creams, and jellies. Even those who don’t normally find themselves with a sweet tooth will have to indulge in these decadent desserts. (Note: the Key Lime Pie is outstanding.)
See You on the Sunny Side of Life
From the moment you walk through the door to the moment you say arrivederci, Palm Palm is the place you’re going to want to celebrate the summer and stay happy in the cold of winter. The luminous personality of this restaurant perfectly complements the luxurious dishes that adorn the menu. So, meet us where the sun really does shine each day at Palm Palm in East Liberty.
Clockwise from top left: The Orange, Key Lime Pie, and Dark Desire.
Story and Photography by Kylie Thomas
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
