The Palm (restaurant)
| Palm | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1926 |
| Current owner(s) | Wally Ganzi, Bruce Bozzi |
| Head chef | First Chef and brief founder DOMINIC ZAZZERA- |
| Food type | Steakhouse |
| Street address | 837 Second Avenue (between East 44th Street and East 45th Street) in Manhattan |
| City | New York City |
| State | New York |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 40°45′06″N 73°58′16″W / 40.751642°N 73.971087°W |
| Other locations | United States (various), Mexico City, London |
| Website | ThePalm.com |
The Palm is an American fine-dining steakhouse that opened in 1926. It is located in New York City at 837 Second Avenue (between East 44th Street and East 45th Street) in Manhattan.[1]
Since its beginnings, management has opened additional restaurants throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The Palm is notable for steak, lobster, traditional Italian dishes and the caricatures of individuals sketched on its walls.
History
Italian immigrants Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi opened the first Palm restaurant in 1926. It was originally intended to be named La Parma, but a city licensing clerk misunderstood the thick Italian accent of the founders. The owners found it was easier to change the name than to get the license reissued.
The Palm served as a luncheon and dinner club for members of the city's newspapers for many years. The New York Daily Mirror and King Features (cartoon syndicated) were located on 45th Street between Second and Third Avenues; the Daily News, United Press (later United Press International) and United Features (cartoon syndicate) were located in the Daily News Building on 42nd Street and Second Avenue. The Herald Tribune was on 41st Street and Third Avenue and the World Telegram was on 49th Street and Third Avenue. The proximity of the cartoon syndicates led to the colorful caricatures on the walls. The original Palm consisted of one room at 837 Second Avenue, then it expanded to the second room and eventually to the second floor before opening across the street.
Cuisine
After the Palm was opened it operated as a conventional Italian restaurant offering fare similar to that found in New York's Little Italy neighborhood. Early in its history, however, Bozzi and Ganzi fielded a request for steak and the owners broiled it after retrieving meat from a Second Avenue butcher. As related in the Palm cook book, the first request led to others and the items were put on the menu.
Later, the Palm added Nova Scotia lobsters and aged USDA Prime beef, often served bone-in, as well as a selection of salads.
Reviews
In 2013, Zagats gave it a food rating of 25.[2]
Caricatures
A defining feature of the restaurant's brand has been the tradition of caricatures covering the walls. Those depicted in the murals are celebrities, famous politicians, as well as prominent sports and media figures.
The Palm's historical materials contend that the caricature tradition began as a twist on the phrase "sing for your meal" where an artist who enjoyed the fare would pay for his meal by drawing a portrait on the wall. Additionally, featured celebrities have often provided an autograph next to their portrait.
Later, as the brand expanded, this tradition continued at other locations.
Expansion
The Palm opened its second location in Washington, D.C. in December 1972.[3] According to the company's web site, the prodding of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, then U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, encouraged the families to open the second location. Bush often quipped that there was a "lack of good American fare" in the capital city.[4]
In 1973, the restaurant's third location, the "Palm Too," opened across the street from the original New York location. During the 1970s the restaurants also expanded to three other cities, Los Angeles, Houston and East Hampton, NY.
The Palm found another home in 2000. The Nashville, TN location opened in the heart of music row. The restaurant is situated across from the Nashville Predators Bridgestone Arena and is a popular hot spot.
Diversification
In 1980, the company took over the management of two historic hotels, the Huntting Inn and the Hedges Inn, both located in East Hampton, New York. The company also operated its own wholesale meat company, JORM, though now the Company purchases meat from a third party.
The Palm today
Wally Ganzi, the grandson of John Ganzi, and Bruce Bozzi, grandson of Pio Bozzi, are third generation members of the family to operate The Palm, which has expanded into an international restaurant chain.
Today The Palm has approximately 30 locations in cities throughout the United States as well as locations in Puerto Rico and Mexico.[5] The company is the largest family-owned, U.S.-based chain of "fine dining" restaurants.
For frequent guests, the Palm has established a loyalty program called the "837 Club," which gets its name from the street number of the original Palm. Member benefits include discounts on meals, "points" accumulation that can be used to purchase meals, a free lobster on the member's birthday and other offers.
The restaurant's motto is "the place to see and to be seen."
During the summer of 2011, The Palm underwent a brand refresh, which included new tableware, uniforms, signage, and an updated visual identity manifested in a new website and a new ad campaign. Additionally, The Palm incorporated a number of new dishes into its menu to coincide with the brand refresh.[6]
Cookbooks
- Binns, Brigit Légère (2003). The Palm Restaurant cookbook: recipes and stories from the classic American steakhouse. Philadelphia: Running Press. ISBN 0-7624-1583-5. OCLC 53068942.
Support of Denver's Unauthorized Camping Ordinance
In 2012, The Palm Denver's general sales manager, Wendy Klein, spoke in support of an unauthorized camping ordinance.[7] Since May 2013, various citizen organizations, including Occupy Denver, Move On, and Colorado Foreclosure Resistance Coalition, have protested outside the Denver restaurant. An article detailing these actions and calling for protests at international The Palm locations was recently published.[8]
References
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Dresden, Donald. "The Palm: A Capital Copy of a New York Favorite." Washington Post. January 14, 1973.
- ↑ "The Palm Timeline". The Palm Restaurant. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved August 10, 2008.
- ↑ "Find Your Palm". The Palm Restaurant. 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011./
- ↑ "The Palm Unveils Brand Refresh in Celebration of Its 85th Anniversary". RestaurantNews.com. 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011./
- ↑ "The Palm Denver's manager Wendy Klein speaks in support of unauthorized camping ordinance". Retrieved October 6, 2013.
- ↑ "Article on PopularResistance.org". Retrieved October 6, 2013.