The Palm (East Hampton), 1/14/06

I think its red meat week at the Bergers. After Paul's on Thursday, we were invited to a celebratory birthday dinner for our sister-in-law Melissa at The Palm in East Hampton in Saturday night. The Palm, for those of you who don't know, is a temple to steak.

I'd been to Palm Too and Palm West both in NYC, and JB had been to Palm Too (with me!) and to the Palm in EH before. Actually, it was on his bachelor party weekend so I didn't have too many details and I was excited to try it for myself.

We sat for dinner at 6:30 and the restaurant was mobbed. Families mostly, each with a kid or two, including ours, jammed each table. It was old home week for half of our table who knew the groups on both sides of us. To say it was a scene was an understatement. You'd think it was Boca over Christmas, not Martin Luther King Day in the Hamptons.

Nonetheless, I was there for the steak (and the company of course). We tried to stick to Steakhouse favorites. 4 ribeyes and 2 strips. Sides of creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, green beans and broccoli. Salads all around from caesar to iceberg.

I was the only member of the clean plate club. 12 ounces of steak is no match for me. The first bite was the best - warm, slightly greasy, juicy steak. As I sat, talked, drank and continued eat, the steak became less juicy but kept its flavor. And while I almost threw in the napkin with about 4 bites to go, I perservered after a 5-minute break focusing on the sides.

The sides I had were tremendous with tons of garlic in the green vegetables. We learned the secret ingredients of the mashed potatoes, corn starch and flour, and found them perfectly whipped. I did not try to the creamed spinach, but JB found it a bit thick. There's flour in there, too.

No one had room for dessert but for a birthday we all made the sacrifice. The key lime pie was excellent as was the chocolate mousse pie.

All in all, a great meal. I did not see the bill, nor did I want to, and I can only imagine the cost. This is not a cheap dinner by any means, but worth a splurge to your wallet (and your arteries) once or twice a year.

Until we eat again, KLB