The Palm Restaurant

After nearly three decades, the Palm Restaurant remains a favorite haunt with many business and social elite. Caricatures of local celebs are a trademark, along with Nova Scotia lobsters and deftly grilled, aged steaks. What makes a good steakhouse, of course, is lots of rich-flavored meat, and there’s plenty of that on the a la carte menu at the Palm, along with classic red leather-booth ambiance. For many diners, the Palm remains the quintessential, still-relevant, old-school steakhouse. It is, too, for some, home away from home, thanks partly to gregarious Jim Martin, who has managed the Houston location since 1978. Under his close watch, the kitchen rarely falters in turning out steaks that are perfectly charred and salty on the exterior, so that the result is a pleasurable crunch when you take a bite. As for sides, consider the creamed spinach or the half & half – cottage fries with fried onions. And when in season, try the watermelon with buffalo mozzarella – a refreshing, sweet, salty, creamy, tangy combo.