(palomino.com) – Downtown
How I heard of this place: When I first began my subscription to the 5th Avenue Theater, Palomino was listed as one of our dining discount venues. Being so near the theater, our party of 12 found it to be one of the most conveniently located dining options in the area on theater night. Since it’s grand re-opening and make-over earlier this year, this is the first I have had the opportunity to return to Palomino.
Type of cuisine: American-Italian fare. Italian classic pastas, pizzas and flatbreads made with northwest flair.
Ambiance: Set in a shopping center, the restaurant opens up to the lobby space of the third floor of the City Center building. The space is large and open with windows lining one side of the establishment. The bar presents a slightly casual setting with chalkboard-written signs above the barquette, while the main dining area offers comfortable seating at either booths or chair/table pairings. The space feels like such as to welcome happy hour guests (happy hour is every day from 3:00 p.m. until close) in business attire as well as more casual diners.
What I ordered: Having hunger pangs for the hour prior to arriving at Palomino, my dining companion and I opted for a selection of menu items. To start, we ordered the truffle deviled eggs ($7) with pepper bacon. The two, halved, herbed deviled eggs were served cold over strips of chives on a rectangular plate. The pigs in blanket ($8) came six to a bowl, and consisted of spicy Uli’s Italian sausage and a side of smoky ketchup. For dinner, my dining companion selected the baked four cheese trenne ($18) made with fontina, mozzarella, reggiano parmesan, asiago and mascarpone, and baked to toast the breadcrumbs atop. I opted for the summery trenne pasta ($20): prosciutto, fresh peas, cream and truffle oil, topped with shaved reggiano parmesan. Being on a grilled asparagus kick, we couldn’t pass up the grilled asparagus side ($6) with lemon zest. And seeing as how we were already on the sides menu, we also sampled the paper bag potatoes ($6): crushed baby red bliss potatoes, served in a small, white, paper bag already seasoned with salt, romano cheese and crushed red chile.
What I loved: The four cheese pasta was my favorite, though I sampled just one small bite. The grilled asparagus and the potatoes, simple, yet flavorful, kept and were just as delicious the next day!
Why I loved it: The food is better than I had remembered prior to the make-over and I would return for the large portions of high flavor and high calorie Italian-inspired cuisine. The large portions that allow for leftovers is a bonus!
Cost: Average ($16-$22 for a large dinner entree)