Palomino

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food_lover_35

Joined 7 years ago

Very tasty, worth the money and warm atmosphere. My husband and I visited the Palomino after an exhausting afternoon of shopping last Wednesday night. The food was very good and more reasonably priced than most downtown Indianapolis restaurants.

We picked it simply because it had the most customers on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. As we stepped through the threshold, I felt embraced by a warm and relaxing atmosphere. I can?t say the host was terribly friendly, but they did immediately offer to take our coats, and we did not have to wait for a table. Our server, though vaguely indifferent to our presence, brought drinks and food promptly.

Our first inclination was just to have soup and a glass wine, but as we saw plate after plate of amazing creations pass our table; we opted to split the prime rib and a salad. WOW! We began with the ?baby field greens with chevre and pumpkin seeds salad? with

extra virgin olive oil and crumbled goat cheese ($5.95). I forget to request dressing on the side, and this is the first time I wasn?t disappointed! The salad was amazingly simple in construction, but wildly succeeded in taste and appearance. It felt the perfect blend of textures and flavors. The pumpkin seeds were delicious.

With perfect timing, our lack-luster server brought our medium-rare ?Smoked and Rock Salt Roasted Prime Rib? beautifully split on two plates (at no additional cost). We both had about 7-8 ounces of succulent beef on our plates, accompanied by outstanding mashed potatoes, grilled veggies and freshly shredded horseradish. The prime rib's layers of flavor made each bite heaven!

I had grown annoyed at constantly paying too much for mediocre food. The Palomino restored my faith that a restaurant can be worth the money. We also enjoyed an enjoyable little cabernet called Cellar #8 for $6.95/glass.

So the food was superb and the atmosphere inviting. The promptness and efficiency of our service helped ease our frustrations with his dour demeanor.

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lindsayny

Joined 7 years ago

Consistently a Great Dine!. We have been in Indy for less than a year, and we have been to this place more times than we can count! Food is consistently full of flavor, and the service is always great. The NY strip is awesome, esp with the garlic butter overtop. The pasta dishes are always a great meal and the parmesean crusted tilapia is awesome!. We love the bread served with chunky, tomato/cheese concoction. Not too pricey. This place is great!

(I would never complain that the food came out TOO hot!)

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deryckramey

Joined 8 years ago

Great Promise, Little Success. The lack of success this store offers I believe sits in the kitchen, but not neccessarily with the chef of the night. This menu, while interesting and exciting, does not succeed. In a downtown restaurant taste is just as important as originality. I ordered the Tiger Shrimp starter and complimented it with Prawn Tortallini. The prawns were served too hot and I was forced to wait for them to cool, this should not have happened. The platting is an obvious push for Palomino's, but it has no flair or design. The service was fantastic from host to server. I may have to try this store again, but right now it is not recommended.

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glennrichard

Joined 9 years ago

Palomino is a thoroughbred. I've eaten at the flagship restaurant in Seattle; the beautiful version in Palm Desert, and finally, at the Indianapolis store. I can truthfully say that I was completely surprised by the food (Copper River Salmon), the service (equal or surpassed that of the other locations, up to and including the parting hug the waitress gave my wife as we were leaving our table!). My wife commented that her salad (main entree, as she's a vegetarian) was one of the best she'd had. I'm coming to town in May, and I'll be taking a friend there to dinner (my wife's staying home this time). It's an exquisite experience, a real surprise in Nap City, let me tell you!

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dogbrick

Joined 11 years ago

Upscale Downtown Dining at its Finest. Palomino is located right downtown and near many hotels. The interior is very contemprary, with lots of low lighting and maroon. The food is excellent, and it ranges from seafood to wood-fired pizzas. They also have a great wine selection, and even a couple decent beers. The service here is very good as well. Definitely a must-stop if you find yourself in downtown Indy.

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tmstz

Joined 11 years ago

Loved it!. Great food and service. The waiter recommendations were great. I would come here again.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Ground zero for trendy dining, this ultra-mod bistro turns out tasty Mediterranean dishes.. The Scene
Strategically located at the downtown corner of Illinois and Maryland streets, this spacious dining room with the imported light fixtures and giant Matisse prints, is ground zero for trendy dining in Indianapolis. Palomino's ultra-contemporary look features tomato-colored walls and centerpieces as big as public art.

The Food
The performance kitchen lets its imagination run wild with Mediterranean entrees such as braised lamb shank with mashed yams, Tuscan meatloaf under mushroom demi glaze, and wafer-thin pizzas scooped from the wood-fired oven. The dishes are delivered to the tables by a handsome crew of servers who know their way around a ginger-fired chicken breast in apricot-cilantro sauce. Don't order until they've revealed the daily specials, which could be anything from honey-peppercorn-seared salmon to tomato-bacon-mushroom soup.

Dish to Die For
Rigatoni Bolognese.