September, 2005

Rating : 7 out of 10

Tariff : Dinner for 1

• entree
• 2 glasses of wine
• Dessert
• tip
• $45

You might miss this place even if you have its address. It is located on the second floor and if you are walking, there is little on the ground level to guide you. Once you have found it, you will be glad you did. It is a strikingly beautiful restaurant, very modern, quite posh and has a great view overlooking Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. (Okay, if the truth be known, Fountain Square was undergoing some renovation at the time but it might be scenic by the time you read this.)

Who knew? It’s a chain. Palomino restaurant can be found in several major US cities, owned by the massive Restaurants Limited, Inc. I looked at the menu for one in San Francisco, my home city, and found it identical to the one in Cincinnati.

Wine

Wine by the glass was reasonably priced. I picked from the bottom of the list and got a Burlwood cabernet which turned out to be quite good at only $5.95 a glass, just about half of what some downtown restaurants are charging.

Food

The menu is very nice with a great variety. Appetizers include the standard calamari (but remember you are hundreds of miles away from where calamari is procured) as well as unique offerings such as Roasted Garlic with Cambazola and Crisp Potatoes with Gorgonzola.

Bread has a good crust, is moist and fresh. It is served with a tomato relish. A garlicky pesto would have been more to my liking.

I ordered the Braised Lamb Shank. I had to send it back. I’m used to shank cuts like osso bucco, where the flesh is cooked to such tenderness that it gives way to the merest touch of a fork. This was quite firm, rubbery and void of any of that good lamb flavor. I failed to detect any demi-glace, as was promised. I switched to a USDA Prime Top Sirloin, which arrived within 15 minutes, served with a salty butter scoop (herb de Province butter) on it and was quite flavorful. It was accompanied with potatoes au gratin and lightly cooked beans and carrots.

Dessert

But the best was yet to come. The dessert selected was a Warm Pear Bread Pudding. It was drier and crunchier than a standard New Orleans bread budding. The chef had taken some liberties with the Big Easy institution. I am used to its less-than-spectacular presentation (usually a small brick of brownish cake) but this was a visual delight. Served in a skillet with tips of bread browned in the oven, topped off with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, it was as much a treat for the eyes as for the tongue.

The Service

My waitress was new, I think, but very attentive. She never had the lamb, it would make her cry. I should have listened. She checked on me several times and was very apologetic that my first choice of entrees had to be sent back. Even though the place was busy and I was the only lone diner, I could not have asked for better service.

Ambience

Palomino had the right formula. From the moment you approach it, you see a lot had gone into the design and setting. It has an open kitchen which is a great place to see what looks good while you are waiting. The hanging strings of vegetables were probably fake but still added to the charm.

A variety of clientele was present, from young first daters all the way to seniors. It is a hip, trendy place but not painfully so. Young couples who need to impress each other will not have to deal with snooty sommeliers with a phone-book thick wine list. Older diners can still find quality dining without having to strain fixed incomes. Every one in between can get a great menu, eat well, enjoy a reasonably priced bottle of wine, and look at the view.

Palomino
505 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-381-1300