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| - - Ambiance (4/5)
La Palette seems like it's going for the casual French vibe, as you're using paper napkins and checkered table cloth, but then some of the design elements make you think it might be upscale. Added all together, and you have a restaurant with a bit of an identity crisis; nonetheless, it's still warm and cozy-- certainly a great place to bring a date or have a quiet business discussion.
- Service (3/5)
Service needed to be both faster and slower. It took almost 20 minutes to place our order, water refills were slow, and by the time we got our entrees, we were more than an hour into the meal. At the same time, the servers' movements needed to be more deliberate. I was whacked in the head and shoulder a couple times by a flailing arm, and wine pouring turned into a noisy affair. Our waitress was also a little reluctant to give us seconds on the bread basket-- not sure why.
- Bread (4/5)
Homemade sourdough is soft and dense. Great bread. I just wish we had some truffle butter or something creamy to go with it other than plain olive oil.
- Prix Fixe, $35 (see rated elements below)
- Escargot (3/5)
The escargots should have been the star of the plate, but instead, the wilted baby spinach was. The hints of hen-of-the-woods mushrooms were great, but the escargot were kind of lost in the plate. Visually too-- the escargot came hiding under the spinach. The lemon dill beurre blanc tied everything together nicely, but I wasn't really sure what I was eating since the escargot were somewhat lost. Also, I thought the menu said it had asparagus, but there was none on my plate.
- Duck Cassoulet (4/5)
The duck leg meat was cooked perfectly, though I think more flavor could have been imparted. The lardons were also a nice touch-- the chef was able to use it as a complementary ingredient, yet mute it enough that it didn't take over. The rest of the veggies were great as well, but the duck broth it what elevates the dish. Rich and delicious.
- Clafoutis (3/5)
There wasn't anything terribly wrong with this dessert, though there was an overabundance of whipped cream. It just tasted... very ordinary.
- Value (5/5)
A $35 prix fixe meal is really good. Although the meal wasn't the most spectacular meal I've had, it was good, and at $35, I'd consider it a steal. At any other restaurant, this combination could have easily costed $45.
- Final Word
Service mistakes were noticeable but didn't really cost La Palette. They did however contribute to the overall lackluster feel. While the place is a great deal and offers more than adequate ambiance, there's something missing in the food that just doesn't make it very memorable.
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