Palo Santo
"Plantains are piled high in the front window of this Park Slope restaurant, located on the ground floor of a mid-block brownstone. The tiny front room boasts a fireplace and a few bar seats facing a long, narrow kitchen, while the back room's large windows provide a vista of a serene fountain out back," writes Justin Hartung for Citysearch.
Chef and owner Jacques Gautier "is half Haitian, and his cooking, he says, is inspired by his travels and kitchen stints in the Caribbean and South America. He borrows from many cuisines but cooks simply, refraining from piling too many flavors on one plate (as pan-Latin chefs who are more fusion-minded often do)," writes Dana Bowen for the New York Times. Michael Kaminer for New York magazine says that Gautier "offers an inspired, confident spin on classic Caribbean and South American recipes. Subtle rabbit escabeche, marinated in olive oil and vinegar and flecked with celery and fresh peas, swaps customary fish for cubed meat; whole sweet plantain, baked inside crackling peel, accompanies perfectly grilled bluefish over spicy purple cabbage."
Chowhound tiger2 says, "I definitely recommend checking out Palo Santo- it's one of my favorite places in Park Slope. The food is very good. Quirky ambiance, great service." And fellow 'Hound savina says they have "one of the best and most affordable tasting menus I've had in the city." You'll want to call ahead and make a reservation for the tasting menu, but their $25 3-course prix fixe menu is available nightly. What's your take on this place?
Reviews (13)
doldrums wrote a review on March 9, 2009 12:12 PM
Great combinations of latin Food. especially like the risks that take in staying somewhat faithful to the cuisine. And it's nice to have Argentine mate seved the proper way in a gourd, a bombilla and a pot of hot water. The meat dishes are superior to their fish offereings, but overall excellent.
new2hood wrote a review on March 9, 2009 12:33 PM
fantastic, original, authentic food. Wine list is great, service is good, and space is cute. I think it's the biggest sleeper in the 'hood.
Susan Elkins wrote a review on March 9, 2009 12:46 PM
LOVE this place. I've always been extremely pleased with the fish, as well as everything else I've had. I agree that it's the biggest sleeper around.
goldie wrote a review on March 9, 2009 12:59 PM
one plus is that they're charitable, as they were one of the free-food vendors at a fundraiser for hispanic families/children i was at last week
SnarkSlope wrote a review on March 9, 2009 1:34 PM
I went here for dinner with a couple of foodie friends and they really loved it. I was a little underwhelmed. It seemed like a lot of money for what you got. Very cool space, though.
mrkknox wrote a review on March 9, 2009 1:56 PM
Went here during restaurant week last year. I was a little underwhelmed and I'm not enthusiastic about going back.
BH76 wrote a review on March 9, 2009 3:15 PM
The apps were wonderful though not inexpensive. The food overall is great.
basementalist wrote a review on March 9, 2009 4:08 PM
My favorite restaurant in Park Slope, with one caveat: you really should get the tasting menu. You sit at the bar, directly opposite the kitchen, and the chef chats with you as the dishes come out, telling you the story behind them. Better for the adventurous--he loves doing things with, shall we say, more adventurous parts of the animal--and there's a well-priced wine pairing. Not cheap, but for a seven-course (I think seven--at least that many) menu, it's an excellent deal.
brooklyn guy wrote a review on March 9, 2009 5:25 PM
i'm stunned reading these comments. have our standards really sunk this low? this place is good on a good night, average on most nights. the service leaves something to be desired, and there is a bit of an attitude that pervades everything, as if the guest is lucky to be there. and it's really expensive too for what you get. and c'mon, nothing on the wine list except south american wines? that's gimmicky, and the wines are monsters that don't even match with the food, ironically.
drbrooklyn wrote a review on March 9, 2009 10:08 PM
We went a few months ago after hearing rave reviews. The ambience is nice but the food was far from memorable and we felt nickle and dimed. We had the prix-fixe but when we ordered their "homemade" tortillas that were the size of a half dollar we were charged a wopping $4 for 4 tortillas. I would not recommend this place. There are so many other interesting latin places to choose from, why settle for this.
Miss Muffett wrote a review on March 9, 2009 10:35 PM
Well, I haven't been there in a while but the few times I have been I've had a great experience. I once went on a date with my husband and it felt very romantic, beautiful, and calm with lovely, interesting food. Another time a friend and I sat outside and had a few glasses of wine and they were so welcoming, allowing us to linger for a long time and I remember the server was very knowledgable about the wine choices. I like that it's a bit under the radar with an unusual menu and what I found to be very good cooking.
ProspectHeightsGuy wrote a review on March 10, 2009 12:56 AM
Love it. They do the seasonal thang very well...
Pragonetti wrote a review on March 11, 2009 1:26 PM
Very good and interesting! cool location and place as well!
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