01/05/09

Indulge yourselves at the Palace Arms

by kcmccolorado

For an enticing culinary experience, ask for the chef's choice tasting menu in the Palace Arms, and have the very able sommelier match wines to each course. You will be delighted at the sheer creativity and symphonies of flavors, and the portions are keyed to an extended evening of pleasure. Surprises in every bite, and very high quality ingredients.

We recently had our 25th anniversary dinner there; the well-selected treat was a blend of traditional (escargot soup, table-side caesar salad) and innovative (pork belly and poblanos; white fish in suberb sauce, etc. etc.). Everything was seasoned and garnished to perfection. The staff was attentive, and the chef Thanawat Bates came over to see how we liked every course.

Save up your pennies, and instead of going with the regular menu items, make it fun and very memorable for yourselves AND the kitchen staff.

11/24/08

Amazing aptmosphere, amazing food but do not expect cutting edge.

by BKT1113

While not the absolute most luxurious meal I have ever had (that would go to Cyrus (child of French Laundry) in Napa, the entire package is clearly up there in terms of dining experiences. Trust me, the food is amazing, rich, and, to my delight, many items retain their more traditional French approach to cooking.

Diners who are expecting the type of experimental cuisine coming from other Denver hot spots will be let down. But the Palace Arm's is not meant to amaze you with the ability to create some sort of Green Tea reduction foam glazed with the syrup from some ancient fruit from Djibouti. Instead, the Palace Arms continues (and I hope will continue) to maintain a level of sophistication and (dare I say it), pretentiousness that sometime, we foodies crave when we go out to a fine meal. Sure, Limon is great, and Rioja is a gem, but sometimes you look over, and some jean clad imbecile is sitting next to you chugging their wine while chatting about what they saw on TMX. Guess what - occasionally, I want to eat only with people who both love wine, understand food, and also carry with them an understanding of both the proper decibel for his/her voice as well as the idea that it is okay occasionally to dress better than you would if you were going to Chilis that night.

The staff is amazing. When my wife and I were discussing the issues we have with California Sav. Blanc, the sommelier brought out, complimentary, two glasses of a French Sancerre for us to try. In addition, they placed a rose on my wife's plate (complimentary) for our anniversary (which was that evening).

• Pros: Amazing decor, aptmosphere, service and food.
• Cons: Menu Classic overall, but attempts at experimentation lead to a lack of a theme. I would suggest either sitck with tradition, or let the chef take over.

08/11/08

At least the decor is interesting

by JonHart

When I take clients to an impressive dinner I certainly think about where to go. Based on reviews I decided to try the Palace Arms again (it has been a few years) I was quite disturbed by the direction this restaurant has taken. First of all it was dusty, and for a place of this caliber that is truely unacceptable. First impressions are hard to overcome. At best I can say the menu has a few traditional items but mostly it is just confusing and strange, it was difficult to find something to chose. Too many intricacies, the food wasnt allowed to be interesting , just confusing. Perhaps the sign of poor judgement or plain and simply, an inexperienced chef. Has even even heard of "The Pure Food's Movement" ??? There were four of us dining and not one person at the table enjoyed their meal. Now, we are not talking about 20 something or even the 30 something crowd. These are all polished individuals who , in many circles are considered epicureans. I suppose in a town filled with "cutting edge wanna-be chefs" the Brown Palace has fallen victim to the trend. Avoid the Palace Arms unless you like spening a great deal of money only to be sorely disappointed.

• Pros: The room is charming
• Cons: too expensive, dirty, nobody there

03/15/08

ONE OF THE BEST IN COLORADO

by foodcriticstomcolicchio

AFTER READING THE ONE STAR REVIEWS FOR PALACE ARMS,

I THINK THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD STAY HOME AND DON' T GO OUT ANYMORE.

TO UNDERSTAND SUCH A GREAT RESTAURANT THEY SHOULD KNOW FOOD BETTER.

MAYBE THEY WILL LIKE MC DONALD.

• Pros: ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANT IN COLORADO
• Cons: NEED SOME DINING ROOM REMODELING

02/16/08

Truly a Masterpiece

by TheLovelessRNs

My husband and I visited Palace Arms last night for our Valentine's Day dinner and were absolutely wooed by the superb service and exquisite food! I had the Day Boat Scallops which were so tender and delicious, each placed on top of their individual lobster ravioli shells and drizzled with a wonderful cream sauce. A perfect selection if you want something smooth and light. My husband had the Bison Rossini. His dish, in a word, was heavenly. We both agreed that we have never tasted food so good. Every bite made you want to close your eyes and savor each flavor. The service was out of this world and made us feel like royalty. The Caesar salad prepared table side was excellent and I highly recommend it not only for the impressive preparation but for the amazing taste. Our highest compliments to the chef and our deepest thanks to the wonderful staff for making this the best Valentine's Day ever.

• Pros: Food, Service, Atmosphere, Wine list
• Cons: Price

11/05/07

YUK! YUK! YUK!

by eatnout

YUK... how the hell did this place get any stars at all? Confused...that is the nicest thing I can think of to say about this food. If you look around the room and study the decor you would expect the food to be more traditional...a perfected traditional given that it is in the Brown Palce Hotel. They seem to have forgotten who and what they are in this restaurant. Instead of really good honest food, you get weirdness that no doubt is no doubt some inexperienced chef's idea of what people want. I would expect this kind of food in a contemporary fad style restaurant that will be gone before it is noticed...but not here, not in the Brown Palace! What happened to real, honest, in season, good food? Go back to school kid,( And stop watching Food Network, it does you no favors!) you have a lot to learn about food and what real foodies want. Don't GO unless you are up for severe disappointment.

• Pros: service and atmosphere
• Cons: food...strange combinations that screams inexperience and a lot of fluff

09/29/07

Exquisite dinner! Excellent Service.

by n_wilker

My husband and I came here for our Second Anniversary. The hostess was polite, and congratulated us on the event! She even over looked my husband?s lack of proper attire. I?m assuming since it is Denver they let a lot slide! He was in jeans and a t-shirt and they treated him as well as any of the bankers that arrived later! The food was absolutely to die for! We started with the lobster tempura appetizer. Wow! Then I just had to do the Caesar Salad for 2 made table side! Super cool to watch, and so very very tasty! Finally was the main course. I took the recommendation of our waiter ? the bison. OMG. I was moaning and carrying on the entire time I was eating! It was so good! My husband decided to try the Abalone and was very pleased! Portions were just the right size, we were not uncomfortable by the end of our meal. The prices were indeed high, but it kept the kids out and the atmosphere quiet, pleasant and grown up! I would recommend this to anyone looking for an excellent meal!

• Pros: excellent food, great service, great for special occasions
• Cons: parking not obvious at first, expensive, need reservations

11/25/06

Fantastic Food, Wine & People

by angel13

A true gem of Denver has finally returned!!!

After a somewhat disappointing visit about a year and a half ago, I was very pleased to recently have the pleasure of dining at the Palace Arms. Not only was the food & wine top notch, but so were the people. In this day of hurry, hurry, rush, rush, it was VERY nice that the staff went out of their way to make us feel special. Two people in particular went above and beyond, or server Mark and the manager Joe Garcia. I truly believe that the tone of the room and the attitude of the staff is a direct reflection of the management. After meeting Mr. Garcia, there is no doubt in my mind that I am 100% correct! If you are looking for a special dining experience where the food, wine, people, service & atmosphere are perfect, then look no further....the Palace Arms is it! I highly recommend asking for Joe & Mark!

• Pros: Food, Wine, Staff, Ambience

The Brown Palace's fine-dining restaurant offers sophisticated food and exquisite service in old, European-style tradition.

by Contributor

In Short
Decor in this luxurious restaurant includes rich carpeting, white-clothed tables, padded leather booths and banners emblazoned wih coats of arms placed around the room. Tuxedoed servers and an army of backup bussers wait on couples and small groups quietly celebrating special occasions. Each dish boasts the influence of France--from the foie gras appetizer flavored with tart cabernet cherry sauce to buffalo filet in rosemary veal reduction with Gorgonzola gratinee.

10/16/06

Classic, clubb atmosphere and great food but expensive

by teekhe

The Palace Arms is a beautiful spot and serves classic cuisine prepared very well. Entrees go to $50+ but some are less (e.g., $30). Jacket and tie are no longer required though you will fit in fine if you are wearing them. This is a great place to go on an expense account. The service is good, but there are lapses and sometimes it's not clear why a simple request takes a long time to complete. It is not a great value for the money but if (as others say) Denver has only limited high end dining this place is worthy of your consideration. The sea bass dish I had was excellent.

• Pros: Great atmosphere, tasty food, good wine list
• Cons: so so service, very expensive