Oh, Pallet. Your Edison bulbs, the charm of your 100 year old industrial bones, warm lights aglow everywhere... you're just, you're just kind of dreamy, you know?
From Pallet's website: "The space and vibe evolve as the day passes, making it ideal for an array of dining experiences. Once the mood picks up; we light loads of candles, dim the lights, and turn up the music to create a vibe that really suits the space." They're not wrong and they're not exaggerating.
The food is modern and innovative, local-centric and seasonal, making stunning use of even the less-than-beloved members of the vegetable world. I mean, transforming a gnarly-as-sin celery root and a handful of steel cut oats into something extraordinary? That's love. That's skill. And that's still on my mind more than a week after trying it.
Pallet's cocktail for Libretti and Libations is the Gem of the Nile - ransom dry gin // aperol // lillet blanc // lavender bitters, from Bijan Ghiai, inspired by the classic Jewel of the Nile [gin, yellow chartreuse, green chartreuse.] If you've only ever had Aperol in a spritz or think of gin as floral-heavy [or worse] you've got to give this a try. Ransom Old Tom Gin has traditional dry gin notes of juniper, lemon, coriander, orange, anise, and orris with the addition of less traditional elements like hops and marionberry. The cocktail has such a nice balance or sweet, bitter, and botanical... and it's one of only... 5(!!) that Chelsea and I shared there, so grab a glass of water [and if we're being real - maybe an aspirin] and let's talk more!
