Situated in the Lexington Green venue that formerly housed Regatta Seafood Grill, Palmers Fresh Grill imparts a new twist to a shopping area that is primarily known for more casual chain and franchise restaurants. Locally owned and featuring an innovative fine-dining menu ripe with Caribbean and Mediterranean influences, Palmers seems to take pride in fresh ingredients, fine wines and variety.
The interior space has seen a significant makeover since Regatta shut its doors in November, with rustic hardwood floors, modern and sophisticated equine-themed art work and ambient lighting. The patio, which overlooks the pond at Lexington Green, was still undergoing its final touches during a mid-April visit, but our server – who was quite friendly and knowledgeable – assured us that the restaurant had plans to open it before May 1.
First things first; my guest and I started with an Austin Mule (a spin on the Moscow Mule, only with Tito’s vodka, ginger beer, lime juice) and the Benton’s 46 Manhattan, made with Maker’s 46 bourbon infused in-house with Benton’s bacon. In an interesting (and actually quite delicious) twist, the Manhattan was garnished with candied bacon. The drink menu featured several other creative cocktails as well, including four options that are only $5 during happy hour.
As for food, the menu may fit neatly on one page, but it has a wide enough variety to make for some difficult decisions. For appetizers, we ordered the Thai Mussels (served in a bowl of red curry coconut cream sauce flavored with lemongrass, lime and white sesame, $10.70) and the Latin Egg Rolls (stuffed with chipotle braised chicken and served with avocado cream, pico de gallo and pickled radish, $8.70). The egg rolls were absolutely dynamite; while the mussels weren’t the highlight of the meal for me (and they typically aren’t, unless ordered somewhere more coastal), they were flavorful and the portion was more than ample.
Off the bat, I knew I would have a difficult time deciding on an entree. Options that glittered on the page to me included the Hanger Steak Chimichurri (with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, pico de gallo, fresh lime and cilantro, $21.90), the Macadamia and Coconut Crusted Mahi (with Cuban-style black beans and grilled pineapple salsa, $21.90) and the Shrimp and Scallop Gnocchi (with basil pesto cream, $16.90). My guest ordered the hanger steak and I ended up going for the grilled ahi tuna steak, with wasabi mashed potatoes, Vietnamese slaw and a ginger soy glaze ($25.90). It was a wonderful melding of flavors and textures, with the wasabi potatoes being the real standout – not too spicy, but enough kick to bring the meal together. My guest’s steak was also quite good, perfectly cooked to the chef’s recommended medium rare.
For dessert, we ordered the vanilla bean panna cotta, served with a fresh berry compote ($6.20) – a refreshing end to a delicious meal. Other dessert options include a bourbon and salted caramel bread pudding and a chocolate mousse cheescake (which our server had enough forethought to give us the heads up that the texture was more like a mousse and less like a cheesecake than we might expect). Our total, which included a couple of drinks and three courses, came to $103.70 before tax and tip. Perhaps a bit pricey for a mall-area dining experience, but the menu, quality and ambience were on par with downtown’s finer restaurants. I look forward to returning during patio season.
Palmers Fresh Grill
161 Lexington Green Cir.
(859) 273-0103
4 - 10:30 p.m. Sun. – Thurs.
4 - 11:30 p.m. Fri. – Sat.