Bottomline: This waterfront restaurant offers a fine dining experience in a casual atmosphere, with the option of indoor or outdoor dining. A table outside means a gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge and a very European vibe. Lunch combinations offer savings and variety.
Location; the view of the Bay Bridge
Menu is varied and adaptable with reasonable prices
Service is very friendly and attentive
The patio
Dining outdoors might not be an option if you arrive later in the day
Pros:
Cons:
Description:
A European lunch (alfresco) on San Francisco's waterfront
Our reservations were for 11:45am with a request to eat outdoors. When we arrived, the wait-staff was quick to seat us, leading us to the patio. Being early, we got one of the umbrella tables. The Bay Bridge rose up beyond us for an amazing view. It was quite the start.Looking over the menu, options were many. Palomino offers lunch combinations for $9.95 - $10.95, which include any two items, such as soup and salad or a half-sandwich with soup, salad, or pasta. It's a good way to try a few dishes at once and the portions for lunch are fine, about half the size of regular menu items. Most of the dishes on the menu have a meat/poultry/seafood component of some kind and if not, there's cheese. Being a vegan, I asked our waitperson what she recommended and she pointed to a few items, with the Capellini Pomodoro (pasta with extra virgin olive oil, plum tomato, fresh basil, garlic, and shaved parmesan, $10.95) being the one I chose -- minus the parmesan. My friends decided on the Greek Salad with Rotisserie Chicken ($13.95) and the Linguine with Clams ($14.95).
While we waited, she also brought us a Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil made to my friends' specifications, with one part made with sugar and the other part with sweetener. The verdict was that it was perfect both ways and this accommodation, along with my vegan requests, scored big points for Palomino in the service category. Top marks!
As for the food, everything was great. For one, we didn’t have to wait very long (and overall, our lunch was about an hour and 20 minutes) and were often asked if everything was all right. One thing that happened: they forgot to remove the parmesan from my pasta. When our main waitperson saw this, she immediately took it back and insisted they make me another. I was very pleased. The portions were generous and all three of us were impressed with how our particular dishes were prepared. Another great thing about Palomino is that it’s casual dress and you can simply stop by after a day spent shopping along the Embarcadero. Be sure to make reservations though.
As for the food, everything was great. For one, we didn’t have to wait very long (and overall, our lunch was about an hour and 20 minutes) and were often asked if everything was all right. One thing that happened: they forgot to remove the parmesan from my pasta. When our main waitperson saw this, she immediately took it back and insisted they make me another. I was very pleased. The portions were generous and all three of us were impressed with how our particular dishes were prepared. Another great thing about Palomino is that it’s casual dress and you can simply stop by after a day spent shopping along the Embarcadero. Be sure to make reservations though.
Price-wise, the lunch menu ranges from $10 - $20/person. With drinks and dessert, it could run to about $20 per person, but the view, the service, and the experience are all well worth it. Menu items under $10 include the small salads and soups, a few of the roma-style pizzas and three of the sandwiches. Also, remember you can always make a request like we did. Based on our experience, the staff will be more than happy to help.
Note: Bring your camera and take pictures of the bridge and nearby at the water fountain.
* Photo reprinted with permission of Shu-Hwei Alpeche.
Note: Bring your camera and take pictures of the bridge and nearby at the water fountain.
* Photo reprinted with permission of Shu-Hwei Alpeche.
