Bix Engels: Let's Eat!

Many elements remain the same—the ornate Arabian-nights décor, the generally terrific service (from some of the same servers), the alcohol-free juice bar, and the fabulous little pillows of pita fresh from the open-flame oven. Even the menu is familiar: all three Palm Palace locations (the other two are in suburban Detroit) are served by a central commissary headed by corporate executive chef Jamil Eid, who had a similar role at La Shish.

The restaurant was still somewhat unsteady when we visited in February and March but showed good promise. Among the dishes that survived the transitions are hummus and baba ghanoush. Palm Palace’s hummus is good—a creamy, savory swirl providing us yet another reason to eat more of their wonderful fresh bread. The baba ghanoush is even better—rich and textured and dusted with a smoky paprika to further enhance its earthiness. But other standards felt washed out. One-note tabbouleh got stuck on chopped parsley. Stuffed grape leaves were constructed of ground lamb, chopped tomatoes, and rice, all tightly rolled together with what tasted like an interesting dash of cinnamon, but mine tasted as if the rolling had occurred too long in the past. The falafel was tough and dry.

The restaurant was still somewhat unsteady when we visited in February and March but showed good promise. Among the dishes that survived the transitions are hummus and baba ghanoush. Palm Palace’s hummus is good—a creamy, savory swirl providing us yet another reason to eat more of their wonderful fresh bread. The baba ghanoush is even better—rich and textured and dusted with a smoky paprika to further enhance its earthiness. But other standards felt washed out. One-note tabbouleh got stuck on chopped parsley. Stuffed grape leaves were constructed of ground lamb, chopped tomatoes, and rice, all tightly rolled together with what tasted like an interesting dash of cinnamon, but mine tasted as if the rolling had occurred too long in the past. The falafel was tough and dry.

Palm Palace presents a number of possibilities for bargain lunches. My cup of vegetable lamb soup, warming if not distinguished, was buoyed by a basket of that hot bread. I enjoyed their humanely sized shish tawook sandwich—cubes of tender grilled chicken breast with lots of crisp, sharp pickles and garlic sauce rolled in a thin flat bread—until I bit into part of a wooden skewer inadvertently left from the cooking process. The waitress was contrite, and a manager compensated with a couple pieces of baklava. That particular lunch was also marred by a long wait for food.

In the evening we explored more expansive entree possibilities. Chicken and lamb are often offered in the same preparation here—including kabobs, shawarma, and kofta. Based on our side-by-side sampling of both meats on the “chef’s sampler plate for two,” I’d say go with the chicken—it was generally juicier and more interestingly spiced. If you get the sampler, be sure to ask the waiter to include some of the knockout garlic sauce—and bring along ten friends. The portions, always generous, increase to gargantuan in the dinner combinations. It’s sort of embarrassing to have the waiter pull up an extra table because a standard table for two won’t hold all your food. It’s too much to eat, but then again, much of it is amenable to the leftover state, and it’s a good value if you are feeding a family. A chatty manager told me they were getting ready to add Moroccan items, and that the new menu will include “walima feasts”—their take on the famously bounteous traditional Muslim wedding feast. A bigger feast? I’m almost afraid.

Palm Palace

2370 Carpenter 971–5700
palmpalace.com
Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 10 a.m.–11 p.m.
Appetizers $6.49–$10.99, soups and salads $2.99–$9.48, sandwiches $3.99–$4.49, entrees $13.99–$19.99, children’s menu $6.99, desserts $3.99
Disability friendly<