Dinner at The Palms’ Parallel23
Less hyped than other high-end resort restaurants in Grace Bay, The Palms’ Parallel23 is ideal for a romantic evening or special occasion. Like all fine dining in Provo, a dinner for two will set you back a shit load of pretty pennies. But, hey, you’re on vacation! And we all deserve magical moments.
THE RESORT
The Palms, until recently a Regent property, is a luxe resort built of Caribbean coral stone and adorned with old world British accents resulting in a distinctly Anglo-Caribbean style. We arrived about 30 minutes in advance of our reservation so that we had some time to explore the grounds. The marble-floored, gold-accented lobby features a vaulted sea-foam green ceiling with exposed beams and gently curved white couches set with muted teal throw pillows. Modern meets traditional in a well-executed, chic interpretation of the easily-overdone oceanic theme. Even the decorations on the massive, centerpiece Christmas tree tastefully matched the color scheme.
The pool, though, is the resort’s highlight. Large and serpentine in design, it dances around wooden decks lined with stark white-cushioned loungers, studded with sexy circular sunning beds, and shaded by tall palms. A popular swim-up bar and an inlaid, yin-yang Jacuzzi tub take the pool area to the next level. Oh, to be rich…
Snap! Back to reality.
THE RESTAURANT
You’ll enter Parallel23 through the adjoining L’Attitude Bar, sultry and a little off-the-cuff in terms of style. Beyond the bar is the sophisticated main dining room, with a black and white checkered floor and contemporary artwork offering pops of saturated color.
Tip
Unfortunately, the wow-factor theater kitchen allows so much heat into the main dining area that it was downright sweltering each time we walked through. For the best experience, request seating on the raised, open-air terrace overlooking the Palms’ well-manicured courtyard, with a central fountain and date palms dressed in lights. The outdoor setting is dreamlike, but you should definitely arrive doused in bug repellant to avoid a pesky dinner.
Through full-sized French doors is the exquisite terrace. Candlelit wooden tables dressed in crisp white linen are set with emerald glass chargers and contrasting iron-matrix trivets. Potted palms and showy, magenta bougainvilleas rest are among the tables. As the sun sets and you spread one of a trio of house-made butters onto complementary fresh, warm foccacia, the ambience becomes agonizingly romantic.
THE EXPERIENCE
While TripAdvisor warned of unsatisfactory service, we found the staff to be professional, polite, and just the right level of attentive. That being said, we’re the type of people that would prefer to nod for a wine refill for the benefit of not being constantly bothered by a chatty, ever-present server. And the Caribbean fusion cuisine, complimented by a glass of wine selected from the well-curated boutique wine list, was generally excellent.
Tip
Save room for the Sticky Toffee Pudding! The uber-soft, spongy cake bursting with finely-chopped dates and infused with rich toffee sauce is accompanied by a dollop of slightly salty caramel ice cream. Parallel23’s version is unquestionably the most delectable dessert we’ve ever consumed. Seriously, it was fucking amazing.
STARTERS
An butternut squash puree accompanied by two dried cranberries and a pea shoot. Nothing to write home about, but I always appreciate the sentiment of an amuse bouche.
Vibrant tomatoes and creamy buffalo mozzarella is a timeless marriage. This time, the due is accompanied by a small braised fennel shortbread biscuit, a sweet onion jam, basil, and a vinaigrette. Like most tomatoes nowadays, these weren’t the most flavorful. Nevertheless, this simple starter was light and yummy. (USD 15)
Main Course
Spiced duck breast, dried cranberries, sweet potato crisps, and onion marmalade served over spring green and drizzled in goat cheese vinaigrette. Almost prosciutto-like in taste, but sliced much thicker, of course, the flavorful, savory duck breast was an unexpected delight. (USD 18)
I’m a when-in-Rome kind of girl. So, while I’ve never been smitten by the crustacean, I was determined to sample the islands’ own Caicos spiny lobster (in season August 1-March 31 due to conservation efforts) during our winter visit. Parallel23’s version featured poached Caicos lobster tail with fresh red and purple plums, muhammara (a Middle Eastern red pepper and walnut spread) pesto, served on arugula and micro cucumber leaves with a tarragon-scented yucca puree. A lover of protein paired with fruit, the combination of lobster and plums appealed to me. Unfortunately, I found the overall dish to be rather bizarre. The lobster was a bit “cartilage-y” in texture. And its pairing with the pruney fruit the hot and somewhat bitter muhammara and the pasty yucca was more clumsy than inspired. (USD 48)
Grilled filet of Angus beef, fondant potato, petite asparagus and carrots, and a Merlot demi-glace. This dish was perfect for Brandon, who isn’t a fan of seafood or anything too unusual (when it comes to food). The steak was cooked spot-on to his liking and the sides were well seasoned and tasty. (USD 42)
Dessert
Tart apples and sweet, sticky caramel atop a flakey pastry disc with sugared nuts, house-made cinnamon ice cream, and crispy tuille. A lovely, classic dessert. (USD 14)
Warm date pudding filled with toffee sauce and topped with salted caramel ice cream. This dish was superbly delicious- an absolute stand out that I’ll order each time I visit Provo forevermore. (USD 14)
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Planning Details
Parallel23 serves dinner nightly from 6:00-10:00pm.
Reservations are required (visit http://www.thepalmstc.com/dining/parallel23/ and click “send us a message” to request a reservation OR call 649-946-8666).
Although there isn’t a published dress code, per se, I’d suggest “dressy casual”. We dressed up a bit (because, for us, it’s fun!), but women wearing a casual sundress or a cute blouse and men dressed in shorts and a collared shirt will feel appropriately dressed.