Palma

A distinctive experience, one of best meals we've had in a long time: Pricey but worth it. It's a small, unpretentious space in Little Havana, with a single offering each evening: a price-fixed menu that changes regularly. I think it's listed as eight courses, but there were 13 things on the menu, including the butter (a fabulous creation of coconut caramel and dried plantain leaf) which went with a wonderful bread described as a sweet plantain brioche. The servings are small, as they should be with so many offerings, with three starters coming on a single plate: oyster, baby corn (burnt eggplant, aged beef pecorino) and lobster tartelette. My dining companion doesn't like raw seafood, so they cooked her oyster and gave her a substitute for the lobster. With virtually every serving, there was a great sauce that was so good that we were using our fingers to lick the remnants off the plate. Particularly interesting was the steamed fish (mussel sabayon, embered cabbage). The meal ended with sweet treats, including a fabulous cake and a key lime cream with coconut. The end result: Just the right amount of food, not stuffed, no take-home box. Bottom line: Great meal, great service, pretty darn expensive. With the wine pairings and a mandatory 20 percent tip, the cost for the two of us was $360. Not many meals would be worth that to me, but this was.

Wow! This chef made the best rice balls I've ever had in my life. I have been thinking fondly about that dish since 2020. It's a tragedy that I will never eat at this restaurant because my family is embroiled in a Hatfield/McCoy-esque feud with this chef's family. The chef's food is so superb it makes me want to disguise my identity and dine in for just one night. Have you ever eaten something so delicious that you would risk public humiliation? Is gluttony really a sin?My recommendation: Award this man four Michelin Stars. Rename the James Beard award after him. Eat here. Twice, Thrice, Every day until you die. I never will and what an incredible unjust burden I must bear! I dined at every single Michelin starred restaurant in the South of France in the past three years and those god damn rice balls have overshadowed each and every one of those fine dining experiences. I imagine in heaven we will all get to eat Protégé's brick chicken and those rice balls with God. Please enjoy the gastronomic pleasures that I cannot.

Nestled in the heart of Miami, Palma is a gastronomic gem that delivers an unforgettable dining experience. With a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and innovative techniques, the restaurant offers a tasting menu that is nothing short of a culinary masterpiece.The journey begins with a delicate oyster, its briny sweetness perfectly balanced by a splash of citrus. This is followed by a delightful surprise: baby corn, transformed into a tender, caramelized treat that bursts with flavor. The lobster tartalette is a symphony of textures, with flaky pastry, succulent lobster, and a rich, creamy sauce.As the meal progresses, the steamed fish arrives, cooked to perfection and served with a light, flavorful broth. The beef course is a highlight, the meat tender and juicy, accompanied by a perfectly balanced sauce that complements the dish without overpowering it.To cleanse the palate, a refreshing granita is served, its icy texture and bright flavors providing a welcome break. Finally, the meal concludes on a sweet note with a delectable cake, a decadent finale to an extraordinary dining experience.Palma is more than just a restaurant; it's a destination for food lovers seeking an unforgettable culinary adventure. The attention to detail, the quality of the ingredients, and the exceptional service make it a must-visit for anyone who appreciates fine dining.

I really loved Palma. I tried the September menu (will be rotating monthly) and was super impressed. Very small, quaint, adorable restaurant in Little Havana. We sat at the chefs counter. The staff is minimal, with your two chefs front and center handling everything. Very impressive. Each dish was honestly really great. The flavors and textures were so pleasantly surprising. The presentation of each dish was thoughtful and pleasing to the eyes. I highly recommend you try this place if you're considering it. The menu is $85/pp plus tax and tip. We each wine to accompany our meal and paid around $140 each all in. Very much worth the price (not sure what the other reviewer was talking about with her negative review). We also didn't leave hungry or uncomfortable full. Perfect amount of food! I'll be back every month to try the new menus and support these talented chefs, that's for sure.

Amazing meal at Palma... Rare find in Miami with a creative menu, talented chefs, and attentive service in an unbasterized setting.

I wanted a special experience for my boyfriend & I's 5th anniversary dinner & Palma fit the bill. Parking may be an issue but we were lucky enough to find a spot right out front. As soon as we walked in, I was greeted by name by our waitress/hostess for the rest of the evening, Sara. It felt like you were being welcomed into an intimate & uber exclusive secret club. The interior of the restaurant is dimly lit & sparse. Concrete walls & floors & a concrete bar yet still warm with wooden tables & chairs all lit by candlelight. As soon as we sat, Sara explained how the tasting menu worked. Previously, I had received a text asking about dietary preferences and so our substitutions (no pork) were discussed. Perfect! Sara then offered us a choice of their natural beers or wines. Unfortunately, neither I or my boyfriend are natural wine fans so this is the only reason why I'm not rating Palma 5-stars. The 2 white wines we chose were both so acidic & sour, I could barely drink them. Not a fan. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to some inventive cocktails. I can only imagine how amazing the chef's cocktail menu would be if only they had any. Anyways, back to the good stuff, the food! Course 1: Bouquet (french farms gems + herbs, bagna càuda) Presentation was gorgeous! A literal teeny bouquet of greens, vegetables, edible flowers & herbs served atop a delicious dip that you scooped up with the leaves and ate in 2 bites. Fresh, tasty & just plain fun to eat, not to mention gorgeous & so inventive! Course 2: Oyster (koginut pumpkin, laver, pepper) Again, presentation was *chef's kiss*. Oyster was fresh & briny & the sweet & totally unexpected pumpkin somehow worked wonderfully! DeliciousCourse 3: Crudo (kumquat, blue basil, buckwheat) I believe the fish was hamachi but whatever it was, it was amazing! Course 4: Shrimp (collards, boniato, rosemary) OH. MY. HEAD. That shrimp wrapped in the steamed collard greens was mind blowing. I could have eaten 20. But you only get 1 :(Course 5: Fish (squid ink sauce, papa criolla, burnt chili) Although my boyfriend thought this was delicious, I literally could not distinguish any flavours or textures in this dish. It was all the same mushiness unfortunately.Bread + Butter: (sweet plantain brioche w coconut caramel/ dried plantain leaf butter) Beautiful to look at but I just didn't get the flavours promised in the description. The bread was good (albeit not as hot, soft & pillowy as I had hoped) & the butter was great but I was looking for more. Course 6: Substitute for Pork - Fish Mousse + Cabbage Lasagna(?) Sounds grotesque but this was one of the most amazing & unexpected dishes I have EVER tried! Delicate & beautifully flavoured fish mousse layered with delicious steamed cabbage, this was such a refined & beautiful dish! So many times when you ask for a substitute, you end up with a hastily thrown together, with noticeably zero effort dish but this was not that. This was exceptional. I absolutely loved it!Course 7: Orange (granita, cantalope, kinome) Part dessert, part palate cleanser, this refreshing, delightful course was perfect after the richness of the previous dish. The cantaloupe made an already revitalizing dish even more so & the minty, slightly spicy kinome leaf added some extra zing.Course 8: Porcini (caramelized white chocolate, kale) Stay with me here... Yes this is a dessert. Yes it's main ingredient is mushrooms & yes there is kale in it but SWEET BABY JESUS this is truly one of the best desserts I have ever had in my entire life (& yes... i have eaten a lot of desserts). Not too sweet but deep, creamy decadent flavours that were just so unexpected! Such a perfect way to end a stunning meal! When you are done, you are presented with a numbered card (we were part of Dinner Series 0009) telling you exactly what you had. Sara was an absolute dream throughout as was Chef Juan Camilo who also brought out some of the dishes & explained them to us and also let us know that the menu is ever changing. I can't wait to stop by again soon to see what new magic the Chef has created. Hoping they have added cocktails to the menu too by then :) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

As a person who loves food and spontaneity, this place was insane. I didn't know what to expect but went in with an open mind. I was blown away. Think farm to table, flavors that create umami/zing (hard to express) feeling, Whole Foods with flavors that will leave you wanting more. Not only was the food incredible, but the ambiance and everyone who works there is a pleasure!!! I had a wonderful time, eating incredibly tasty and out of box food, with even better company. I recommend to anyone wanting to try something new! If you enjoy food, like really (you know what I'm talking about) this is the place for you. 5 stars!

The 8 courses tasting menu was an absoluteExceptional fine dinning experience, the quality of food & service is excellent and a great wine list. Definitely will be back to Palma!

Save your money. I was very excited entering into Palma, the restaurant vibes are amazing and the service was top notch. Food was very disappointing. Most of the food was raw vegetables and fish with very small portions. Lacked flavor, seasoning, and left hungry. For what they are charging, having three of the courses be straight up raw vegetables with little enhancement was shocking. If you are looking to spend $400+ meal, there are plenty of significantly better options in Miami. My disappointment had nothing to do with the service, the two servers who helped us were absolutely lovely and the highlight of the experience.

Truly an incredible dining experience. Chef Juan & Chef Zé are bringing some unique, delicious dishes to Miami that you can't find at any other spot. The wine list is spectacular. Sara & Gaby provided amazing hospitality. I can't recommend this place enough.