The Palace

It's not entirely surprising that the crew in charge of Geronimo and Swig has done such wonders with the Palace, but it's certainly a very welcome development. The nearly 200-year-old restaurant and long-time Santa Fe landmark had been getting a little dusty around the edges, but this remake should be a model for historic preservation. The bar got a perfect face-lift without the botox-everything looks better, but there's still plenty of character. They kept the vintage sexy artwork and lost the dull club chairs in favor of the slickest bar tables and lounges around. In the dining room, deep padded booths line the walls decorated with framed flat screen TVs looping black-and-white film classics. The Palace always had impeccable old-fashioned service-now it's even more so, with staff so conscientious you barely notice that they're there until you see your glass is refilled, your plate cleared away and new dishes have appeared. And those dishes are incredibly appealing. For starters, try

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the generous antipasto cornucopia with a bounty of treats from fresh buffalo mozzarella to thin slices of cured meats and a light baby spinach salad. Another salad combines bitter trevisio and tender boston bibb lettuces and gets topped with gorgonzola cheese and sticky candied cashews-they should bottle and sell these separately. A warm roasted pepper, black olive and basil tart nearly exploded with flavor. The entrées are split between pastas and more continental offerings. The big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs lives up to its billing, with dense, nearly baseball-sized meatballs made with the holy trinity of meats: veal, pork and beef. Some criminally tender veal shows up in a saltimbocca dish with proscuitto and sage and is served with grilled provolone polenta and sautéed baby spinach. For dessert, go for the chocolate anything. The best of the old and the new.

142 W Palace Ave., 982-9891. Lunch and dinner Monday-

Saturday. $$$.



SFR Pick:

Antipasto platter, cocktails.

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