Palme: Tropical flavours of the West Indies in the heart of the Village

Open since January 2018, Palme is a restaurant where you can savour delicious and revisited Caribbean cuisine in the Village!

The name of the address refers to the palm tree, the tree that is the symbol of many tropical countries. It is also the inspiration behind the concept of the project by Ralph Alerte (ex Taverne Knox, ex Confusion, ex Kalalu) and Lee-Anne Millaire Lafleur. “With Palme, we propose a cuisine that represents the entire Caribbean archipelago. Our cuisine also represents Lee-Anne and I; it is at the same time a Caribbean, South American and African cuisine. In short, all the countries where palm trees are found, we find their style of cooking here”, explains Ralph.

Developed by Lee-Anne, the beautiful decor of the restaurant is reminiscent of the heat of the tropics. With its large garage door that opens onto Sainte-Catherine Street East, the space of about 50 seats is very bright. Dotted with photos and objects that nod to Caribbean culture, the restaurant has a warm je-ne-sais-quoi about it.

Ralph is the chef who developed all the delicious dishes on the menu. Born to parents of Haitian descent, he draws his inspiration from various cultures to create dishes with unique flavours. “I grew up in a big cultural melting pot. Growing up in Saint-Leonard, I was exposed to Quebecois culture, but also Haitian culture thanks to my parents, and Italian culture thanks to my neighbourhood.”

The dishes savoured here nod to the cultures of several tropical countries and the menu is seasonal. Among the specialties of the place are jerk chicken (spicy as tradition demands), tasso de cabri (a traditional West Indian dish revisited by Ralph), cod accras, and Creole cigars, all at affordable prices. We were particularly fond of their excellent jerk chicken, delicious accras and their superb griot salad. Everything was perfectly balanced and delicious – thanks for the invitation. “I really enjoy meeting our customers and introducing them to our Caribbean menu; they really seem to like it! I love seeing what the clientele likes, what interests them in our cuisine.” The house also offers daily specials and cocktails that leave room for discovery!

To drink, the restaurant offers an alcohol list developed by Lee-Anne. The specialty of the house is, unsurprisingly, the rum cocktails – a Caribbean classic! Aside from these tropical flavoured cocktails, you’ll find a selection of beers and wines. The list will also soon include some private imports.

Note that the establishment offers lunches, happy hours, dinners, as well as delicious brunches on weekends: there is something for everyone’s taste! The atmosphere is reminiscent of the Caribbean; the place has a DJ who makes the atmosphere very lively and often festive – a perfect place to party, but to be avoided if you want a restaurant where you can hear each other talk.

Palme is a lovely place to discover for a taste of revisited Caribbean cuisine. The atmosphere is friendly and jovial, while the dishes are delicious and reminiscent of the tropics!

Written by Sophie Monkman
Photography by Palme

Last update: December 23, 2021

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