Palm Palm restaurant the latest venture of Herky and Lisa Pollock

A trip to Palm Beach in South Florida and a relative from Palm Springs in California became the inspiration for Pittsburgh’s newest East End Restaurant, Palm Palm.

Co-owners Herky and Lisa Pollock and chef Ed and Amanda Smith transformed the former Plum Asian Bistro on Centre Avenue to bring a taste of Palm Springs and Palm Beach to Pittsburgh. The restaurant opens on Sunday.

“We want people to have a joyful experience, because sometimes life is hard,” Lisa Pollock said as she gave a media tour of the space, which features a spacious dining room with a bar and tucked-away lounge area. The indoor space seats 95 people. There is also a patio that can accommodate 65 guests.

The Pollocks are both from the East End. They want Palm Palm to be a cool neighborhood spot with an elegant approach, Herky Pollock said. They’ve partnered with chef Ed Smith and his wife Amanda on this venture, as well as the established Ritual House in Downtown Pittsburgh.

When you enter, one of the first images you see is a 24-foot picture of a Peter Thomas’ 1961 light blue Cadillac. Thomas, who is a multi-media fine artist from North Carolina, also created the 53-foot wall of palm trees above the bar.

The lounge features a vintage photograph by Slim Aarons called “Poolside Gossip” — the image of by a pool changes as you walk past it.

The overall concept is an “ode to the ease and escape of Palm Springs and Palm Beach, blending leisure and luxury in all aspects of the experience — from design to drinks,” Herky Pollock said.

Palm Palm has two private chef’s dining rooms situated inside the kitchen. The true chef’s tables will offer a close-up view of the chef and his team in action as they prepare shareable plates of coastal cuisine influenced by California and South America.

The menu will rotate seasonally while keeping some core favorites. Ed Smith will craft dishes such as sushi tots, big eye tuna and street corn taquitos with roasted corn, blended cheese and avocado. Large plates include the wagyu ragu of pipe rigate, braised mirepoix, veal demi-glaze, thyme and bay leaf. There are choices of prime New York strip and filet as well as bluefin tuna steak.

Desserts include a pistachio cheesecake with blackberry, blueberry and raspberry sauce dubbed nutty by nature and and a dark chocolate mousse with hazelnut milk chocolate cremeux, chocolate financier, cherry jelly and milk chocolate whiskey ganache called dark desire.

Cocktails include a Palm margarita with tequila, cold-pressed green juice, orange and lime with hibiscus salt rim and a fire and fresa mezcal drink, which has tequila, fire-roasted red pepper, strawberry, lime and Tajin, a seasoning powder. There is a passionista, which has vodka, passoa passion fruit liqueur and processco. Palm Palm also has a full bar with an extensive wine list and mocktails.

Brunch will be served on weekends. Menu items include breakfast pizza with pepperoni, poached eggs, roasted tomato, basil oil and mozzarella; pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict as well as steak and eggs and a breakfast sandwich of milk brioche, two fried eggs, smoked gouda, tomato bacon jam and black forest ham.

“This is amazing,” Ed Smith said. “This is something Pittsburgh hasn’t seen before.”

Ed Smith said Lisa and Herky Pollock take care of the aesthetics and he and his wife care for the menu and guests.

He said they’ve spent the past year doing tastings and referenced the late Anthony Bourdain, who was known for sharing stories about food.

“Every item has a story,” Ed Smith said. “We need to tell more stories and the meaning behind each dish, because I believe guests want an experience. They want to learn about the food and that is one reason they love the chef’s tables.”

“Every part of the restaurant is designed to give a different experience,” Herky Pollock said. “We want this to be an escape from daily life.”