WHERE’S THE BEEF? PALACE PRIME STEAKHOUSE

Take one of Santa Fe’s most well-established chefs, turn him loose in one of Santa Fe’s oldest and most beloved restaurants, spruce the joint up, update the classic steak house concept and voilà: Palace Prime is born. Chef Charles Dale, late of Bouche, took the creative helm to rejuvenate the old Palace, a downtown fixture. Walls were torn down, floors refinished, lighting and fixtures gussied up and the bar area enlarged to attract a (perhaps younger) crowd. This spring, another high-profile chef, Rocky Durham, most recently at Sunrise Springs, joined the team as executive chef to add his considerable talent and moxie to the mix. The menu offers a new spin on the ever-popular chophouse theme with obligatory dry-aged beef cuts, plump tomahawk pork chops sided with green chile mac and cheese, an assortment of à la carte sauces and sides like asparagus béarnaise and creamed spinach to satisfy both local and visiting carnivores in a modern, clubby setting. The back patio promises to be the destination for alfresco dining this summer.

Palace Prime Steakhouse, 142 W. Palace Ave., 505-919 9935, palaceprimesf.com