The Palm is an international chain of American fine-dining steakhouses that began in 1926. The original location was in New York City at 837 Second Avenue (between East 44th Street and East 45th Street) in Manhattan. Since its beginnings, management has opened additional restaurants throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico. The Palm is notable for steak, lobster, traditional Italian dishes and the caricatures of celebrities on its walls. History Italian immigrants Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi opened the first Palm restaurant in 1926. It was originally intended to be named La Parma, but a city licensing clerk misunderstood the thick Italian accent of the founders. The owners found it was easier to change the name than to get the license reissued. The Palm served as a luncheon and dinner club for members of the city's newspapers for many years. The New York Daily Mirror and King Features (cartoon syndicated) were located on 45th Street between Second and Third Avenues; the Daily News, United Press (later United Press International) and United Features (cartoon syndicate) were located in the Daily News Building on 42nd Street and Second Avenue. The Herald Tribune was on 41st Street and Third Avenue and the World Telegram was on 49th Street and Third Avenue. The proximity of the cartoon syndicates led to the colorful caricatures on the walls. The original Palm consisted of one room at 837 Second Avenue, then it expanded to the second room and eventually to the second floor before opening across the street. Cuisine When the Palm opened, it operated as a conventional Italian restaurant offering fare similar to that found in New York's Little Italy neighborhood. Early in its history, however, Bozzi and Ganzi fielded a request for steak and the owners broiled it after retrieving meat from a Second Avenue butcher. As related in the Palm cook book, the first request led to others and the items were put on the menu. Later, the Palm added Nova Scotia lobsters and aged USDA Prime beef, often served bone-in, as well as a selection of salads. It opened a restaurant in London employing Jason Wallis as executive head chef in 2009. It has since closed. It was opened on the site of Drones, a former Marco Pierre White restaurant. Caricatures A defining feature of the restaurant's brand has been the celebrity walls of caricatures drawn directly on the walls. Those depicted