Under the broad and inclusive “What was I thinking?” category, I decided to dine outdoors at Palm City Social on the one evening when the temperature fell to 30 degrees below zero and snow was falling. (OK, I may be exaggerating).

But it was a cold evening, and we were seated voluntarily under the handsome new covered pergola, with electric heaters providing radiant heat from the beams and pyramid propane burners surrounding the tables. The ever-attentive manager, Jody, wearing a pretty maxi dress and sneakers for speed, recharged and reignited portable heaters she delivered to the tables to keep our legs warm.

Palm City Social is a welcome addition to our community. The restaurant is gorgeous. Emerald green booths, cream upholstered chairs, blonde wood, brass and glass chandeliers, and a considerably sized square bar deliver the atmosphere for fun and socializing. I could live there. As long as the bartender and magic-makers in the kitchen stayed on.

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If you had visited Palm City Social in the early days, you may have noticed the acoustics were conversation-challenged. However, when we walked in, we observed immediately that — although still lively and spirited — the sound levels were warm and convivial. New ceiling tiles were added in a continuing effort to address that early issue.

In keeping with the social theme, the drink menu is almost as large as the dining menu. Some of the signature drinks included a chocolate or peanut butter old fashioned, a brown sugar bourbon espresso martini and a spicy pineapple margarita.

Appetizers to share included a truffled street corn guacamole, a Southwest tuna stack, and a spinach artichoke dip. We started with the heirloom sourdough ($8). Thick triangles of crusty, toasted bread were accompanied by two smears. Whipped butter blended with everything seasonings and pimento cheese spread both coated the hearty bread with sweet and salty enhancements.

The dinner menu included chicken fried steak, Scottish salmon, Macadamia crusted grouper, pork chop and steak.

After the amazing bread, we split the house salad ($14), which was a mass of fresh field greens topped with cucumber, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, cheese, bacon and sunflower seeds. The buttermilk garlic dressing was very lightly applied, so we requested more, which was happily delivered.

Next, the mister ordered filet mignon ($55). Rendered beef fat (tallow) and garlic formed a confit along with a smoked tomato demi-glace, which infused the steak with lavish flavors. Apparently, Palm City Social has potatoes, because the restaurant whipped them into submission with a dollop of butter and a side of broccolini.

My dinner was chicken Milanese ($22), which was lightly floured, thin, white meat cutlets sauteed in butter, then served atop a blend of piquillo peppers and artichokes, which was similar in taste to a romesco sauce. The tender chicken was capped with fresh arugula, tomatoes, lemon balsamic vinaigrette, and fresh-grated Parmesan. Most Milanese is heavily breaded with an extra crispy coating, but this version was lighter, had more flavor, and the peppery arugula and lemon flavors did not get lost.

We were comfortable on the patio on the coldest night of the year, but the weather will warm this summer. The heaters will be replaced with fans, which will provide a comfortable dining experience for the other 364 days of the year.

The upbeat hospitality that we experienced must be what Palm City Social is striving to be. It’s a congenial and welcoming place for people to gather, celebrate, share stories, enjoy wine, cocktails, and good food. Palm City Social is a beautiful and friendly place to greet, meet and eat.

Palm City Social

• Cuisine: American
• Address: 3163 S.W. Martin Downs Blvd., Palm City
• Phone: 772-254-4247
• Hours: 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday; 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Monday; bar opens at 4 p.m.
• Alcohol: Full bar
• Online:palmcitysocial.com

Lucie Regensdorf dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm for #WhatToDoIn772. Contact her at [email protected]