Date night at Palladio LUXE Cinema

400 Palladio Parkway 916-693-6433 cinemawest.com/location?house_id=43199 Opened two years ago, the Palladio LUXE Cinema Theater offers a unique movie-viewing experience you won't get in any typical theater. After reserving your seats online beforehand, you enter the theater and receive a menu full of food and drink choices. As you walk to your movie, there is an old Hollywood/Vegas-style look, with a full bar and lounging areas, including a patio. Once you reach you're auditorium, you find your seat. You look through the menu and decide on what you'd like to drink and eat before the movie starts. There is a button to push when you're ready to order. A stealthy server comes to your side and you're ready to go. At the Palladio LUXE, guests receive the first-class experience of theaters, as one would on an airplane, said Margo Powers, food and beverage manager for Cinema West. "We try to focus on doing a unique boutique experience with all in-theater dining," she said. "We have comfort foods that are a little more elevated and a full bar with house-made cocktails, craft beer and higher-end wines." With menu items such as popcorn chicken, calamari, burgers, flatbreads and your standard candy and popcorn, there is much to choose from. "Our garlic fries and burgers are top sellers, as well as our warm cookies," Powers said. "Also on our large menu are some healthy options such as salads and wraps." "The atmosphere is like a dinner and a movie – a date night kind of thing. We do have our regulars, but this is a higher caliber place to go where you know that you'll have a different experience than what a normal standard theater would give you," she said. "The personable service that we have is a lot different than some of the turn and burn theaters out there." The Palladio LUXE is exclusively small with only six and a total of 260 seats in the entire building. "Our largest theater has 49 seats, so it's not an overwhelming experience. It's cozy," Powers said. "We cycle through movies very quickly because there are only six theaters, so we try to keep everything fresh. Because it is that special experience, we don't want to have old-run movies. People expect something new, exciting and better, and that's what we try to offer." Mac Hill, the theater's general manager, said the customer response has been great. "I think because we are so small and always on the floor, customers feel comfortable speaking with us. We are a lot more approachable compared to standard theaters where it's hard to find a manager to give feedback," Hill said. "With our level of service and level of food quality, the guests have been very happy with us." Something unique about the Palladio LUXE is during popular movie releases, they will create specialty cocktails to go with them, and they are always changing. "We switch up our cocktails very often. You might come for the Captain Marvel drink, but by the Avengers come, we'll have something new," Hill said. Powers said that guests love the specially-themed drinks while they watch their movie. If you're looking for your next date night destination, the Palladio LUXE might be a great option.