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Palena, 2007 James Beard Award Winner Frank Ruta Rocks Cleveland Park - Closed on Apr 26, 2014


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Note to Palena: the shoestrings are a teensy tiny bit too salty lately! And I like salt.

Twice in the last two weeks, I have had the otherwise great fry plate. But twice the fries themselves were oversalted, and in both cases, I wasn't in a position to draw it to the attention of the wonderful staff. :lol:

Edited by JLK
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Went to Palena on Friday night for a late-night dinner. The place was pretty busy at 9pm, to our surprise, but after 30 min or so, we were seated. Our server pointed us to the new scallop ceviche dish, which was truly awesome. There was a dollop of a smoked salmon mouse (? not the right word, but maybe you get the idea). The scallops were perfect. I had the duck raviolini which were also great-- loved the chantrelle mushrooms too. Husband had the chicken, which he picked apart. We split the baltimore lemon cake with rasberry jam and lime sorbet--the lime sorbet was a great compliment to the richness of the cake. If someone asked me what my favorite place was in this city, it would have to be Palena.

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Went to Palena on Friday night for a late-night dinner.  The place was pretty busy at 9pm, to our surprise, but after 30 min or so, we were seated.  Our server pointed us to the new scallop ceviche dish, which was truly awesome.  There was a dollop of a smoked salmon mouse (? not the right word, but maybe you get the idea). The scallops were perfect.  I had the duck raviolini which were also great-- loved the chantrelle mushrooms too.  Husband had the chicken, which he picked apart.  We split the baltimore lemon cake with rasberry jam and lime sorbet--the lime sorbet was a great compliment to the richness of the cake.  If someone asked me what my favorite place was in this city, it would have to be Palena.

there are some bakers in town who could learn a few things about cupcakes by dissecting the baltimore lemon cake at palena. it transcends the form, and you can pounce upon it as soon as the plate hits the table.

after devouring the scottish hare terrine i went home and watched a movie about a scottish island concerned about sustenance that sacrifices a virgin police officer who is investigating the possible murder of a young girl. when he exhumes the body, it is a hare!

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after devouring the scottish hare terrine i went home and watched a movie about a scottish island concerned about sustenance that sacrifices a virgin police officer who is investigating the possible murder of a young girl. when he exhumes the body, it is a hare!

Wow-- I just saw "The Wicker Man" myself. A bit dated, but there's still something very creepy about it.

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Wow-- I just saw "The Wicker Man" myself.  A bit dated, but there's still something very creepy about it.

in the interests of staying on topic, i always have found the idea of human sacrifice a bit unsettling, no less so than after having enjoyed a scottish hare dish at palena. my wife, on the other hand, felt the inspector had it coming. this is the type of person who always orders the steak at sushi-ko.

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18 month wedding anniversery; dinner at Palena on Wednesday night.

We both had the gnocchi and the duck raviolini. Both were great. I really, really like this preperation of the gnocchi.

I actually skipped the pumpkin goat chese cake in anticipation of Thanksgiving and had the chocolate mousse cake instead. Very nice and not too rich. A good addition to the menu.

We came out to light flurries--almost made me wish it was Christmas Eve instead of Thanksgiving Eve.

Jennifer

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i was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, but heaven knows i'm miserable now;

i was looking for some hare and then i found some hare,

and heaven knows i'm miserable now;

in my life, oh why do i give valuable time - to restaurants who dont care if i live or die?

two lovers entwined, sat near by, and heaven knows i'm miserable now; i longed for oxtail and then some oxtail found me, and heaven knows i'm miserable now;

in my life, oh why do i spend my money elsewhere - at restaurants who dont care if i live or die?

what they asked of me at the end of the night, even a glutton wouldve blushed - oh youve not had sicilian lemon grappa in a coupa', she said - and i naturally gushed;

in my life, why do i smile, at other chefs who i'd much rather kick in the eye?

i was happy in the haze of a drunken hour,but heaven knows i'm miserable now, oh youve been elsewhere for too long she said, and i naturally fled, in my life, oh did i even reply, to her query of "when next?", i said , how soon is now?

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:lol: What better way to celebrate having a day off then treating myself to a perfectly served meal at Palena. I had recently picked this month's issue of Washingtonian- and could not resist making a trip to see for myself what makes this place a soft spot for DC's foodies. I was greeted with the warmest smile from the hostess that cleared room for me at the bar and then so graciously honered my request for a table for one.The bar was a bit too bustling for me to enjoy reading the rest of my magazine.- My original plan was to try the cafe menu, but as soon as I got a glimpse of the tasting menu my mind was made up. I had to try the latter. What more can I say- I am hooked only after the 1st sumptious bite. I will certainly be back.
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I'm not sure this forum needs yet another fan letter to Palena - rather like preaching to the choir - yet I can't resist saying again how wonderful Palena is. That lemon martini concoction, with Grey Goose vodka and aqua de cedro, is almost the best cocktail in the world*. The lentil soup with cream-poached shrimp was wonderful on a cold night. What Chef Ruta does with gnocchi never fails to amaze me. And pheasant raviolini - holy cow. And the venison - what part of the deer did that large dark chunk of meltingly tender meat come from, anyway? That was the best venison I've ever had in a restaurant. And Ann Amernick's desserts are... oh, heck, superlatives fail me. And the dark-haired waitress is a wonder, too; how did she manage to find a single bottle of wine to match the diversity of dishes we ordered?!

What a blessing to have the talents of Frank Ruta and Ann Amernick here in DC.

To all the staff at Palena: thank you.

*the best is the caipirhina, the reason God invented cocktails

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I did a quick stop at Palena the other night before a meeting. (What am I going to do when I don't have meetings nearly every week just around the corner? Besides see my husband more often???)

The pheasent raviolini was amazing. Several notches better than the previous version with duck which was pretty darn good too.

This rendition of the gnocchi is heaven on a plate and I'm going to be devestated when it departs, no matter that I know the next one will be good too.

I concluded with the pumpkin goat cheese cake--terrific but I think I've had enough for the season and will move on. I was tempted by the pecan pie bars but needed more info or someone who has actually tried them to report it.

Ann is definitely in fine form and seems to be expermenting. There was a new cookie in Mr. BLB's takeaway cookie plate--an lightly glazed cookie with raisins. He didn't like it much but if we have to take a few tasty duds from Ann before she finds the next blockbuster, I'll happily volunteer to be a tasting guinea pig.

Definitely go early--it so nice to be there as it opens and before the rush starts.

Jennifer

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What is the preparation now? Also, what soup are they serving?

This rendition of the gnocchi is heaven on a plate and I'm going to be devestated when it departs, no matter that I know the next one will be good too.

Jennifer

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Stopped in last night and had the chicken and also had the cafe salad. I usually can't get worked up about a salad, but this was amazing. I'm convinced there is a beautiful sunlit farm somewhere inside the kitchen. The greens in the salad seemed so hyper-fresh, how can there be any other explanation?

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Stopped in last night and had the chicken and also had the cafe salad. I usually can't get worked up about a salad, but this was amazing. I'm convinced there is a beautiful sunlit farm somewhere inside the kitchen. The greens in the salad seemed so hyper-fresh, how can there be any other explanation?

I was in last night as well but did not see you. Of course they sat us in the small booth on the way to the back room. I guess we did not pass muster for being seating where many others could see us! :)

Two dishes stood out for me last night. The oxtail "Vaccinara" style and the Pot au Feu with cauliflower, carnaroli rice, and burgundy truffles. Man was that good!

I had a taste of the apple tart and it was wonderful. It is a small tart shell filled with custard and topped with apples cooked with raisins, dried cranberries, and some orange zest. I was disappointed in the cupcakes, but the peppermint ice cream was tasty.

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I was in last night as well but did not see you.  Of course they sat us in the small booth on the way to the back room.  I guess we did not pass muster for being seating where many others could see us!  :)

Two dishes stood out for me last night.  The oxtail "Vaccinara" style and the Pot au Feu with cauliflower, carnaroli rice, and burgundy truffles.  Man was that good!

I had a taste of the apple tart and it was wonderful.  It is a small tart shell filled with custard and topped with apples cooked with raisins, dried cranberries, and some orange zest.  I was disappointed in the cupcakes, but the peppermint ice cream was tasty.

I thought I saw Mr. Dente, when I was returning from the powder room, but didn't see you at all...we were in the corner by the window.

More love for Palena....I thoroughly enjoyed my bday dinner last night, and I heartily agree with you about the Pot au Feu--I'm still dreaming about that one today :o We also had the cafe salad (split) and this is no ordinary "house" salad. I also had the scallops, and Mr. Squid had the ravioli. For my dessert, I did finally get my vanilla cupcake with peppermint ice cream, and it was delicious and worth waiting for--unfortunately, I was so full from dinner I could barely finish it AND the complimentary cookie plate they provided with a candle for me (but managed to with a little help from hubby!)

Our server, Anya, was top notch as well--she even remembered us from our last visit in October, and remembered we had come in for our Anniversary.

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I heartily agree with you about the Pot au Feu--I'm still dreaming about that one today  :) We also had the cafe salad (split) and this is no ordinary "house" salad...Mr. Squid had the ravioli.  For my dessert, I did finally get my vanilla cupcake with peppermint ice cream

Gee what a small world... I had all those last night too. :o

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Now usually I don't end up at two great places in one day but when Mr. BLB came home and I hadn't put in the chicken to roast yet, it seemed like a trip out was a good thing. (I went to Restaurant Eve for lunch...) Two Amy's reported a 20 minute wait and Palena said they weren't full yet.

Off we went. I started with the Pot au Feu. That was amazing stuff. I did point out that if I developed salmonella I wasn't going to know the source since I had two undercooked eggs that day from two different sources. Oh well. It was so worth it!

Mr. BLB had the minestrone which tasted. I can see why there is so much love for that around here. I hesitated to order it myself because I don't care for fennel too much. I didn't really feel overwhelmed by it.

The gnocchi is now moved onto a new cheese--castlemango instead of the non-blue cheese it was before that now escapes my little brain. Still has the sweet potatoes and the wild rice. Mr. BLB ordered it and I took a nibble--I'm not a blue cheese person but it was pretty darn good.

I had the penne with the hare ragu. Wow. I wished it was colder and that I was hungrier and that there were a few more penne in the plate because there was much more meat left at the end. I couldn't get the ratio quite right on my fork!

No dessert--we were tired, it was late and though Ann's cookies beckoned, we're making our own Christmas cookies today and tomorrow.

They'll be closing a bit early on Saturday night and will be closed Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Plan accordingly!

Jennifer

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You were there? So was I! Probably not the best day for an introduction--I had a very bad day and spent a decent-sized chunk of dinner looking sulky and sad.

The soup helped. I gobbled that minestone wordlessly while my date just watched, apparently impressed . It takes a lot to make me stop talking. I followed up with the gnocchi (big fan of the castelmagno) while he had the snapper and oysters from the dining room menu.

We shared the chocolate torte. I didn't love it...what I should have had was the apple custard something (I forgot what it is - a tart?).

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So as the "on a whim" thread indicates, I did indeed go to Palena for an early dinner on Wednesday. The cafe at 6 was fairly empty, and I bellied up to the bar determined not to surrender to desire and order the hamburger and fries.

My first course was, as recommended, the minestrone. Lately I've had a major fennel jones and this soup satisfied that, and then some. The broth was rich and the meatballs were out of this world. No noodles, and not that Campbells over-basiled dreck you get when you order minestrone. I think I slurped down my soup a bit too noisily, but it was really just too good to not do so.

Second course was the sausage and bacon (see "desire to eat as much pork as possible"). I can remember neither the formal name for it or the 4th accompaniment (green sauce being the third). 7/8 of the dish were delicious. The green sauce, as usual, worked well with the meat. The homemade sausage was slightly spicy and well seasoned, while the homemade bacon was so delicious that I wanted to ask for seconds. Here I was expecting bacon like you see on Palena's awesome BLT. Instead, I got a cube of deliciously marbled pork belly. Good god was it delicious -- especially when tasted with the lentils (was it lentils?). There was a green vegetable that topped the lentils, and I'm tempted to say it was fennel again. This was the one down note, as it was a little too salty for me. That changed when I ate it with the smoky-sweet bacon, so all is forgiven.

Dinner was washed down with a couple glasses of Jessie's Grove Zinfandel, which I always enjoy. The diners next to me tempted me to no end by ordering burgers and fries and sighing contentedly after each bite, but when my meal came out I decided my fortitude was worth it. Palena's burger and fries are delicious, but a guy has to branch out every once in a while.

Special thanks to Arritty (Sp?) the bartender who was doing triple duty as the only waiter for the front. I hope at least some of your customers were nice to you.

After dinner I went to the Uptown Tavern with some friends and drank way too many cans of PBR. To congratulate myself for being strong.

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Hungry No More

Dear Forum:

I have long been an avid reader of the reviews in the forum and have often used the exciting, tantalizing stories of culinary thrills found here as the basis of some of my more fantastic dining adventures and experiments. That being said, I must admit that I never believed these wild reports of gustatory excess and daring to be true. That is, until this happened to me.

Now, I am not one to brag, but I have often been told that I am a "tall dude" with a "beatific air." In addition, I should mention that I possess a substantial girth (having put on a good twenty pounds recently) and a prodigous, fear-inducing, well-nigh insatiable, appetite. In fact, outside of certain cup-cakes, there is almost nothing I won't put in my mouth. Further, those who know me well cannot help but marvel at my superhuman endurance and lustful delight when it comes to alcohol consumption. I mention these things since, as you will see, they play an important role in the story that follows.

Recently, and quite unexpectantly, I found myself alone on a Saturday night in a part of town named after the one US President whose girth is said to exceed my own. I came upon a bustling, charming, almost insouciant restaurant whose very facade beckoned me and teased me at the same time and seemed to invite me in with a promise of untold alimentary delights. No menu posted out front could ever prepare me for what was to come next.

Never being one to deny myself such pleasures, I entered, at first tentatively, vacillating back and forth at the threshold that seemed to reveal so much, yet also hint at such rare, hidden treasures contained within, and then, once I made it past the first door into the warming air of the vestibule, I stifled a low moan of hunger and unbearable anticipation and plunged in with gusto and an almost embarassing abandon--that is if I wasn't already past the point of caring. I made my way straight to the waiting barstool which received my heaving, desperate bulk with a sigh and a groan of it's own, straining to contain my impressive anatomy as I filled the seat to its very limit. All the while, the barstool seemed to welcome and caress every contour of my craving mass, which, as we will soon see, was soon to increase even more--past the point even I thought possible.

Once settled, I ordered a cocktail from the list of options so enticingly displayed, every detail, down to the most intricate garnish, held out before me with a passionate, knowing pride in the pleasure the whole was about to give me. It's as though, knowing how much pleasure others have received from these liquid treasures, there was no holding back in boldly promising and describing the ingredients of the mind-numbing ecstacy soon to be delivered to me. I chose a "Sicilian Martini" whose dark, lusty, bracing, exotic potency seemed to be just right for my mood. The minute my frosty, sculptured glass was handed across that impassive stretch of bar keeping me from the boundless, endless supply of liquid fantasies contained in the alluring, amply full bottles protected therein I knew that this was no ordinary drink, and that this would be no ordinary night.

I let myself go, and took a drink.

From that point on it was like I couldn't stop. I plunged next into a plump flute of Prosecco whose tingly effervessence could take pages to describe, but let's just say that it certainly deserved to be called "pro." With that I began devouring the delicious morsels placed before me--beet, lobster, cool, sharp greens, explosive bites of pure lemon cleaned of the surrounding skin that nature gave it to protect the delicate, pulpy flesh from too-prying teeth and tongues, then back to lobster. And then all over again. Sometimes I even combined several of these pinnacles of succulence in the same bite, reeling in a stupor of sensory overload as each flavor fought to be felt, but then settled, not quite exhausted yet, into mutual, reciprocal melding of flavors. It was too much, I didn't know what to eat first, so I kept going back and forth, from one moist, exotically scented morsel to the next. I was in a delirium and I didn't want it to end, but end it did. I was nearly sated, but so hungry still. One look in my eyes and you could tell I was not done yet.

At this point, I was brought a soothing, warming broth of rich, intense, gamey purity. It was as though the bartender could read my mind, and brought me the one thing that would both soothe me and prepare me for the next round of Gargantua-l engorgement. Oh for a live goose, I thought, knowing that soon my darkest needs would break through to the surface. Soon, almost instantly due to my heightened excitement, the refractory period ended and my appetite became aroused again, and not for the last time that night I should add. Dark, mysterious bites of foie gras and squab, whose intensity threatened to overwhelm me, seemed to be strategically studded throughout the broth, as though for optimal pleasure. I brought spoon after spoon of this heavenly nectar to my lips only to have it dissapear too quickly into the nether regions of my gullet. Quicker and quicker I drank (ate? does it matter?) this precious, enriched broth until finally I could stand no more, just as exactly at the same time the broth which I thought would go on forever gave me its last. I collapsed backward in exhaustion, already thinking of what delight was to come next, and there was so much more to come.

I continued deep into the night with drink after drink, course after course until finally I could consume no more. There were many more culinary adventures and surprises that night, and much more to share with the forum, but that will have to wait for another post. The amazing thing is that I never even knew the restaurant's name until I was at the curb outside waiting for a cab to take me home, and looked back yearningly for one final glance at the culinary Pleasure Dome. Well, let's just say I now know exactly where to go if I find myself in that neighborhood again. In fact, I am already planning my next "unexpected" visit, if you know what I mean. In the meantime, consider me "Hungry no more."

Name and address withheld

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Oh for a live goose, I thought, knowing that soon my darkest needs would break through to the surface.  Soon, almost instantly due to my heightened excitement, the refractory period ended and my appetite became aroused again, and not for the last time that night I should add.  Dark, mysterious bites of foie gras and squab, whose intensity threatened to overwhelm me, seemed to be strategically studded throughout the broth, as though for optimal pleasure.  I brought spoon after spoon of this heavenly nectar to my lips only to have it dissapear too quickly into the nether regions of my gullet.  Quicker and quicker I drank (ate? does it matter?) this precious, enriched broth until finally I could stand no more, just as exactly at the same time the broth which I thought would go on forever gave me its last.  I collapsed backward in exhaustion, already thinking of what delight was to come next, and there was so much more to come.

Why am I suddenly breathless and craving a cigarette? :)

And I want to know more about the soup.

Edit to add: Live goose?

Edited by Heather
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  I chose a "Sicilian Martini" <snip> this was no ordinary drink

That drink is da bomb. Second-best cocktail in the known universe. If you're interested in making it at home, you should be able to get the acqua de cedro from the liquor store down the street - I asked them to order it for me, and they may have a few bottles left.

Edited by porcupine
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And in 90 minutes or less. :)

Back to Palena, I was in a grumpy work's-got-me-down mood on Friday so I called to find out 1. if Palena had minestrone and 2. if they'd be sold out before I could get there. Affirmative on both accounts unfortunately. No soup for me.

Well, this is a man who's been known to satisfy 50 people in one evening almost single-handedly...

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Michael, have you ever considered writing faux-Victorian erotica? You certainly have the literary style down cold--er--hot.

I dunno about Victorian, but there's usually a soft-focus centerfold some pages over from the Forum. I think this month it was a game hen with really nice* thigh skin. :)

* or in some corners of the city, "crispy"

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So I was on my way to my meeting, minding my own business, when the call came to cancel. My car was a mere block from Palena. There were many, many, many emergencies lights beckoning in the distance (i.e. the other 5 blocks to my house...)

What to do?

Settle in for the pate --very nice but there is one seasoning or ingredient or something in there that I just don't like... Then the gnocchi with fennel sausage bolognase. Wow!

But the highlight of the meal was still to come--the chocolate eclair. What is usually a total miss for me was perfection on a plate in what I assume was Ann's hands. The pastry was perfect, the chocolate filling was amazing.

Brought home a burger for Mr. BLB, if he ever gets home from work.

Malick took fine care of me and I read another 65 pages while I was eating.

What's not to like???

Jennifer

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More love for Palena...we had another great meal last night, this time for Mr. S' bday. Everytime I leave that restaurant, I feel like I have a goofy sated grin from ear to ear plastered on my face. I just can't stop smiling and sighing.

Both Mr. S and I started with the cafe salad. Everytime I order it am amazed how the mix of so many flavors create such a wonderful outcome, and so I will probably continue to order it every time. We decided to skip the fry plate this time, so that we would have enough room for dessert. Mr. S had the lamb, and I had the Turbot. The smell of the butter wafts into your nose as the plate is set in front of you, but the butter is not an overwhelming flavor...orange zest, shaved fennel, and the most tender, delectable sweet fish you could ever imagine. Didn't get to try Mr. S' lamb, as every morsel was gone.

The dessert menu was a very difficult choice, as there were so many items that really appealed...there was the double chocolate mocha eclair; the ice cream sandwich made with meringue and filled with Caramel and Espresso ice creams; the caramel coffee torte; the brulee of maize (more about this later); and about 3 or more other items I can't recall.

The Brulee of Maize was out of this world...a corn sponge, topped with a corn custard, topped with another sponge, and finished off with "corn nuts' which were not hard at all, but were kernels of corn that appeared to have been sauteed, all based in a pool of creamy anglaise. This is not a super sweet dessert, but oh so satisfying...kind of like the a wonderful sweet corn souffle. Mr. S had the ice cream sandwich with meringues--which was also quite wonderful. I tasted a bit of the ice cream, but that was all I could snare.

I don't have the skill of the words to impart as others before, but will echo those words of "Hungry no more." :)

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My comments on my dinner at Palena last night probably won't add at all to what's already here, but ... I can't believe I've lived in Dupont Circle for 3 1/2 years and this was my first trip to Palena. I never knew what I was missing!

It was a perfect place for my friend and I to catch up -- we loved sitting at one of the booths for two. And our server was completely understanding when she came by to see if we were ready to order, and the table was covered with baby pictures (my friend's one-year-old who I haven't met yet) and all we were ready to do was order a drink!

I had a glass of the Jessie's Grove Zinfandel, which so many people have raved about on this site. Fantastic. And my friend had a Shirley Temple (which she ordered just after telling me she's pregnant again!!) -- the presentation of which was great! There were real cherries in the glass, and my friend said it was delicious!

We started off with a plate of the fries. I've read the "soggy" complaints, and all I have to say is, these were delicious. I found nothing to complain about at all, from the fries, to the onion rings, to the potato puffs (?), to the delicious aioli (right?) accompanying the dish. Neither my friend nor I was really excited by the lemon slices, but then again, neither of us really likes lemon.

She had the roast chicken, which she allowed me to taste -- and oh my god. I may never order anything else again. So juicy and delicious. I had the gnocchi, which were also very good, but I think I had chicken envy for much of the evening :)

And we finished the evening with the warm apple tart (her) and the brulee of maize (me). I didn't even get to try a bite of the apple tart, so I'm guessing it was fabulous. The corn dessert was excellent -- precisely as it was described by a poster above, so I won't try to say more.

I'll be back, probably next week. This is going to be murder on my bank account....

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My birthday has found itself in the midst of Restaurant Week since RW's inception. I have, until this year, felt obliged to "take advantage" of the so-called bargain RW represents. But I have often felt somewhat cheated, since the occasion is one of the few times during the year when we go out to dine; when we do go out, it's usually just to grab a bite at someplace cheap, close to home, where "dressing up" is not required and preferably all three. Most of our best meals are eaten at home. But my birthday, and maybe our anniversary are different. I want to dress up, have a wonderful meal prepared for and served to me. So the decision about where to go this year was very important. This year, I didn't want to be competing with the hordes trying to snag tables at favored places participating in Restaurant Week. I decided to go somewhere that was NOT a part of RW. No bargain meals on this birthday, thank you very much.

There are a number of places highly favored by Rockweillers that I haven't yet tried, like Restaurant Eve and 2941, and wonderful places that I have visited one time in years past, like Komi, Citronelle and Maestro. Palena, an establishment I have been to four or five times, however, has been so consistently wonderful that I chose it after a period of agonizing indecision.

I prepared for the occasion by consulting with Tom Hanna, the Italian wine guru at MacArthur Beverages. After some discussion about just what I was looking for, he went into the storeroom and brought out a bottle that wasn't on display-- a 2000 Seghesio Barolo La Villa, which while still quite young for a barolo, Tom promised would be ready to drink, elegant and full of fruit. And sold it to me for the "sale price" since it was my birthday. Even with Palena's $20 corkage fee added, it was probably a much better wine than I could have bought from their wine list for the same amount of money. Tom was so right! It was an absolutely gorgeous bottle of wine, and perfect with our main courses. We planned to order a by the glass white wine off the list to accompany the apps.

We were ushered to our table in the back room, and given a complimentary glass of bubbly while we perused the menu, in honor of my special occasion. Jonathan and I both decided to go the full five courses, and our daughter went for three--she would be leaving early, catching a ride with a friend who lives near Palena to go to a dance at her school. After reading Michael Landrum's post, how could we not order the consomme that he described so pornographically? I thought it was light and fresh-tasting, a delighful way to start a rich meal despite the one flaw that ruined it for Jonathan: the small morsel of foie gras was unfortunately overcooked. Veggie-teen had mushroom soup that was rich, deeply flavored and creamy, with pierogie filled with the most silken puree of chestnut imaginable. Jonathan would have been happier with the mushroom soup.

For our second course, Jonathan and VT both ordered gnocchi, which they both enjoyed. I had skate wing, a small, tasty portion of grilled fish accompanied by a flavorful, crunchy shrimp and a sea-urchin cup filled with a creamy herb sauce that was delicious. But I couldn't detect any of the promised sea urchin in the dish. The other flaw in the dish was a portion of rock salt on the plate, there to stabilize the urchin shell, some of which migrated on the plate to make the last bite of the three-bite sized portion of skate way too salty.

Our server, very helpful and on-the-ball, was aware that VT needed to leave by 8, and was concerned that the kitchen was very slow. He had prepared her third course-- the cheese plate--and delivered it as soon as she had finished her gnocchi. She ate it while we waited for our main courses, which was fine with us, since we had been concerned that her ride would arrive before she'd had a chance to complete her meal. It was a very nice cheese course, which we also had after our mains.

The main courses were perfection. Jonathan had roasted venison and a braised short rib accompanied by a puree of celery root, and I had grilled Moularde duck breast and seared foie gras, which had a wonderful sauce and some chestnuts. But I was in duck-foie heaven. The barolo was fragrant and delicious and we were so happy. The last of the wine was wonderful with the cheese course, too. Thin slices of fruited almond bread and a taste of five cheeses--Purple Haze, taleggio, a triple cream (name?), gorgonzola and some aged gouda.

And then dessert-- chocolate toffee torte-- a big hunk of rich chocolate in a pool of creme anglaise, and the sweet corn cake/brulee. And double espressi.

A satisfying meal. I was definitely not left feeling cheated out of a great birthday dinner this year.

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Is this a vegetarian-vegetarian, an ovo-lacto vegetarian or a pescatarian, etc.? On nights other than Mondays, you can order from both the cafe and back room menus which expands the odds of veggie-friendly eating. The cafe salad is a hearty one, but beyond that, my favorite Palena dishes are meaty like the corned beef and hen's egg I had tonight. Sorry I can't be more helpful!

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