Choirgirl21 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 So does anyone know how long this head to tail feast is going to be offered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 So does anyone know how long this head to tail feast is going to be offered? I don't think it is a limited time offer. I assume the dishes would change over time though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 It's an ongoing thing. Chef has talked about changing the protein at some point but given the success I doubt it will disappear anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 So does anyone know how long this head to tail feast is going to be offered? I hope they do a pig version! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I hope they do a pig version! Now THAT would be awesome. Wonder if anyone at Palena monitors DR.com--hint, hint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinerGirl Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Stopped by for an early dinner tonight and had the chicken, which was better than it's ever been. Sides: turnip gratin, brussels sprouts-walnut-pecorino salad, and the roasted sweet potatoes. Glass of rose. Really couldn't have been a more perfect Friday night dinner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 Beef fest tonight. And it reinforced why I love Palena. Simply stated, Palena is cool. I posted a week or two ago to ask about the time typical for the head-to-tail. Waitman and HillValley both cautioned against trying to enjoy something so special before a show. They were right to caution that. I agreed then and agree now. But, sometimes you can't have things exactly the way you'd prefer. We had to do in two hours what should take at least 3. And Palena made it happen with great results. Sarah was great to fit us in and didn't lose a beat when she realized only today (no doubt my fault) that we had only two hours rather than two and a half recorded at the time I made the booking. Kelly, Kelli, Sean and other staff did a phenomenal job to keep us on track and make us feel very welcome as they always do. Was the time compression ideal? No. Was it delicious, great fun and totally worthwhile given our constraints? Absolutely! And, I'm quite sure we'll do this again the right way to even more fully appreciate it. I won't detail all the dishes since that's been done on the thread so much already. Loved most the carne cruda, brodo, beef cheek, ribeye, orange "medley" and shortbread. Palena as an organization and team cooks and serves with such confidence but warmly and without any pretentiousness whatsoever. They just worked with us to make our dinner successful. To me, that's the definition of cool. And, of course, the food was great. I love that Chef isn't and never has been a big sous vide, foam, molecular, micro or trend-of-the-month type. Always interesting, often new, always simple enough to be accessible and, most of all, delicious and all about great ingredients simply prepared. As Tom S wrote in this weekend's Post review, "A master of restraint, Ruta is his own best editor." Every item on the menu was listed with its source by name & location: Gretna Farms (VA), Roseda Farms (Eastern Shore), Horst Co-Operative (PA), Meadow Creek (VA) and Trickling Springs (PA) dairies. Pretty cool. As always, not everything was a home run. As example, I didn't so much enjoy the heart; it was a bit firm for my taste. And, I enjoyed the cheek more than the oxtail in the vaccinara though both were very good with delicious tomato sauce and equally delicious but simple vermicelli ("toasted" with garlic and olive oil). We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and that's always the bottom line. And the show (Arabian Nights at Arena Stage) was great fun also. It all worked out. Thanks DR.com for all the useful guidance as always. And thanks Palena for doing what you do so consistently. Now about all those leftovers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_5198 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Finally got back to Palena, my first return since the new space opened. I actually like the decor; the ambiance was appropriate (bustling but not too lively) and the open kitchen adds a nice touch. Our service was great -- everything was prompt and courteous, even on a busy weekend night. As for the food, my opening course of grilled artichokes was as fabulous as everyone has mentioned. The cheese, greens, aioli and insanely good artichokes…it's a perfect balance, and foil to my future attempts at menu exploration. The next dish, pappardelle with two cheeks, was the only "satisfactory" course of the evening. Pasta was good, but the actual meat and intense flavor were both hard to find. Never mind that, however, because the following course of stuffed shoat was phenomenal: a fork-tender slice, filled with assorted pork goodness and elevated by components that I wish I could recall better (I saw "shoat" on the menu, got tunnel vision, and deemed all its accompaniments as irrelevant). To finish the meal was a delicious banana creme tart, which was miles ahead of the last dessert I had before renovations. As someone who initially balked at the complete separation of menus, surprisingly, I never found myself longing for the old dining room a la carte. The cooking remains wonderful, there are more seats, draft beer, desserts are better and the cafe menu was up to 30+ items during my visit. I can't wait to get back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Oddly enough, Palena Cafe was the answer to "where can you go as a walk-in on Valentines Day, and be subsumed in the throngs." Never filled and emptied early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nadya Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 And after three pages of attitude and platitude, the best and single most useful piece of information is: The joint is now open for lunch. Because ever since me evenings were hijacked by an 8-pound creature, lunch is well, the new dinner. And I will climb that mountain next week and report. 'Till later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 Welcome back darling, you've been missed. When you go ask for the window table behind the host stand. You almost have your own little alcove, plenty of room for whatever accoutrement the 8 pounds require, and you can still watch for people you know coming in. And the fontina and artichoke sandwich is as good as it was back in the days of brunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Welcome back darling, you've been missed. Seconded, and congrats on the bundle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Nadya's back! Nadya's back! Congrats on the addition. The world is a little more whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I have to say, the sardine and mackerel burp after a Palena meal, in and of itself is pretty darn fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Was in this past week for lunch (and the week before that and...I digress) and had two things for the first time: 1. Tuscan style bread and bean soup. This was freakin' delicious. Delicate, rich, complex, with a perfectly poached fresh egg. Chefs Ruta and Armstrong (Restaurant Eve) are the two best consomme/veloute/soup makers in the DC region; of this I'm certain 2. Open faced fish sandwich. More straightforward but very good. Lightly fried with plenty of fresh flaky white fish (hmmm--flounder? cod? should have asked). I brought a business colleague with me who'd never been and steered him toward the daily special (the brodetto). I've ordered it a few times and really enjoy it when made without vermicelli and love it when it comes with vermicelli as it did for my colleague. Suffice to say, he's hooked and will be back with family and friends. It wasn't until after I left, in a conversation with someone, that I realized the travesty of a recent change. Chef changes the menu regularly--a great thing that made me not even realize what was missing when I was there: the small snack foods that had been on the menu and, especially, Chef's take on deviled eggs. If anything deserves to become an enduring menu item along with things like the cheeseburger, caesar salad, and gnocchi, it was those deviled eggs. Here's hoping they're back soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 [quote name='darkstar965' timestamp='1298784089' post='183342' It wasn't until after I left, in a conversation with someone, that I realized the travesty of a recent change. Chef changes the menu regularly--a great thing that made me not even realize what was missing when I was there: the small snack foods that had been on the menu and, especially, Chef's take on deviled eggs. If anything deserves to become an enduring menu item along with things like the cheeseburger, caesar salad, and gnocchi, it was those deviled eggs. Here's hoping they're back soon! Sounds as if you were there for lunch, and I believe those items are only on the dinner menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty L. Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 It wasn't until after I left, in a conversation with someone, that I realized the travesty of a recent change. Chef changes the menu regularly--a great thing that made me not even realize what was missing when I was there: the small snack foods that had been on the menu and, especially, Chef's take on deviled eggs. If anything deserves to become an enduring menu item along with things like the cheeseburger, caesar salad, and gnocchi, it was those deviled eggs. Here's hoping they're back soon! Sounds as if you were there for lunch, and I believe those items are only on the dinner menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Sounds as if you were there for lunch, and I believe those items are only on the dinner menu. Right! My mistake--have been for lunch a few times recently but not dinner (excepting the beef feast) in a few weeks so had forgotten. Thanks. And, whew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 It wasn't until after I left, in a conversation with someone, that I realized the travesty of a recent change. Chef changes the menu regularly--a great thing that made me not even realize what was missing when I was there: the small snack foods that had been on the menu and, especially, Chef's take on deviled eggs. If anything deserves to become an enduring menu item along with things like the cheeseburger, caesar salad, and gnocchi, it was those deviled eggs. Here's hoping they're back soon! I was there recently for a Cafe dinner, and the devilled eggs were not on the menu. I miss them, too, but the expanded cafe menu itself was great to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I was there recently for a Cafe dinner, and the devilled eggs were not on the menu. I miss them, too, but the expanded cafe menu itself was great to see. Of course agree wholeheartedly about the overall cafe menu but on the starter/deviled egg news: boo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weinoo Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Dinner last night at Palena Cafe was a learning experience. First of all, don't you love people who take up real estate at the bar as if it was their own personal living room? I mean those who love to sit sideways, taking up valuable space while pontificating to no one in particular about things which no one in particular really gives a shit about. While not drinking? Ah, well - no biggie. I managed to squeeze in and order 2 drinks to pass the time for our perfectly predicted 20-minute wait. And they transfer the bar tab over to our check with no problem, so that's nice. By the way, when 2 bar seats opened up, I offered one of them to the lady standing next to me...because even though I'm an obnoxious New Yorker, I still like to think of myself as having some manners. As opposed to obnoxious, sitting-sideways loud-mouthed douchebags. I digress. Food. Good. Some even delicious. Our starters included the mackerel/puntarella "salad," (I love puntarella) nice and tart from the lemon with a big hunk of excellent grilled mackerel atop. Along with this, we ordered the calamaretti Sicilian style, baby squid cooked to perfection, in a caperberry and tomato "broth." Excellent. My eye immediately went to the stuffed lamb breast for my main; unfortunately, they were out, so I opted for lamb polpetti while my wife chose the cheeseburger. The burger was good, cooked as ordered, nice and rare on the inside. My lamb meatballs were our least favorite dish of the night, dry and virtually tasteless, and smothered in a cheesy sauce that added nada to the dish. Service was nice and friendly, and I look forward to returning - the grill frites looks like a nice deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mame11 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Finally ate at the new Palena last night and dont get the swooning adoration for the place. It was fine, not great. I was disappointed when the bread, which I was happy to pay for, was served cold. Not room temperature, not lukewarm but frigidly cold. We split the two greatest hits, the burger and chicken with a side of fries. Good thing I was craving salt because the burger was salty! I didn't mind (see craving for salt) my friend demurred after two bites. The fries were great, reminded me of mcdonalds fries back in the day. But I think $12 for the burger and fries is more reasonable than $18 for both. The chicken was engh. Would have been better if it was less greasy. Eta I do like the space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Say hi next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopsing Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 We went to the new cafe for the first time for lunch. We both had burgers. I asked mine to be medium to medium-well. It came out well done. The bun was burnt. Still, the burger tasted good and I didn't complain to the waitress. My friend ordered his burger medium rare and that is how it came out. The fries were good. I love the real sugar coke also. It's pricey for lunch but I'll be back-- but I'm going to ask for my burger medium to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirite Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 We went to the new cafe for the first time for lunch. We both had burgers. I asked mine to be medium to medium-well. It came out well done. The bun was burnt. Still, the burger tasted good and I didn't complain to the waitress. My friend ordered his burger medium rare and that is how it came out. The fries were good. I love the real sugar coke also. It's pricey for lunch but I'll be back-- but I'm going to ask for my burger medium to be on the safe side. Should I drive from NOVA to eat here? The menu sounds fatty, sugary, and salty. What makes it a distinctive destination restaurant other than its name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Should I drive from NOVA to eat here? The menu sounds fatty, sugary, and salty. What makes it a distinctive destination restaurant other than its name? I would eat here at least weekly if I weren't trying to review so many restaurants, and I live in NOVA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_5198 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Should I drive from NOVA to eat here? The menu sounds fatty, sugary, and salty. What makes it a distinctive destination restaurant other than its name? I would not drive from NOVA to Palena for a burger and fries. But there are a dozen other menu items that I'd make the trip for without hesitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Should I drive from NOVA to eat here? The menu sounds fatty, sugary, and salty. What makes it a distinctive destination restaurant other than its name? The front room neither is nor pretends to be a "destination" restaurant. It is a café. What makes it distinctive is that it cooks relatively simple dishes with uncommon skill. In my experience, the food is not particularly "fatty, sugary or salty" though, if you order a hamburger and frites, you know what you're in for (I don't find the burger compelling). If you're in the city and wish to go beyond bar food without having to drop a ton of money, it's a great place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithA Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 The front room neither is nor pretends to be a "destination" restaurant. It is a café. What makes it distinctive is that it cooks relatively simple dishes with uncommon skill. In my experience, the food is not particularly "fatty, sugary or salty" though, if you order a hamburger and frites, you know what you're in for (I don't find the burger compelling). If you're in the city and wish to go beyond bar food without having to drop a ton of money, it's a great place. I had lunch last week at Palena and this same thought is what occured to me. Palena's cafe takes many dishes that you can find other places (albiet some are more unusual) and executes them really well with more finesse and a bit more sophistication than other places - but you are also paying for that extra effort with slightly higher prices too. So the burger costs more than $10, but it is a somewhat better burger - although the last time I had it months ago I agree it is pretty peppery and salty. For lunch last week, I had the open faced fish sandwich which you could compare to fish and chips (except it comes at Palena with really good American-style regular and sweet potato chips, not fries). The Palena dish was really good - a lighter fry than usual with a good thick piece of white fish, which I asked and think they said was cod, on a well made bun with a great slightly zippy tartar sauce. Also on top were the missing components of the fry plate - a fried onion ring and a fried lemon slice. The lemon went really well with the fish sandwich. Also on the side was a very good purple cabbage slaw. I definitely enjoyed this lunch and would prefer it over fish and chips at many other restaurants - but you get what you pay for - at $14 is definitely more expensive than other places. I love good desserts so I also had the buttermilk panna cotta with orange slice and sauce with mini-merengues. This was very delicate and delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DinerGirl Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 A group of eleven of us did the family-style nose-to-tail beef dinner Saturday night, and I'm still grinning ear-to-ear. Here's what we had: Carne Cruda -- diced Gretna Farms tenderloin, shaved reggiano cheese, lemon, olive oil So tender, so light, so flavorful, and a wonderful start to the night. Brodo -- turnip raviolini, slivers of Gretna Farms beef shoulder, vegetable garnish, in a rich, clear oxtail broth I had mine without the raviolini (I have celiac, so no pasta for me), but didn't feel deprived in the least. The consomme was mind-blowingly good. The mushrooms and vegetables were tender and light. And, everything about this course made us all pause and realize what a treat we were in for that night. Spiedini d'Amore -- grilled beef heart from Roseda Farms; house-cured beef tongue from Roseda Farms; puntarella; watermelon radish and herb salad; salsa verde; caramelized onions Holy shitballs... this course was phenomenal. The heart was rich and tender, and cooked beautifully. The tongue was sliced so thin, and practically melted in the mouth. The puntarella was crisp and delicious, and I am still wishing I'd eaten more of the radish salad -- it was cool and crisp and crunchy and really lovely. The salsa verde and caramelized onions were perfect accompaniments. Oxtail and beef cheek "Vaccinara" -- with toasted vermicelli I will remember this dish as long as I live. Again, I didn't have the pasta (which the rest of the table RAVED about -- he toasts it before cooking it), but the oxtail and beef cheek "stew" had a tomato sauce base with cinnamon, plump golden raisins, carrots, pancetta, onion, and garlic. This is, without a doubt, the best thing I've eaten in a year. No joke. This dish was outstanding. Absolutely outstanding. It made me wanna hug Frank and never let him go. Wood-grilled steak (from Roseda Farms; dry-aged 6 weeks) with cannellini beans, braised escarole, and horseradish cream The beans were done in a light tomato-y broth, with rosemary and other seasonings. Tender and smooth. Escarole was amazing. The steak was gorgeous, but that horseradish cream? Wowzers. I want to make it at home, and eat it every single day for the rest of my life. Meadow Creek Dairy "Grayson" -- cheese course; with fig compote and Tyrolean almond bread. I had to eat the cheese on its own, and I'll warn you: it's of the stank-ass variety. If you loooove stinky cheese, this is the one for you. I unfortunately couldn't have the bread (or the fig compote, since it was on the same plate as the bread), but the rest of the table raved about the cheese with the figs and the bread, so there you go. Buttermilk ice cream with rhubarb compote and cornmeal cookies This was sent out to the table in a giant boat with about 20 scoops of ice cream. Compote on the side. Just the right amount of sweet. So smooth and creamy, and a perfect end to a perfect night. Total time at the table: 4.5 hours. Make this reservation, if you can (parties of six or more). This is a dinner not to miss. We still can't believe it's only $65 per person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers2000 Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Looks like they are starting brunch service this Sunday (10:30 - 2:30) according to their Facebook and Twitter feeds (additionally, I was talking to the host(s) on Saturday for lunch and they mentioned it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 HOW LONG IS THIS AVAILABLE? I am dying right now to do this. I am pretty sure they've been running this as an option since their expansion in November of last year. I'd love to see them rotate different proteins through the mix, too. Guinea fowl would be on my short list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Phor Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 Friends and I dined at the cafe several weeks ago, and although the food was uniformly good, I found portion size on the cafe menu to be unpredictable. My companions had the burger and the meatballs with polenta, both of which were satisfyingly meal sized. I ordered the cod cakes, and left hungry--these were most definitely an appetizer-sized portion. Had I known, I would have supplemented with side dishes, but we were dining with a child and so didn't want to prolong our meal by ordering after the rest of the table had finished eating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraB Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Did anyone go to the first brunch service at the Cafe yesterday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will_5198 Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Did anyone go to the first brunch service at the Cafe yesterday? Yep. I ended up being one of the few participants, but hopefully it gets more popular as word gets out. I started with the breakfast breads and pastry basket, which came with a scone, madeleine, bear claw, a couple croissants, a slice of (banana?) bread and a few donut holes. Honey butter and jam on the side. If you freaked out over the cost of dinner bread, then this basket ($7) might give you a conniption…but it's well worth ordering, and enough for two. Most of the regular lunch fare is on the menu, along with four or five breakfast specials. I went with a rendition of bacon and eggs: grilled pork belly, coddled egg, ramps, a little polenta and some salsa verde. I don't swoon over pork belly as much as others, but this was one of the better versions I've had in awhile. And the runny yolk + pork + grilled ramp combination was perfect mid-day eating. Completely stuffed, I took a pair of lemon glazed donuts to go (which lasted about 10 minutes once I got home). An expectedly good meal, and I'm anxious to see what other breakfast staples the kitchen can put their spin on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giant shrimp Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 picking up on a conversation on the palena thread over the mini-artichoke sandwich, i wouldn't mind if the entire menu went miniature in the cafe if everything turned out as successfully as the desserts there these days. a pine nut tart not much wider in circumference than the size of a doubloon had me training on individual kernels. i was picking at them like a bird, and experiencing their texture and flavor was transformative, in a what's-new-in-the-kitchen kind of way. rounding out the pastry, a dollop of ice cream is used ingeniously to meld the sweetness of honey with the earthy ovine cream of pecorino. a single blade of rosemary garnishes the plate and invites deliberation, focusing your attention when you are eating it. the small world draws you in, but it never lasts long enough. you could wolf the whole thing down in a few gulps, and then i think it would leave a good flash of sugar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Yep. I ended up being one of the few participants, but hopefully it gets more popular as word gets out. .... Completely stuffed, I took a pair of lemon glazed donuts to go (which lasted about 10 minutes once I got home). An expectedly good meal, and I'm anxious to see what other breakfast staples the kitchen can put their spin on. When we had the dining room artichoke tasting menu a few nights ago, we talked some with Sean about the brunch. While of course he's a bit biased, he really emphasized the donuts as the thing to be sure to seek out on the menu. I think his exact adjective, meant with extreme enthusiasm was "sick" as in "they are..." This got me really interested because, while I don't eat many donuts, I do love, love the donuts at Tabard Inn. These are $1.50 or so and served with rhubarb jam. I'll try them soon and post a mini review on the new donut thread for the other donut lunatics on the board picking up on a conversation on the palena thread over the mini-artichoke sandwich, i wouldn't mind if the entire menu went miniature in the cafe if everything turned out as successfully as the desserts there these days. a pine nut tart not much wider in circumference than the size of a doubloon had me training on individual kernels. i was picking at them like a bird, and experiencing their texture and flavor was transformative, in a what's-new-in-the-kitchen kind of way. rounding out the pastry, a dollop of ice cream is used ingeniously to meld the sweetness of honey with the earthy ovine cream of pecorino. a single blade of rosemary garnishes the plate and invites deliberation, focusing your attention when you are eating it. the small world draws you in, but it never lasts long enough. you could wolf the whole thing down in a few gulps, and then i think it would leave a good flash of sugar. Interesting idea (cafe going miniature) I'm guessing you mean only half seriously. One of the things I've always loved about Chef Ruta is how he has always seemed very thoughtful about refreshing his menus with new and interesting creations while keeping a core of most loved things there all the time. As much as I loved the artichoke/fontina amuse bouche, I know many of us would be seriously bummed if the full sandwich that inspired it disappeared from the lunch menu. It's been there for years. Of course, can't please everyone with (I really, really wish he'd bring the mini deviled eggs back as one example but no sign of that). The occasional tasting menus (like the current artichoke variant) is a great way to try more things in one sitting with smaller (if not miniature) portions. Just be sure to go (very) hungry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Friends and I dined at the cafe several weeks ago, and although the food was uniformly good, I found portion size on the cafe menu to be unpredictable. My companions had the burger and the meatballs with polenta, both of which were satisfyingly meal sized. I ordered the cod cakes, and left hungry--these were most definitely an appetizer-sized portion. Had I known, I would have supplemented with side dishes, but we were dining with a child and so didn't want to prolong our meal by ordering after the rest of the table had finished eating. Haven't been myself, but my wife had the same issues with portion size when she went. And she doesn't eat a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted April 17, 2011 Share Posted April 17, 2011 Full brunch review. Today was the 2nd Sunday of Palena's brunch and, as previously warned here on DR, we went. Most of the new brunch menu is the existing lunch menu but with two big caveats to that generalization. First, several/many things on the lunch portion of the brunch menu are different takes on existing lunch items so often not the same. The burger is one minor example of this detailed below. There was the familiar and much-loved papardelle but, instead of guanciale, this one had a lamb pork bolognese (very tempting but since it was a first brunch for us, we didn't succumb). Second, there is the new, breakfasty section of this menu that includes egg dishes and the donut, among others. Overall, it's an excellent brunch and a super new option for a sunny (or even cloudy) Sunday. Throughout we were reminded of what one poster on this thread recently wrote. Paraphrasing, that Chef Ruta often has familiar things on his menus but just does them better--more creatively and more deliciously than anyone else. Lots of that in this new menu as detailed below: - the new, maybe-soon-to-be-famous Palena donut created expressly for the new brunch. Very good, amply sized, lightly glazed cake donut. $2. I'll post a more detailed review on this on the donut thread since it deserves to become part of the discussion there for the city's better donut options. - morel, chevril and "ruby red" shrimp soup. Outstanding. $12. I've always thought Palena's consommes were the read standouts in the soup category with other, cream based or veloute type soups very good but not my #1 in the area (I think Cathal Armstrong gets the nod for veloutes with Frank Ruta the trophy for the most complex, most rich, most delicious consommes). That said, this was every bit as good as any I've ever had at Eve. Rich, creamy and earthy without being at all heavy. It was served with just a light application of the chevril and 4 or 5 of the most perfectly cooked (i.e., not too much) shrimps to form a perfect combination of flavors. I thought this new for the cafe and brunch menu but was told it had made appearances in years past. Not sure I've had it before. Loved it. - "bacon and eggs" at $15. This is a great example of the 'Palena-just-does-familiar-foods-better' phenomenon in spades. Of course, there's little traditional 'bacon and eggs' about this. The egg is singular, coddled properly (how often does one see that?) and ridiculously fresh since, well, you can't really poach or coddle to the highest level without using very fresh eggs. The "bacon" is smoky pork belly. Loved this. Unlike so many thin and very fatty pork bellies served in many places, this one was thick, meaty, smokey and as good as any pork belly I've had in a long time. A few perfectly cooked ramps sat atop the 'bacon' and the egg sat atop an incredibly delicate hash-brown style potato cake. Also a dollop of tomato marmalade and a very savory "salsa verde" which was similar to a chunky latin chimichurri (chopped parsley and garlic) in color and taste. This has to be the best 'bacon and eggs' in the city; an incredibly satisfying brunch entree that left me with a familiar feeling for Palena: why is it so rare to find a chef who consistently (over menu entrees and years) cooks this creatively and deliciously without sacrificing one on the altar of the other? - cheeseburger with fried duck egg $14. This was pretty much the familiar Palena cheeseburger but not exactly, Most obviously, the fried duck egg was a nice, rich and tasty addition. Also different, some really great mushrooms sauteed atop the burger. Aside from that, same aioli, same house made bun, patty, pickles. Excellent all around. - tea $5. This is a small nit for me. Palena has just switched to a high-quality tea called "tea forte." I often order green teas out and had a nice sencha. That said, I'm both a big tea and coffee person and not a big fan of this brand. To me, the brand isn't consistent with Palena. Though a good quality leaf is used, the tea is more about gimmicky packaging and marketing than simply great tea. They use a stiff, pyramid-shaped "tea bag" that comes with a "tea forte" white ceramic square resting dish branded with an "F." Again, it's fine--good quality. I'd rather see Palena just source an ultra high-quality loose leaf tea assortment without the fancy packaging and branding. But, again this is really small ball stuff more suited to a tea thread which I'm sure exists on dr.com. - oj. $4. I don't know, in all my visits to Palena since the early 2000s, that I've ever ordered a simple orange juice. They never had breakfast items before that I can recall and I don't usually order screwdrivers or other mixed drinks that'd use OJ. Anyway, this one is exactly what I'd expect Palena to serve. Very freshly squeezed from perfectly sweet oranges (maybe tangerines or some kind of blend?) and not over chilled. Refreshing. Delicious. Better than most OJs served in most places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiveturk21 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Myself, and five other very bad Catholics, had the nose-to-tail beef dinner on Friday night. In our defense, we made the reservations about one month ago and completely forgot that it was good Friday, but as our reservation approached, it would have been rude to cancel, right? Overall, I would say that it was a good, but not great dinner. There were definitely some wonderful dishes, but not everything had a memorable impact. Being the first time that I have been to the expanded space, I was shocked at how huge it is. I expected it to be packed, as it normally is, but since it was a holiday weekend and the rain was coming down in buckets, the space was never that crowded. So, conversation was easy for us, not sure if that is always the case or not. Our service was great, our server was very knowledgable and was willing to chat with us about stupid things as the night went on, and as we became more drunk. The drinks, as always, were spot on. I had a sazerac to start the evening and then the group polished off six bottles of wine. I can't speak specifically to what we had except for the bottle that I ordered - Owen Roe Sinister's Hand - but all were excellent, especially my choice. We started off with the carne cruda which was uneven. Some people felt that there was plenty of acid and salt in the dish, but others of us certainly felt that it was lacking. The next course was the brodo and, call me crazy, but I didn't love the broth itself. The beef shoulder raviolini were spectacular, but I didn't get much flavor from the broth of accompanying vegetables. The third course was, however, the largest contrast of the night. The house cured tongue was simply amazing, the best dish that we had that night, we were fighting over what was leftover. But, the heart that it was served with just wasn't very good. Maybe as far as heart is concerned, it was awesome, but we each had a piece of two and had a ton leftover. No matter how much salda verde we put on it, it just wasn't up to the level that I expected. The pasta course - oxtail and beef cheek with vermicelli - was a home run. The sauce for the meat was truly great and the beef, especially the cheeks, were wonderfully cooked. When we got to the final course, we were stuffed, but we all found a way to eat some of the wood grilled rib that they served us. But wait, there was more. Why or why was there any more!? The cheese course was perfectly stinky. The buttermilk ice cream was another winner and a good way to end the night, especially with the cornmeal cookies (I ate every last one of them). Some more thoughts. Why do they serve so much food? I guess that isn't really a fair question, because you can take it home, unless, of course, you leave it at the restaurant like we did (we are dumb). We could have done with 60 or 70% of the food that they served. Also, I do have to say that I had some issues with the pacing. We sat down around 7:30 PM and didn't walk out until 11:30 that night. Yes, I like the fact that we were not rushed, but there were noticeably long pauses as the night went on, so much so that even our waitress commented on it once or twice during the night. So, like I said, it was a pretty damn good dinner, especially for the price ($65 per person until you add on six bottles of wine). The pacing was the biggest issue of the night and some courses - carne cruda and heart - weren't the best. But, I will remember that tongue forever and wouldn't hesitate to go back just for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 But, I will remember that tongue forever... Reminds me of Kim and the back seat of her daddy's car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Ahhhh I just wrote half of my brunch review only to hit some button and it all disappeared. Ok here goes again. Had a nice very quiet brunch at Palena on Sunday. I imagine in time it won't be so quiet, as the food was quite good. And the prices so reasonable. We had: Pastry Basket- chocolate croissants were baked too long and very crispy, but the madelines and doughnuts were quite nice with a beautiful soft pillowy texture. There was a large assortment of goodies in the basket and I didn't get to try it all. But we didn't seem to have any complaints. Chervil, morel and creamy shrimp soup which was slightly rich, but also very refreshing and a nice start to a rainy day brunch. I loved the flavors of the soup which were so fresh and spring like. Up next was a potato frittata, cured smoked salmon, leeks and some sort of mozz, I think. The potatoes were dense, not crispy, but very much like a tort of potato and egg, it was an interesting texture for potato. But it was good, the salmon was very good and I loved it with the leeks, which really made the dish. Next up was a buckwheat crepe with spinach, fontina topped with fried egg with ham on the side. The ham oh man, was that a good thick block of ham, grilled just enough to make the taste really perfect. I also liked the crepe although perhaps a little bit too crispy. The fried egg though really brought all the flavors together and masked the crispiness of the crepe. Last was a buttermilk panna cotta with rhubarb and pepper meringues. This was the weakest dish, it was ok, but just had a lot of competing flavors. The panna cotta itself was nice and smooth, the rhubarb was nicely tangy and sweet, although apparently hubby isn't a rhubarb person, which I didn't know until yesterday. And the meringues had much needed texture, but I am not sure about the pepper component, it made the whole dish almost seem to have a dillish flavor when all combined, or something. I am just not sure about this one. All in all it was a good brunch. I think in the future I would stick to more lunch items, I mean they just do pasta, soups and etc so well, that I think those would be real highlights. The soup was definitely the winner of brunch for me, although for hubby it was def the crepe and ham or salmon. I like that it is something different than most brunch menus. I do want to try the eggs and ramps though. I generally avoid ramps as I grew up in WV were the annual ramp feeds were more of a human gas attack and hazard than an enjoyment, but ramps and salsa verde and eggs sounds like that could be a real winner. And our friends really enjoyed the environment and the ability to talk and converse in a nice serene environment. We were saying goodbye to friends leaving for the West Coast so that was the most important factor. And they were so impressed that we did something nice and special to send them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Went to the cafe and market last evening. The selection at the market is very limited - some pasta, olive oil, vinegar, etc. and a few live plants. I was hoping for more, like Eataly Dinner in the cafe was good. The fritto misto was nicely fried but not really seasoned, especially the halibut. The accompaniment is more like an egg salad than a tartar sauce. The best part was the fried spring onion - it didn't need any additional seasoning. I also had the liver parfait, saffron pici and the Mediterranean Stew, while my wife ordered a burger and a $7 side of fries. I wish the liver parfait came with more than 2 small pieces of toast. I never did figure out what you're supposed to do when you run out of bread and there's still a big chunk of liver left? That's usually not an issue because most restaurants give you a basket of bread, which I prefer over hard toast anyway. Should I have ordered a basket of bread? Ask for more toast? My favorite dish was the saffron pici - the crab meat didn't have any hint of fishiness. It was pleasantly priced at $14 but the portion was small. If I ever see it again, I'll get a double order. (Even the baby loved the pasta). The seafood stew itself had great flavor. I'm not sure what to think of the cod cake - it was a large part and focal point of the dish. The closest thing that I've had to it is the coddie at Failey's in Baltimore. It was a little dry, a little fishy, very personal as to whether one would like it. I would pass on it next time in favor of a double portion of the pasta (but certainly not discourage anyone to try it). The fries tasted undercooked to me but my wife said she liked them. P.S. We took our clamp-on highchair for the baby. We wanted to sit outside but the table-tops outdoors were too thin, and we were told they didn't have high chairs. So any family with infants should bring their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Our original dinner plans fell through at the last minute, leaving us hungry and already in Cleveland Park. This turned out to be a good thing, as we wound up at Palena AND ran into some friends who happened to be dining there when we walked in. I thoroughly enjoyed a shared starter of "Calamaretti Sicilian Style – quick cooked with chilies, tomato, caperberries, and pine nuts". The flavor from the thin rounds of caperberry was a great accent to the tomato-ey broth and the sweet, tender rings of calamari. For my main, I couldn't resist the yukon gold and nettle gnocchi with fava beans and pancetta. As the many raves above confirm, it was great. A side of sugar snap peas with pea shoots and pickled ramp was a pretty (and preppy, with the pink of the ramps and green of the peas) accompaniment, full of the tastes of spring. No room for dessert, but the strawberry shortcake sundae looked delicious, especially the little shortcake "bites" on top. To drink, I had a great gin-based and grapefruit cocktail, the name of which I promptly forgot. The new Cafe area was very pleasant - bright and bustling - and I liked the options on the menu a lot! I'll need to get back there a bit more often (it had been years since my last visit). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 This turned out to be a good thing, as we wound up at Palena AND ran into some friends who happened to be dining there when we walked in. . Funny. Had lunch in the Cafe today with a friend and also ran into two more friends like you did. Today's lunch special ($17) was the chicken cacciatore they've done before but, as is often the case, a few changes on the margin. The leg/thigh was cooked perfectly in fresh tomato and some nice shitakes. Not sure I've had this with shitakes before but maybe I'm forgetting. Personally, I like it even more with other veggies and a bit of pasta but still really enjoyed it today. They also have a new soup on the menu I tried; a crayfish bisque ($13). Tomato based with just a touch of cream, olive oil and large tender rectangular slices of crayfish in a large bowl. Enjoyed this too. We also got a big basket of bread without charge (this may have come with the bisque). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 2 more Palena Cafe visits in the past week and wanted to post just about some items relatively new to the menu. First of the two visits was last weekend (way back when we had that perfectly warm-but-not-too-warm--gentle-breeze-comfortable weather; remember that?) for dinner outside. Newer items tried: - ($13) a slightly different take on the ceviche I've had their before with tasmanian sea trout, finely sliced green onion and lime. Really excellent. Loved it. - ($14) my SO had a veal with tuna sauce she loved. I tried it and also thought it excellent but was too distracted by my ceviche to pay that much attention to it. - ($14) a pasta dish with a small to medium sized twirl of a tuscan hand-rolled pasta called "pici" with saffron. this was outstanding. one of the best pasta dishes I've had anywhere in many months. You must try this if on menu. wow! - ($21) a pork loin (think Berkshire, not ossabaw, not 100% sure I remember the breed) typical of much that comes out of Palena's kitchen--nothing too ground breaking in terms of being different in design from what comes out of many kitchens but just executed to a higher level. Of course perfectly cooked (pink in the middle), juicy and rich with flavor. Very , very good. - ($18) softshell crab. I ordered this and my so the pork loin. Can't really complain about anything regarding the crab. It was very fresh, of good size and prepared well. but less interesting and I'd probably have gone for something else if I had it to do again. lacked any "wow" factor but that's a crazy high bar for every dish. Again, nothing wrong with it. - random insert: one of the dishes above (forgetting which one) was served with greens including lambs quarters, an edible weed. Interesting, Surprising. Very tasty. This is another thing I love about Palena. Whereas many spots work hard to plug in unusual ingredients for creativity points, I find that Chef Ruta regularly uses unusual ingredients subtly without promoting them on menu. these greens were promoted as a different kind of more common green but I could tell something else was mixed in. It took a special trip by the waiter to the kitchen to even ID what it was. Lambs quarters. But, overall, really worked as a coherent and delicious dish. - ($9) some kind of strawberry dessert that included strawberry sorbet (delicious, deep, fresh and gently sweetened fruit), light sweetened cream, a few maybe gently carmelized (?) strawberries and "shortcake bites" which were about nickel-sized in diameter and 1.5" high and really good. Palena's new pastry chef has totally restored the desserts to be the equal of the food as was the case in the early years with Ann Amernick. Lunch today: - a colleague and I both ordered a "poisson" (sp) dish which has been on the lunch menu just a couple of weeks. Think it was priced around $13 or $14. Young game hen prepared like the best days of the more famous roast chicken. Crisp, even black in parts (but not at all burnt--how'd he do that? exterior and incredibly moist, flavorful meat. Served with some kind of vegetable I can't remember because we also ordered a newer side of roast brocolli with some kind of semi melted cheese (the name of which I wish I remembered but don't) we devoured at $7. Yes, I know. I'm probably going to Palena too often but is in my 'hood and it is one of the best (if not the best) restaurants in DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithA Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 P.S. We took our clamp-on highchair for the baby. We wanted to sit outside but the table-tops outdoors were too thin, and we were told they didn't have high chairs. So any family with infants should bring their own. I don't get Palena's reason for not having highchairs in the Cafe. I understand it is their choice and maybe they are trying to dissuade parents from bringing the youngins, BUT I've been several times and seen kids in portable high chairs or even strollers - especially during lunch. So clearly they're not denying service and based on other comments are even very accomodating of little kids IF you bring your own seat for them. This seems silly to me. I live in the neighborhood and there are a ton of peope with little, well-behaved kids who are either already going to Palena with their own seats in tow or are skipping it as an eating option because like me they don't want to schlep chairs around or drag a whole stroller in a busy restaurant. So that is my rant - I'd eat here more if it was easier to do so with my family. On a different note, not sure if there is a separate thread, but the baked/cooked foods in the market are yummy. I've had the risotto balls with peas a few times and the blueberry scone was very good today. Seems like they have a rotating roster of baked goods, frittats/savory tarts, risotto balls, etc. Kind fo a mish mash, but all looks good - each thing is about a $1.5-$3 - typical Palena style - scrumptious, but pricey for portion size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted June 10, 2011 Share Posted June 10, 2011 I don't get Palena's reason for not having highchairs in the Cafe. I understand it is their choice and maybe they are trying to dissuade parents from bringing the youngins, BUT I've been several times and seen kids in portable high chairs or even strollers - especially during lunch. So clearly they're not denying service and based on other comments are even very accomodating of little kids IF you bring your own seat for them. This seems silly to me. I live in the neighborhood and there are a ton of peope with little, well-behaved kids who are either already going to Palena with their own seats in tow or are skipping it as an eating option because like me they don't want to schlep chairs around or drag a whole stroller in a busy restaurant. So that is my rant - I'd eat here more if it was easier to do so with my family. Small kids are not very clean. Ours fling food in and under her own chair. So a restaurant would have to spend a considerable amount of time cleaning high chairs, or they end up supplying filthy highchairs that grosses my wife out. I suppose I can see why they wouldn't want to provide highchairs, especially if they're already plenty busy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnatharobed Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 The dining room was empty at 11 am for brunch but pretty full by the time we left around 12:30 pm. They are not offering the Pastry Basket anymore because they are selling the croissants, etc. up front in the market but donuts can still be ordered off the brunch menu. Lemon glazed or chocolate glazed- you can't go wrong either way. Fluffy, not overly sweet and as light as donuts can get. The open face soft shell crab sandwich was one of the best I've ever tasted. The batter was crispy, thin and well seasoned and the open face style allowed the crabby goodness to shine through. My visiting sister-in-law now lives in Boston but still dreams of Palena's gnocchi- today's version with fava beans, bacon and nettles did not disappoint her! Pate campagne was pleasantly chunky with a heady mustard, pickled rhubarb, pear and maybe apple? The buckwheat crepe was the only more traditionally brunchy item we ordered, the smoked pork accompaniment was tender and moist and I loved the fried egg but the crepe itself was the least exciting part of the dish, like ktmoomau I also found it a bit too crispy. We were too full for dessert but being the good wife she is- my sister-in-law knew my brother would be jealous he missed Palena and brought some donut holes and monkey bread in the Market to bring back to Boston, where my brother is hard at work as chef-owner of East by Northeast. Check it out if you're ever in Boston In the market I couldn't resist the sample of bacon chive scones. I wanted to live in Cleveland Park for sheer Palena proximity when there was just a cafe and dining room. The market is making me even more jealous of Cleveland Park residents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 The asparagus vichyssoise is ambrosial. I nearly licked my bowl clean. Get it, if it's still around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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