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

[mhberk]

Hey Don, any chance you can work your magic and get Chef Ruta to conduct a small, private cooking class for us? Or a group dinner?

[Xochitl10]

Roast chicken + Ibitini = fantastic last dinner at Palena Cafe. My friends' prosecco drinks (one with strawberry puree, the other with blood orange juice) were lovely, but I much preferred my sweet, spicy cocktail (blood orange juice, Hendricks' gin, Campari, Carpano Antico Formula vermouth).

[JLK]

I took a good friend from work for a post-birthday dinner at Palena the other night. She had never been. Although everything we ate and drank was really wonderful, the dish we keep talking about the most...is a salad. Weird, right? It was perfect.

Spears of asparagus, a thin wedge of ricotta salata, housemade ham, truffle slices, a smattering of bitter greens and truffle viniagrette. We shared it; wished I had ordered my own. The salad was thoughtfully divided between two large plates. It did not feel skimpy at all.

Our mains were my old favorites: a burger medium rare and the chicken. Loved both. We shared a strawberry tart for dessert and our waiter Quentin also brought a small piece of chocolate torte with a birthday candle.

Perfect meal. About $120 with two glasses of wine each and a 20%+ tip.

[chickenlover]

Last night I had Chilled Cucumber and Almond Soup: pureed cucumber and almond with crab meat, thinly sliced cucumber, baby greens and pickled cherries. I am not clever enough to accurately describe how good this was, so I'll just say Best_Soup_Ever.

[mhberk]

Last night I had Chilled Cucumber and Almond Soup: pureed cucumber and almond with crab meat, thinly sliced cucumber, baby greens and pickled cherries. I am not clever enough to accurately describe how good this was, so I'll just say Best_Soup_Ever.

We had dinner there over the weekend and I encouraged my wife the get the soup. I'll simply say that I don't think words exist that are clever enough to describe how good that soup was! That soup was the perfect complement to sitting outside on a warm summer evening in Cleveland Park.

On a side note: Everytime I go there and the waitron will come over and ask if there's anything else they can get us, I always (half) jokingly ask for the roasted chicken recipe. This last time, our waitress (who I'd never seen before) said that the recipe is a secret and the chef's not giving it out to anyone. She continued by saying that there's some big contest in DC for who can figure out the recipe. At first I thought that she was talking about the "Palena Chicken Project" going on with some of us, but the waitress said that there's a $1,000 prize attached to it. I'll admit that some of our recipes a very close to what they serve there and I would NEVER use my recipe for a public or financial gain, but has anyone else heard this contest thing before?

[Pool Boy]

Last night I had Chilled Cucumber and Almond Soup: pureed cucumber and almond with crab meat, thinly sliced cucumber, baby greens and pickled cherries. I am not clever enough to accurately describe how good this was, so I'll just say Best_Soup_Ever.

I was hoping this would still be on the menu, but alas, it was gone. Here's what we had Friday night between my wife and I...

Lime Marinated Seviche of Wild Striped Bass and Alaskan King Salmon with roasted and raw heirloom beets, horseradish, cumin and Sicilian orange -- This was great. Very fresh light and delicious. A great opening course.

Heirloom Beet Ravioli With caramelized sablefish, smoked sablefish and little onions -- this was my wife's first course and it was wonderful. She suggested that the ravioli was the best ravioli she's ever had anywhere and anywhen. It was that good. I think he must have had tiny caraelized onions as part of the mash that went in as the filing. And the sablefish, especially the caramelized sort, was extraordinary.

Locally Raised Farmer's Quail Braised on the bone with fig leaves and grappa with creamy tomato riotto and frisee & herb salad -- whoa. I thought that the quail was super when I tasted it, but the tomato risotto is what really blew me away about this dish. I swear they must have 3 or 4 layers or tomato goodness in that risotto, most likely a tomato broth used in part to cook the risotto, tiny, and I mean TINY chunks of tomato in the risotto, as probably tomato powder, too. It was so good it inspired us to make a tomato risott at home last night which was very good, but fell far short of this dish. And the combination of the quail with the risotto was wonderful.

Toasted Corn Blini and Basil Studded Wild Alaskan King Salmon with Tomato, romanesco zucchini and corn emulsion -- My wife's second course. It is hard to believe that much could top my wife's first course, but this one did I think. The salmon alone was worth the ride. A perfect dish.

California Squab and Artisan Foie Gras Pan roasted with special spices and figs with braised local arrowhead cabbage -- Very nice. A nice duo of lean and delicious meat with deftly prepared foie gras. The jus and the figs were delicious and the best flavors, as usual, were when I got a little bit of everything on to each forkful. Deliscious.

A Duo of Snake River Farms Beef Grilled sirloin and the shoulder braised 'klopse' with parmentier sauce, roasted potato and bok choy -- At first, my wife wasn't sure about the klopse (aka meatballs), but realized how good it all was when she got a bit of meatball with a bit of the sirloin together and it was great. The play in textures alone was wonderful, but the layers of flavor together was amazing. A triumph! Plus, the 98 Brunello we brought with us was singing by this time (an Augustino Pieri we'd lugged back from Italy).

Crespelle Romana Sweet crepe filled with basil scented Roman ricotta cheesecake served with local cherries in red wine -- Whoa. Superb and not at all as filling as I thought it might be. I ordered it anyway even considering it might be filling because it sounded so good. And it was. I really liked the basil addition and the cherries were amazing. Yum.

Ginger and Mango Ginger ice cream with blueberry and mango salad with almond tuille -- Light, refreshing and delicious. A great way to wap up a fine meal.

Needless to say, we're still serious fans of Palena to say the least.

[DonRocks]

Locally Raised Farmer's Quail Braised on the bone with fig leaves and grappa with creamy tomato riotto and frisee & herb salad -- whoa. I thought that the quail was super when I tasted it, but the tomato risotto is what really blew me away about this dish. I swear they must have 3 or 4 layers or tomato goodness in that risotto, most likely a tomato broth used in part to cook the risotto, tiny, and I mean TINY chunks of tomato in the risotto, as probably tomato powder, too. It was so good it inspired us to make a tomato risott at home last night which was very good, but fell far short of this dish. And the combination of the quail with the risotto was wonderful.

I had this dish last week as well as several others you mention. I never take risotto seriously when it's a "component" of a larger, composed dish because it's always timed incorrectly, and ends up being a pile of mush. In essence, if I order something like this, I'm expecting the dish to be "served with rice." But this risotto, sitting there innocently underneath the quail, was amazing. It says many, many things about the kitchen at Palena that they're able to pull this off.

(Off-topic, but run, do not walk, to Notti Bianche on Tuesday evenings when Brendan Cox is working the kitchen ... and get the risotto. It's life-changing.)

[Meaghan]

A Duo of Snake River Farms Beef

Even the names are wild!

Hissssss

[Anna Blume]

Quibble or minor grumble: I wish, I wish the Web site were updated.

[Pool Boy]

Quibble or minor grumble: I wish, I wish the Web site were updated.

I don't care about the website. I wish they were still using OpenTable....

[chickenlover]

I don't care about the website. I wish they were still using OpenTable....

I don't care about either. I wish they had more seating.

[BookGuy]

The major problem with the web site is that it doesn't have an up-to-date menu. That can be rectified by looking at Washington DC Menu page which does have the menu. It is from 2003 but gives you a sense of what they serve. The link to Palena is at http://washingtondc.menupages.com/restaura...amp;cuisineid=0

[Pool Boy]

I don't care about either. I wish they had more seating.

With as small a kitchen as they have, my guess is that that will probably never happen.

[The Hersch]

With as small a kitchen as they have, my guess is that that will probably never happen.

Even when they move into the Blaine Mansion?

[Heather]

Even when they move into the Blaine Mansion?

Whaaaaaaaat?

[mnnchas]

Even when they move into the Blaine Mansion?

I thought that rumor was proven untrue.

[giant shrimp]

Even when they move into the Blaine Mansion?

i don't think the space that was talked about, at the back of the building with store fronts on p street, is that large, is it?

[Pool Boy]

I thought that rumor was proven untrue.

I am 99% sure that is what I read, too, with Mr. Ruta categorically denying the rumored move.

[Walrus]

Tripewriter and I shared a lovely meal here two nights ago. Although lured by the cheeseburger, I ended up being far more tempted by other items and don't regret my decision. I do regret that Tripewriter was unable to help me with the fry selection, because I got the last one (ha ha!) and don't like onion rings...sorry! I adored the fried lemons, though, which was a surprise, and those little dauphenoise potatoes are -- probably quite literally, as deep-fried mashed potatoes are just about the worst thing you can shove down your arteries -- to die for. Crispy but fluffy, light and airy, creamy and delightful. I also had the bean salad, which was green beans with a generous mound of truffle shavings and a lovely dressing, with a slice of ham on the side that seemed a little incongruous until you tasted it all together. For my main, I had the gnocchi -- so good! I had some awful, awful gnocchi in New York and have been trying to set the world right ever since. I had some at Eve on Saturday that definitely helped, and Palena's version set the world firmly on its axis again. They were pesto-y and fluffy and just plain good. For dessert, I had the German chocolate cake with their homemade ice cream. It was divine. Tripewriter seemed equally pleased with his meal of ceviche followed by crab ravioli. In closing, all I have to say is, "Palena, where have you been all my life?"!

[Sthitch]

I never want to eat another tomato. Not ketchup, not tomato sauce, not a tomato right from my garden! Why? Because after what I had tonight a tomato will never taste so sweet.

I showed-up at Palena at 5:30 without a reservation and managed to get a table in the back room if I promised to be out by 8:30. I agreed. This was my first time inside of Palena, I can promise it was not my last since I made a reservation when I walked out.

I started with a cocktail that was basically a Negroni with orange juice, I have always wanted to like Campari, but until tonight I have not been able to find a way to enjoy it. Palena changed that.

My first course was the aforementioned tomatoes. This was a trio of tomato preparations. The main portion of the dish was made up of sliced tomatoes with fresh herbs, a peppery olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This was orgasmic, the tomatoes, if you took a tomato right off the bush and bit into it, it would not taste this good. The second element was a clear tomato soup with a tomato custard and home cured salami. This almost got me to forget about the salad, but only almost. The third component was a too small piece of focaccia topped with tomato. Actually it was not too small, but it was so good that an entire pan of it would feel like it was too small. The only issue I had with this dish was the parsley; it was too big and too tough and took away from the delightfulness of the tomatoes.

The second course was the sweet corn ravioli with peekie toe crab. The first bite of this dish was a disappointment. I liked the texture of the pasta, but the filling left me a little wanting. However, after several bites I understood the filling, it had a thicker texture than I expected but it got better with each bite. The thick texture of the filling off-set the inherent sweetness of the corn filling, a filling that would have been too sweet with a lesser texture. I also wondered why in Washington they used peekie toe and not blue crab, but the filling was so sweet that blue crab would have gotten lost, but the almost creamy texture of the peekie toe worked perfectly. The only issue I had with this dish was that I could not taste the summer truffles that were described on the menu, but the baby fennel was an unbelievable surprise.

The entrée was the duo of Snake River beef. The loin was the most perfectly cooked piece of meat I have ever eaten. The medium rare started right under the crust and went all the way to the middle. This was matched with a meatball of shoulder meat that tasted like the best corned beef I have ever had. It was nicely spiced, maybe a little too spiced, but a little of the meatball on top of the loin and I was in bovine heaven.

The cheese plate was very good, maybe not the best that I have had, but certainly better than most. But I must know, how do they expect me to eat another slice of German Chocolate Cake? That was my dessert, and it was like not other example of this cake that I have ever had. Nothing mind blowing in the preparation, not a new take on German Chocolate cake, just so much better than any other German Chocolate Cake that I have ever eaten.

[DC in DC]

Damn Sthitch, great review! How much are the various fixed priced options running these days? We are going for our anniversary next Friday. Thanks.

[Sthitch]

Damn Sthitch, great review! How much are the various fixed priced options running these days? We are going for our anniversary next Friday. Thanks.

I cannot remember, but I will take note on Saturday when I go back. My wife is looking forward to the tomatoes, and I am looking forward to trying something new. One day I will stop in for the cafe.

[dcdavidm]

One day I will stop in for the cafe.

Mrs. dcdavidm and I stopped in at the cafe Wednesday on the way home from work. Arrived about 5:45 and the cafe was empty, so we grabbed a seat by the front window. Wonderful time and delicious food. I started with one of Palena's superb Manhattans, which was intensely flavored and quite satisfying (could become addictive) and Mrs dcdavidm had a tequila and grapefruit juice concoction that was unusually refreshing. We shared dishes from the cafe menu and the main menu: charcouterie plate (which was all that Don Rockwell said it would be); hamburger (delicious; best roll I have had); fries (the combination of potatoes, onions, and lemons was distinctive and well worth ordering); gnocchi (incredible pillows of delight); and a raspberry tart (good, but not exciting). Service was friendly and helpful; atmosphere was relaxing and accommodating. Place started to fill up, though, and by the time we left every table was taken. All told, a great way to spend an early evening.

[giant shrimp]

The second element was a clear tomato soup with a tomato custard and home cured salami. This almost got me to forget about the salad, but only almost. The third component was a too small piece of focaccia topped with tomato. Actually it was not too small, but it was so good that an entire pan of it would feel like it was too small.

not counting the tomato risotto you can also order here, good enough that you will want to eat it one perfect single grain at a time, the tomato consomme accompanying the heirloom tomatoes is the best tomato dish i have had this summer (although i have been cooking up big pots of tomato soup that are a close runner up.) the mousse-ish tomato cream at the bottom brings this cooling dish into bloom with the sure-fire summer combination of fruit and cream, tempering the acidity of the tomato and bringing out its sweetness. the focaccia comes close enough with its crust (similar to as far as you can take it in a home oven) that i would proclaim it the single best slice of pizza i have had this season.

interesting new things are popping up on the dessert menu, a celebration of melon for one, and mango is a fruit i don't know too much about, and it was a revelation to me how well it marries with ginger. (if you miss the cookie plate, it's in ann amernick's new book; the recipes for the most part sound surprisingly accessible, though so far i have been content reading them and looking at the pictures, but this would be a great way to spend an idle weekend becoming a baker when fall or winter puts you in the mood.)

[Pool Boy]

I never want to eat another tomato. Not ketchup, not tomato sauce, not a tomato right from my garden! Why? Because after what I had tonight a tomato will never taste so sweet.......My first course was the aforementioned tomatoes. This was a trio of tomato preparations. The main portion of the dish was made up of sliced tomatoes with fresh herbs, a peppery olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This was orgasmic, the tomatoes, if you took a tomato right off the bush and bit into it, it would not taste this good. The second element was a clear tomato soup with a tomato custard and home cured salami. This almost got me to forget about the salad, but only almost. The third component was a too small piece of focaccia topped with tomato. Actually it was not too small, but it was so good that an entire pan of it would feel like it was too small. The only issue I had with this dish was the parsley; it was too big and too tough and took away from the delightfulness of the tomatoes.

The entrée was the duo of Snake River beef. The loin was the most perfectly cooked piece of meat I have ever eaten. The medium rare started right under the crust and went all the way to the middle. This was matched with a meatball of shoulder meat that tasted like the best corned beef I have ever had. It was nicely spiced, maybe a little too spiced, but a little of the meatball on top of the loin and I was in bovine heaven.

I had the good fortune of dining here again about two weeks ago and I had the tomato dish you refer to as well. I have yet to dine at any other restaurant where tomatoes are treated so well, so adeptly, so perfectly and elegantly than at Palena. This course was clearly mindblowing. And it was fun to try all of the different combinations of flavors separately and together. A ballet in your mouth.

The duo of beef was amazing too. My wife had this a bit under a month ago and when we went again it was still on the menu so this time I ordered it. She'd discovered what you did in the prior visit that the best way to eat the course was to take a bit of the loin and a bit of the klopse together and like you said -- bovine heaven. So good!!!

not counting the tomato risotto you can also order here, good enough that you will want to eat it one perfect single grain at a time.....

I completely agree. I've been trying to replicate this in the kitchen, but to no avail. I think Mr. Ruta is using some voodoo to make that dish. Or tomato confit. Or tomato powder. Or.....?

[DPop]

In an effort to save money over the next several months, the fiancee and I decided that we would cut out expensive meals until November, when we travel for SF. For the last meal before our hiatus, we decided to head to Palena, which we thought would be a good last meal to remember when we're resisting heading out to all of the wonderful restaurants in the area. I'll give a brief summary so as not to parrot a lot of what was said above.

The Bad - Once again, the service was lacking. Our waitress started off well, giving us recommendations and asking us our water preferences, but it all went down hill from there. She then disappeared for 15 minutes, not even venturing outside (where we were sitting) so that we could flag her down to order. The hostess noticed us searching the restaurant for her and graciously came out to take our order when it was clear that the waitress would not be able to. The waitress eventually showed her face again, saying that she had gotten our order and asked us if we needed anything else. We were very put off by this, even if it was not that big of a deal. I expect these types of things to happen at places like Zengo or Oya, but for whatever reason, I just feel like the service at Palena should be at least somewhat close to the caliber of the food that is coming out of the kitchen. In my experiences, it is not.

The Good - Sweet corn ravioli. Wow. I have to disagree with the poster above, I thought this was a great pasta dish whose ingredients all worked so well together. I could have had 3 plates of this alone and been satisfied with my trip, this was the best pasta I have had outside of the gorgonzola ravioli at Komi and the pasta dishes at Maestro (and this was about 1/4 the price). Also, this is still the best rotisserie chicken and burger that I have had anywhere. The consistency is remarkable, I get the same high quality taste no matter when I come to Palena, which is truly something to be applauded.

The Great - The price. I will argue with anyone that this is the best deal in town when it comes to top tier food. We had a sidecar, a gimlet, a Wittekerke, a burger, a fry plate, a half chicken, a plate of gnocchi, and that incredible sweet corn ravioli for $96 before tip. If you got that much food at Houlihan's or Ruby Tuesday's, you would probably be paying somewhere in the ballpark of $80, and there is really no comparison when it comes to quality. Signing a $100 credit card receipt shouldn't be this satisfying.

[edenman]

a Wittekerke

Was this on tap?

[JPW]

Was this on tap?

No taps at Palena.

[edenman]

No taps at Palena.

Still, that's a great beer, especially with food. Add it to the list of reasons that I need to get to Palena sooner rather than later. Anything else interesting on the bottle list there?

[DPop]

Still, that's a great beer, especially with food. Add it to the list of reasons that I need to get to Palena sooner rather than later. Anything else interesting on the bottle list there?

Nothing too crazy, they have Chimay Red and Blue, Allagash, a bitter from NoCali that they were out of, and a couple other names that you would recognize (and are available elsewhere). I actually preferred my sidecar and the wifeys gimlet to the beer, which was good but not at all memorable.

[Pete]

Paula and I will be dining in the back room at Palena on Saturday night. What is the dress code for the back room? Also, are there any good wine "bargains" on the menu? Do they have a Sommelier?

[hmmboy]

No dress code that I'm aware of though you will likely be surrounded by people dressed well - many of the gents in jackets. But I wore jeans in the back last Saturday and a nice sports shirt and felt fine. No sommelier, but Kelly, the general manager, is responsible for the list and does a very nice job with it - plenty of reasonably priced good wines.

Paula and I will be dining in the back room at Palena on Saturday night. What is the dress code for the back room? Also, are there any good wine "bargains" on the menu? Do they have a Sommelier?

[Pool Boy]

No dress code that I'm aware of though you will likely be surrounded by people dressed well - many of the gents in jackets. But I wore jeans in the back last Saturday and a nice sports shirt and felt fine. No sommelier, but Kelly, the general manager, is responsible for the list and does a very nice job with it - plenty of reasonably priced good wines.

Kelly's great. But we typically BYOW there and pay the $20 corkage fee (so we can bring some great aged or unusual or hard to find stuff along).

[legant]

Had a dream last night: rode past Palena on a Sunday night; the curtains were opened; tables were pushed to the side; linens were piled atop table. It was obvious that Palena had closed for business.

Normally I don’t believe in dream analysis. Other than the obvious interpretation – the need for “nutrition” –I found the following explanation:

To dream that the store is closed, indicates your inability to consider other alternatives and other viewpoints. You may be biased in your judgment and opinion.

This happened after two very bad hamburger experiences last week. My own, personal analysis is rather simple: Palena’s burgers ROCK… I should stop wasting my time and money… and simply return to my regular seat at Palena’s bar.

[Pete]

(Pelena I am looking in your direction – yes I noticed they finally updated their menu, but how long until the next refresh, the last one was up for at least three years).

WOW! An updated website! This must have occurred over the weekend, since as of last week it was still the old website with the menu from 2003 and a "link" to OpenTable for reservations.

Alas, we had to cancel our reservation for this past Saturday night due to an under-the-weather baby.

[monavano]

WOW! An updated website! This must have occurred over the weekend, since as of last week it was still the old website with the menu from 2003 and a "link" to OpenTable for reservations.

Alas, we had to cancel our reservation for this past Saturday night due to an under-the-weather baby.

I thought I saw pigs flying!

[deangold]

I thought I saw pigs flying!

Shouldn't this be on the "What are you drinking now?" thread?

[chickenlover]

Palena's pickle prowess continues to impress. My burger was accompanied by a lightly pickled piece of sweet corn last night. With just the right balance of sweet and vinegar it was the perfect way to say goodbye to the summer.

[bookluvingbabe]

Palena's pickle prowess continues to impress. My burger was accompanied by a lightly pickled piece of sweet corn last night. With just the right balance of sweet and vinegar it was the perfect way to say goodbye to the summer.

Indeed! I snagged Mr. BLB's right off his plate without an ounce of guilt.

Last night was a very quick tour of four courses (we eat fast though Maliek was teasing us that usually new parents urge him to bring the courses out even faster!) We started with a shared Caesar that was just perfect and made me regret agreeing to share. Light, tart, salty, cheesy. The crostini weren't too hard. The fried lemon slice was the perfect finishing touch.

We then each had an order of the gnocchi and a burger--both would have been better shared in retrospect. It is sad when the gnocchi, which was pretty damn close to perfect, disappoints just because it wasn't unusual or as different as some other versions. (I don't think it says anything about Palena, I think it says something about me and Mr. BLB, just to clarify...) The burger was wonderful as always.

Dessert was a disappointment though and a waste of the calories. We shared the lemon-lime tartlet with caramel. Just not a good combination of flavors. I wanted something chocolate but can't stand the german chocolate cake (again, my issue, not Palena's...) and we were both feeling a bit wistful for the cookie plate last night for some reason.

It was a lovely evening though and I look forward to a return visit soon. There are so many other options on the menu I want to try!

[JLK]

Spears of asparagus, a thin wedge of ricotta salata, housemade ham, truffle slices, a smattering of bitter greens and truffle viniagrette. We shared it; wished I had ordered my own. The salad was thoughtfully divided between two large plates. It did not feel skimpy at all.

True to my word, I got the similar season-appropriate salad last night and did not share. This time the salad featured haricot verts with the same mixed greens, truffle shavings, ham and truffle vinaigrette. This composition has given me a belated appreciation of salad!

My friends and I shared a cheese plate (tasty) so when my medium rare burger arrived, I almost thought "ugh." It was delicious, but I was almost full.

[TinDC]

Please, please, please tell me why tonite was my first time ever at Palena?! Everything we ate was excellent, through and through.

The burger was the best I have had in the city. If there is better, please let me know where, because I cannot imagine a better, more juicy example.

We had the gnocchi, and unlike BLB's post above, I was bowled over. I felt that this bowl of gnocchi left Proof's in the dust. They were airy, pillowy bites of deliciousness.

We had two, yes two fry, plates between the two of us. One was "dessert". My favorite were the "deep fried mashed potatoes", whatever you want to call them, they were incredible.

I can kick myself that this was our first time dining at the cafe. It certainly won't be our last.

[porcupine]

My favorite were the "deep fried mashed potatoes", whatever you want to call them, they were incredible.

I think they're pommes dauphine, but if anyone more knowledgeable can verify, I'd appreciate it.

[giant shrimp]

Dessert was a disappointment though and a waste of the calories. We shared the lemon-lime tartlet with caramel. Just not a good combination of flavors. I wanted something chocolate but can't stand the german chocolate cake (again, my issue, not Palena's...) and we were both feeling a bit wistful for the cookie plate last night for some reason.

the new pineapple dessert was accompanied by a cookie that was a regular on the cookie plate. i don't usually order it, but i would miss the german chocolate cake if it were gone -- and it is one of the lone holdovers from the ann amernick days.

[silentbob]

After eating here only about once a year, I've had two meals at Palena in the past month and that trend may very well continue if the food remains as great as everyone has described.

First, my sister and her BF took me here for a great birthday dinner. Based on the recommendations upthread, I had the tomato "trio" and the risotto. The risotto was not as creamy as I'd like and maybe a tad undercooked (I like noodles al dente but rice, not so much). I'm also not a huge fan of tarragon but somehow it worked. The trio, on the other hand, was unreal. The consomme was something that I could see served on Iron Chef. The condensed flavor was so powerful, I could not stop eating. And the focaccia needs to be sold in stores along with the beef carpaccio/fried cheese combo from Komi.

My entree was the chicken. Not sure what else there is to say, except that my sister called it the best she's ever eaten. I tried some of her Snake River beef, and it made the steak I had at Peter Luger earlier this year seem gristly and carelessly prepared in comparison! I also took a bite of her BF's crab ravioli and instantly regretted not ordering it myself. For dessert, the ginger-mango concoction was the big winner in our book, too bad it's no longer available. The lemon-lime caramel tartlet was okay and still on the menu.

Then last week, inspired by the WP article on fancy burger, my friends and I stopped by for a quick meal. I had the burger here years ago and don't remember it being nearly as good as it was this time. It was, quite simply, the best I've had in DC. Way better than the one at Colorado Kitchen (which is #2 in my book). I'll have to try the Central version next, but the bar has already been set very high. I also had the gnocchi with honshiimeji mushrooms and Castelmagno cheese. When people describe gnocchi as "pillow-like" I'm usually skeptical, but the ones here? They really were. Unbelievably light and fluffy. Dessert (chocolate/hazelnut semifreddo and German chocolate cake) was okay, but I'd say that the so-so desserts here are still better than 90 percent of what's available in DC.

Service was fine both times. One of these days, I'll make it to the back dining room but why bother given what's available in the cafe?

[Pool Boy]

One of these days, I'll make it to the back dining room but why bother given what's available in the cafe?

Go to the back room. Now.

I just got back and am basking in the bliss that can only be PUFF -- Palena Ultimate Food Fulfillment.

Smoked and grilled octopus, in the top three octopus course I have ever, ever had and arguably the best

Beet & lobster salad

salt cod (if you can call it that!) of the gods

lobster bisque with housemade chorizo that had me drooling like a happy and fat cat getting a belly rub in the sun

short ribs 'schnitzel' (or something like that) that was so bloody good

Bhuddist style duck leg (aren't they vegetarians?) with foie gras and dates and pomegranate and root veggie dice -- i have no idea how, but he got grill marks on the foie that was perfectly finished.

Italian plum napoleon - so good

concord grape ice cream with pitachio lemon tarts and other fine stuff

Pair that all with a 2003 Match Butterdragon Hill cab and a glass of fine Grüner veltliner and we were in food bliss.

Service was fine as always -- maybe we're lucky? Maybe we're regulars? I noticed that the service across the room was fine, too. Kelly was in the house and made sure we got our favorit seat as well. I had a look at the wine list and it's especially heavy on the Italians, but some US and French too. Well priced overall with a few outliers in each direction.

And I still want to steal the statue in the corner.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Go to the back room. Now.

I just got back and am basking in the bliss that can only be PUFF -- Palena Ultimate Food Fulfillment.

Smoked and grilled octopus, in the top three octopus course I have ever, ever had and arguably the best

Beet & lobster salad

salt cod (if you can call it that!) of the gods

lobster bisque with housemade chorizo that had me drooling like a happy and fat cat getting a belly rub in the sun

short ribs 'schnitzel' (or something like that) that was so bloody good

Bhuddist style duck leg (aren't they vegetarians?) with foie gras and dates and pomegranate and root veggie dice -- i have no idea how, but he got grill marks on the foie that was perfectly finished.

Italian plum napoleon - so good

concord grape ice cream with pitachio lemon tarts and other fine stuff

Pair that all with a 2003 Match Butterdragon Hill cab and a glass of fine Grüner veltliner and we were in food bliss.

Service was fine as always -- maybe we're lucky? Maybe we're regulars? I noticed that the service across the room was fine, too. Kelly was in the house and made sure we got our favorit seat as well. I had a look at the wine list and it's especially heavy on the Italians, but some US and French too. Well priced overall with a few outliers in each direction.

And I still want to steal the statue in the corner.

Autumn dinner at Palena [back dining room] on November 17, 2007. I ordered the beet salad, gnocchi, haddock, and apple tart for dessert. I believe the beet salad had "fried wasabi sticks" which added a bitter taste if you bit into them. Incidentally, there was lobster meat in the beet salad, and this was my deciding factor for ordering this salad.

The gnocchi is the best I have had in recent memory. I dare say this dish featured the perfect blend of potato, cheese, mushrooms, and aged Balsamico. The haddock was served over butternut squash and delectable matsutake mushrooms. I selectively ate all the apples off the tart.

The gnocchi and haddock with squash and matsutake mushrooms were very satisfying and put a smile on my face. Thank you Ashley for "squeezing me in" on short notice. Again, kudos on the gnocchi.

[tampadcvisitor]

First time post on the boards, though I have been lurking for a couple of months to try to become a bit more versed in DC's restaurant scene.

I had the pleasure in late September of having lunch in Restaurant Eve's dining room, and then following that up with having dinner at Palena in the back dining room. Both meals were absolutely wonderful and made me wonder why DC is not considered a "top tier" dining city, when in my opinion it more than holds it's own against anywhere else I have ever traveled.

On to my question, as I am not able to make it back up to the DC area until February or March.

There were 2 cocktails on the menu that I have not been able to recreate, nor find on their website to recreate properly. Is anyone on these boards familiar with their cocktails "Ibitini" and "Paloma"? I think those were the names, I believe one was based on Hendrick's Cucumber Gin and one was based on tequila, prosecco, and grapefruit juice. I am a little leery of calling the restaurant because I'm not sure it's proper etiquette, or if those were the names of the cocktails. Any help would be appreciated.

A couple of sidenotes, it may be odd to mention Palena's cocktails when I was at Eve earlier in the day, but I assure everyone Todd Thrasher was not only welcoming, charming, and everything you could want in a mixologist..he remembered my companion at the lunch even though he had not dined there in 3-4 months.

Also, since I am taking another vacation specifically to go to more DC restaurants, is it appropriate to start a thread with some choices to try to whittle down where to go? I only have 5 or 6 meals to deal with so it's somewhat important to get it right, since I will be waiting another 6 months or so before I get to do it all again. One that is definitely on there is Palena (bar), because I must try the chicken, fries, and burger.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

(I have never craved a food more than Palena's gnocchi...I keep trying it everywhere to duplicate that dinner, it is impossible...Chef Ruta is amazing in my opinion)

[Pat]

There were 2 cocktails on the menu that I have not been able to recreate, nor find on their website to recreate properly. Is anyone on these boards familiar with their cocktails "Ibitini" and "Paloma"? I think those were the names, I believe one was based on Hendrick's Cucumber Gin and one was based on tequila, prosecco, and grapefruit juice. I am a little leery of calling the restaurant because I'm not sure it's proper etiquette, or if those were the names of the cocktails. Any help would be appreciated.

If you don't get an answer here, you could try the beer and wine forum. That also covers cocktails and other beverages, and you'll find beverage professionals there .

Also, since I am taking another vacation specifically to go to more DC restaurants, is it appropriate to start a thread with some choices to try to whittle down where to go? I only have 5 or 6 meals to deal with so it's somewhat important to get it right, since I will be waiting another 6 months or so before I get to do it all again. One that is definitely on there is Palena (bar), because I must try the chicken, fries, and burger.

There are some threads about recommended restaurants that a search should bring up, but if that doesn't give you what you need, there's no harm in creating a thread. If Don decides it duplicates an existing thread too much, he'll just move it there.

Welcome.

[derekmbrown]

There were 2 cocktails on the menu that I have not been able to recreate, nor find on their website to recreate properly. Is anyone on these boards familiar with their cocktails "Ibitini" and "Paloma"? I think those were the names, I believe one was based on Hendrick's Cucumber Gin and one was based on tequila, prosecco, and grapefruit juice. I am a little leery of calling the restaurant because I'm not sure it's proper etiquette, or if those were the names of the cocktails. Any help would be appreciated.

As the creator of the "Ibitini," I can only state my original recipe: Hendricks' gin, Campari, Carpano Antico Formula vermouth, fresh squeezed OJ, wide orange Peel. Its like a Negroni "Crusta" with high-end ingredients. I think they use blood orange juice now. And we may have used it in the past... After so many Ibitinis, who can remember? PM me if you are interested in the exact quantities. They may have changed it. Kelli is quite the mixologist herself and has made some very good drinks at Palena.

I'm sure that Kelli created the Paloma, so I would call her. I can't imagine they would mind.

[tampadcvisitor]

Thank you for the information, and congratulations..it's a very good cocktail. I believe you are right about the blood orange juice, and I will call Kelli. Thanks again!