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

[Pool Boy]

The consomme and its brethren....their aroma haunts me and lingers for days, weeks afterward. Ahhhhh.

We went for brunch for the first time -- whoa. We'll be back for this again and again.

[Ericandblueboy]

Had brunch here yesterday with Siena and ran into Debbie Tang and her husband. At shortly after 11, we were told that pizzas won't be ready until noon (I guess it takes awhile to fire up the oven). We weren't expecting to have pizza but since our orders of pasta and focaccia didn't arrive until 11:40 or so, we put in for a vongole pizza at that time. The pastas (a candele and a torchietti) were both fantastic. Both came with meat sauces that were rich and flavorful and the pastas were firm and chewy. The focaccia were just baked pizza dough - I would've skipped them had I known. The pizza was also disappointing - crust not quite as fluffy as Pupatella's, baked a little too long, and I can't say I enjoyed the clams (some were quite fishy tasting). And the store is practically barren. I've never had their burger or chicken and there's a good chance I never will because I love their pastas.

[darkstar965]

Had brunch here yesterday with Siena and ran into Debbie Tang and her husband. At shortly after 11, we were told that pizzas won't be ready until noon (I guess it takes awhile to fire up the oven). We weren't expecting to have pizza but since our orders of pasta and focaccia didn't arrive until 11:40 or so, we put in for a vongole pizza at that time. The pastas (a candele and a torchietti) were both fantastic. Both came with meat sauces that were rich and flavorful and the pastas were firm and chewy. The focaccia were just baked pizza dough - I would've skipped them had I known. The pizza was also disappointing - crust not quite as fluffy as Pupatella's, baked a little too long, and I can't say I enjoyed the clams (some were quite fishy tasting). And the store is practically barren. I've never had their burger or chicken and there's a good chance I never will because I love their pastas.

This is interesting. I'm as big a Palena bull as you'll find anywhere (lots of posts upthread that prove that). That said, I've never had pizza there. Right or wrong, kind of assumed the best, most authentic, pizza-focused places (like 2Amys) were better bets for that. On one hand, I've always felt like anything Frank Ruta touches turns to gold in terms of deliciousness. But, of course, that can't be literally true so maybe the pizza evidences the frailty anyone would have however huge their talent.

I think the store is a special situation. You're right that it's rarely well stocked. My sense is that there may be more to that story and I'd just encourage anyone to try, revisit and judge Palena based on how you like it as a restaurant and not as a retailer.

With you on the pastas. The burger and chicken. Anything they've done or will do involving "head to tail." The "hog chop." Caesar salad. The consommes and other soups. Anything seafood. All best-in-class and usually eyebrow raising stuff from my perspective. Oh, and don't forget Aggie, who's doing great things with Palena's dessert menu without enough attention imho.

[lekkerwijn]

The best part of a staycation in DC over a holiday weekend is that you can generally get a last minute reservation somewhere really great. On Friday we made an 8:15 pm reservation for the back room at Palena for Saturday night. We're pretty regular customers in the cafe but decided that we were in the mood for the dining room. Plus, its been kind of cold and soup sounded good. Once we were seated, we really didn't care that the asparagus soup was served chilled. It was still pretty awesome. I think that it is safe to say that there are few other restaurants in DC that treat vegetables with such care and make them front and center on a menu. Asparagus was featured in nearly every course as were baby artichokes. They must also be listening because for the butter came at room temperature with the bread service. The only dish we didn't love but merely liked was the fish stew. The bite size treats at the end of the meal were better than those we had at a recent dinner at Cityzen- particularly the fruit pate. My husband declared the caramels to be a second favorite to those at Jacques Genin in Paris. Overall, the meal was simply delicious.

[DonRocks]

This is so sad to me - I'm just now finding out. I was in there tonight, it was business as usual, and I had *no* idea. Man, talk about the consummate professional.

Kelli Walbourn, you will be *missed*. Please keep in touch, and let us know where you're going.

[darkstar965]

This is so sad to me - I'm just now finding out. I was in there tonight, it was business as usual, and I had *no* idea. Man, talk about the consummate professional.

Kelli Walbourn, you will be *missed*. Please keep in touch, and let us know where you're going.

WOW.  A group of us (6 or so) were in for dinner just 4 or 5 days ago.  It was pretty busy and, different from the norm when we go, I wasn't able to chat with Kelli given how busy things were and how preoccupied I was with my group.  We made eye contact once and waved. I had no idea.  Hope she does let us know her next stop. This is huge news. Rare for a GM, non-equity chef, server or other staff to stay at a place as long as Kelli did at Palena.  I remember first meeting her there oh, about 13 years ago.

If you see this, best of luck Kelli. And thanks so much for everything!  You were always so incredibly professional, friendly and hospitable to us. Guess all great things come to an end but this one makes me a bit sad.

[squidsdc]

This is so sad to me - I'm just now finding out. I was in there tonight, it was business as usual, and I had *no* idea. Man, talk about the consummate professional.

Kelli Walbourn, you will be *missed*. Please keep in touch, and let us know where you're going.

Oh this makes me very sad! I wish the best for Kelli...she always took great care to make sure I would have a special meal even with all my allergies. It is the one place I felt the most comfortable being able to dine, because of her, and became our go-to place to celebrate our anniversary. Which is next Friday. Which means she won't be there. And I was just going to make the reservation today.

[Pool Boy]

This is so sad to me - I'm just now finding out. I was in there tonight, it was business as usual, and I had *no* idea. Man, talk about the consummate professional.

Kelli Walbourn, you will be *missed*. Please keep in touch, and let us know where you're going.

Oh this is an understatement. My wife and I adore Kelli - so sad to hear she's moving on (whether it is someplace new or just to kick back or move or whatever - we wish her the absolute best). She's one of the many, many reasons we love Palena, and her shoes will be impossible to fill IMO. Ach.

[smithhemb]

Damn -- we'll miss her too.  My husband jokes that when we park in the lot next door but head to Dino rather than Palena, he always feels like he's cheating on Kelli. 

[The Hersch]

I dined at Palena (the fancy part) on Saturday, for the first time in two or three years. A wonderful dinner. Two amuses, a one-bite quiche topped with crisp pancetta, and a demitasse of a frothy little soup of chickpeas, which I never would have guessed. Both of them were wow-inducing mouthfuls. My first course was a lovely salad of Italian lettuces with burrata with an evocative dressing that I can't describe. Second was a consommé with slivers of foie gras, which was the star of the evening, to me, almost impossibly, explosively delicious. The third course was a bit of an anti-climax, but primarily because I was already pretty well sated, not because the dish was wanting. It was braised beef shank with house-cured pork belly, with a syrupy reduction.

Service was pleasant, although one server who brought dishes to the table repeatedly put them in front of the wrong person (we were five), which is pretty egregiously unprofessional in a restaurant of this caliber. Another weak point was the wine service: each of the two wines we ordered were unavailable, and had to be substituted with something else. It should be easy enough to keep the wine list up to date with this modern technology stuff. Minor weaknesses in a fabulous dinner.

The Washingtonian rates Palena as only the 17th best restaurant in the area. How many of us think that reflects more badly on the Washingtonian than on Palena?

[weezy]

Awhile back on the Help Wanted thread, I asked for guidance choosing between Al Dente and Vidalia.  Well, the discussion there wasn't very helpful, and between the weather and kitchen/FOH turnovers this winter, the dinner kept getting pushed back and pushed back and no decision made.  Finally we settled on this past Friday night and we decided on Palena, and it was a wonderful choice.  I haven't eaten there before because I just don't get up to that part of the city (the last time was probably 4 years ago).  So, it was high time to make the trek.

We started with cocktails and I got the rosewater gin fizz, which is the first time that I've had rosewater in anything where it was a delicious star and not old-lady perfumey, plenty of citrusy zing to it.  A very nice spring or summer drink.  There were two amuses, a gougere with tangy beet salad, and a crunchy  fried cheese cube.  For dinner, I had the consomme with foie gras, goat cheese raviolini & baby bok choi leaves, and it was everything the Rockwellians have raved about.  Intense, complex, rich yet clear.  Followed that with braised beef cheeks which were delicious although not surprising, just a well done comfort food dish.  The following course was oven roasted sea bass with coriander and lime that was the best piece of fish I've eaten in years. A crispy buttery salty crust atop a moist, perfectly done thick filet, with some roasted vegetables alongside. There was a palate cleanser of pomegranate sorbet with a ?white pepper snow? (I've forgotten).   For dessert, I had a lemon thyme posset, a beautiful pop art dish (looked like it was designed by Peter Max after binge-watching The Jetsons), with little puffy towers of meringue and kumquat slices scattered over a rich light creamy yellow base.  Totally yummy.  And then they came out with a plate of post-dessert desserts of passionfruit gelee, lemon macaron with a caramel filling, honey caramel, a sort of donut (maybe a slice of churro?) with the top dipped in chocolate, so it looked like a tiny cupcake on the plate, and then a marshmallow caramel filled chocolate ball.    The service was excellent as well, friendly, on top of things, responsive and not intrusive.    I can see why Palena gets the love it does here on DR -- it certainly lives up to its reputation.

[DonRocks]

Awhile back on the Help Wanted thread, I asked for guidance choosing between Al Dente and Vidalia.  Well, the discussion there wasn't very helpful, and between the weather and kitchen/FOH turnovers this winter, the dinner kept getting pushed back and pushed back and no decision made.  Finally we settled on this past Friday night and we decided on Palena, and it was a wonderful choice.  I haven't eaten there before because I just don't get up to that part of the city (the last time was probably 4 years ago).  So, it was high time to make the trek.

We started with cocktails and I got the rosewater gin fizz, which is the first time that I've had rosewater in anything where it was a delicious star and not old-lady perfumey, plenty of citrusy zing to it.  A very nice spring or summer drink.  There were two amuses, a gougere with tangy beet salad, and a crunchy  fried cheese cube.  For dinner, I had the consomme with foie gras, goat cheese raviolini & baby bok choi leaves, and it was everything the Rockwellians have raved about.  Intense, complex, rich yet clear.  Followed that with braised beef cheeks which were delicious although not surprising, just a well done comfort food dish.  The following course was oven roasted sea bass with coriander and lime that was the best piece of fish I've eaten in years. A crispy buttery salty crust atop a moist, perfectly done thick filet, with some roasted vegetables alongside. There was a palate cleanser of pomegranate sorbet with a ?white pepper snow? (I've forgotten).   For dessert, I had a lemon thyme posset, a beautiful pop art dish (looked like it was designed by Peter Max after binge-watching The Jetsons), with little puffy towers of meringue and kumquat slices scattered over a rich light creamy yellow base.  Totally yummy.  And then they came out with a plate of post-dessert desserts of passionfruit gelee, lemon macaron with a caramel filling, honey caramel, a sort of donut (maybe a slice of churro?) with the top dipped in chocolate, so it looked like a tiny cupcake on the plate, and then a marshmallow caramel filled chocolate ball.    The service was excellent as well, friendly, on top of things, responsive and not intrusive.    I can see why Palena gets the love it does here on DR -- it certainly lives up to its reputation.

Say hi next time.

[weezy]

Say hi next time.

I will if you will!

[Cizuka Seki]

i have heard that tomorrow is palena's last night. does anyone on here know otherwise?

[LauraB]

I spoke with someone at Palena about an hour ago.  Yes, tomorrow is the last night.  This includes both the Dining Room and the Café, and presumably, the Coffee Shop.  So sad.

[Pool Boy]

nononononononooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Marty L.]

nononononononooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Both dining room and cafe are booked solid for tonight and tomorrow, alas.

[Pool Boy]

We're there tonight late.

[bookluvingbabe]

They did take walk-ins tonight  We were the second set of people through the door and were seated immediately.  The bar was full by 5:45.

[Joe H]

There is a lesson here:  Palena was an outstanding restaurant with a supremely talented chef.  This is a huge loss for Washington.

For anyone reading this:  if you passionately believe and love a restaurant and a chef, support them.  Have dinner there, write about it, blog about it-give it attention and press.  Talk about them on here.  Argue, defend, promote-let others know your passion, your absolute conviction.  Let others know where you will spend your allowance or your inheritance.  Who is really worth the investment?

Tell us.

Doesn't matter if others might disagree with your opinions.  Put your thoughts in print.  Put your wallet on the table.

There should be lines at a lot of doors that currently aren't seeing them.  Go.  Or, at the least, write and promote.  Tell others what you so passionately believe in.  And, if I or anyone else disagrees, all the more reason to write more passionately in support of what you started.  To shut me or anyone else up that much sooner.  Simply, if you believe in a man, a woman and/or a restaurant then let us share your conviction.

For those who are working their hearts out, they will appreciate and thank you for your belief.  For those of us who might not have tasted your "conviction" before, a sincere thank you for introducing us.  Doesn't matter the miles, doesn't matter the traffic or the rivers or mountains we may have crossed:  it it's indeed special, simply share it.

[Marty L.]

They did take walk-ins tonight  We were the second set of people through the door and were seated immediately.  The bar was full by 5:45.

Yep, we were lucky to get in, although I saw many others being turned away.  Not surprisingly, the chicken sold out fast . . . that is to say, it is no more.  Burger and bouillabaisse were apparently shortly behind, although there were still some orders available when I left at 9:00.

A wonderful meal, as always.  Very bittersweet (and not just the rhubarb).

[DanielK]

Joe, I don't think Palena's problem was lack of support. The expansion a few years ago overwhelmed them, and there just isn't the foot traffic in Cleveland Park that there was even a few years ago. Post-recession, when people started going out again, 14th Street was making waves, and people's attention moved. Look at the number of places just in those few blocks on Connecticut that have gone away in the past few years. Dean, when he closed Dino, said something about how the percent of tables from reservations was way higher than it had been in past years, that they just weren't getting the walk-ins they used to.

I had dinner in the dining room about 6 months ago on a weeknight, and for most of the evening, there were only 1 or 2 other tables taken. And I haven't seen the bar area full on a non-weekend in a long time.

[The Hersch]

I was going to say fuck, but I'll keep it nice and say damn. Damn. Damn.

[Joe H]

Joe, I don't think Palena's problem was lack of support. The expansion a few years ago overwhelmed them, and there just isn't the foot traffic in Cleveland Park that there was even a few years ago. Post-recession, when people started going out again, 14th Street was making waves, and people's attention moved. Look at the number of places just in those few blocks on Connecticut that have gone away in the past few years. Dean, when he closed Dino, said something about how the percent of tables from reservations was way higher than it had been in past years, that they just weren't getting the walk-ins they used to.

I had dinner in the dining room about 6 months ago on a weeknight, and for most of the evening, there were only 1 or 2 other tables taken. And I haven't seen the bar area full on a non-weekend in a long time.

In truth as 14th street, Bloomingdale, H street, N. E. and Barrocks row grow so do they pull people who might have otherwise gone to more tradtional locations.  In a sense they are a victim of much of the newfound excellence elsewhere.  In another thread someone responded to my rave of Fiola Mara as "why would anyone under 35 go there"  It's not cool.  Georgetown?  I was shocked.

All I believe is that if there is somewhere that I passionately love I am going to let people know about it.  I feel it is the least I can do for what I feel is legitimate excellence.  Somebody has to trumpet it and let the world know its open.....and doing a damn good job.

[B.A.R.]

Let's all take a deep breath here. Yes, it is sad that Palena is no more, but the man behind the restaurant is still very much alive and extrordinarily talented. He'll be back, in some incarnation or another, and maybe even better. This hand-wringing that we need to support more and champion more, and second-guessing about cover counts and blah, blah, blah doesn't make a damn bit of difference.

Restaurants sometimes close, and the list of great chefs who have closed great restaurants is a mile long and just got one restaurant longer.

I am sorry for the closing of Palena, a restaurant I consider great. I hope that Chef Ruta is at peace as he turns the page on this chapter of his life's work. I can't wait to see his next chapter, which undoubtedly there will be.

[Pool Boy]

I look forward to his next adventure for sure. Truly. It will be amazing.

Dinner last night was wonderful, bittersweet, but every bit as delicious as previous dinners. My only regret was not being able to get a fix of consomme.

[Pool Boy]

So, all of this change made me sit here and think of all of the great times I have had at Palena over the years. While this is my own intensely personal point of view, I hope you enjoy reading it, I am absolutely sure there are many of you that share many memories there as well.


====================================================

Palena Stories - 

 

I cannot even remember how many times my wife and I have dined here over 13+ years. In the old Cafe, the new Cafe, brunch, donuts, and especially the back dining room, most often at the corner 2-top with the broad view of the dining room, the wall of cool black and white art (and the now missing statue). But I do remember the first time.

 

My wife had read about the place and, while everything was amazing, the standout dish was a first course Debbie had of heirloom tomatoes, sardines, a little oil and salt. It was a gobsmack moment. The dark caramels on the cookie plate at the end of the night also standout.

 

Palena became a regular in our rotation. Not just birthdays and anniversary, but also just when we needed a fix of the food and warmth of Palena, Frank, Kelli and all of the staff (some of who were there for the entire run that we know by face and grace, if not by name). The chicken, the burger, for those Cafe hits. Consomme or pot au feu or any variation of these were must orders for me. HAUNTINGLY amazing. Anything saying house made, house cured, our own thisorthat were must orders and basically became the whole menu over time. The fry plate. We made it to brunch. They even were open one Christmas Eve and we always go out for a nice meal and this one was great. The 'I need to catch up with my wife - it's been a crazy week' times. Sometimes just because. Other times because it had been too long.  Palena felt like home to me. So easy, so warm, so delicious and lovely.

 

I have always loved food, but our culinary awakening started to evolve in the mid 90s, got far more serious after California and trips to places like TIALW, and culminated in places like Palena. Truth be told, I love all food, high end, low end and everything in between. We've had the good fortune to dine at a  lot of really good restaurants over the years. Walking away from those experiences, though, we'd always comment 'That was good, really good. But not as good as Palena.' Truth.

 

I love the space. Simple and understated and nice. Warm. Great staff. Kelli was the best. I remember many of the servers over the years, know them by sight if not by name. I remember two guys what work as behind the scenes expediters that sometimes would bring the dishes out when the waitstaff were overwhelmed - I think they have been there for the full run. I love that wall of black & white art along the long side wall in the back dining room, especially the one that reminds me of Sarek from Star Trek. I love the statue that for many years watched over the diners in the back room. I remember that the restrooms were never quite up to the snuff of the rest of the restaurant, but not caring. We even ate outside once in front of the new front door facing the parking lot on a perfect summer evening with warmth but not heat, low humidity and a an occasional breeze all the while us chatting with Kelli about Italian wines.

 

I remember getting the one parking spot right out in front of Palena one time. I remember trolling for parking spaces along Ordway by the apartments, 27th (never got lucky), Macomb (once in a blue moon), a few times on Newark and the west side of Ordway in the pricy houses zone, but most often down the long hill of Porter Street and schlepping up the long hill, cutting through the gas station parking lot and in to Palena, our second home.

 

I remember the old front door and hovering right as you'd walk in trying to keep the door closed in the rain or winter while we waited to get seated (if it was super busy).

 

I remember Sidecars and Sazeracs. I remember trying the beef family style dinner we did with a few folks from donrockwell (the beef heart? The beef tongue? OMFG). I remember randomly getting a glass of wine from Don and Mark (slater), who happened to be dining across the room from us. I remember the guy dressed all in white with a super size tiara. I remember being seated right next to a table where Christopher Kimball was sitiing, I remember randomly seeing other friends dining right near us (or being there the same night, not seeing them and finding out later!). I remember taking so many friends and family there - my dad and his wife, my brother-in-law and his wife, my bro and partner, friends, friends and more friends, a group of folks that worked for me when we had a really good bit of work that deserved recognition but when there was no money for bonuses I convinced my boss to let me take them out to a kick ass dinner at Palena. 

 

I remember the food. The shrimp boudin. Everything done with fish. Corn. Tomato. That glorious consomme. The desserts (especially over the last few years). All those pates and terrines. That tomato risotto. The caramels. The bean salad. Hell all of his salads. Brodetto. The donuts. The burger. The chicken. All of the little fishies. The fry plate. The OCTOPUS. The pasta, how could I forget all of the delicate pastas often stuffed with goodies. The gnocchi! Namelakas and Napoleons. Shoat. I think even Dover Sole once or twice. My gosh.

 

Getting extra courses when we could not decide just because. The old menu where you could order 3, 4, or 5 courses and if you wanted them all to be appetizery? OK! All pasta? Fine! All mains? Sure!

 

Never being rushed, Never being in my face. Picking up on the fact that we loved the corner two-top table in the dining room and then almost always getting seated there for 10 years.

 

Ach. Such great memories and I am missing a million of them. And while we will have no more new memories there, they will live in my head forever. And I look so forward to making new ones when Frank ends up doing something new, hopefully sooner than later.

 

A great, great run.

[smithhemb]

Palena was our favorite Wednesday date-night destination when our daughter was of babysitting age.  Mid-week, I generally wasn't up for a movie, so dinner was the event and we wanted a meal we could linger over.  The dining room never appealed to me (too old, too serious), but we loved the café.  I remember the first time that Kelli took us to one of the little red booths between the two spaces.  My initial reaction was, great, a scenic view of the bathrooms.  But in the end, they became one of our favorite places -- we felt alone and together.

Our best meals were from the days when you could mix and match from the two menus and when Ann Amernick still did the pastries.  I always loved the little things -- whatever pickle came with the burger, the lemon slices on the fry plate, the Wellington cookie that might unexpectedly grace a dessert plate.

It has been a great run.  Congrats, thanks, and good luck with your next ventures to everyone who made Palena what it was.

[eatruneat]

When I lived in Woodley Park several years ago, dinners at Palena Cafe was the best thing about living in that area. This was before the revamped Ardeo+Bardeo, Ripple, and Medium Rare. And because I wasn't make much money then (and now) the cafe was a the best way to get a great meal on a budget. It is hard to believe that the burger and the chicken are no more (hopefully only temporarily). Like everyone here, I had so many good memories. Too many to recount. What a loss. 

[Thomas P]

I am still distraught over this and cannot believe that tomorrow I will not be able to go to my favorite restaurant in the area (easily one of my favorite restaurants in the world). I regret putting off dinner in the dining room because now I'll never have the chance, but many of my favorite meals and memories have come in the cafe. What's always set Palena apart is the amazing food, but what made me fall in love with it is how it always felt like home. It seems like every time I've gone in I've made new friends at the bar or the table next to me, and the entire restaurant from top to bottom is so unassuming and honest. So many restaurants in the DC area are overyhyped and overpriced, with amazing looking menus but food that ultimately is only okay to good at best. Palena was polar opposite. The food is sublime, and the only convincing needed was for you to taste it.

Palena, you will be missed dearly by many, and I hope that I hear of your next incarnation in the near future.

[Pool Boy]

So many great memories.

[JPW]

Let's all take a deep breath here. Yes, it is sad that Palena is no more, but the people behind the restaurant are still very much alive and extraordinarily talented. THey'll be back, in some incarnation or another, and maybe even better.

Fixed it for you.

[lekkerwijn]

Yesterday, we got the last table in the dining room. At 7:15 when we arrived the cafe was mostly full but the dining room was basically empty. There were two other tables (maybe they are reading this) filled. When we left around 9:15 only three other tables had been filled. I know people reported trying to get reservations but none were available- there is no value in speculating on why the dining room spent the night mostly empty.  Dinner was simply lovely. Exactly what you would expect from Palena. We savored every bite. In a moment of brilliance, another table ordered a cafe burger for dessert. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday.

We also want to extend a thank you to the generous gentleman who was sharing some of his wine selections with the dining room. We saw that you also had a 1973 Tondonia. Several years ago on a trip to Rioja we visited Vina Tondonia. There were two guys in their early twenties on our tour of the winery. They were "restaurant" types, backpacking across Europe and doing it on the cheap. The tasting included some older vintages- which is very Tondonia. They pulled the bottles from their caves, they came coated in black musty mold. Many people on the tour didn't finish their pours and this horrified those two guys- it was way too special to go to waste. So they asked if they could hang out and drink the leftovers. Sharing wine with you last night reminded us of that experience- great wine like great food is meant to be enjoyed and shared. We hope that some day we get the opportunity to reciprocate and promise to pay it forward.

[Marty L.]

My sense is that they're only serving as many people as their food supplies will allow -- that they (understandably) haven't purchased much in a few days, but don't want to turn away anyone who had already secured a reservation.  The chicken was gone early last night.  Bouillabaisse later in the evening.  This morning at brunch there were no more brioche for the burgers.  Three hours from now, when they serve the final customers, there may be very few choices remaining.  But even if there's only one item left on the menu, it'll be a very special bite to savor . . .

I know people reported trying to get reservations but none were available- there is no value in speculating on why the dining room spent the night mostly empty. 

[DonRocks]

Down but not out

Retired in BOLD.

[Pool Boy]

Yesterday, we got the last table in the dining room. At 7:15 when we arrived the cafe was mostly full but the dining room was basically empty. There were two other tables (maybe they are reading this) filled. When we left around 9:15 only three other tables had been filled. I know people reported trying to get reservations but none were available- there is no value in speculating on why the dining room spent the night mostly empty.  Dinner was simply lovely. Exactly what you would expect from Palena. We savored every bite. In a moment of brilliance, another table ordered a cafe burger for dessert. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday.

We got seated at 9PM on Friday - the dining room was mostly full when we entered. We were the second to last table when we left. We got the salmon course as an extra (I am sure at Frank's insistence behind the scenes). We managed to still get the bouillabasse inspired dish as well. Brilliant.

Ach.

[Poivrot Farci]

Thank you Frank.  And to the stranger at Tonic in Mt. Pleasant who, in January of 2006, upon overhearing my conversation of where to work next, kindly urged, without hesitation, "go to Palena.  It's the best place in the city."

I just re-read the first 10 pages of the Palena thread and with the exception of the Pojarski detractor (a dish you will have trouble finding anywhere else, in this century, and is representative of Frank's scorchingly low heat classical repertoire) and grumbles of service, long waits for a table (for a damn burger) and other bullshit white whines there was near universal and effuse praise for the food, on a weekly basis.  We all misfire from time to time but on Frank's watch those fumbles were rare exceptions.

Frank's tenet #1.  Anything worth fucking up once is worth fucking up twice.

Jonathan and I (Logan, Brian, Sarah, Carl (now CdC at Craigie on Main)) and quite a few more are fortunate to have fallen through that door to culinary Narnia and been able to work at Palena.  After 8 years cooking for grand fromages Laurent Manrique, Charlie Palmer, Gerry Hayden, Buben, Cathal and Bryan Voltaggio I thought I knew a bit, as most young-ish cocky cooks are wont to do, but all the while we were playing brash checkers to Frank's brass chess. We unlearned some clumsy, bastardized -though standard- practices and were exposed to an entirely new reality of deliberate discipline, finesse, proper technique, sound theory, resourcefulness, professionalism, practicality, humility, layering of flavors and elegant compositions that highlighted traditional techniques of yesteryear, seasonality, regions and well established combinations that made sense and had exceptional flavor.  Never anything that was purposely random or conceived because of the pervasive "it sounds cool" variety of insecure ideas.  Decadent, but no gimmicks. Nothing left out in the sun to softly spoil and call it our own clever sleight of hand.  We learned to make everything that was worth the while.

Tenet #2: Anything worth doing is worth doing right.

We were treated to premium, tippy-top shelf products.  We had the privilege of cutting up and cooking wild Atlantic loup de mer, glass eels, abalone, live urchins, live snails, periwinkles, crayfish, turbot, Dover sole, shiimaji, fresh anchovies, the Kraken, fresh Alaskan king crab, all types of things with wings, cockscombs, wild game, the best beans, olive oils, grains, luxury mushrooms, truffles, all sizes of animals all in raw state and then all the stuff from his garden which you can't really make out from Google Earth, but probably rivaled Le Potager du Roi.

We learned a better way to make pasta (a well made dough never, ever needs eggwash for sealing ravioli), a better way to make stocks and sauces, a better way to cook rice and grains (stirring risotto is folksy and romantic but totally unnecessary if you do it how he learned in Italy), the proper way to butcher, season, cure, brine, marinate, sear, grill, simmer, roast, poach, braise; to turn vegetables and glaze them; to taste, test, feel, smell, and cook until tender; to be patient, to make breading, doughs, condiments, soups and an ethereal consommé; assemble stews and ragouts;  to be efficient, be professional, make use of everything and waste nothing, to stuff things, to better use collagen, fats and proteins to thicken or emulsify; to use recipes, proportions, percentages, formulas, to measure, calculate, take notes, to write recipes and be remarkably consistent without sacrificing soulful cookery.  Seeing how the butter was cubed on the stations was the first of  5 1/2 years of revelation and immeasurable inspiration.

Frank is said to have learned from stalwart Olympic heavyweights at that White House during the gilded salad years (Messrs. Haller, Raffert, Flay, Messier), bonafide masters of the trade who knew how to do everything better, faster and slicker than the rest.  A flabbergasting  amount of skill and craftsmanship to be exposed to, and 50 ways to cook a potato.  He regaled us one day with some pictures from his White House tenure (needlessly apologizing for the barely distressed 20 year-old photos).  Drive-in theatre sized glasses, an unruly soup strainer under the nose and one of those unfortunate mini-aprons that wouldn't conceal one of those random workplace erections.  There was a nougat cauldron with sherbet flowers courtesy special pastry tips from the WH engineers, lobster Bellevue, elaborate centerpieces with stuffed this and jellied that, monkfish ballotines, booties on crown roasts, a dozen of hundreds of sweet potatoes whittled into Santa's boots for the Christmas party "L'Art Culinaire Moderne" and Escoffier's whimsical highlight reel revisited by Kodak.  I sucked up that inspiration like a depraved tick.

Palena was DC's premier seminary for learning crucial fundamentals and essential practicum (then go to Cityzen for a proper polishing) and I'll never know another chef personally that so heavily influenced my passion and who's style was in my immediate, hopelessly dated orbit. I helped in a retrospective dinner that celebrated the White House years back in 2010 and Frank made the following salmon bavarois with stuffed artichokes.  There aren't many others, if any, who have the diligent digits and formidable mind to fabricate such a professional old timey composition, these days.  Frank can do it all;  baking the breads (all antique starter based, naturally), butchering, curing, puff pastry, vinegar, mostarda, donuts, savory tarts, occasional plumbing, pies, even torrone nougat petit-fours.  And all the fancy napkin folds cradling the even fancier canapés.  This a working chef who cooked something every day for almost 14 years gracefully, with composure and absolute pleasure.

Tenet #3: Perfection doesn't happen by accident.

I am eternally grateful for Frank's particular flavor of tutelage and congratulate his remarkably quiet reign. Palena's untimely expiration is a legitimate bummer. That's life.

[Cook In / Dine Out]

I wrote a "Farewell Palena" story for my blog today. This has long been one of my favorite restaurants and I will miss it, especially the famous cheeseburger and roast chicken, which were deserving of all the accolades they received. Let's hope that Frank Ruta pops up again in a kitchen near us very soon.

[Keithstg]

In the nine (!) years I've been reading/ posting here, this is probably the best post I've read. Thank you, Poivrot Farci.

[DonRocks]

In the nine (!) years I've been reading/ posting here, this is probably the best post I've read. Thank you, Poivrot Farci.

Click

[Marty L.]

Wow.  Just wow.  Thank you, Julien, for that remarkable encomium.  We all knew, of course, that something unique was happening there for these past 14 years.  Still, it's humbling to learn just how much dedication, craft, industriousness, education, creativity, and sweat and blood were necessary to make everything appear to us, the repeat guests, as though it were so seamless and routine.  It was so good, and so right -- the model of what a neighborhood/world class restaurant ought to be -- that I'm afraid many of us began to simply take it for granted.  Whereas it was, in fact, a minor miracle, repeatedly daily on about 4000 occasions.  This week must be deeply painful; but I hope that Frank and all the others who toiled all these years at Palena understand how grateful we all are for being the lucky beneficiaries of their collective, sustained labor of love.

Thank you Frank.  And to the stranger at Tonic in Mt. Pleasant who, in January of 2006, upon overhearing my conversation of where to work next, kindly urged, without hesitation, "go to Palena.  It's the best place in the city."

[RJ Cooper]

Frank Ruta and I share an incredible career milestone together of the 2007 James Beard Award for MidAtlantic.

Chef is the extremely talented percussionist in a Jam band that has been kicking out great beats for years and years. He has inspired so many cooks, me included in this region and country without high visibility.

Thank you for your craft and service to our art. It takes a leader to teach dedication, it takes a master craftsman to teach finesse, it takes loyalty to teach determination, you have shared it all.

Chef my kitchen is always open to you and yes we do make stocks.

Enjoy a much needed break, we have a table for you and your family at Rogue 24 anytime.

[Pool Boy]

In the nine (!) years I've been reading/ posting here, this is probably the best post I've read. Thank you, Poivrot Farci.

I completely agree. Wow.

[SSinMtP]

There's a very active discussion taking place on the Cleveland Park neighborhood listserv about the factors that may have contributed to Palena's decline and the neighborhood's recent losses. As many of you are aware, this closing is one of a long list of restaurants that have left the neighborhood in recent history (e.g., Lavandou, Dino, Pulpo, Four Fields, Tackle Box). In fact, another store located in the same strip as Palena (Potomac Running) also closed earlier this week. The listserv discussion is mix of sentiments: area rents are too high, Cleveland Park is no longer a dining destination, Cleveland Park no longer attracts younger individuals, Cleveland Park already has too many restaurants, 14St/Shaw is taking away too much business, outspoken activists have commercial stifled growth, Cleveland Park lacks parking spaces, Cleveland Park lacks walkability/foot traffic, etc. Will be interesting to see what happens next for the neighborhood.

[DonRocks]

Thank you Frank.  And to the stranger at Tonic in Mt. Pleasant who, in January of 2006, upon overhearing my conversation of where to work next, kindly urged, without hesitation, "go to Palena.  It's the best place in the city."

This is the most "Liked" post in the history of donrockwell.com.

[TedE]

Own a piece of DC restaurant history

[RoastMonkey]

Own a piece of DC restaurant history

That was fast. Let the vultures descend.

[deangold]

That was fast. Let the vultures descend.

In my development of the new space, I have bought several things at auction and gotten really good deals.  But I realize the pain someone else has gone thru when the auction is from a spot that closed due to financial distress.

Remember that Frank, or someone(s) is financially responsible for hte accumulated debt.  The Auction goes a ways to pay off that debt.  The cost of closing a restaurant isn't just the pain of losing a part of yourself, a place that you gave blood sweat and tears to, but also the trail of financial issuyes that can haunt you for a long time.

Good luck to you Frank.

[drewster]

Finally joining the fray...and I'll miss Palena as much as the rest of you.  I had a chance to grab them on Fri before they closed.  Probably 40+ in the last 10 years, mostly all in the cafe.  Made it to the bar around 9:30pm and standing room only, but a staff member found me a stool so I can relax by myself. Had the Pappardelle.  Fucking wonderful!  Ordrered the chix,but alas, it was 86'd, so going to plan B, Burger.  Burger is Med Rare and again wonderful with nice gamey beefy flavor!  Had the fries but not the fry plate (If you remember fry plate from original cafe had fried lemons slices and a bunch of random shit!)  Had 2 Quartinos of Michel Satta Bolgheri Rossi and a Negroni (classically made on the rox) .  No room for dessert. God, I'm going to miss this place!

[Tujague]

There's a very active discussion taking place on the Cleveland Park neighborhood listserv about the factors that may have contributed to Palena's decline and the neighborhood's recent losses. As many of you are aware, this closing is one of a long list of restaurants that have left the neighborhood in recent history (e.g., Lavandou, Dino, Pulpo, Four Fields, Tackle Box). In fact, another store located in the same strip as Palena (Potomac Running) also closed earlier this week. The listserv discussion is mix of sentiments: area rents are too high, Cleveland Park is no longer a dining destination, Cleveland Park no longer attracts younger individuals, Cleveland Park already has too many restaurants, 14St/Shaw is taking away too much business, outspoken activists have commercial stifled growth, Cleveland Park lacks parking spaces, Cleveland Park lacks walkability/foot traffic, etc. Will be interesting to see what happens next for the neighborhood.

I've wondered if Cleveland Park is being hurt somewhat by the continuing/growing frustrations with the Metro Red Line. I know for myself that I have tended to avoid using it, having been burned in recent years by delays and annoyed by the crowds, and so I only occasionally  have tried to get to CP for dining. Other places along the Red Line and upper Northwest I can easily enough reach by other means (if more slowly), but CP feels just far enough removed from those means. Do others regard the Red Line that way?