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

[Nadya]

Posting drunk is actually the best part.

[bookluvingbabe]

Go to Palena. Do not pass go or collect $200. Just get there while the morel mushroom veloute is still on the menu. Chef Ruta's soups are always a wonder to behold but this one was beyond amazing. (It's on the tasting menu so not likely to be available on Monday nights...)

Mr. BLB had the Piatto Unico Abruzzese--the little taste I had was good.

Beyond that we had the usual cocktails, burger and desserts that make Palena my favorite go to place when I don't want to cook dinner and can't bear to order Chinese again.

Jennifer

[giant shrimp]

Go to Palena.  Do not pass go or collect $200.  Just get there while the morel mushroom  veloute is still on the menu.  Chef Ruta's soups are always a wonder to behold but this one was beyond amazing.  (It's on the tasting menu so not likely to be available on Monday nights...)

Mr. BLB had the Piatto Unico Abruzzese--the little taste I had was good.

Beyond that we had the usually cocktails, burger and desserts that make Palena my favorite go to place when I don't want to cook dinner and can't bear to order Chinese again.

Jennifer

if you like your meat falling off the bone, the piatto unico abruzzese is the way to go, and when we were there i believe you could only find it on the cafe menu. i followed that up with the chicken, which has a milder brine these days, and greens, the equivalent of a double dinner. i notice that people in the cafe often don't seem to know how to order, they don't always listen too well to their waiter's advice and they like to complain.

[gks_eats_dc]

if you like your meat falling off the bone

I very much like meat falling off the bone. My dining companion for the evening, however, doesn't. In fact, she doesn't eat meat. And yet here we are, almost 7 pm, and I don't want to cook dinner...

Does the cafe menu at Palena currently have any vegetarian offerings other than salad?? If it does, we're on our way.

[giant shrimp]

Does the cafe menu at Palena currently have any vegetarian offerings other than salad??  If it does, we're on our way.

the answer may be too late, but you can also order anything from the regular menu, whose offerings are always in motion. the nettle gnocchi are probably vegetarian and i like them much better than play doh (see above, the doh did have a fresh flavor, but it is too salty, for a start.) and these could be the final days for nettles, i know it has disappeared from the farmer's market. palena has a thing for meat and fish, but vegetables are often among the best things it does, so even if the vegetarian offerings on the menu appear to be scant, i would be surprised if they couldn't come up with something at the spur of the moment. you can't find better beans anywhere i know of. and there are far worse things in life than starting with the salad. i haven't ordered it lately only because you can't eat everything. if dairy is acceptable, there is cheese all over the place, and the desserts are always great. i head for the cakes (baltimore lemon and german chocolate lately), but strawberries and rhubarb are in season and you will most likely find them at palena.

[DanCole42]

Palena certainly seems to be the darling of the boards.

I thought I'd never heard of it before I came here, then after some mind-numbing memory-searching, I realized that my fiancee's best friend Anne is a hostess there.

I think I may have to finally take her up on her offer and make a trip up there!

[MelGold]

After a Monday night menu of joey and big birds, I had a hankering for a Palena burger and fries. Talk about comfort! The company wasn't too awful either. I would like to know if there's a secret password or a signal you need to convey to get a cookie plate. I missed my caramel fix tonight.

[giant shrimp]

After a Monday night menu of joey and big birds, I had a hankering for a Palena burger and fries. Talk about comfort! The company wasn't too awful either. I would like to know if there's a secret password or a signal you need to convey to get a cookie plate. I missed my caramel fix tonight.

ask for the cookie plate, even if it is not on the menu, and they probably will have it. at least, that has been our experience, after being clued in by our waiter.

[JLK]

My most recent meal at Palena was delicious, but...er, small. Has anyone else noticed shrinking portion sizes? The gnocchi, which used to strike me as a perfect size, was delicious, but small. Castelmagno cheese, spring peas, white asparagus. Yum, instant classic. The short rib "sauerbrauten", a second course from the tasting menu, consisted of one wonderfully tender short rib, and not a large one at that. I enjoyed it, but it took me all of three bites to put it away. Ramps rounded out the dish, but I was still hungry.

Should have ordered a burger.

[giant shrimp]

the demarcation of spring from summer comes earlier at local farms and woodlands than the shift of seasons on the calendar, and palena has caught the moment, straddling the vestiges of early greens and what has yet to ripen under the strengthening sun. thunder claps applaud from the kitchen: morels and pork in a veloute pond would mark a memorable departure from may, but the mushrooms have been cavorting with the sponges in the sea and should have showered off after their return to dry land; their characteristic loud hints of humus have been squelched by salt. a lobster navarin swims to shore, speckled with peas, accompanied by pastry, a small toy-sized cracker copy of itself. a skate rides up to the table on the open face of a soft potato bun slathered with tartar sauce. a fried green onion, asparagus and pickled remnants are washed up on the plate. baltimore lemon cake brings the meal to a bright conclusion. two miniature peppermint patties on the cookie platter are a small surprise.

we scramble up the hill in no time and sit for seems like hours with our sand pails by the yawning pit, but eventually, when nothing is happening, we grow impatient to see the land shift and the looming cathedral slide into it.

[legant]

I have to admit: Palena is becoming my favorite "local" hangout. Last night I introduced a friend to Palena, the burger and the "best Manhattan ever!" Friend was over 30 minutes late and I had gone ahead and ordered. Friend arrived just as the burger did. I reluctantly shared the burger. Next time I'll only wait 20 minutes. Friend enjoyed the burger and the Manhattan and anxiously wants to try the chicken.

What really made this visit special was that the bartender, Arity, remembered me. About a month ago, I had had a REALLY pissy day and went for a Manhattan and burger. Sometimes the kindness of strangers -- and a good drink -- helps you get through the most difficult of time.

[DanCole42]

Finally made the trip up to Cleveland Park for what I've been assured is a first class extravaganza of delectable deliciosity.

The evening started off with me getting one of the two spots directly in front of the restaurant's doors at six o'clock on a Saturday. This was the low point of my experience.

Our hostess and future bridesmaid Anne was, as always, sweeter than any dessert on the menu.

I started off with a fragolino (sp?) to sip on and drowned out my fiancee's cries of "Why can't you order a manlier drink?" in a glass of strawberry-infused bliss. Anne declined my offer of a taste - something about drinking on the job. I say the customer is always right, but what do I know?

Spurred on by the six pages of posts on this forum dedicated to recreating it, I did something I've never done before in a restaurant - I ordered the chicken. She ordered the burger.

We started off with the Palena fries, and what fries they were. I've never had lemons that tasted like that before. Those little fried puffs of potato that came out of a piping bag were definetly the highlight of the plate - and I'd love to get the recipe for their mayo.

After the fries, we decided that the food was far too amazing for us to limit ourselves to chicken and a burger, so while we were still waiting on the chicken we got the beet salad. I've never had beets before, and doubt I would have liked them anywhere else, but the combination of flavors and the cheese that was used just made them divine.

Our entrees arrived, and I finally tasted firsthand (firsttongue?) what everyone was talking about. I've never had chicken like that. Part of me was tempted to take the carcass home in a doggy bag and make a broth out of it.* The burger was perfectly juicy. Does anyone know what they put on it? It was almost like a light blue cheese mayo.

For dessert my fiancee had Palena's take on the ice cream sandwich, and I had the goat cheesecake. Both were incredible, although some elements of the cake were a little tart for my tastes.

I'll definetely be going back - especially if I can convince my future wife to let me splurge on the main dining menu.

*Would that have been rude to bring the carcass home? Has anyone else done this? Does anyone have any suggestions for using a Palena roast chicken broth? I'd just do your standard mire poix, bouquet garni, etc. I think it would make a great broth for risotto. Thoughts?

[DonRocks]

*Would that have been rude to bring the carcass home? Has anyone else done this?

Don't bother. I tried it once, and Frank threatened to call the police. He came upstairs waving a cast-iron pot and screaming something about 'nobody is going to smuggle any of my chickens out of this place and haul them into a chemical lab for analysis, by cracky!'

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Al Dente]

Our entrees arrived, and I finally tasted firsthand (firsttongue?) what everyone was talking about. I've never had chicken like that. Part of me was tempted to take the carcass home in a doggy bag and make a broth out of it.*

*Would that have been rude to bring the carcass home? Has anyone else done this? Does anyone have any suggestions for using a Palena roast chicken broth? I'd just do your standard mire poix, bouquet garni, etc. I think it would make a great broth for risotto. Thoughts?

You obviously have cooking aspirations, please join us in the Palena Chicken Project. Take a stab at the DaRuta Code. I'm convinced this chicken can be demystified-- though you'll need to watch your back

[bookluvingbabe]

Our entrees arrived, and I finally tasted firsthand (firsttongue?) what everyone was talking about. I've never had chicken like that. Part of me was tempted to take the carcass home in a doggy bag and make a broth out of it.* The burger was perfectly juicy. Does anyone know what they put on it? It was almost like a light blue cheese mayo.

I used to know this--it is some sort of truffled cheese with house made mayo.

Anyone else?

[JPW]

Don't bother. I tried it once, and Frank threatened to call the police. He came upstairs waving a cast-iron pot and screaming something about 'nobody is going to smuggle any of my chickens out of this place and haul them into a chemical lab for analysis, by cracky!'

At least he didn't try to take a picture of it.

[JPW]

...and a mighty fine burger it was, matched well by a glass of Gigondas.

PS - If I asked nicely I wonder if they would give me a whole plate of fried lemon slices.

[treznor]

Thinking of going out to Palena Cafe tonight for the first time... I'm not in town during the week so can't go during the week when the line might be so long. But I'm craving the hamburger and the roast chicken :-) So, that being said, how long would the wait on a Saturday night?

[mdt]

Thinking of going out to Palena Cafe tonight for the first time... I'm not in town during the week so can't go during the week when the line might be so long. But I'm craving the hamburger and the roast chicken :-) So, that being said, how long would the wait on a Saturday night?

I wouldn't worry unless you are going with a group. I would say get there around 6 or so and sit at the bar if you can.

[treznor]

Just the two of us. Trying to decide between there and Majestic Cafe. Majestic is much more convenient but I've wanted to get to both for a while and haven't gotten around to it.

[DonRocks]

Tonight I had dinner on a mountaintop.

As I was dining, a meteor streaked by, a flash of light drawing my eyes toward the sky. I yelled across the table, “Look!”, pointing upward, but then I realized I was alone at a table for one. No one was there to hear me, no one was there to bear witness or testament to what I had just seen, no one was there at all.

Risi Bisi

Palena’s way: vintage carnaroli rice and local sweet peas with a coddled organic hen egg and early summer truffles

I had just eaten the Mona Lisa, and now it was gone. All that remained were pictures in a book.

Twenty years from now, they’ll drag me away in a straitjacket, kicking and screaming, “I saw it, God damn it, I saw it! Let me go!” And as they cover my mouth, I’ll let out a muffled cry, “I saw it, I was there….”

Rocks.

[treznor]

Did end up going to Palena tonight. Picked up a couple extra people on the way so it ended up being four of us and since there was a rally of some sort in Dupont Circle we ended up not getting there until about 6:45. Wait was around 45 minutes, which wasn't too bad since there's plenty to do in the neighborhood.

Got a couple fry plates, 2 burgers, 2 roast chickens, and a bottle of Gigondas. Everyone thought everything was very good, but the fried lemons definitely were the hit of the table. The roast chicken (as described a number of times now by others in this thread) had this most perfectly crispy skin that wasn't tough at all, just wonderfully crispy. And the flavors of the chicken... wow. I did manage to wrangle a bite of hamburger from my girlfriend and next time I'll definitely have to order it to have more.

Desert was a couple of blackberry crisps, the chocalate ice cream sandwhich, and the cheesecake. The cheesecake was good but not out of this world good. However, the figs and the blood orange sorbet that came with the cheesecake were marvelous.

[Meaghan]

Have any of you had Ann's strawberry shortcake recently? Another simple, heavenly requisite of right now. A bulbous bistcuit undressing itself in a bed of the sweetest strawberries and the heaviest of creams. All it promises is a good stupor.

[giant shrimp]

Have any of you had Ann's strawberry shortcake recently? Another simple, heavenly requisite of right now. A bulbous bistcuit undressing itself in a bed of the sweetest strawberries and the heaviest of creams. All it promises is a good stupor.

she is doing the same thing for blueberries, in a "pie" sandwiched with cinnamoned cream between two lightly sugared pastries resembling soft cookies, with a few of the berries falling out upon the plate. we carried a cookie plate up the hill to the bishop's garden afterwards, took photos of a few lingering tourists among spent roses with digital cameras until their flashes started going off and then counted the bats that came squeaking out of the belfry. there were at least four and twenty of them. it could have been a perfect evening in transylvania.

[Woodleygrrl]

How do you people do it? Just reading about the desserts made me gain 10 pounds!

I am going to have to give Palena another shot. I am thinking of taking my fiance there and testing it for the meal where our parents meet each other for the first time. Think Palena would be a good place for that?

[giant shrimp]

How do you people do it? Just reading about the desserts made me gain 10 pounds!

I am going to have to give Palena another shot. I am thinking of taking my fiance there and testing it for the meal where our parents meet each other for the first time. Think Palena would be a good place for that?

i think it would be a good place for testing in the cafe, where you can order anything from the regular menu, and then moving to the back of the restaurant for the real thing. the food is really up there, and the place is casual in its own way, which is the best of both worlds. There are drinks for those who like them stiff and those who like strawberry juice, and it's hard to go wrong with the wines. sitting in the back you will find yourself roughly in the $80-$100 per person range, or higher. up front, anything goes. peas and rice and a glass of wine plus tax and tip would be less than $30, if your parents are frugal and tending small waists.

[Woodleygrrl]

i think it would be a good place for testing in the cafe, where you can order anything from the regular menu, and then moving to the back of the restaurant for the real thing. the food is really up there, and the place is casual in its own way, which is the best of both worlds. There are drinks for those who like them stiff and those who like strawberry juice, and it's hard to go wrong with the wines. sitting in the back you will find yourself roughly in the $80-$100 per person range, or higher. up front, anything goes. peas and rice and a glass of wine plus tax and tip would be less than $30, if your parents are frugal and tending small waists.

That may be a bit too pricey for me. I had no idea that it was that expensive!

[Jonathan]

How do you people do it? Just reading about the desserts made me gain 10 pounds!

I am going to have to give Palena another shot. I am thinking of taking my fiance there and testing it for the meal where our parents meet each other for the first time. Think Palena would be a good place for that?

congratulations.

[Pool Boy]

That may be a bit too pricey for me. I had no idea that it was that expensive!

That's the back room price depending on 3, 4 or 5 courses of course. But it's worth it!!

[treznor]

In the cafe any of the main restaurant's items can be ordered ala carte. The apps are $13-$16 and the entrees are $28 I believe. Or stick with the cafe menu (which is exactly what I did on my trip there) for around $10-$12 each.

The current cafe menu (from my memory):

1) Hamburger with truffled mayo

2) Roast chicken

3) Fried skate sandwhich

4) Fry plate (including french fries, onion rings, fried mashed potatoes, and fried Meyer lemons) - definitely big enough for two to share.

and one or two items I don't recall. My GF had been looking forward to the hot dog and german potato salad that she had read about somewhere as her family is German and makes alot of german potato salad, but alas it wasn't on the menu any more.

[demandalicious]

My GF had been looking forward to the hot dog and german potato salad that she had read about somewhere as her family is German and makes alot of german potato salad, but alas it wasn't on the menu any more.

mmmm, that hot dog was delicious. though, the texture wasn't anything like what i was expecting it to be. (definitely more pate-ish than sausage-y, if that makes any sense).

a little birdie told me that there were mini-reuben sandwiches on the cafe menu over the weekend. hopefully they will still be there the next time that i have a chance to stop in for a nibble. i hear that the homemade thousand island dressing that they are dressed up with is more betterer than the zippy mayonnaise on the fry plate.

[treznor]

Yep, that was one of the items on the cafe menu. Didn't stick out to me as there are a couple vegetables that I don't particularly like, and cabbage is one of them :-)

The bagpipe music coming from the fire department across the street was an interesting backdrop to eating outside by the way. Sounded like it wasn't a normal thing though.

[DonRocks]

Yep, that was one of the items on the cafe menu. Didn't stick out to me as there are a couple vegetables that I don't particularly like, and cabbage is one of them :-)

The bagpipe music coming from the fire department across the street was an interesting backdrop to eating outside by the way. Sounded like it wasn't a normal thing though.

You were probably praying for a seven-alarm fire so the noise of the sirens could drown out the bagpipe.

[treznor]

What can I say, I must be one of the few people in the world that actually like bagpipe music.

[DC in DC]

I'm sure this was mentioned upthread before, but I had forgotten that while the cafe is open on Mondays, the back room is not. This results in a more limited selection, i.e. nothing from the regular menu (such as the gnocchi!), especially in the desserts department. The chocolate toffee torte was still on the menu, thankfully! I left the restaurant thinking with dismay--- did Palena dramatically cut back on the cafe menu until I recalled that it was Monday.

[porcupine]

Ann Amernick To The Rescue!

After a perfectly perfunctory experience at Ardeo, Mr. P and I wandered back up to Palena. You're back! says the hostess, surprised; the staff looks dismayed, as it is after ten o'clock. We'd just like dessert, says I. That we can do, says she, and so we sit and have dessert.

Blueberry "Pie" (so it's written) - two very short, sugary cookies enclosing barely sweetened blueberries with cinnamon-spiked sour cream. Lovely.

Mr. P had strawberry shortcake. Need I describe it? It is nothing more than a sweet biscuit with berries and whipped cream, after all. But it is The World's Best Sweet Biscuit with perfectly ripe small berries softly whipped cream.

Heaven.

[KeithA]

Great neighborhood foodie experience last night in the cafe. My wife and I sit down and start discussing the menu. I ask her "what do you think x, y, z italian words mean listed in the description for the gnocchi."

She says I don't know. The nice diner next to me helpfully chimes in that it is a type of bacon and other housemade cured meat. The diner goes on to say he's had it and it is excellent.

We then ordered got our food and oohed and ahhed at how tasty our meal was. But we got to really enjoy this same diner and his wife delight in their dinners. While I didn't get the chicken last night, I could definitely sympathize with the woman's huge green and 5 minute solilquoy on the moist marvel. The best part of the foodie show came when the husband went to the restroom and the waiter brought out the couple's strawberry shortcake which they were going to share. The woman started thanking the waiters for bringing out the dish at just the right moment so she could have it all to herself. She seemed real serious about it too. However, as a nice person she left some for her hubby

The final part of this neighborly experience came full circle when on our other side two women were seated and were perusing the menu and my wife's fish sandwich. We then were able to offer our own menu insights from our meal.

As for the food, we stuck to the cafe menu. First, split the salad which was good, but not as good as the salads I've had there in the past. Then we had the fry plate which is always good (minus weak fries, much better ones at almost any other restaurant) because of the onion rings, lemons, and my favorite the hush puppy-like swirls. Our mains were the skate fried fish sandwich for the wife. It was tasty but awkward. Big open face sandwich (no top to the bun) slathered with good, but way too much tartar sauce and some lightly fried skate and tempura-like asparagus and onion. On the side was more skate, not fried, bathed in a sweet sauce. It was awkward because while it was supposed to be a sandwich, it was way to messy to eat without utensils. I wasn't too hungry because of a big lunch and so had the cheese plate as my main course. The cheese plate had a nice varied selection and great raisin/nut bread to go with it. A few extra slice of bread would have been better though. Sadly we were too full for desserts.

[nashman1975]

All--

Given the raves here and in the burger thread, I am interested in going to Palena tonite to give it a try with two others. Couple of questions before I go, call me unadventurous, but how is parking (where best in the neighborhoods) and the wait time around 6:30 or so tonite.

Thanks

Nashman

[AlliK]

At 6:30 (exactly) you hit the Palena sweet spot - the meters have just opened up on Connecticut Avenue right near it, and I've never had to wait for a table at the cafe.

[JLK]

Barring any on-street luck, park in the lot anchored by Magruder's. If you buy something, they'll validate your parking which gets you a reduced (not free) rate.

[bookluvingbabe]

Barring any on-street luck, park in the lot anchored by Magruder's. If you buy something, they'll validate your parking which gets you a reduced (not free) rate.

It's free if you can get in an hour Mon-Wednesday; $3 over an hour and I can't remember what it is the rest of the week. I often buy the Washington Post or a banana.

[dinwiddie]

Considering that it is right at the Cleveland Park METRO stop, why bother to drive?

[MBK]

Tonight I had dinner on a mountaintop.

As I was dining, a meteor streaked by, a flash of light drawing my eyes toward the sky. I yelled across the table, “Look!”, pointing upward, but then I realized I was alone at a table for one. No one was there to hear me, no one was there to bear witness or testament to what I had just seen, no one was there at all.

Risi Bisi

Palena’s way: vintage carnaroli rice and local sweet peas with a coddled organic hen egg and early summer truffles

I had just eaten the Mona Lisa, and now it was gone. All that remained were pictures in a book.

Twenty years from now, they’ll drag me away in a straitjacket, kicking and screaming, “I saw it, God damn it, I saw it! Let me go!” And as they cover my mouth, I’ll let out a muffled cry, “I saw it, I was there….”

Rocks.

Three words. Rocks is right.

That Risi Bisi is divine. Blueprint for moving me from chattiness to silence? Put a dish of that in front of me.

[crazeegirl]

After my disappointing experience at Palena's cafe 6 or more months ago...I decided to give Palena another try, wanting to love it like so many fans of Palena.

I ordered the hamburger with fries and my dinner mate ordered the beet salad and potato gnocchi with fava beans. We both thought that the gnocchi was top notch and it tasted more luscious each bite.

However, my burger... it was good, but I don't know if it was the service, i didn't enjoy it as much as I wish I had. I requested my hamburger to be cooked "medium." When I cut my burger in half, it was clearly well-done...no pink whatsoever. When our waiter came to see how we were doing, I mentioned that I had asked for medium, but the patty was well-done. Our server's explanation just blew my mind. According to him, the chef is French and he (the server) is european and that's medium under French cooking standards. Hmmm.... Not wanting to spoil my evening, I just chomped away my $10 burger. What bothered me was I know what a medium cooked meat is supposed to look like and to get such an excuse/explanation felt somewhat condescending.

The bottle of gigondas, which is also offered by the glass, is a great deal...I think it was in the high $40s. The meal was around $125 before tip.

Would I go back? Probably in 6 months to see if I change my mind.

[Banco]

According to him, the chef is French and he (the server) is european and that's medium under French cooking standards.

If someone at Palena is truly that benighted this is very sad news indeed.

[bookluvingbabe]

After my disappointing experience at Palena's cafe 6 or more months ago...I decided to give Palena another try, wanting to love it like so many fans of Palena.

I ordered the hamburger with fries and my dinner mate ordered the beet salad and potato gnocchi with fava beans. We both thought that the gnocchi was top notch and it tasted more luscious each bite.

However, my burger... it was good, but I don't know if it was the service, i didn't enjoy it as much as I wish I had. I requested my hamburger to be cooked "medium." When I cut my burger in half, it was clearly well-done...no pink whatsoever. When our waiter came to see how we were doing, I mentioned that I had asked for medium, but the patty was well-done. Our server's explanation just blew my mind. According to him, the chef is French and he (the server) is european and that's medium under French cooking standards. Hmmm.... Not wanting to spoil my evening, I just chomped away my $10 burger. What bothered me was I know what a medium cooked meat is supposed to look like and to get such an excuse/explanation felt somewhat condescending.

The bottle of gigondas, which is also offered by the glass, is a great deal...I think it was in the high $40s. The meal was around $125 before tip.

Would I go back? Probably in 6 months to see if I change my mind.

That is bizarre! Mr. BLB and I always order it medium and often have to trade burgers so he gets the less pink one. (We do this at Ray's too...) And Frank ain't French...

Jennifer

[demandalicious]

If someone at Palena is truly that benighted this is very sad news indeed.

I call bullshit, but it's really funny nonetheless.

[treznor]

Considering that it is right at the Cleveland Park METRO stop, why bother to drive?

Some of us out the 'burbs don't actually live on the metro, yanno. But for anyone that is on the metro, it definitely is right across the street from the stop which makes it convenient.

[nashman1975]

All--

Thanks again for the help. I made it up there right at 1830, parked right on Conn Ave south of Ordley, no problem whatsoever. A few seats still left (inside--too hot outside). Ordered the burgers and fries and some stuff on the regular menu. Food was fabulous. I definitely concur that the burger rocks. I also concur with the earlier poster that the burger was a bit overcooked--I prefer Med rare and it was more medium. No worries, still tasted fabulous. Didn't order, but should have, the chicken--huge portion and looked amazing for that price.

Only slight drawback was the service, it was on the slow side. Our only guess was there was one server for the whole front. Drinks and food seemed to take a while. Took about 1:45 for just apps/entrees.

Also--on the metro comment, I wholeheartedly agree, it is RIGHT there, however, coming from L'Enfant, it would've rivaled the drive time there, however, after rush-hour, and living in Tyson's, the total commute was less than having to transfer line back to LP then drive home. That's the reason I did it, if I lived in the city, I'd metro it.

Thanks again,

Nashman

[dinwiddie]

Some of us out the 'burbs don't actually live on the metro, yanno. But for anyone that is on the metro, it definitely is right across the street from the stop which makes it convenient.

Actually, I live out in the 'burbs near Olney. I still find it much easier to drive to the METRO in Rockville (Glenmont is closer, but a longer ride on the METRO) and take it to Cleveland Park. No hassle about parking, I can drink more wine, and if is actually faster than driving all the way in usually. We've done quite a few wine dinners at Palena and I was grateful for the chance to sober up a bit on the ride home (except the time I took the last train and forgot to get off at Rockville and had to take a cab from Shady Grove back to my car at Rockville, but that sure was a great dinner.)