This is my first post, and I am hesitant to start out on a negative foot, but I am compelled to agree with Busboy. I have been dining at Palena for about 2 years, and I have consistently been overwhelmed by the incredible food and the warm, knowledgeable service I've come to expect there. However, though the food remains outstanding, I have noticed a steady decline in the standard of service in the past 4 or 5 months. For me, there hasn't been a specific instance of gross incompetence that highlighted this decline. Instead, I've just noticed an overall change in the tone of the restaurant and its staff. As I said, this is something I began noticing a few months ago, but I think it hit an apex with Derrek's departure. I don't go to Derrek (sp?) fan club meetings or anything, but I do think that he directed a certain tempo and tone of service that is now missing. I guess I have just found that the restaurant now seems to lack a sense of familiarity. When I look around during a meal there now, the only one I really seem to recognize is Kelly. I'm not saying that she isn't a fine ambassador for Frank, but she cannot maintain the standard alone. Again, the food remains above reproach, but when I dine at a restaurant, I do so for the enjoyment of the entire experience, not just the quality of the food. Somehow, this Palena isn't the same one that I once loved.
