Palena

[ozgirl06]

A friend and I ate dinner in the bar area of Palena last night. We didn't have any complaints. Although I have dined twice in the back room of Palena, this was the first time as a "cafe menu" customer. Everything about the food was really good and comforting. We started with the proseco-pomegranite cocktails - a much needed drink at the end of a hectic day and moved onto the food. The burger and hot dog were simplistic foods without a simplistic taste, and a plate of fried potatoes and lemon slices - well, what's not to like? I was disappointed that the kraut that accompanied the hotdog was sweet and not sour, spiked with lots of vinegar. But, that's the chef's choice and i still liked the taste - just not my preference.

We didn't have any service problems, although the front of the restaurant did seem a bit understaffed with waiters and hostesses multitasking a lot.

[Busboy]

Courses took forever to come out; there's civilized pacing and there's "have they lost he order?"

I can`t say much about the rest but Chef Ruta`s style of cooking if not fast pace since he has those perfectly rested meats

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I'm familiar with the pace of service in fine restaurants, and have even been known to request that it be slowed on occasion. What we got last night was a server so eager to take our order that he couldn't wait for someone at the table to finish their sentance before bursting in to solicit orders, then having the courses come out via the Red Line or some such thing.

OK, not via the Red Line, but at a pace that made a group of diners who have eaten in fine restaurants...yada yada yada... start peering around the restuarant wondering when the boudin blanc was going to appear.

As I said, the food was excellent, but the service was irritating.

[WoodleyGrrl]

I am always in wonder why this board always comes to a quick defense of Palena's bad service. It has happened to me twice there and they have now lost a customer because of it. I am glad to see that I am not the only one.

[JennyUptown]

I am always in wonder why this board always comes to a quick defense of Palena's bad service.  It has happened to me twice there and they have now lost a customer because of it.  I am glad to see that I am not the only one.

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Remember my first post re: Palena?? Yeah, I know where you're coming from.

[silentbob]

Holy crap, was everyone at Palena last night? We had no service problems, though I'm generally less picky than most. We tried the burger, chicken, fries (those dauphinoise thingies are crack-in-a-potato!) and swordfish. All as good, if not better than advertised. Finished off the meal with the cashew dacquoise, which was so-so until you mixed it with the chocolate sorbet. Lovely.

Can't wait to go back.

[mdt]

I am always in wonder why this board always comes to a quick defense of Palena's bad service.  It has happened to me twice there and they have now lost a customer because of it.  I am glad to see that I am not the only one.

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Back room or cafe? Did you speak with someone about the poor service? It is hard for a restaurant to know what it has to correct if you don't speak up. What was so bad that you would not want to return?

[squids]

WoodleyGrrl, I'm a bit confused on where you are coming from here. I haven't seen anyone defending Palena's "bad" service in these most recent posts. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and judgements of how their own experiences were.

If you note the posts above, Rossignol and Busboy both said that they were dissapointed. Those who are NOT Don Rocks, myself and ozgirl, both had fine experiences. It merits pointing out that Busboy was in the back room, and both ozgirl and I dined in the cafe, on the same evening.

I would also point out that I as well, have been a customer in the back room, with this being my first experience at the cafe. I do think expectations and prior experiences come in to play when dining at a restaurant. Having no prior cafe experiences to compare to makes my experience different from someone else who may have frequented the cafe several times.

All in all, it's unfortunate that you have had bad service there, and enough times to keep you from coming back. But please also accept that others may not have had those same bad experiences.

edited to add: In case no one has said it yet, Welcome Rossignol! Great job on jumping right in-do not hesitate to post if you've had a negative experience. This is not a mutual admiration society. I appreciate hearing what others like, and dislike, constructively, about restaurants. It helps me to make better decisions when I dine out myself.

Edited November 11, 2004 by squids (log)

[hillvalley]

I had dinner in the back room this past Saturday evening, and had attentive service as always. 

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Let's be fair though, there are certain people who when they dine at Palena get a different level of service than others.

Frankly this is probably true at most restaurants.

Edited November 10, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[tjaehnigen]

I am always in wonder why this board always comes to a quick defense of Palena's bad service.  It has happened to me twice there and they have now lost a customer because of it.  I am glad to see that I am not the only one.

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I've never had anything but great service at Palena. Seriously.

[Al_Dente]

The service is a huge part of the reason I think Palena is one of the best restaurants in town. Of course I alway identify myself as Don Rocks when I go.

[mdt]

The service is a huge part of the reason I think Palena is one of the best restaurants in town. Of course I alway identify myself as Don Rocks when I go.

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That works for you too?!

[DonRocks]

The service is a huge part of the reason I think Palena is one of the best restaurants in town. Of course I alway identify myself as Don Rocks when I go.

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That works for you too?!

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Bad decision. Some restaurant writers remain anonymous because they don't want special treatment; I remain anonymous because I don't want spit in my food.

[WoodleyGrrl]

I am always in wonder why this board always comes to a quick defense of Palena's bad service.  It has happened to me twice there and they have now lost a customer because of it.  I am glad to see that I am not the only one.

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Back room or cafe? Did you speak with someone about the poor service? It is hard for a restaurant to know what it has to correct if you don't speak up. What was so bad that you would not want to return?

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1.Cafe.

2.Told the manager about the bad, slow service. I have eaten at many "fine dining establishments" here in DC and across the country. I know how to speak up when things are not the way that they should be, especially when I am paying a premium for the services.

3.My friends and I (who are all about 30 or so) were treated like we were sitting at the kids table at Thanksgiving. Not only did we order cocktails from the bar, but we also bought an expensive bottle of wine. it was not like we were not spending a bunch of money in the joint. My experience there was filled with bad service, pretense, and thoughtless service.

[mdt]

Thanks for the update. I am surprised as I have always been treated well there, even before I knew anyone there. That is too bad that the manager was not able to rectify the situation.

[docsconz]

1.Cafe.

2.Told the manager about the bad, slow service.  I have eaten at many "fine dining establishments" here in DC and across the country.  I know how to speak up when things are not the way that they should be, especially when I am paying a premium for the services.

3.My friends and I (who are all about 30 or so) were treated like we were sitting at the kids table at Thanksgiving.  Not only did we order cocktails from the bar, but we also bought an expensive bottle of wine.  it was not like we were not spending a bunch of money in the joint.  My experience there was filled with bad service, pretense, and thoughtless service.

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As someone from outside the area who has eaten at Palena and had very good service this post caught my eye, so much so that I went back to June 3rd to check out your original complaint. I can understand your being annoyed by what happened there, but that really isn't an uncommon policy. It certainly isn't isolated to Palena. I'm sure restaurants have their reasons for policies like that and maybe someone who is involved with a policy that doesn't seat members of a party until all are present can explain its rationale. Perhaps you can be more specific about the other bad service points you mentioned but that I failed to see described so that the restaurant could perhaps correct them if they are legitimate and systemic and also so that the rest of us can be truly aware. Any place can have an off night, but your accusations are rather vehement. To be honest, in light of most of what else is written here and my own personal experience it is hard to take your complaints seriously without more detail. Forgive me if I somehow missed it, in which case I would appreciate it if you could direct me to them.

[WoodleyGrrl]

"it is hard to take your complaints seriously without more detail. "

I would be more than happy to provide more details: from the moment that we were finally seated (mind you, this was my second visit there) the service was so slow, to the point that one of my friends had to go in search of our waiter to get refills on water and then to finally get the check.

I don't mind the fact that they would not seat us even though one of our party of three was still parking her car. But the difference here was my friend and I WERE THE ONLY ONES IN THE JOINT! There was a empty house so there was ample seats available. The other problem was the hostesses treatment of the whole failure to seat us issue. If she had only been nice, and explained the situation calmly or used some common sense and provided us with an exception to their rule being that the house was empty and just seated us.

I would be pleased to find out that the service that night was merely a fluke and that the place is the model of all that is customer service. However, this is my PERSONAL experience at the place. Take it for what it is worth, listen to it or don't. I could really care less.

But I have to say, I am not the only person that has had crap service here. ASk JennyUptown.

Edited November 12, 2004 by WoodleyGrrl (log)

[JennyUptown]

That is true. My first visit was awful for a variety of reasons (but primarily the service).

The whole Palena experience changes once you get to know the staff. No doubt, it's a very clubby place.

[mdt]

But I have to say, I am not the only personal that has had crap service here.  ASk JennyUptown.

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Maybe they just don't like people named Jennifer.

edited to add: I have had fine service there on several occasions before I knew or was known by anyone there. Of course, things are better once you know the staff regardless of where you dine.

Edited November 12, 2004 by mdt (log)

[babka]

oie! This isn't a multiple-choice test of

a) Palena service is gracious and perfect and kind;

or

b) Palena service sucks ventworm nuts.

personally, I've seen both, though more frequently experienced the former than the latter:

when a boy and I went while hovering in the googly-giggly-gazey phase of a date, the service slowed down to let us close the joint down and many blessings on 'em for it.

when my mother and I got the same measured service--but without offers of water, wine, or, for far too long, food, in a rather empty Monday evening cafe, I swore off the place for months.

when I accidentally slammed their already-slammed cafe with a party of eight, including one Southeast Asian anorexic, one Italian fresh off of dental surgery, one vegetarian German, and one meat & potatoes American, they didn't blink, didn't slow, didn't scream, and everyone left happy and content, a feat unrepeated (and unattempted) since.

edited to add:

that said, last night Palena's golden oasis beckoned off of Connecticut Avenue's cold and rainy night. Everything was so very fine.

Edited November 13, 2004 by babka (log)

[eatdrinkummm]

"I would be pleased to find out that the service that night was merely a fluke and that the place is the model of all that is customer service."

It was a fluke. Every one of us in the biz goes to work intent on making people happy. But there are snafus along the way. One thing to seriosuly consider is that service depends on more than what you see. The dining room is only 50% of the restaurant. Also, at Palena its hard to see in the back.

Edited November 13, 2004 by eatdrinkummm (log)

[chuchelo]

Palena's staff tends to be young, and I believe they lack formal training as a whole, but between Kelli, Evan, Jeff, Carolyn and Roger (the people I've had direct interaction with), my experiences there have always been welcoming and efficient.  In the interest of full disclosure, I'm a known entity at Palena and almost certainly receive extra attention, but all I can do is report my own experiences while encouraging others to do the same.

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Do restaurants conduct their own staff training or do they depend on the waiters to grow with experience? Just curious.

[rhodegirl]

For anyone who, like me, has been pining for Palena’s Roman bread and tomato soup, take heart. Now that it's fall, we can cast aside memories of that summer dish, and raise our spoons for Chef Frank Ruta’s latest soup.

It is Spinach and Leek Soup, with Dover sole crusted in Marcona almonds. The spinach is a vibrant green in a broth that has a subtle flavor of leeks and a touch of cream. In the middle of the bowl are two pieces of the perfectly cooked Dover sole, the crust crisp, the fish tender and sweet.

As with the bread and tomato soup, the ingredients are few and simple, the flavors pure.

If you’re not in the mood for soup, try the delicious house smoked sea trout. It’s served with a caramelized devilled egg, as well as cauliflower mousse, topped with sea trout caviar. There is also a dollop of sauce, made with capers and raisins, if I remember correctly.

Then there is the latest version of the gnocchi. I could go on and on about the gnocchi at Palena, and I probably have earlier in this thread. Here’s the thing: I can’t quite believe how consistently excellent it is here. For some reason, several years ago, I began a quest to find outstanding gnocchi. So for several months, whenever I would see gnocchi listed on a menu, I’d order it. Such a quest, I can attest, rapidly descends into an exercise in masochism. There is, it turns out, a surplus of leaden, nearly tasteless gnocchi in this world and I have tasted more than my share. So, as you can imagine, I was pathetically grateful when I first tasted the gnocchi at Palena. I have not looked back since.

The latest version is Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with butternut squash, sage and creamy Castelmagno cheese (a type of blue cheese from Italy) served with a butter sauce. One bite will make you roll your eyes with pleasure. Then you will eat the rest of the gnocchi very slowly, so as to make it last as long as possible.

Of the main courses from the autumn menu, we have tried two, and can highly recommend both:

Wild Col Vert Duck, Two Ways

The breast grilled with foie gras and the leg braised with pomegranate and dates. Glazed local salsify, cardoons, and turnips

Wild Mediterranean Branzino

Cooked en cocotte with fennel blossoms, shrimp, and Gaeta olives, served over crab polenta with a fragrant shellfish broth.

And once again, many thanks to Evan and Kelli for outstanding service and excellent wine pairings.

[Al_Dente]

It's been a few weeks. Time to get back to Palena.

Fuckin-A...

Great description of the new dishes. I just ate a great meal and you made me want to go to Palena for more!

[Al_Dente]

Went last night with my girlfriend. The intention was to sit at the bar and have a burger and some wine. I accidentally started looking at the regular menu and there was no turning back. I was lured in. After a sidecar, 3 gorgeous glasses of great grapes, some lobster and heirloom beets with some really cool looking radish slices, a few wood pigeon raviolinis with mushrooms that made me emotionally fragile, a taste of the luscious gnocchi, and the masterful pork 3 ways, I left the restaurant grinning like an idiot.

Going to this restaurant boosts the quality of your life. I'm truly thankful it's there.

[bakezoid]

Rhodegirl, your description of the soup is inspiring my first post about Palena. Ate there about a month ago when visiting from Buffalo (Full disclosure: my daughter is one of the servers). Intended to have a burger and ended up sharing the spinach & leek soup, a burger and gnocchi with my husband and a beet and lobster salad just for me! Even got to taste some of the tivoli bread .

Being reminded in such an evocative way of how exceptional my meal was is bittersweet. I can recall my pleasure, but being so far away, I can't go there RIGHT NOW. And I want to!

Come to think of it, the verb "ate" doesn't even accurately convey what it was that I did there.