Eating in NW Washington this Saturday, 7/31/04

[VivreManger]

I am asking for suggestions and price/quality comparison on these two Cleveland Park establishments. I will be flying into BWI, arriving in Bethesda around 6 so the earliest I could make dinner would probably be 7:30.

The best deal at Paleo is probably the $9 plates but by that hour the bar/cafe area may be packed. Today there probably is still time to reserve Indique for that hour, however.

Quite apart from the question of reservations and wait, what other recommendations does your assembled wisdom have about these two places?

Do you believe that there are any places in or closer to Bethesda that compare. I have eaten at Jaleo, which was fine, but does not need repeating. Looking over the board and taking into account travel time and parking, Cleveland Park seems a reasonable destination and both these places have gotten good reports.

BTW last week I tried Pesce after several years absence and ATC I don't think it is superior to Johnnies' Half Shell.

Edited July 20, 2004 by VivreManger (log)

[littlechinagirl]

VivreManger- given your reference to the "small plates" at "Paleo", I'm wondering if you could possibly be confusing (or melding) Palena with Jaleo (which offers tapas).

[sara]

First, I nominate that this topic be moved--Rocks?

Second, I think these are two very different restaurants. I've been to both in the last week, and I went for different reasons. You go to Palena for rockin' cocktails and great comfort food--and stellar service. You go to Indique for very good, interesting Indian food. The cocktails and service aren't as good there, tho the atmosphere might be a tad cooler. Both will be mildly crowded on a Saturday night, as any good place is.

You know, if you're up for some real fun, you could make a night out of Cleveland Park. Sit at Indique's bar and start with a tamarind margarita at Indique, and a few appetizers--the calamari for sure. Move across the street to Palena for another cocktail, and the burger & fries or chicken & fries. Then go back across the street to Coldstone Creamery for ice cream, or down to Bardeo for a glass of wine and some cheese. Finish off by shooting some pool at Atomic!

[VivreManger]

No confusion. I did not mean tapas and I understood that these dishes were single plates a la carte, rather than tapas. Since we will be only two, the time seems not a problem. There still remains the Indique versus Paleo question and the other issues raised in my other post.

TNX

Edited July 20, 2004 by VivreManger (log)

[VivreManger]

Sounds good to me.

[pastramionrye]

...

Edited July 20, 2004 by pastramionrye (log)

[morela]

Palena, Jaleo and Paolo's had a threesome...and

POP

...out come Paleo!

[mhberk]

I've always wondered why Ardeo never gets enough credit. I've always been impressed with there service, presentation, and creativity.

I would say, if Palena is booked, Ardeo would be a solid choice!

[liamdc]

There still remains the Indique versus Paleo question and the other issues raised in my other post. 

Sorry, don't mean to beat a dead horse, but this was the main reason I thought you might be thinking of Jaleo. (It's Palena, not Paleo. Just don't wan't you to look for a place that doesn't exist!)

edited to add: never mind, I see from a previous post that you know where it is.

I wonder what a morphed photo of Jose Andres and Frank Ruta would look like a la Conan O'Brien?

Jose

Frank

[DonRocks]

I wonder what a morphed photo of Jose Andres and Frank Ruta would look like a la Conan O'Brien? 

Jose

Frank

Morph of Jose and Frank

[Mark Sommelier]

I wonder what a morphed photo of Jose Andres and Frank Ruta would look like a la Conan O'Brien? 

Jose

Frank

Morph of Jose and Frank

Rockwell, you are a dog. A dog, I say.