Originally it was to be my wife, my son and me dining at Palena restaurant tonight. I went down to see manager extraordinaire Kelly to let her know that at eight p.m. I would be getting off from work managing the wine department at Cleveland Park Wines and Spirits in Cleveland Park. It's just a half block down the street from Palena. Most of you know that in our tight-knit neighborhood so bear with me as I include details that others may not know. They don't take reservations at Palena. I know that. I knew also that I would be with both my wife and my son that are not as familiar with Palena as I am. I knew that it would be best to let Kelly know because I did want to share Palena with my family and I did not want to have to find a substitute this night. Kelly of course put my name on a waiting list and said that there would probably not be a problem for us. I was remembering past evenings that I have been there and it has been packed to the gills. I headed back to the store confident that I had done what I could to ensure that our evening there would be sensational. I fully expected it to be a big triumph.
As it turned out I later called home to check on the progress of the day and my son answered. He informed me quickly that he would be not having dinner with us because he would be over at a friend's home that happens to be a girl and another mutual friend of theirs, a girl would also be with him. Let's see: let's balance in two hands this equation - in one hand time with two nice girls his age , in the other hand dinner with his parents ? Which would I have chosen at his age? I would have done just like my son. We did miss you, though.
It was just about eight when my wife walked through our front door and I quickly said my " good-byes " to everyone and we were off down the street to Palena's. The wright of selling another bottle or more of wine was quickly sliding off my shoulders. It's pretty much instant relief each and every time that I leave and it takes a few minutes of getting adjusted to. I was already smiling inside and ready to enjoy this small window of opportunity alone with my wife. This is what I like to refer to as quick serendipitous/ fortuitous. I love grabbing chances like this and going for broke. Tonight was no exception. We only had two hours to enjoy our meal as at ten p.m. we would be driving over to Mass. Ave. and Q Streets to pick up our daughter and her friend that will have just finished baby-sitting twelve children for the last six hours and will be quite tired!
This was all in the very back of my mind as we were greeted by a young female customer of mine and her boyfriend sitting outside dining at Palena. There was an empty table by them and I wondered if we would be sitting there? It was friendly and brief our conversation, introductions being made and then walking into the restaurant with my wife asking me if I knew the young lady's name? I confessed that I had forgotten and that I was trying really hard not to forget names anymore. It pained me not remembering.
The two young ladies at the reception looked and found our names and we were seated just behind them in one of their tables along the right wall. My wife immediately commented on the lovely pattern of fabric on the circular, wrap-around bench that we slid into. We had just recovered an old family piece - a love chair and had purchased a darker, more monochromatic fabric for it, whereas this one shouted out to us in comparison, both lovely for different reasons.
Our waiter Ben Jamil recognized me immediately and welcomed both me and my wife saying what an honor it was to be waiting on us. He also said in parting that he appreciated all that I had done for the restaurant. I like promoting our neighborhood. I'm proud of it and places like Palena that really contribute something special that not only we but everyone else can share in. Anyway, I add this now as not to forget later. Ben Jamil has been a wonderful waiter to me at least on two other occasions, professional, friendly and that always adds to my warm feelings towards Palena.
I'm not a food critic. I'm not writing a review of Palena here. I do want to help shine light on this marvelous evening both in appreciation of the grand two hours my wife and I spent together and how Palena played it's part, too.
I asked Kelly what she recommended that we drink. She talked about a new prosecco from the Valdobiaddene region of Veneto ( reputed to be the best area for sparkling prosecco ) and a dry Piemonte riesling from Vayra in Italy. Kelly also mentioned a California dry rose and a couple of the Gruner Veltliners from Austria describing all the while each of these wine's qualities. I was tempted by all of them, really. She started to mention a red but I told her that tonight it was going to be white. We settled on the prosecco who's name I have forgotten. It sells for the very reasonable price of $36 on their list. Funny, I should remember the name. Both my wife and I loved the bottle-shape and the label: impressive, elegant - graphite grays and silver/gold lettering, lines that reflected the lights around. I should have asked Ben Jamil to see the bottle and label. I was relaxing too much, enjoying my wife's company too much for that. It was about us and two-hours together and nothing else. So I just melted more into my seat and sipped contentedly from the tall flutes that bubbled up and released these exotic, mineral and grape flavors of the prosecco grape. I was intrigued. This prosecco wrapped around my tongue and made it move/dance/contort/expand. I had to react ti it and react I did. It engaged me and would not let me fade away. I liked that, we both did. It tasted great with the fresh breads that Be Jamil brought us.
My wife and I spoke and studied the menu. She remembered years ago coming when it had just opened. We had been invited along with my business partner Mike Martin by Laurent Givry that then worked at the old Franklin Selections with John Janak, Then they were our hosts and we sat in the back and ordered/were served up a storm of delicious, enticing, wonderful and memorable foods and wines. That sure was a treat. Mike Franklin has since passed away. In his memory I take this moment to thank him both for this wonderful dinner which his company paid for as well as for all the marvelous small-production/high quality and diversity of fine wines that he brought to the Washington D.C. metropolitan region for so many years. You are missed Mike. Of course I also thank Laurent and John for being so gracious that evening; as well as the original staff back then that have all left now.
My wife glanced up and said how beautiful the hibiscus looked and told me to look. She got mad at me when I immediately told her I knew and did not bother to look. I saw her expression and said that I knew because I had admired it earlier as well as the rest of the restaurant while waiting for Kelly to come greet me. The deep red/pink colors of this hibiscus are compelling and drew me to them almost immediately earlier. I also loved the bar and the mirrors behind it that make the restaurant even more open and appealing. I also love the black India ink or watercolor of a man's face at the far left corner-edge of the bar. It's crinkled and pushed all the way to the side of the bar. Is it supposed to be company for a lone person there sitting on one of those comfortable fabric-covered bar stools? One might practice silently with that portrait before daring to ask someone a couple of bar stools away a question or so.
We decided to order off the Cafe Menu ( May - last day ). My wife chose the Grilled Line Caught North Carolina Swordfish( spring radishes, carrots, and cabbage glazed with pine nuts and raisins, curry flavor with a lime vinaigrette). I chose the Stuffed Breast of Pennsylvania Raised Lamb ( braised with spring vegetables and simple salad dressed with balsamic ). My wife immediately exclaimed : " I knew you'd order that ! ". We discussed it that those were our two favorite choices. We split both an order of the Palena Fries ( shoestring and dauphine potatoes, lemons, and onion rings with zippy mayonnaise ) and a Cafe Salad ( with local prganic greens and lettuces, roasted beets and a walnut oil and Tuscan honey vinaigrette). Wow, what an incredible selection of ingredients. No, I don't remember all this by heart! I told you that I am not a food critic, I am more a visual observer of sights/sound/ colors/ tastes and textures and juxtapositions of all of the above. That's what catches my attention. I asked for a menu to bring home. I do want to be accurate as I find that every ingredient that chef Frank Ruta uses is essential to filling his white canvas/plate in this case. He's a master where everything counts - everything, well thought-out, tried, tested and true. That's obviously why people keep coming back. He takes the same care and attention with every diner whether in the front, the terrace or the back of the restaurant.
More about that later. The food has now been ordered and my wife and I are sipping our prosecco and relaxing and looking around as we chat. I see Janet Cam an old friend of mine. She's talking with her dinner guest at the bar. I tell my wife. " Oh, I know her " she says. The she adds quickly that she has never met her before. I remind her that she has ; that they met years ago at lunch when for our anniversary I took my wife to Le Pavillion , Yannick and Janet Cam's famous French restaurant. She reminded me that that was so long ago and that she does not remember. We did have a grand lunch then. The food was wonderful as were both half bottles red and white burgundy suggested by Janet and ordered by us. Thanks Janet. Anyway, I said that we might talk to her later tonight. I looked over again at the black-and-white portrait of a man and the lovely ceramic vase with a beautiful lonely sunflower in it. It bothered me at first : too simple and needed something, but what ? What would Janet have done, thought about this? Did she notice it? Then I looked again and I relaxed as I realized that that one fabulous sunflower and the less-colorful sprigs behind it were all that it needed, nothing else. A quiet, beautiful touch of class and color and mystery( life, too ) to this far left corner of the bar. Bravo Palena !
I will continue this a bit later. My son, wife and daughter have returned from shopping at the grocery store for dinner and he wants to get on the computer, and both my wife and daughter want a glass of wine. I'm also in charge of preparing tonight's meal so I've got responsibilities. I'll be inspired by dinner at Palena as I prepare tonight's home feast. Cheers and stay tuned. TONY
Within a few minutes Kelly came by and I introduced her to my wife. She had told me earlier how much she was looking forward to meeting her.
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