Alison’s take – Equally delicious for a burger and fries or a fixe prix extravaganza!
The setting: The restaurant is divided into 2 sections: the dining room, which is fixed price, reservation only, along with the café/bar area, which does not accept reservations. The ambiance is subtle and comfortable, however, due to the small size, the tables (particularly in the café) are quite close together. In warmer months it is also possible to eat outside off of either menu.
The service: I have enjoyed consistently good service at Palena, however, due to the small, and therefore crowded nature of the café, waiters are a bit more harried than their more leisured and attentive counterparts in the back dining room. Be prepared to wait for a table if you are without a reservation, but this favorite spot of mine has never disappointed and is always worth the wait!
The food: I’ve eaten once in the dining room, which was great, however, tend to prefer the flexibility of the café, as you can order a la carte off of either menu. Highlights on the (ever-evolving) menu have included a superb appetizer of delicate and delightfully seasoned Dover Sole, and the cheeseburger (available in the café only) really is the best I’ve ever tasted. The goat cheesecake was another memorable and tasty dish! Main courses are consistently delicious- whether they be hearty game or delicately restrained fish. The cheese plate never disappoints, and the wine list is accessible and thoughtful (and includes several half bottles, as well). Although many classify Palena as Italian, I have enjoyed more non-Italian dishes here than not.
Best For: Consistently delightful entrees, people with varied palates (Cheeseburger and fries? Check! Foie gras and Cheese plate? Sure!)
Worst For: Weekends without a reservation
January 16, 2008 at 6:03 pm |
Any trip to Palena is incomplete, in my view, without the fry plate on the cafe menu. While the shoestring fries are good, and the onion rings are very good, the fried lemon and dauphin potatoes steal the show. The fried lemon is a bit weird, but delicious, and the dauphin potatoes (fried dollops of whipped potatoes) are a little slice of heaven. I only wish I could order a whole pile of them…
March 12, 2008 at 9:32 pm |
The fry plate, incidentally, has been missing from the menu on my two most recent trips. I’ve called out to Tom on the food chat, and begged our waitress to put in a good word from a dauphine-potato seeking regular, but so far, no spuds:( will keep you posted on this most tragic situation…
March 19, 2008 at 9:01 am |
[...] However, Matt was under-whelmed by the much-lauded burger. It is often compared to the one at Palena as being one of the best in the city. No comparison. Forego the burger and stick with the [...]