DC Restaurant Review: Palena

My first experience at Palena was years ago, when it first opened. Some of my mates and I went for a Holiday Dinner i dont remember what I had but I do rememeber having what can only be described as a culinary orgasm. I have been a handful of times after and each time I remember being wowed by the flavor and textures and combinations.

So at 7:00PM my protester, liberal, women's right of a cousin catches me in the office. Why I'm still there hanging out is beyond me. I love my job and everything about it but why was I there when votes ended three hours earlier and my boss was heading out to some events. Anyway, I hear one of our staffers say, "GiGI is on the F." "Yo," I answer. "I'm at Palena with Gio (My rambocous, smart, and sometimes Irish temepred nephew) I have had the longest day. I have a big booth want to join us." I'm not one to pass on a meal, and I'm definitely not going to pass on Palena. "I'll be there in 30." While the culinary delight awaits, I'm busy talking to my boss. He was at the WH today.

I speed up the parkway and park illegally and race to the restaurant. As I arrive I'm mauled by my nephew and sit down at the booth. i get a bottle of still and peruse the menu. The whole time I hear Gio yammering on about everything from his Girlfriend Cameron to why Lola Z yells at him so much. What to have!!? It's a dilemma Its been along week, a longer month, and one hell of along year. Can this one meal make up for all the stress and angst...it fucking better... and this place crushed it.

Gigi is cool, she worked to get some protections for mail order brides and it passed. She's getting married soon and we discussed wedding plans. Stay at the Peabody library. Palena has gourmet food, but in the bar area you can get killer burgers and hotdogs...this is next for my hot dog tour... I sat and watched Gio ignore his hot dog and eat "chicken wings." His mom, Gigi, tricked him the "chicken wings" were actually frog legs. But he ate them up and i got to share in the wealth.

So i get the three course meal: scallops and bacon with a strawberry foam, the lobster oyster Narine in a citrus cream sauce, and the muscovy duck. To use words would be an injustice but I will try. The scallops and bacon was perfect. The scallops were seared and firm and the bacon was not strips but a huge chunk of pork belly pan fried with a strawberry essence foam...it blew me away. My nephew wiggled around and he sang in spanish, he was singing in spanish what a nutty kid.

The second course was lobster and oytsers which I shared with my nephew. Heaven. The lobster was yummy altough Gio ate most of the big chunks and the oysters were delicious. The citrus cream sauce made me want to lick the plate clean.

GiGi's fiancee joined us. He's a good guy. Solid and they make each other happy.

Then came the duck. God made duck to make men weep and i did. Massive.

Anyway, words cannot describe the meal, i know i dont have the vocabulary to describe it but i also think there is no vocubalry in exsistence to describe it. if i could beam people the feelings and tastes that the meal evoked then you would understand.

This place is a must.

On my DC scale: The redline and pen are already framed and mounted on the wall.