At our first visit in the summer we had three goals: eat the burger, eat the fries, and eat the chicken. We got the second two but unfortunately they were OUT of the burger! Out of it! Obviously this added to its intrigue.
The bun on the Palena burger was a brioche monstrosity. The thing dwarfed the meat--the real show, it should have been--and honestly it was difficult to take a bite! I love thick bread that has a crunch to the outside as much as the next person, but not necessarily surrounding a burger or sandwich. Otherwise it's more like a bread sandwich with a little meat inside.
So if you want to experience the best of Palena, then head to the cafe, order the half a roasted chicken (and all it's lemony garlicky fall-apart-tender goodness) and the fry plate (soft and creamy dauphines, regulars, onion rings, and of course the lemon slices), and call it a day. Then curl up on the couch and take a nap.
Maybe I was there on an off night. Maybe I have unreasonable burger standards! Or maybe I've been spoiled rotten by Ray's Hell-Burger and their enormous, meat-heavy skinny-breaded, perfectly-cooked masterpieces.
Palena
3529 Connecticut Avenue
Metro: Red Line to Cleveland Park
No comments:
Post a Comment