Palena shutdown?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved Palena, but parking in Cleveland Park is impossible. The parking lot adjacent to the former property probably has 40 spaces for 10+ shops. Unless we're going out during the week we avoid Cleveland Park because of the parking situation alone. What's with there being no valet parking in this area?

Some restaurants have valet parking. However, some of the fly-by-nigh valet services had to close up shop several years ago after DC enacted a city-wide regulation that they have an off-street location to park the cars. Before then, valets were ricocheting cars up and down the side streets from where they would find on-street spots.

You are correct that parking needs to be an option, even in an area next to a Metro stop. I am always struck by the smart growth ideologueswho claim that no off-street parking is needed anymore. Either they are just naive or they are carrying water for real estate interests that want to reduce their costs by avoiding having to build parking, and then figure that localities and businesses will just suck it up as more and more cars compete for limited curb space.

Palena thrived for more than a decade with its parking situation, so clearly it wasn't parking that was the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved Palena, but parking in Cleveland Park is impossible. The parking lot adjacent to the former property probably has 40 spaces for 10+ shops. Unless we're going out during the week we avoid Cleveland Park because of the parking situation alone. What's with there being no valet parking in this area?

Some restaurants have valet parking. However, some of the fly-by-nigh valet services had to close up shop several years ago after DC enacted a city-wide regulation that they have an off-street location to park the cars. Before then, valets were ricocheting cars up and down the side streets from where they would find on-street spots.

You are correct that parking needs to be an option, even in an area next to a Metro stop. I am always struck by the smart growth ideologueswho claim that no off-street parking is needed anymore. Either they are just naive or they are carrying water for real estate interests that want to reduce their costs by avoiding having to build parking, and then figure that localities and businesses will just suck it up as more and more cars compete for limited curb space.

Palena thrived for more than a decade with its parking situation, so clearly it wasn't parking that was the problem.

I am the PP at the top of this string. Parking is the problem. We used to come to Cleveland Park for Indique, Spices, Palena, Lavandou, Ardeo, Bardeo and the Uptown. During the past few years we found we had to park farther and farther away and waste more and more time circling for a space. We've given up. Now we go to Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase D.C.

[Anonymous]

Parking was not the problem.

[Anonymous]

Good riddance. It was nothing special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good riddance. It was nothing special.

Actually, it was special with one of the best chefs in the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved Palena, but parking in Cleveland Park is impossible. The parking lot adjacent to the former property probably has 40 spaces for 10+ shops. Unless we're going out during the week we avoid Cleveland Park because of the parking situation alone. What's with there being no valet parking in this area?

Some restaurants have valet parking. However, some of the fly-by-nigh valet services had to close up shop several years ago after DC enacted a city-wide regulation that they have an off-street location to park the cars. Before then, valets were ricocheting cars up and down the side streets from where they would find on-street spots.

You are correct that parking needs to be an option, even in an area next to a Metro stop. I am always struck by the smart growth ideologueswho claim that no off-street parking is needed anymore. Either they are just naive or they are carrying water for real estate interests that want to reduce their costs by avoiding having to build parking, and then figure that localities and businesses will just suck it up as more and more cars compete for limited curb space.

Palena thrived for more than a decade with its parking situation, so clearly it wasn't parking that was the problem.

If you are addicted to your car, stay in the suburbs.

I am the PP at the top of this string. Parking is the problem. We used to come to Cleveland Park for Indique, Spices, Palena, Lavandou, Ardeo, Bardeo and the Uptown. During the past few years we found we had to park farther and farther away and waste more and more time circling for a space. We've given up. Now we go to Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase D.C.

[Anonymous]

I can always find parking down Quebec St. or Porter street, about a 4-5 minute walk from the strip. It is meterless 2-hour parking until 8:30 PM, and then no enforcement after then.

I understand that it can be a hassle to walk a bit (especially with little kids), or some people cannot make the trek, but if you really want to go to a CP restaurant it is do-able. In fact, I'd much rather walk a few extra minutes than circle around looking for parallel parking on busy Connecticut Ave., or fight for a spot in the Bethesda parking garage on a weekend night.

Every time we dine in Friendship Heights it is essentially the same thing--we just park back in the neighborhood and walk out to Wisconsin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Now we go to Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase D.C.

For what? Talk about a dining wasteland - no wonder parking is easy.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I think the expansion was the beginning of the end. (Also when they stopped serving the fried lemon slices with the fries.)

Personally, I miss Palena. Best burger in DC and the chicken was amazing. Hoping that the chef reopens in another location--maybe with someone to handle the business end of things, which apparently was not his strong suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Palena was not located near the much debated Connecticut Ave. service lane, so that old dog won't hunt. Unlike some other Cleveland Park restaurants, Palena did have an adjacent parking lot. What it also had, according to today's Post, was a substantial past due rent obligation to its landlord, Federal Realty (which it was unable to negotiate) and what the article referred to as complex financial difficulties. The restaurant world is a tough business, and commercial rents in this and other DC neighborhoods seem to have reached levels that even higher-end restaurants have trouble paying. in any case, there's probably more to the Palena story.

Do you know where Palena is? It's on the next block from the service lane. It's about as near as you can get without having an actual storefront on the service lane.

I know where Palena is located. It's almost at the end of the next block from the service lane. The park and shop with Petco is between Palena and the service lane. That's hardly "as near as you can get."

"Near the service lane" in the context of the service lane debate is about place which would benefit from increases in foot traffic around the CP metro. IOW, pretty much the strip from Macomb to Porter, on both sides. "Not near the service lane" = 2 Amys, or Lebanese Taverna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Now we go to Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase D.C.

For what? Talk about a dining wasteland - no wonder parking is easy.

Range.

[Anonymous]

Personally, I think the expansion was the beginning of the end. (Also when they stopped serving the fried lemon slices with the fries.)

Personally, I miss Palena. Best burger in DC and the chicken was amazing. Hoping that the chef reopens in another location--maybe with someone to handle the business end of things, which apparently was not his strong suit.

Right you are. Especially about the demise of the old fry plate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Personally, I think the expansion was the beginning of the end. (Also when they stopped serving the fried lemon slices with the fries.)

Personally, I miss Palena. Best burger in DC and the chicken was amazing. Hoping that the chef reopens in another location--maybe with someone to handle the business end of things, which apparently was not his strong suit.

Right you are. Especially about the demise of the old fry plate.

Yes and yes. The got to big at then wrong time. Those fried lemons were the bomb!!!!!

[Anonymous]

It seems like the rents in Cleveland Park are too high but there just isn't enough foot traffic these days. The owner of Dino is relocating to Shaw.

[Anonymous]

The owner of Dino is an asshole. Got food poisioning there and he blamed me. Good riddance.