Cheeseburger Creep

I have been obsessing about trying Palena’s cheeseburger for months.  This burger has received so many accolades, and it can be found only minutes from our house on Connecticut Avenue in Cleveland Park.  Robin encouraged me to bring closure to this food distraction, so we went to Palena for an early dinner.   

I had eyes only for the cheeseburger when the menu appeared.  A 7 ounce angus patty with a 60/40 fat ration is not lean beef.  When a slice of sottocenere al tartufo cheese (off white mild cheese with truffles) is added to the ground beef with a schmear of garlic mayo and placed inside a brioche roll, you have quite an edible treat.

We asked if french fries came with the burger, and our server said ,”No, only a garnish of a curried cauliflower floret, a quarter slice of roasted beet, and a slice of a designer pickle.” 

So we decided to split a caesar salad with organic romaine as a first        -$13 - kaching.

A glass of a delicious Bordeaux (perhaps from Weygandt next door)        - $12 - kaching.

A glass of deep plum Cote du Rhone                                                     - $13 - kaching.

Two cheeseburgers                                                                              - $28 - kaching

Tax and tip                                                                                          - $20 - kaching

$86 to resolve an obsession.  Cheaper than therapy.

I think McDonalds has cheeseburgers on its dollar menu next month.

The Short Schmooze - Part III

In a new book, Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes From the House That Herring Built,  by Mark Russ Federman, a grandson of the founder of the Lower East Side purveyor of smoked fish,  etc. he comments on the art of schmoozing from the perspective of a shop owner:

"The perfect shmooze must be a seamless resumption of your last conversation, even if the customer's last visit was six months ago. A truly great schmoozer will attempt to bring other customers into the schmooze.  When two or more customers are introduced into the schmooze, they are likely to discover things they have in common.  You are either born a schmoozer or you're not. "  Federman goes on to note:  "The schmoozing gene will soon be mapped."