One Metro stop past the Woodley Park-Zoo station takes you to the residential neighborhood of Cleveland Park, which is exploding with good restaurants. Palena is the latest, and it's worth that extra bit of travel.

Palena is the creation of two former White House chefs, executive chef Frank Ruta and pastry chef Ann Amernick, who worked together at the White House in the 1980s. As partners in Palena, the two turn out French- and Italian-inspired dishes, such as Portuguese sardines in puff pastry, boudin blanc, Dover sole filet stuffed with porcini and pan roasted with artichokes and endive, a veal chop that Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema calls "the best in the city," and so on. Amernick's contributions range from complimentary caramels at dinner's conclusion, to the fresh sorbets, cheesecake, bread pudding, and other offerings on the dessert menu. This is an elegant restaurant, with an old-world feel (even though it's only about 3 years old). Because of its immediate and sustained success, it's hard to get a reservation, but worth trying for. Or you can dine at the bar and enjoy little plates of things like burgers and fries, perfectly done.