August 16, 2006
How's Your Restaurant Week Going?
Unless you've been living under the ground next to an aromatic truffle, you know that Restaurant Week is in full swing across the Washington area. If you have been living next to that truffle, Restaurant Week comes twice a year during traditionally quiet dining seasons and lures potential diners into restaurants with $20.06 three-course meals for lunch and $30.06 three-course meals for dinner. According to the word on the street, this Restaurant Week is a cap on a surprisingly busy summer season for many restaurateurs in D.C.
Members of the DCist food crew have already hit Rasika and Vidalia, with stops at the Morrison-Clark Inn and the Mendocino Grille to come. As the result of an already packed dining schedule, we had to turn down a friend's kind offer of a four-top at Corduroy last night -- quelle horreur, we know, as Corduroy is typically one of the city's very best bets for a fantastic Restaurant Week meal. (If you can manage to snag a reservation this late in the game, 1789 is also an excellent Restaurant Week spot, though gents shouldn't forget to bring their jackets.)
We only have so many mouths here at DCist, so we want to hear from you about which restaurants have been on the mark during Restaurant Week, which have disappointed you, and which have pleasantly surprised you. Go crazy in the comments.
Photo by flickr user a nameless yeast and used under a Creative Commons license.
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According to Tom Sietsema (and the 1789 website), 1789 isn't participating in this iteration of Restaurant Week because it's offering a three-course summer special for $35 through September 13, with a coupon from their website.
You are correct -- thanks for the clarification. I had enjoyed a RW meal there in the past and made a faulty assumption. I hope that everyone takes advantage of the $35 coupon.
So far been to two places - Cafe 15 and Georgia Browns.
Cafe 15 -
the food was a bit bland and not impressive. My main course felt like a spring roll filled with meat but tasted only of onions.
What stood out, however, was the fantastic and attentive service. I would go back there just for a grand meal to impress someone (client), but would never take my foodie friends.
Georgia Browns -
the food was tastier but not what I expected and we had less than stellar service. We were seated almost 1/2 hour late for our reservation and the hostess was rude.
I thought that they would offer something unique on the RW menu like their fried green tomatoes or fried chicken, but instead I got a sweet shrimp coctail and a strip steak. Yes, it was a great (and very large) meal, but I could eat something similar at Outback steakhouse!
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As has been said many times before on DCist, restaurant week should be about introducing new customers to a restaurant. If either of these restaurants were interested in bringing me back they should have offered some of the culinary specialities that make them unique.
Hopefully my dinners at Acadiana, Tosca Ristorante, and Zola will be better.
Had a great dinner last night at Acadiana. Free reign on entree choices with upcharges on only 2 (of approx. 10) dishes. A few people in my party were disappointed with the first course choices (too soup heavy), but I thought it was all fantastic. Also, there was absolutely no attitude towards Restaurant Week patrons that you find at some places. Our waiter spent 10 minutes answering questions about the menu - he was awesome. Trying out Indigo Landing tonight.
Just came from lunch at Vidalia - the shrimp & grits were excellent! Lunch at Zola was quite up to par yesterday as well. I really enjoyed the beet carpaccio appetizer and crab cake sandwich. However, I was especially wowed by the dessert - Creamsicle.
Next up: Oya and Agraria.....
Just got done with lunch at Cafe Mozu (@ the Mandarin Oriental), it was only OK. The pork & duck dumplings tasted just like every other steamed dumpling I've ever eaten in my life, good but nothing special. The highlight of the meal was the flat iron steak as the entree, well cooked and attractively presented. The gratin of sweet potatoes served with the steak looked and tasted like it had been made far ahead of time and barely heated before being thrown on the plate. Desert was some sort of cloyingly sweet pineapple upside down cake that wasn't very good.
Service was efficient but largely indifferent and I wasn't served a bread basket at all, nor did I get water until I was on my second glass of iced tea.
I would give it 6 out of 10; everything was stylishly presented, nicely garnished, and the space is beautiful; but aside from the steak, the food didn't really do much for me.
Anyone tried Viridian on 14th for RW? Been there before and have any recs? Any help appreciated.
Civil Negligence: I'm really surprised to hear that you had a bad experience at Corduroy. DCist Melissa, DCist Adam, and I had an excellent blow-out meal at Corduroy during Restaurant Week in January. The servers were gracious, knowledgeable, and unobtrusive. Tom Power's food was outstanding across the board. We weren't rushed at all. And that's to say nothing of the grappa with which we closed out the meal...
A very handsome young gentleman surprised me for Restaurant Week last night by taking me to Red Sage for a fantastic meal. Most importantly, EVERYTHING on the menu was included as an option. Basically you get to pick one item from one side of the menu (which consists of appetizers, salads and soups) and 1 item from the other side of the menu (which consists of entrees and sides, except I don't know anyone who would order a side as their 1 item...except maybe Nicole Richie these days...) then you could pick 1 dessert from the complete dessert menu. Specials for the evening were also included as choices and there were no upcharges... not even for the 32 dollar lobster. I had the buffalo steak which was cooked to perfection (get it rare). If you only go to one place for Restaurant Week, you will be perfectly satisfied with a Red Sage experience.
RE: Viridian
Been on a normal night and sat at the bar with the lovely bartender Naveen. Food has excellent flavor, though prep could use some work (my fish was piping hot and crispy, but there were one too many backbones in it, and my husband's steak clearly had been sitting waiting for my fish). Well balanced flavors and interesting combinations that worked very well made up for prep issues however. And the staff was attentive and friendly.
If it's on the menu, you must NOT miss the Lemon Lime Bar dessert (my mouth is watering just thinking about it).
Just got back from lunch at the Caucus Room. Wasn't my idea, to tell you the truth, but I already had lunch plans with friends and they made reservations late last night.
One - not a good place for three ladies in their mid-20s to spend a lunch hour. I'm surprised we were allowed in without our AARP card.
Two - the menu selections weren't that great. Appetizer was either the house salad or meatballs. Entree selections were tilapia, steak frites or roasted chicken. Two of us had the chicken, one had the tilapia... I was not impressed. My chicken was a little too pink, impossible to cut, and not very flavorful. Dessert choices of cannoli and chocolate mousse were the best part.
Three - service was okay, until we finished our meal. It took me forever to wave down a waiter to dispute the extra $24 that mysteriously wound up on our check. They took care of it right away, and were even gracious about splitting the check three ways, but that 10 minutes of craning my neck was a pain.
All in all, it just wasn't the right fit for our type of crowd, nor was it anything to write home about on top that.
Lunch tomorrow @ Bombay Club and on Friday @ Corduroy. Definitely looking forward to both.
My co-workers and I hit Kinkead's yesterday for lunch. (I think they only do lunches during RW.) The service was very timely and attentive, and the selection extensive -- probably a dozen choices each for appetizer and entree. Our dishes had the freshest ingredients (the most delicious heirloom tomatoes!) and beautiful presentation... all in all, an extremely satisfying meal, and we didn't feel over-stuffed -- always a risk during RW!
I just went to Vegetate for dinner last night. With Viridian, it has to be the only restaurant in the city that has a veg-friendly RW menu. Everything was great, and most of it was actually vegan.
Because of the crazies at Shiloh Baptist Church, Vegetate doesn't have a liquor license yet but they made up for it with some tasty juices, including a great limeade.
Just had a very nice lunch with a large group of co-workers at Zengo. Choices for RW were limited, but the salad, sea bass, and shortcake were all excellent. Service was fine, but we were there longer than we wanted to be. Oh, and the restaurant was cold - bring a sweater.
Notti Bianche was a pleasant surprise yesterday. I was expecting it to be a mess, what with Danny gone, but it turned out fine. The new bartender Andrew knows the wines (but not the ports - still, it was his fourth day).
The apps were great - octopus and the tomato salad. The hanger steak was cooked perfectly. The biggest downside was the mezzaluna: it was way overdone (I never knew you could burn pasta...) and the flavors didn't quite work together.
They are still doing the wine pairing for $15 and they are pretty flexible if you want to change between the selections. The service was also surprisingly dedicated for RW - it could have been a normal day.
Restaurant Week is the week I stay away from DC restaurants. Can't figure out why everyone makes such a big deal of it. You're not getting the restaurant's best and you're packed in with the other cheapskate cattle.
The Don Rockwell kids are posting about Restaurant Week extensively, if you want to check out donrockwell.com.
Corduroy on Monday was outstanding. My scallops were as good as reputed, and the upscale "Kit Kat" dessert went over like free money among my dining companions.
Morrison-Clark last night was a near-total disappointment (the lemon chess pie being the main saving grace). Not worth the money or calories.
Went to I ricci yesterday for lunch. All of the choices for RW were terrific, and made a great impression.
Of particular note was the basil-tomato soup (I will not bastardize the Italian language) and the pork tenderloin entree.
We went to Fogo de Chao today for lunch (they're not participating in the dinner special). It was the same lunch gig -- salad bar, sides, 15 kinds of meat -- for $20.06. Quite a deal from the usual $28.50 for lunch (and $48.50 for dinner). Suggest making reservations, or going at 11:30 when it opens. YUM, excess of meat.
Just had lunch at Kinkead's. We were seated immediately and the waiter was very friendly and helpful. The RW menu was very extensive with about eight options for both the starter and main course and about five options for dessert. The food came out quickly and they didn't mind us splitting the check three ways. The food was excellent and I would definitely recommend it!
Had dinner at Perry's last night. Have to say it was a rather mediocre experience. Not awful but not good either. Got there about 7:30 (had reservations) and got a good table on the roof. It was a nearly full house. We got menus right away and our waitress, after asking us if we were OK with tap water...then neglected to take a drink order for 10+ minutes while we sat there twiddling our thumbs.
They have a special RW menu and there are $5 upcharges on the beef, duck, and pork main courses...which are a rip-off because, while tasty, were quite small in size. Someone in our group did order the sushi & sashimi main course platter and got a heaping plate of food. For what we got I didn't think the extra charge was justified.
The service was very mediocre. Nice waitress but not very attentive, and the food took awhile to come out (and it was lukewarm). I had the duck which was very tasty but not very filling. Also, after our first course, one of the busboys must have thought we were all finished as he went and cleared all of our silveware, napkins, bread pltes and bread, despite my protests (he apparently didn't speak english and had someone who did come over to ask what the problem was).
The desserts were good, although they had run out of one of the selections. And we had to wait a few minutes because we were not given any silverware to use for dessert and despite protests to the foodrunner, had to again wait for our server to get around to it. I have to say that nothing annoys me more than when restaurant employees--regardless of their role--don't respond to simple requests and instead say "i'll get your server." We just needed a couple of forks, dude.
It wasn't so bad of an experience that I won't go back...the location is awesome and, sadly, mediocre service is a city-wide problem. But I really think they didn't honor the spirt of RW with the $5 upcharges.
You obviously caught Corduroy on an off day. They are hands-down one of the best in DC and best yet, they are still generally a foodie secret. Viridian is just bad. Don't waste your time or money.
We went to Indebleu last night, and everything was fabulous. They are doing their regular RW menu this week, plus two extra (and way more expensive) tasting menus. They're also doing a special set of wines and cocktails just for RW. Glass wine is $9 and the bottle. . . I forgot, but the info should be out there. The cocktails are $10.
They're also extending their RW to next week, with another (tastier looking) menu. From the looks of the signs I saw going back to the car, nearby Zatainya (sp?) and Oya are also doing the same thing.
As for the dinner, I went with the veal samosas, monkfish entree, and vanilla ginger ice cream with a blackberry mojito.
The samosas were good (albeit a little too breaded on the ends), and the chutney they came with was incredible, with some good spicy bite to it. The cauliflower puree seemed odd to me at first (I really don't like cauliflower), but once I spread some on, it made a fitting complement to the richness of the veal and the spice and sweet of the chutney.
The monkfish itself was moist but a little light on flavor (then again, I've never eaten it before, so maybe it's supposed to be weak), but the tomato and fennel salad combined with the spicy sauce more than made up for it. The two mussels that came with it were also very tasty.
Dessert wasn't what I expected, but it definitely was not disappointing. I wanted something very strong on the ginger with hints of vanilla, and well, it was more of the opposite. That said, it tasted almost like a gingerbread cookie in ice cream form, so I was still pleased.
As for the cocktail, it was more blackberry than mojito (I saw the mint, but barely tasted it), but no complaints. It hardly tasted the alcohol, and the fresh blackberries were incredibly sweet and fulfilling.
Sampling from other folks at the table, I will say the other dishes were equally good. The bacon and cabbage was a great mixture and would make a good "salad" for someone who doesn't dig on salad. The tamarind mint dressing wasn't overpowering either, which is a plus. The cauliflower risoto with paneer was also a great veggie option, especially if you like basil. Noting as above that I don't dig the white sprout, I still enjoyed the bite I had. The glaze on the salmon was a bit overpowering to me, but that's because I frankly just like the taste of salmon on its own. My girlfriend enjoyed it thoroughly, so it must have been my taste buds. As for the "mousse", I preferred the chocolate and caramel tastes to the banana, but overall, it was decadent and delicious. I'm still happy I chose the ice cream, but this is a wonderful dessert regardless.
~EEE~
Had a great experience at DC Coast. Wonderful service, could choose any entree (this was lunch), and even my picky parents were satisfied. The Tunks places really do a nice job.
I went to Cafe Atlantico for lunch today and it was great. The service was attentive, and the food was fantastic. For appetizers their selection included shrimp, ceviche, a soup and a salad. Entrees included, salmon sandwiches, scallops, burger and another fish. It was busy, but not crowded and the waiters did not have an attitude. In fact, they were very nice.
I had a fantastic lunch at Vidalia; the apple and celeriac viccysoise was simply incredible, and the shrimp and grits were also fantastic (but still not as good as Colorado Kitchen's transcendent rendition).
I have to agree with Steve above about Morrison Clark. It was a poor meal. The appetizers (salad and crab bisque) were passable, but the entrees were very weak. I had to send back my prime rib which I asked for rare because it came out medium well. Then they told me that they didn't have any rare left. It would have been nice to know before hand, that. Service was horrible, so we ended up pouring our own wine and chewing on ice while our waters sat empty. My prime rib replacement of crab cake was meh. The lemon chess pie and the chocolate pot de creme were good. Overall, it was pretty awkward, though.
Had a fantastic experience at Corduroy last night, and I'm shocked at the comment about the poor service. It was easily one of the best service experiences I've had in DC--our server was knowledgeable and friendly, took time to answer questions and make suggestions and was very good at reading our table in terms of being hands-on or off. Our water glasses and bread were refilled promptly and the food came out in what I found to be perfect timing; I didn't feel as though the courses were being rushed but we weren't waiting long either. And the food! Decadent lamb sirloin with mini goat cheese ravioli and a seared tuna dish that tasted like a sushi roll. One of the few restaurants in DC where I think the entrees are the showstoppers, and the portions are very generous, even during Restaurant Week.
Had a fantastic dinner on Monday night at Fahrenheit in the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown. There were three entrees, three apps, and two desserts on the RW menu. All dishes had at my table were outstanding, and it is just a beautiful room. Waitstaff was nice, the hotel staff were amazingly courteous, and the bar downstairs (Degrees, I think) was a nice place to gather before dinner. I will definitely go back to this restaurant to try some of their other food, as there was not an off note at all!
Went to Ruth's Chris last night and just about died, that's how good it was. Of course, my idea of a dinner out is California Tortilla, so anything's a step up, but yes. 2 salad options (house & casear), choice of 2 different steaks, salmon and chicken, with creme brulee, bread pudding or ice cream for dessert. Service was excellent as well. If I didn't work in theatre (and am therefore dirt poor), I'd definitely go again.
Kinkead's added dinner to their RW lineup this time around. Went there last night and had a very tasty meal. My girlfriend complained about small portions, but it was about what I was expecting. Had the Salmon Medallions (they were out of Crab Cakes), Swordfish, and Napoleon for dessert. All tasted great, though the swordfish was a bit dry.
I second Christina. I was hesitant to go to a chain, but I wanted to go to a very expensive restaurant to make it worthwhile and I got a late start on making reservations, so my choices were limited.
The downside is that their offering is very limited, but every part of the meal was phenomenal. The salad was delicious (not "just another caesar") and the filet mignon was literally perfect. The sides were generous and delicious, the creme brulee was amazing, and best of all it didn't feel like restaurant week. The waiter could not have been friendler and we weren't rushed at all; we were there for an hour and a half. Finally, considering how expensive their food is, their wine list is pretty reasonably priced, and they have some good ones.
We got the Ridge Three Valley Zinfandel, and it was fantastic.
701: Food: meh. Service: very good. Tried it on a whim and was disapointed.
Stay away from the sashimi app and the apricot/blue cheese tart. Head to I Ricci, DC Coast, or Vidalia instead. Mmmm...
I went to the Caucus Room last night and they had the same menu they offered the previous commenter for lunch. It was not very good at all. And the waiter totally gave us attitude for being RWers.
Had a great dinner at Zola on Monday. The entire menu is up for grabs for the restaurant week price. I'd definitely recommend it.
I ate at Circle Bistro last night for the first time - the service was outstanding and the meal was very solid. I had corn and yellow pepper soup with crab meat and basil oil to start, striped bass over a bed of roasted corn and fava beans for an entree, and a chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream for dessert. My dining partner ate the heirloom tomato salad with greens, pine nuts, and a feta cheese fritter for an appetizer, quail with spoonbread as her main course, and a peach cobbler, with the same ice cream to finish. Our waiter, who was very attentive and helpful, recommended a very good bottle of pinot noir.
Ordinarily, I would not have considered the meal to be a great value, but for restaurant week the price could not be beat.
I'm going to Tosca tomorrow and IndeBleu Saturday, and am very excited about both.
I'm sad to report a very disappointing experience at Bistro Bis. The waiter treated us as non-entities; the appetizer and entree choices were limited to two mediocre dishes; and, worst of all, the bill arrived with a charge ($20!) for our two lame desserts. When I pointed out this "error," the waiter took back the bill with little acknowledgement. No apology. Bad meal, horrendous service. I will not return - ever.
Went to Cieba on Monday and it was great. The appetizer and desserts were limited on the RW menu but we could choose any of the regular entrees. I had the cucumber soup, my companions had the cerviche and the conch soup, which weren't half bad. For the main course I had the tuna and I got nearly full halfway through the plate. But I ate it all and was thankful the dessert was small. Service was wonderful too. Our waitress was good natured and all smiles. Would I go again? Maybe for an appetizer since that was the best-best-best thing I had.
Regarding Viridian, I have eaten there for dinner only once, but for brunch about 5-6 times. The former is not worth it while the latter is simply incredible. Best brunch I have ever had; the homemade breads and pastries are simply out of this world. Dinner, on the other hand, features small portions and high prices. Skip it for restaurant week and come one Sunday morning.
Went to Georgia Brown's last night. Food and service were excellent, although the RW menu is rather limited (2 choices in each department). I decided to stray from the RW menu and kept it around $30 anyway. The fried chicken was tender and tasty and the crab soup was just right. Overall an enjoyable experience.
Went to Charlie Palmers on Monday night with my wife, without a reservation and were seated within 5 minutes (granted it was about 6PM). We both had the restaurant week menu (no attitude), service was excellent. First course I chose the Yellowtail Tuna Sashimi ($7 upcharge) and she had a (huge) Cod Cake. The sashimi was very good, served atop Soba noodles, and the Codcake was perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and velvety smooth on the inside. We both had the Angus Sirloin entree ($16 additional) which was excellent accompanied by truffled mashed potatoes. The dessert was almond cake, strawberry "soup" or a chocolate cake (forget the technical term). Dessert was the weakest course, not bad, but not great. It was a bit more expensive than the standard 30.06 with the extra charges, but we probably couldnt afford to eat there otherwise. I'd recommend it.
Re: Viridian, I must agree with Jordan. I, too, have only eaten dinner there once (maybe on the same evening, Jordan?), and was rather disappointed. Everything was just a bit off. Am excited to try their brunch, though. Thanks for the tip.
Went to Chef Geoff's downtown last night and had a great experience. The RW menu is basically a slightly modified version of their full menu, with only two upcharges for the halibut and something I can't remember. I ordered the duck spring rolls on recommendation by the server and they were DELICIOUS. Tender, crispy, yum. My date had the frisee salad. Entrees were pork tenderloin (me; the portion was HUGE. Two pieces, one of which was slightly overcooked. The cheesy grits were TO DIE FOR) and cuban-spiced salmon (date: cooked perfectly; very tasty). I had a blueberry nectarine cobbler for dessert (FANTASTIC!) while my date got the chocolate cake (tasted like something you'd buy at Sam's Club. Only saving grace was the espresso ice cream that accompanied it).
Our server was very attentive and quite knowledgeable about the wine and the menu.
The *BIG* disappointment of the evening had to do with the fact that they gave my date and I two different menus. One had been updated for RW and one had not. It turns out that Cheof Geoff's offers a Summer Special during non-RW periods in which you get any soup or salad, any entree (same upcharges), and any dessert for $25. So, basically, they RAISED their prices for RW. We didn't say anything (we didn't want to be THOSE people), but I'll never go back for RW again. Shame on them!
Dinner at Equinox last night was generally tasty. The tomato basil bisque was fabulous. The venison was good. The dinner entree choices are very limited -- venison or salmon. I think many people would not have wanted either choice, and I thought they should have had a few more options. While the hostess was extremely nice and friendly, the waitstaff service did not add anything to the meal.
Had a great lunch today @ Bombay Club. The selections were limited (3 appetizers, 4 or 5 entrees, 2 desserts), but the food was fantastic and the service wonderful. Absolutely no snootery about the RW
I had the Sev Puri for appetizer and it was the perfect combination of savory and sweet, with a hint of mint. For an entree, I had the Bombay Thali, which was a wonderful sampling of many different flavors - just wish we'd been given more naan for me to eat it with. My coworkers had the chicken and the lamb, which they both raved over.
Dessert was a trio of sorbets. Nothing special, but refreshing. The other option was Gulab Jamun, but it just seemed a little too sweet for our tastes.
Without RW, I would have paid: $29.45 for appetizer ($6.50), entree ($16.95), dessert ($6). Not a bad deal.
LB! I think we had the same waiter at Bistro Bis. He he was hateful. He kept bringing things to the table without comment, turning completely around and walking away the moment a plates hit the table. He did ask us a couple of times how we were doing but didn't look at us or wait for the answer ("um... yes, actually I would like another bottle of wine... but I guess you didn't hear me - oh well - less tip for you") The chicken was pretty good.
Every year my friend and I make reservations at various restaurants during restaurant week. A few nights ago I had dinner at IRicchi and I have to say it was the worst restaurant week experience I have ever had. I am very disappointed in the food but more so in the service.
We arrived for our 7PM reservation; we were ushered through the restaurant to our table which was about 6inches away from the table next to us. We were seated for about 10 min before we were rushed in our order, but that was okay, because there was nothing to choose from.
We got our soups and asked for bread, we got half way through our soups and asked for bread again, finally my friends bowl was cleared before she was done and still no bread.
Our main courses were okay, the flavors were boring and the portions were small. Again our plates were cleared early and our dessert was brought out quickly.
We were only three bites in to our desserts and our check was delivered to the table! At this point it could not be more obvious that they were simply trying to usher us out and clear the table for the next reservation. The server came back several times and asked if the bill was ready.
I was very disappointed, and I do not plan to go back, ever!
Just returned from my final RW lunch at Corduroy - it was fantastic.
Their entire menu was up for grabs (or maybe it's a condensed menu, but there were plenty of options). I'm a sucker for goat cheese, so I had that for an appetizer, and a roasted chicken breast with mini ravioli that turned out to be like a really hearty chicken soup.
Dessert was the winner, though. My two friends ordered the Kit Kat dessert, and I had a flourless chocolate tort with carmelized bananas. We were in heaven. On top of that, two of us ordered a glass of brut, and the waitress forgot to add it to our check. We didn't even notice, but she came over and apologized, said the error was on her, and just asked that we come back some time and order another glass to make up for it. I don't think she'll have to worry about us coming back. It's definitely a "keeper".
We hit Vegetate on Friday night. With a vegan and vegetarian in the group, it was our best option. I had been there once last winter, not super long after they had opened and felt pretty neutral about it.
Friday night our entire group (five of us) left somewhat hungry, disapointed and sort of "eh" about the place.
Our waitress was downright surly, didn't get any of our light banter and was dismissive in most of our questions. I asked the waitress at one point if not having a liquor liscense also meant people couldn't bring thier own wine etc (common where I'm from) and she basically glared at me, and said "NO. IT's ALL illegal!" and walked off.
While some talk about RW-er attitude with servers, the ONLY menu Vegetate was serviing this week was a RW menu, so we couldn't do anything about it if we wanted to!
Overall, I don't think that Vegetate's potential demise will be from its lack of alcohol, I think it will be from thier small portions, tables on top of one another (I could hear all three tables around us quite clearly) and surly waitresses and the thing about Vegetate is that in theory I really want them to work!
We had a lovely time and meal at Vegetate on Sunday evening. My family thought that the portions were just right (even for restaurant week where portions are notoriously smaller). We all tried to get something different so that we could all share. It worked out perfect since there were three of us and each course had three options to choose from.
The hightlights of our meal were the risotto croquettes, the melon & habenero soup, sesame crusted tofu and goat cheese tart. We were a little disapointed that the warm chocolate cake wasn't on the menu Sunday night, but the dark chocolate torte with raspberry sorbet quickly made us forget about the cake. The complimetary juices were great as well. The homemade ginger-ale was amazing!
Our service was attentive and relaxed at the same time. The manager/owner even came by and introduced herself which was very nice as well. The space was cozy and so stylish. It really made us think and feel that we were in the East Village or something. Definitely didn't feel like a DC space. We are looking forward to trying Vegetate's brunch next.
Walked into Ceiba last week unaware it was RW (it's that truffle) without reservations and we were seated immediately! The food was terrific, only the steak entree was upticked and my Halibut wrapped in Serrano ham on a bed of the creamiest polenta was awsome. Can't wait to go back. Service was perfect and the waiter wasn't hard to look at either! (Sorry, but for me, that adds to the joy!)