"It 's been said that a memorable meal needs three ingredients: great food, terrific ambiance, and wonderful people to enjoy it with. My eldest daughter took my wife and middle daughter out for my birthday last night--and it qualified hands-down as a memorable meal. The appetizers rocked--especially the asparagus spears and prosciutto wrapped in a kind of phylo dough (who thinks up this stuff? . The crab cakes were as good as you 'll find on Chesapeake Bay. For an entree, I ordered the braised short ribs (a favorite, I was told , and they nearly fell apart on the plate. It 's hard to say which tasted better soaked in the dark gravy: the meat, the freshly mashed potatoes or the perfectly prepared spinach. And the Malbec topped it off. Great to find such a gem--linen tablecloths and napkins, soft lighting, and quiet music you 're only vaguely aware of--so close to home. Wow."
