"As the number 4 ranked restaurant in Washingtonian Magazine, I had high expectations for this meal. However, it was rather average, in my opinion and I would say that my dining companions would agree. We sat in the front casual area and while the service was very attentive, it was quite slow. We didn’t order the famous roast chicken due to the “45 minute wait” for it- had we known how slow it would be we should have! The menu online varies from the one in the restaurant. In the front part, you can order from the cafe menu or from the full formal menu. I opted for ceviche type of starter and the “bacon lettuce tomato” course as my entree. The starter was tasty but in a bed of something creamy that wasn’t really too necessary, given that the fish was nice on its own. The Bacon Lettuce Tomato was innovative – a stuffed warm lettuce leaf, a piece of toast with a dense tomato spread and a hunk of braised bacon, which was quite delicious. For dessert, I had the chocolate Napoloean, which was nice, but not as good as the one at Grapeseed in Bethesda. While the offerings off the cafe are more reasonably priced than those off the full menu, for that price there are other places I would be more apt to go to for a splurge. (Also, bear in mind that if you park in the lot that seems to be next to the restaurant, you do not get validated parking – expect to pay at least $6-9 for that depending on how slow your service is…"
