Restaurant Eve

[mnebergall]

I understand that it will be opening next week (finally).

[Al_Dente]

I live a few blocks away. I'll have to check it out!

[mnebergall]

I live a few blocks away. I'll have to check it out!

A member of the staff, Tammy, is a neighbor of mine. If you run into her, leave her a nice tip.

[JRage]

My chef is excited about this place, he's been talking about it for a while now. Online menu looks good. We will all have to report our experiences, when we make it in.

[Mark Sommelier]

YOu have to know how to pronounce the chef's name before you go there.

[mnebergall]

YOu have to know how to pronounce the chef's name before you go there.

His name is pronounced something like "kay hull."

[dcva]

Yes, the online menu does look quite good. Old Town really needs more quality dining options. As a local, I am quite fond of Majestic Cafe and Elysium, but the area should be able to support a far greater variety of memorable dining experiences. Here's hoping Restaurant Eve fits the bill!

-David M.

[Mark Sommelier]

YOu have to know how to pronounce the chef's name before you go there.

His name is pronounced something like "kay hull."

When I was introduced to him, he said his name is "Ka-hal".

Edited April 10, 2004 by Mark Sommelier (log)

[mnebergall]

Now I am hearing that the opening is delayed until next Monday.

[mnebergall]

They finally have opened. I plan to try to stop by and have a drink at the bar this evening after work. I will try to get some details regading the menu and will post tomorrow (if I actually make it this evening).

[mnebergall]

I found an example of their menu online. Be sure to click through to both the Bistro menu and the Tasting Room menu.

[Free Wilma]

Here's a post from someone on Chowhound who went for opening night last night...................

Restaurant Eve post from Chowhound

[Alex]

I'll be visiting my cousins in DC May 1-4. I strongly suspect I'll be going there for lunch on the 4th.

[mnebergall]

A friend and I went in yesterday evening after work and sat at the bar. First, the place is much more light and airy that I thought it would be. The former establishment was much darker to my recollection. The numerous skylights did the trick. There are several working fireplaces, two in the bar area. The wine list, to my mind, was very reasonably prices, with only a few bottles breaking the $100 mark. Most were in the $40-$60 ranges. Many selections from South Africa and Spain.

We sampled a few of the appetizers: crab cakes, braised oxtail ravioli, and the seared lamb. Of the three, we agreed that the lamb was the best, however, all three were spectacular. The two small crabcakes and no filler and no shells and were as they should be. The oxtail ravioli was plated with two large ravioli filled with braised oxtail meat and covered with a very beefy flavored broth, very tasty. The seared lamb was just that, a piece of very rare, seared lamb sliced on a platter and garnished with some black olives and marinated sliced cherry tomatoes. My friend and I both agreed that double or triple order of the lamb would make a excellent entrée.

Some folks sitting next to us at the bar had the smoked salmon appetizer and entrées of shrimp and the veal short ribs with polenta. I can't wait to go back and try the veal short ribs because they looked and smelled great. As we were leaving, I noticed that the guy with the short ribs Had cleaned his plate.

They have an outside patio area and has yet to open and they have a large parcel of vacant land behind that they intend to turn into sort of a garden area for large parties. Also, when the tenants upstairs move out, they plan to open some private dining rooms for larger groups.

Say what you will about visiting a restaurant when it first opens. This place appears to be the exception that validates the general rule.

Edited to add: We plan to go back sometime next week.

Edited April 21, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[SanFran88]

Restaurant Eve is now open on South Pitt in Old Town. Has anyone tried it yet?

[danzig]

it looks like at least a few people have dined there...can the chef pull off this level of food...?

in an area that I dine in all to often (thanks to my in laws)..news flash..the rich crackers who populate old town can't tell good food from a hole in the ground

[Al_Dente]

news flash..the rich crackers who populate old town can't tell good food from a hole in the ground

all too true...

[mnebergall]

A buddy of mine and I had dinner at the bar this evening. Confit of Pork Belly (me) and Veal Short Ribs w/polenta (him). A description of the flavors and textures will have to wait until I can better operate the keyboard. UBFL.

[Joe H]

Last night my wife and I had the nine course prix fixe and were disappointed overall. One great dish, the gnocchi. One horrible dish, the skate which had an aromatic spice that seemed like camphor attacking our nostrils. We were told that it was Tahiti #1 vanilla whatever that is.

Service was exuberant, almost Michelin correct. At one point there were eight staff for a room of about 30. The sommelier is a real credit to this restaurant: knowledgeable, enthusiastic, personable-I cannot say enough about him. Along with the service this was a production that was among D. C.'s best.

Soft shell crab was good but coming eight hours after a lunch at Kinkead's with his soft shell crab this was a distant second. The bomb was nicely presented but lacked richness and intensity, it's texture almost seemed "thin" even "dietetic" if you will.

The five course prix fixe should be compared to Obelisk. The style of Eve and the enthusiasm and profssionalism of its staff will put it almost on par. But the food, for me, needs to be more fully developed.

The gnocchi, by the way, was an absolute knockout!

Old Town has needed this restaurant. Open only a month it is already very popular with Saturday nights booked up in this room over a week in advance. There is a lot of promise. At $300 for two people including a very fairly priced $58 bottle of South African red this was not an inexpensive dinner. I think we would hve been happier spending $200 and doing the five course.

I should note that a week ago I had dinner in the Black Forest at the two Michelin star Bareiss and the three Michelin star Schwarzwaldstube on back to back nights. With fresh comparisons in mind Eve couldn't help but suffer.

Having said this it also reaffirms my conviction that Maestro is truly a world class restaurant and Fabio was paid a real injustice in not winning the Rising Star Beard award. Maestro is BETTER than Bareiss, on par with the three Michelin star.

[HOOLIGAN]

Having said this it also reaffirms my conviction that Maestro is truly a world class restaurant and Fabio was paid a real injustice in not winning the Rising Star Beard award.  Maestro is BETTER than Bareiss, on par with the three Michelin star.

Joe, does it upset your wife at all having that poster of Fabio above your bed?

[Joe H]

What is the point of your saying something like this? I am applauding excellence and our good fortune in having it here.

[mnebergall]

Well Joe, it appears that while you were in the back swining down, I was at the bar at the front, well just swining. Actually, I was at the bar eating the confit of pork belly. This stuff is unique as far as I can tell. I have never seen it on a menu before. Reminds me of something that might be prepared on Iron Chef. But, they brought me two pieces of the stuff. I thought the portion looked a little meagre at first, but they are really filling. I don't know how they cook this stuff, but the fat is (this is hard to describe) not melted, but not firm either. It sort of melts in your mouth. There is a broth and some baby carrots, carmelized cippoline onions and some greens of some sort in the bottom of the bowl and they accent the pork belly nicely. The only complaint I have about the dish is there is nothing to soak up the broth with. I stole some polenta from my friend's veal short ribs (those are good too, I am ordering them the next time I go) and used it to soak up the juice.

Joe H, you had a nine course dinner but only described (by my count) four of them. What else was served and can you give us a report?

[Joe H]

http://www.chowhound.com/midatlantic/board...ages/38584.html is the link to a more thorough and detailed post about Restaurant Eve. I posted it on Chowhound only because I have been a regular on there for almost four years and feel part of a family as many do on here. There are about ten or twelve of us who get together regularly either at others' houses or in restaurants. Still, the frequent overbearing, arrogant, insensitive moderation is close to driving me away from it-as it has many on this board. For the moment I have made the decision, because of friends, to try and survive it.

[John W.]

The sommelier is a real credit to this restaurant:  knowledgeable, enthusiastic, personable-I cannot say enough about him. 

That'd be Todd Thrasher. Great guy (just joined e-gullet I think), makes a mean mojito (although that's an unnecessary skill), and can argue the merits of Southern Hemisphere wines for hours. Not really sure about personable though. (we kid because we love).

Edited May 23, 2004 by John W. (log)

[mnebergall]

Joe:

With regard to your report on Chowhoud about the lamb:

"The last savory, a "Spring lamb chop with tiand of roasted onion, tomato, basil and spinach" was disappointing. The lamb lacked the charred crust and the juicy, flavorful meat that I've had elsewhere. This was a dish that could and did wow me only a week ago in the Black Forest. Here, it was merely all right."

This is in sharp contrast to my experience with their lamb loin appetizer. It has a nice crust and a nice red interior. As I've said before, a double or triple order of the lamb appetizer would make for a nice entree.

After all, the place has been open for only a few weeks. Perhaps instead of the total immersion method, you might have tried the big toe method.