Restaurant Eve

[Mark Sommelier]

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.

Mr. Leff is the boss.

[T.Thrasher]

From all of us at Restaurant EVE, we thank all of you for your detailed observations, comments and wonderful support.

After being open, for only 26 days, we are very proud of our accomplishments and will continue to strive towards our goals. (Wow! To even mention us in the same breath of other Michelin restaurants, after only 26 days…thank you.) Perhaps, after we have been opened, for at least a few months, we will hopefully fulfill everyone’s expectations.

And to all of our RESTAURANT friends who have opened restaurants in the past, and understand the business,… Toques off to YOU!!

TT

[Joe H]

Post #1! Whoa! I assume you were having a glass of wine as you typed it?

[T.Thrasher]

Yes indeed a 'small' glass Rully, Kind of a Salute to john W.!!

[John W.]

Yes indeed a 'small' glass Rully, Kind of a Salute to john W.!!

Aren't you allergic to French wine?

[mnebergall]

From all of us at Restaurant EVE, we thank all of you for your detailed observations, comments and wonderful support.

After being open, for only 26 days, we are very proud of our accomplishments and will continue to strive towards our goals. (Wow! To even mention us in the same breath of other Michelin restaurants, after only 26 days…thank you.) Perhaps, after we have been opened, for at least a few months, we will hopefully fulfill everyone’s expectations.

And to all of our RESTAURANT friends who have opened restaurants in the past, and understand the business,… Toques off to YOU!!

TT

Todd:

Welcome to eGullet.

[T.Thrasher]

Yes a small allergic reaction, a 'small' Hangover, French Wines will do it all of the time!

[Meshe at Eve]

Wow!! Love all this chat about Eve!! Really...It only helps us get better.

Funny thing, we have sold more adventurous food itmes here, in this li'l old town; guinea hen, (2cases!?),Pigeon..oh yes, then there's the 'stinky' SKATE....items, that were a hard sell downtown.

The clientele here is actualy very savy..when it comes to dining..(oh, and quite fashionable,)

They have roots here in VA-Ginia, but have homes all over the world. (A bit of market survey..before deciding to open house here.)

Thanks so much...bring on more comments...happy to hear them..and I, am just recently, getting over the horror of providing 3! menus. But it certainly has been fun.

Be well. Meshe at Eve

[fimbul]

Right! I'm sold. As a country bumpkin and resident of Old(e) Town(e) (or thereabouts), I'm thrilled at the idea of a new, fancypants eatery out here in the sticks. I just got reservations for my SO and me Friday night.

Hell, at the very least, it'll keep me off them big city streets for an evening.

[mnebergall]

Right! I'm sold. As a country bumpkin and resident of Old(e) Town(e) (or thereabouts), I'm thrilled at the idea of a new, fancypants eatery out here in the sticks. I just got reservations for my SO and me Friday night.

Hell, at the very least, it'll keep me off them big city streets for an evening.

Are you one of them "Old Town crackers" that someone referred to above?

[fimbul]

Are you one of them "Old Town crackers" that someone referred to above?

naw. I actually live in Del Ray, rather than Old(e) Town(e) proper, so I think I'm too hip (by association and street address) to be an OTC.

[SanFran88]

Comment on the "old town crackers" and the level of service. I e-mailed Meesha and asked her if I could come in to eat in the Bistro at 1730 last Wed. with my wife and three year old. She said that would be fine, they love children; simply call and she would get us a booth. We live on the seam between Old Town and Del Ray, and often eat with child at Evening Star around that time. She's usually very well behaved, and if not one of us takes her for a walk. Lots of families eating at Evening Star early anyway -- of course I didn't consider the slightly different demographics of Old Town and Del Ray (oops). Not only no kids, no patrons under 50 at that hour besides us. Oh, and I blew off calling ahead, so we were seated in the middle of the restaurant. I think every customer in the place was cringing inside waiting for our daughter to announce her presence with authority, as it were. The wait staff, however, was wonderful and managed to very discreetly keep Lily entertained with a non-stop barrage of questions, comments, and requests for drawings. Meesha came by herself to chat Lily up and request a flower drawing, which she promptly displayed at the hostess stand. End result was a wonderful evening for us and no "issues" for any of the other patrons. The food in the bistro was terrific, easily the best of its type/level in Old Town, but what will make us regulars was the discreet, kind and gracious hospitality that prevented a potentially awkward and embarassing situation for us -- or anyone else. I will definately remember to call ahead next time so the staff can hide us if we are there with our daughter, or we will get a babysitter (certainly a necessity for the upstairs), but we will go back. Often. And as I said, the food was wonderful, but almost secondary to our experience. The ravioli stuffed with shortrib appetizer was particularly good.

[mnebergall]

It sure sounds like there is a pocket of us in Del Ray.

[JPW]

I used to live on East Luray, but couldn't afford to buy in Del Ray, so ended up in SS.

[DonRocks]

The oxtail ravioli was plated with two large ravioli filled with braised oxtail meat and covered with a very beefy flavored broth, very tasty...

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.

A brief check-in this evening. Started with the pickled martini which is housemade pickles, pickle foam (!) and Grey Goose Vodka. Undrinkable unless you really have a fetish for sweet pickles, although you have to applaud the creativity and craftsmanship (especially for the pickle emulsion on top). Not an issue, as I suspect this will be coming off the menu in the next month or so.

2001 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er Cru Clos de Marole at $12 is a decent glass of Pinot Noir, and more importantly, was served at the proper temperature from a little refrigerator-unit they have on top of the bar - actually, it was the first red wine I've had by the glass in ages that was served a touch too cold, but who cares, it warms up in about five minutes, and it's a big deal (in my small world) that a place cares enough to do this.

Bread was mini-ciabattas (ciabatti?) from Breadline, heated and slightly browned in-house.

The braised oxtail ravioli is served in a meaty red-wine jus with leeks, and is a fine dish priced at only $7.75. Think about how times are changing: in a bar in Alexandria, you can enjoy a very good little plate of braised oxtail ravioli for $7.75.

Confit of Pork Belly with glazed onions, baby carrots and swiss chard is this chef's reverential nod toward his homeland's classic Irish bacon and cabbage, though this observation might be a stretch since very little chard is used in the dish. The layer of fat atop the pork was brilliant, and exactly as mnebergall described.

I barely touched my martini, but had two full glasses of wine. When I asked for the check, the bartender (the excellent bartender) removed the second glass of wine from the bill without any prompting. This was an elegant gesture, because the wine was more expensive than the martini. Small offerings such as this create large amounts of goodwill, and can make a new customer eager to return for a repeat visit.

Eager to return for a repeat visit,

Rocks.

[fimbul]

Made it out to Eve Friday night, and it was everything it was cracked up to be. I'm not an experienced diner with a host of notches on my fork, but I hope I can at least tell a damned good place when I see it, and this, messirs and mesdames, is a class joint.

My girlfriend and I (we were celebrating our 6th anniversary) were impressed first by the looks of the place. Restaurant Eve is in the spot SantaFe east used to be, and boy has it changed. It's always been a neat space, but "elegant" has never been the word to come to mind. "Elegant," however, now fits quite well.

We had reservations in the bistro area, and, upon entering, we were immediately whisked away past a wine cooler and the kitchen into a charming space under a skylight, separated from the tasting room, I believe, by a fireplace. I never can remember anything but the vaguest architectural details. I am a spaz.

After we were seated, we were pounced upon by Todd, who wanted to know who the eGulleteer would be. "Um. Guilty." He chatted with us awhile, and proved to be a very companiable host, though one who had an agenda: "Try the martini. You'll like it." We'd already gotten drinks (Jeannie, my gf, was already drinking a saffron-infused Gibson. I'd got a glass of Duvel.), but we took the hint, and, for our next course (of drinks), got one o' them pickle Martinis, and a tomato-water Bloody Mary.

The pickle Martini was really very good, despite what Rocks says. The world is a better place for having it. The tomato-water Bloody Mary, on the other hand, is divine. I want to caress it, love it, marry it, and grow old with it. It's strained, nearly colorless tomato juice (well, tomato water), infused with lemon grass, serrano, lime, and, uh, stuff? My memory fails me. It was good.

By now, it was time for the first course. They'd run out of the oxtail ravioli, so Jeannie went with the crab cake, and I started with a lamb loin. I remember the crab cake not at all. I do not like crab cakes much, and, though this seemed a fine example of the beast, it was, well, a crab cake. My lamb, however, was transcendant. Equally good was a salad that came with, composed of roasted tomatoes, caramelized garlic cloves, black olives, and what might have been artichoke hearts? (It was dark, and, by now, we'd moved on to the wine, a nice Petite Syrah whose name eludes me.) This salad kicked ass. I've rarely had anything that tasted so salty thatstill remained balanced. I'm not sure how the chef did it.

Our main course consisted in veal short ribs (hers) and the confit of pork belly (mine). The veal short ribs were wonderful, but again I was more interested in my own dish which was a simply decadent, beautiful thing: beatifully cooked fat that dissolved on my tongue, providing a coating for the glorious meat that followed. The veggies were nice too. But did I mention the meat? It was outstanding, and the only dish I've ever had that seemed new and interesting at the same time it conjured up memories of childhood meals -- meals I could never have had, of course, but the sensation was extremely pleasant and comforting nonetheless. When I marry the Bloody Mary, I want to keep the pork belly as a mistress.

Dessert is a pale blur. Jeannie opted to drink hers in the form of a very nice tokay. I had a glass of Malmsey Madeira, and the cheese plate, which entailed a goat cheese, a piece of ... to tell the truth, I have no idea. I liked the cheeses very much though. I blame the alcohol.

Speaking of alcohol, at this point, Todd set us up with tiny glasses of his Mojito My Way, which was one of the kindest gestures imaginable, as long as it wasn't meant to kill us. At any rate, we were delighted, despite our fogginess, and did these delectable little drinks in in short order. I love gestures like this. It was a nice touch before we staggered out to wander around Old(e) Town(e) a bit to try to regain our senses.

How a restaurant such as Eve ended up in Old(e) Town(e), I'll never know, but I pray it stays and keeps up this level of cooking and service. And I'm already pining to go back.

[mnebergall]

fimbul: Excellent write up. I'm glad to see that Restaurant Eve gives eGulleteers the VIP treatment.

[mhberk]

Wow!! I can't wait for the 19th (anniversary dinner)!!

[JennyUptown]

Someone is not a fan of Restaurant Eve

edited by request

Edited June 9, 2004 by JennyUptown (log)

[SanFran88]

I wholeheartedly agree with Tom on this one. We've eaten at Eve four times as well and have found the service and food wonderful each and every time. We've also recommended it to a number of our friends who have subsequently dined there and have received nothing but glowing reports back. Maybe the poster wandered into a restaurant in a parallel universe by mistake.... Has anyone else had the sort of disastrous experience described or is this just some strange anomoly? Clearly it wasn't Tom's experience either.

[mnebergall]

I was having a drink at the bar there last week (ran into DonRocks) and the chef brought out a complimentary hors d'oeuvre of diced raw white tuna topped with caviar drizzled (with some stuff that I don't recall the name of) and some fresh julienne of radish. It was wonderful. They brought Rocks a luget (sp) a small fried fish. He seemed to like it but we can let him report on it.

I just can't see the staff at Eve treating anyone like that (which causes me to suspect the sincerity of the post).

[SanFran88]

"Insincere posting"...I'm shocked, shocked. Our experiences have always been similar to what you describe. Last time we were there with our daughter, she had told the waitress how much she adores chocolate and as we prepared to order dessert the chef sent out -- unbidden -- a wonderful chocolate dessert prepared for the tasting menu upstairs. I've also found the sommelier to be very helpful and gracious. And I love the Eamon cocktail.

[JPW]

Let's also include Cathal's response ...

Alexandria, Va.: Tom, would you kindly ask the guest that was disappointed with Restaurant Eve to contact Cathal or Meshelle directly at 7037060450, we would like to have an opportunity to show them the true nature of Eve. Thank you, Cathal.

Tom Sietsema: Disgruntled guest, are you out there?

Also, this sounds familiar....

I agree with Adams Morgan...: Will you please work on your quota of outrageously expensive places to eat? Not to be critical, Tom, but there are few places outside the Inn at Little Washington that cost more that $300 per couple. Come on, man; start helping out those of us who have so much money, we don't know what to do with it. Maybe a $1000 omelette would be nice...

Tom Sietsema: LOL

[T.Thrasher]

Thanks for Posting Jenny!! Have you been to our place? By the way, as soon as saw that unhappy guest's posting, we immediately found their information, including everything they ate that evening. We have contacted them and would very much like to invite them back...and hopefully they will have a better experience.

Our guests, are so very important to us, we realize that without all of you, we are

nothing.

And once again we say, to all of our RESTAURANT friends who have opened restaurants in the past, and understand the business,… Toques off to YOU!!

Be Well

Todd Thrasher

and Meshe at Eve.

[JennyUptown]

Thanks for Posting Jenny!! Have you been to our place? By the way, as soon as saw that unhappy guest's posting, we immediately found their information, including everything they ate that evening. We have contacted them and would very much like to invite them back...and hopefully they will have a better experience.

Our guests, are so very important to us, we realize that without all of you, we are

nothing.

And once again we say, to all of our RESTAURANT friends who have opened restaurants in the past, and understand the business,… Toques off to YOU!!

Be Well

Todd Thrasher

and Meshe at Eve.

I haven't yet been out and I've heard 95% good things about Eve. No need to worry about me - I was just reporting.

Loved your prompt response to the poster though.