Alexandria Restaurants

[menton1]

Going to Alexandria the middle of next week, and would like a nice looking, good food place, French or possible New American. I have picked out 3 possibilities: Le Refuge, Le Galois, and Chez Andree. All seem to have good and bad points. Can anybody please give me additional input to help me make my choice? Thanks.

[Al_Dente]

Going to Alexandria the middle of next week, and would like a nice looking, good food place, French or possible New American.  I have picked out 3 possibilities:  Le Refuge, Le Galois, and Chez Andree.  All seem to have good and bad points.  Can anybody please give me additional input to help me make my choice?  Thanks.

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Someone's gonna beat me up about this, but I've always liked Le Refuge. Certainly better than Le Galois-- I haven't been to Chez Andree.

But your best choice would be Restaurant Eve-- mnebergall will take it from here.

Edited April 6, 2005 by Al_Dente (log)

[mnebergall]

I would look into Restaurant Eve and Vermilion. Also, perhaps the Majestic Cafe.

Edited to add: I've always like Le Refuge as well.

Chez Andree is not in the Old Town area, it is a bit north, at the northern edge of Del Ray. Chez Andree has been in business for a long time, but I've only been there once, many years ago, and I don't recall what I had. It, Le Gaulois, and Le Refuge have you general run of the mill French fare. The three restuarants I in my 1st paragraph are all what I would characterize as innovative. The chef at Eve is one of the best in town.

Edited April 6, 2005 by mnebergall (log)

[jm chen]

I've only been to Le Galois, but found it disappointing. Not enough choice and whatever I did end up choosing was smothered in sauce. Enjoy your visit!

[menton1]

It seems Restaurant Eve is a little over-budget-- looks like if I was going for that price range I might choose La Bergerie, no?

[fero style]

Restaurant Eve has a bar menu as well which will be a little cheaper . I strongly recommend this place

[mnebergall]

Le Bergerie is another one of those "old line" Old Town french restaurants tha tyou just don't hear much about any more. I somehow get the feeling that they are just resting on their laurels. Perhaps that impression is unfair, but it's my impression none the less. There has been sort of a mini-explosion of new places in Old Town in the last few years that seems to have left the old guard in the dust. Perhaps some excavation is in order to see how the old guard is holding up.

Edited to add: I would put Landini Bros. in the "old line" category as well. Half its regular bar crowd migrated to Eve when it opened. But I always had good meals at Landini's.

Edited April 6, 2005 by mnebergall (log)

[eljo]

Sorry to say that Le Refuge and Le Gaulois (new owners) have really gone downhill in recent years. They both have a French-feeling atmosphere but the food is just not enjoyable anymore. I have never been to Chez Andree, but nothing I have heard about it would lead me to recommend it. Having some idea of your taste from your posts on the France board, I doubt that you would find any of these satisfactory. If you really want a French bistro, Bistrot Lafayette (on King Street the same block as Le Gaulois) has better food than the others you mentioned - good but not great.

If Eve is out of your budget, do think about Majestic Cafe. I am never sure what "New American" really means, but their menu is creative with a Southern (US not France) influence and we have enjoyed numerous meals there. Unfortunately, their website has been "under contruction" for months so I don't know if you can find a menu anywhere. I am sure they would fax one to you if you ask.

I live in Old Town and have tried practically all the restos there. Majestic is probably your best choice within your parameters.

Bon appetit.

[Gary Tanigawa]

Sorry, but I can't help you with your three French choices. Less expensive than Restaurant Eve for New American would be Vermillion mentioned above (but it can be noisy near the bar) or Flying Fish. The latter has non-fish items as well; the fish can be either cooked or raw. The sushi bar is probably the best in Old Town based on two visits (although that is probably not much of an accomplishment). I can't find a web site for Flying Fish but it is near the Old Town Theater and replaced a Thai restaurant. I have never "got" Majestic Cafe (tried it again this past Sunday for dinner).

[JPW]

To add more misery to the fire....

PLease note that my experiences are all a couple of years old.

Le Galois has always been a disappointment, but it can make up for some of that at this time of year with their beautiful patio. I much prefer Bistro Lafayette.

Majestic, too, did not live up to hype for me and Mrs JPW (good Southern girl that she is).

[LARRY WIENER]

I would like to suggest the Stardust, in the north end of town. My food advisor thinks that the Majestic is pedestrian, but she likes the Stardust. Its bar is also fairly nice.

[mnebergall]

I would like to suggest the Stardust, in the north end of town.  My food advisor thinks that the Majestic is pedestrian, but she likes the Stardust.  Its bar is also fairly nice.

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Didn't Stardust use to be Marco's Steak House?

[JPW]

In my experience the Stardust bar is a great place to hang, the food, while good, is ultimately forgettable.

[Al_Dente]

I would like to suggest the Stardust, in the north end of town.  My food advisor thinks that the Majestic is pedestrian, but she likes the Stardust.  Its bar is also fairly nice.

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Didn't Stardust use to be Marco's Steak House?

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I used to live a block from Stardust and went to the bar (at least whenever a certain bartender-chick wasn't there with whom I had an extremely bizarre experience with years before-- long story) fairly regularly. I like the bar, and some of the apps are good as are the burgers, but the entrees never seemed quite right to me. They always seemed one dimensional and dull.

I have heard that it used to be Marco's, but that's before my time.

[monavano]

I recently went to Stardust, and agree with Al in that the appetizers were wonderful, and really after crab soup and something similar to an empanada I should have stopped(but I had a restaurant.com coupon and said "what the hell"). The entree was vegetarian and not to my liking. I have to say I usually eat meat and fish, but it was Lent, and I was trying something different.

The service was good, and the hostess was outstanding.

I have to say the bar looked lively, however it was quite smokey and I thought to myself that if the ventilation was better, it would be absolutely a perfect place for drinks and nosh.

Funkadelic interior too!

Edit to add: I thought that it was in a different spot than when last I past by it 3 or 4 years ago, before moving to Richmond (from which I"ve returned and am quite happy about). I wasn't sure, but just thought to myself "hmmmmmmm?".

Edited April 8, 2005 by monavano (log)

[Steve Klc]

I'm not sure I can agree, JPW, that Majestic wasn't up to its hype, just what hype are we talking about? And have you not been there more recently than a few years ago?

It's a solid, restrained, interesting "neighborhood" place, giving a mostly conservative older clientele what it wants, and giving the rest of us just enough culinary subtlety or interest blended with food that is hearty rustic and comfortable, owned by one of the most respected, most giving, hard-working and liked chefs in town--Susan Lindeborg--a chef who was in her restaurant seemingly every night if that kind of thing is important to you. Interesting, affordable wines. Pleasant efficient servers who do a good job caring. It got a relatively lukewarm review by Tom when it first opened and he has since reconsidered, praising it often. It's still a place very worth going to--so, too, as others said the Eve bar and maybe Vermilion. I haven't been back to Vermilion since the chef change and what I liked there, then, were the apps anyway. I also have not been back to Majestic since Vermilion and Eve opened. But I think Majestic is roughly comparable pricewise to the Eve regular bistro/dining room, so do consider that. That said, Eve is a step up from Majestic in aim and execution, it does so many little things so very well, they have many talented commited professionals, why not go there and get four-starish service, food and wine in the Bistro at Bistro prices? The only thing Cathal, Todd and Eve have to do a little better is integrate their dessert focus with their food--but they know this and they're trying.

The criticism of Susan/Majestic that stuck somewhat for me, I think, is that she's not doing what she did at Morrison-Clark--years ago her work WAS as interesting and accomplished as what Cathal is doing at Eve--but then with Majestic she became chef-owner, which presents its own set of new obstacles, and Majestic is drawing its own new clientele and investors, which isn't necessarily the most culinarily aware or demanding. Look past whatever hype you have to, Majestic is still one of the very few places in Old Town or Alexandria worth a drive, even coming from more interesting and restaurant-dense areas. What Susan is doing and what she's offering is a different product than what Eve offers--and both should be considered and appreciated.

However, in your shoes, I'd beg, borrow or steal my way to Eve if I had to choose one place, order several of Todd's underknown bargain-priced wines. Let the locals suffer through all the other places there, the old, familiar and/or forgotten French guard, and report back on what's still special about them. You go to Eve.

[JPW]

I'm not sure I can agree, JPW, that Majestic wasn't up to its hype, just what hype are we talking about?  And have you not been there more recently than a few years ago?

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No, the last time I was there was probably 2002, that's why I made sure to specify that my information was not of the most current variety.

With the passage of time and the increase in my sleep deficit, I can't remember exact dates or sources, but I recall that previous to its opening that there was a great deal of hype about place and it received a good review from Sietsema. We went twice and neither time felt that it was up to the level at which it had been reviewed/hyped. I'm not saying that it was bad, in fact they were good meals, just not as good as we had been led to believe they were going to be.

Joe

[DCMark]

Folks, its Le G-A-U-L-O-I-S. Sad to hear of its decline. I worked there one summer and learned so much from Bernard about French cooking.

[menton1]

We would up at Le Refuge, and it was very acceptable. Not outstanding, but a nice place. Love the look of the place, really quite a bistro look right out of France, the wall posters, the seating. Good use of a small space. Food was nicely prepared, nicely presented, and service was excellent. All in all, I think this place warrants a "Good" and is worthy of a 1x every few weeks visit. (If I lived in the area). Love the Federal-style residential housing on the side streets of Alexandria!!

[Al_Dente]

We would up at Le Refuge, and it was very acceptable.  Not outstanding, but a nice place.  Love the look of the place, really quite a bistro look right out of France, the wall posters, the seating.  Good use of a small space.  Food was nicely prepared, nicely presented, and service was excellent.  All in all, I think this place warrants a "Good" and is worthy of a 1x every few weeks visit.  (If I lived in the area).  Love the Federal-style residential housing on the side streets of Alexandria!!

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That about sums it up.