The Majestic, Old Town Alexandria - Reopen on May 24, 2016 - Chef Graham Duncan Replaces Gaby Hakman

[DPop]

Cheesesteak specal? Scoobie Doo says "rut"? Tell us about it

Open faced, toasted bread with a tomato confit spread across it, lean slices of ribeye and equally sized mushrooms spread liberally over each slice, and covered with a generous amount of provolone for a damn good sandwich that honestly is big enough to share.

I was there on a Saturday at around noon (first day they were seating for weekend lunch) and by the time we were leaving the bar was informed that there were only 4 left, so I would recommend going early if you want to give it a try as it clearly does not last very long into lunch service.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Last week, my friend and I tried Majestic. That was where I had the best meat loaf. Kudos to the kitchen!

I tried my friend's chicken, and it was fragrant, tender, moist, and delightful.

[Dave Pressley]

Went to Majestic on Sunday night for Nana's Sunday Dinner. A few notes:

*The fried chicken was crusted with flour and crack cocaine. I'm still licking my fingers.

*The cole slaw was still crunchy, well seasoned and more vinegary than creamed with mayo. I enjoyed it thoroughly, even though I detest poppy seeds. They hide between my teeth much as Easter grass hides in the couch cushions and floorboards. Shit--I think I still have a few lingerers.

*Corn on the cob. Solid, but topped with a compound butter that was indistinguishable. It looked reddish, as though it may have been flavored with chilies or harissa, but it wasn't spicy. Seasoned well and VERY enjoyable.

*Mac n' Cheese--I can't comment. I must be a martian because I've NEVER liked any version of the dish. Creamy orange cheese sauces are my kryptonite. I won't even taste it anymore.

*Strawberry shortcake was a perfect ending. Served in an aluminum pie tin with minimal amounts of fuss. Sweet berries, not-overly-sweetened whipped cream, pastry that was neither too moist nor too dry and sweetness that co-existed with the berries and cream in perfect harmony.

This was my first trip to Majestic on a Sunday and certainly the first of many.

ETA: The group I was with made the evening that much more enjoyable. Getting served family-style with a good group of friends (in a restaurant or not) just makes everything taste better. A good night.

Don- you said you were there. What did you think?

[DonRocks]

Don- you said you were there. What did you think?

I had a French 76, a Sauvignon Blanc, a half-order of housemade beet ravioli, a cod nicoise, and a cheese plate enjoyed alongside a surprisingly earthy, minerally, Australian red. I was very happy with my meal.

[Dave Pressley]

I enjoyed the Jolly Roger cocktail with dinner but my favorite beverage of the night was the orange Nehi. Just as sickeningly sweet as I remember from my childhood. Ahhhh...good stuff.

[czk]

I'm glad to see the May Sunday menu review is positive. We're thinking of taking my mom here post-Mothers' Day and were excited to see fried chicken on the list.

[rosetd]

I'm glad to see the May Sunday menu review is positive. We're thinking of taking my mom here post-Mothers' Day and were excited to see fried chicken on the list.

We had a bad experience in the diningroom during the winter so we hadn't been in for a while. Popped in during the week for a "quick one" at the bar. (We'd missed Deborah's great cocktails). So glad to see good reviews for the fried chicken in May because it's coming back in August and so are we. I wonder if you can eat Nana's Sunday Dinner at the bar? (And the wine of choice for good ole "country-fried" is what??!)

[Kibbee Nayee]

A couple of months ago I had the unqualified best liver and onions I ever had in my life. I'll be back for that dish, and maybe a side of meatloaf.

[Sthitch]

(And the wine of choice for good ole "country-fried" is what??!)

I would go with a full bodied rose, especially if you are enjoying it in the summer.

A couple of months ago I had the unqualified best liver and onions I ever had in my life.

When I had the liver and onions a couple of months ago I found that the liver was quite overcooked, so far it sits as the only disappointment that I have had at The Majestic.

[Capital Icebox]

Majestic continues to underwhelm: At the height of summer, the only tomatoes on the menu are of the cherry variety. The lone special was tempura asparagus. (Is local asparagus still in season?) And liver, meatloaf and seafood stew in August?

Majestic isn't awful, it just fails to leave an impression on me. The NY Strip is a beautiful cut, but there is very little sear on it and absolutely no char, robbing it of a lot of flavor. The baked gnocchi are drowned in tomato sauce and ricotta, a heavy-handed dish, something you might expect at a family Italian restaurant but not here. There is no surprise, no distinct impression left by the cooking (this was the fourth and likely final visit). And it certainly doesn't seem like the kitchen is going for it, either, since the entrees haven't changed much in the last year.

I am a faithful devotee of Eve, Eamonn's and PX, but for me Majestic remains the one weak spot of the Armstrong Armada.

[Walrus]

I'll be the first to say that I agree with Capital Icebox about the Majestic -- despite a fabulous opening night tasting party, the food and service have never quite hit it for me. Until yesterday. Celebrating the fact that Tripewriter and I were both home and both able to stir from our sickbeds, we made the trek to Alexandria to find some lunch. Foiled in our quest for Lickety Split by the Washington Post's Inaugural Ball, for which the staff of Eve was catering, Tripewriter next settled his mind on the Majestic. I was reluctant -- after all, Eamonn's was on the way -- right there! -- but agreed that perhaps having fried chicken for two meals in a row after a month of eating little but soup and VitaminWater was, perhaps, not a great idea, and so acquiesced to a meal at the Maj. I started with the celery root soup. It had probably too delicate a flavor for my inordinately dulled taste buds, but the texture was lovely -- light and creamy, and not too rich or coating. Tripewriter had the Caesar salad, which he said was great because he could actually taste the ingredients. Then he had the kielbasa, which he enjoyed tremendously, and I had the burger (figuring that at the least, this would be a flavor that could stand up for itself -- as much as I was tempted by the ravioli, I was 100% sure I wouldn't be able to distinguish its ephemeral and fleeting flavors). This was a GREAT burger. The texture, the juices, the flavor, THE BUN!!! It was grand. My thanks to Chef Red and the rest of the gang at the Maj for making a couple of miserable people and making them momentarily but completely happy.

[DonRocks]

Mrs. Obama and her daughters were there tonight!

[VABoy]

Tim Carman reports: Michelle Obama, her mom and daughters celebrated a b-day at The Majestic yesterday.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2009/07/31/michelle-obama-and-company-dine-at-the-majestic-on-thursday/

[DannyNoonan]

Nice dinner at The Majestic on Sat. evening. Started off nicely with a well-made Sazerac from the bar - Sazerac rye, Peychaud bitters, dash of sugar vigorously mixed in a Pernod-washed glass. Nicely done. My wife and her mom also enjoyed the "mocktails" put forth from the bar. One with fresh blackberry syrup and the other a peach concoction - both light and refreshing.

We started off with the tomato & mozzarella salads, served with pesto and balsamic. Sweet tomatoes, creamy housemade mozzarella, and a hint of tartness from the vinegar. Perfect summer appetizer.

I ordered the corn ravioli as an entree. I was as attracted to the accompaniments of chanterelles, cherry tomatoes, and peas as I was to the actual ravioli and was not disappointed. The corn filling was sweet and creamy and the raviolis were plump and well-cooked. Ordered the summer succotash side dish as well (field beans, corn, tomatoes, pearl onions) and found this went particularly well with the ravioli and brown butter sauce as well. Paired with a suprisingly pleasant unoaked Virginia Chardonnay. Overall, another very nice offering. My wife had the brick-grilled chicken. I seem to remember them getting their chicken from Polyface Farms in the past and it seems as if they still could be based on how flavorful and moist the chicken was. Nothing complicated, just really good.

Strawberry shortcake and key lime pie for dessert. Both sublime, esp the shortcake in the former. Nice ice wine from VA (I forget the name) to round out the meal.

Overall, an outstanding effort once again.

[Kibbee Nayee]

No comments on this place since last August....?

Had dinner there with a friend tonight. Overall it was just decent, not great, but not bad.

I started with the mussels, clams and chorizo appetizer. Plenty of food, nicely sauced, and the mussels were plump and meaty. The clams were a little difficult to remove from their shells, and the dish had an unpleasant grittiness. The kitchen obviously did a quick rinse, but didn't put in the extra effort to really scrub the shells. Grittiness is very of-putting to me in a dish of this nature. In retrospect I should have ordered the fried oysters, which my friend ordered and declared quite good.

The main course for me was the braised short ribs, a tough choice with the calf's liver and the meatloaf staring at me from the main course menu. These were tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth ribs, very meaty and very good. The sides were not hitting any high notes, with clumpy potatoes, some pearl onions and a few baby carrots, all adding up to an unimaginative accompaniment. But the short ribs were spot-on.

So...in the end analysis, decent food, plenty of it, a bit of laziness and lack of imagination from the kitchen, but worth many revisits and better menu selection on my part.

[ktmoomau]

I went for lunch about a month ago. I had iced tea and a oyster po-boy. The iced tea was great ice tea, not lipton or some mix, but honest too goodness real (and good) tea. The po-boy was one of the best I have had in the area, the bread was soft inside but crunchy, the oysters fried well with good flavor, remoulade sauce was good but not to heavy. I have been meaning to get back there for lunch, but it wasn't a very healthy menu and I have been trying to watch what I eat for lunches so I can splurge on dinners.

[jiveturk21]

Six of us for dinner on Saturday night, $60 at the bar (including tax and tip) for four drinks, $400 in the dining room (including tax and tip) for a wide variety of items. Our server seemed a bit clueless at times, but other than that, the experience was well worth the money.

The fact that the caesar salad here is the same price as the one that I had at Food Wine & Co. just a week earlier goes to show you that some restauranteurs are on crack. It also tells you that customers, like me, are stupid too for ordering subpar dishes. Chances are that I will never order another caesar salad again, I have had the highs and the lows, and don't see a need to ever push the bounds one way or another.

Onion rings and butternut squash gnocchi were perfect to share amongst the group to begin, pork cheeks and chesapeake bay stew were the winners amongst the entrees. I would say that the meatloaf disappointed, it was a bit dry and heavy, but the expectations were also out of this world. The coconut cake was out of this world, but the squash and date streudel won for best dessert that I have had in recent memory. In fact, it well outweighed the disappointment we faced with beignets that were too dense. Red wine, both a Bordeaux and malbec blend, were served at the proper temperature (i.e., not hot from sitting next to the kitchen).

Overall, it was a great experience, one that people should not miss when spending time in Old Towne.

[DonRocks]

The fact that the caesar salad here is the same price as the one that I had at Food Wine & Co. just a week earlier goes to show you that some restauranteurs are on crack. It also tells you that customers, like me, are stupid too for ordering subpar dishes. Chances are that I will never order another caesar salad again, I have had the highs and the lows, and don't see a need to ever push the bounds one way or another.

Seeking clarification from this paragraph. Based on your Food, Wine, & Co. post, I'm not sure what to make of the comparison, although your third sentence here implies you cared for neither.

Has Caesar Salad gone the way of Steak Tartare, Jockey Club's Crêpes Suzettes, and, oh, Famoso's Risotto, in terms of table-side preparation in this town? Well, at least there's guacamole!

[Dave Pressley]

Stopped in for lunch today with a great friend and ended up having one of the best burgers in recent memory. It all started with the bun...it looked as dense as a biscuit but wasn't at all crumbly or dry. It held together all the way through the sandwich and held all of the burger-juice without turning into a mess. It wasn't a Hell Burger, but it wasn't trying to be. It was a classy, well-executed burger with a lot of flavor.

The meat was cooked a perfect medium rare and was perfectly seasoned. Accompanying sides of fries and pickles were great--I have no idea if they were housemade, but I have to assume they were. (I have to assume the bun was housemade as well. It looked as if it was.)

I also stopped in here for a quick late lunch a couple weeks ago for some chicken liver mousse and cheeses with my wife but didn't post. We had the same great service both then and today from the bartender. She was efficient, friendly and knowledgable. I don't know if I'll ever have lunch at the Majestic again away from the bar. It was perfect both times.

The Majestic is easily my favorite restaurant in Virginia right now.

[mdt]

Another enjoyable dinner at The Majestic. Nana's Sunday dinner was perfect for the visiting MIL last night after a walk around Old Town. Some of the best fried chicken that I have had in a long time and it was enjoyable to have a good gravy to go with the mashed. The mac-n-cheese was not as creamy as I would have liked, but that is just a nit.

The menus for June and July don't look too bad either.

[DannyNoonan]

I had a fantastic birthday dinner with my wife at The Majestic on Saturday evening.

Seated comfortably in a booth just in time for our reservation, we started with a couple mint juleps, as it was Kentucky Derby Day, an order of fried green tomatoes, and an order of sauteed calamari. The drinks were great - ice cold, tasting of bourbon with just enough subtle sweetness to take the edge off. Fantastic. The fried green tomatoes were served with a round of herbed goat cheese, ramps, and small cubes of diced beets. The full flavored, tangy goat cheese worked very well with the acidity of the tomatoes while also marrying perfectly with the beet flavor. The calamari were tender, not the least bit rubbery, and served with rapini and cherry tomato halves. This was a well composed and well prepared dish and I would have noted it more had it not been competing with the fried green tomatoes which I thought were fantastic.

For an entree, I chose the asparagus and morel mushroom ravioli and my wife chose the pan roasted red snapper. We also ordered a side of spring peas. Both dishes were nothing short of superb. The generous portion of ravioli featured crisp tender thin asparagus sections and morel bites topping i think 7 or 8 al dente pillows of ricotta-filled pasta. All this lightly bathed in a butter sauce that somehow did not weigh the dish down at all. I ate every bite. It was fantastic. My wife's snapper, which I sampled liberally was equally delicious. The fish was cooked to perfection - seared in a very hot pan to give it a nice textural crunch that offset the flaky lightness of the middle. Artichokes, potatoes, and carrots rounded out the dish.

It was my birthday so I felt justified in ordering a piece of the coconut layer cake. What I got must have equaled a quarter of a cake, the portion was that big. It was perfect though. The cake was perfectly moist and the frosting was creamy with just a hint of sweetness to play up the coconut flakes. It paired very nicely with the chenin blanc dessert wine I ordered.

Service was crisp and efficient and unobtrusive, with the delivery of dishes timed perfectly. I have always thought highly of the food, service, and ambiance of The Majestic and Saturday's experience proved me right once again.

[DannyNoonan]

I had a fantastic birthday dinner with my wife at The Majestic on Saturday evening.

Seated comfortably in a booth just in time for our reservation, we started with a couple mint juleps, as it was Kentucky Derby Day, an order of fried green tomatoes, and an order of sauteed calamari. The drinks were great - ice cold, tasting of bourbon with just enough subtle sweetness to take the edge off. Fantastic. The fried green tomatoes were served with a round of herbed goat cheese, ramps, and small cubes of diced beets. The full flavored, tangy goat cheese worked very well with the acidity of the tomatoes while also marrying perfectly with the beet flavor. The calamari were tender, not the least bit rubbery, and served with rapini and cherry tomato halves. This was a well composed and well prepared dish and I would have noted it more had it not been competing with the fried green tomatoes which I thought were fantastic.

For an entree, I chose the asparagus and morel mushroom ravioli and my wife chose the pan roasted red snapper. We also ordered a side of spring peas. Both dishes were nothing short of superb. The generous portion of ravioli featured crisp tender thin asparagus sections and morel bites topping i think 7 or 8 al dente pillows of ricotta-filled pasta. All this lightly bathed in a butter sauce that somehow did not weigh the dish down at all. I ate every bite. It was fantastic. My wife's snapper, which I sampled liberally was equally delicious. The fish was cooked to perfection - seared in a very hot pan to give it a nice textural crunch that offset the flaky lightness of the middle. Artichokes, potatoes, and carrots rounded out the dish.

It was my birthday so I felt justified in ordering a piece of the coconut layer cake. What I got must have equaled a quarter of a cake, the portion was that big. It was perfect though. The cake was perfectly moist and the frosting was creamy with just a hint of sweetness to play up the coconut flakes. It paired very nicely with the chenin blanc dessert wine I ordered.

Service was crisp and efficient and unobtrusive, with the delivery of dishes timed perfectly. I have always thought highly of the food, service, and ambiance of The Majestic and Saturday's experience proved me right once again.

[lperry]

We stopped in for lunch at the Majestic today when we were in Old Town for work. We figured anything in the Eve group would be great, and it had been one of those mornings that made us feel like we deserved something a little more special. When we went in, there was some kind of photo shoot happening, and, in retrospect, we probably should have left when we saw it.

Mr. lperry ordered the snapper and thought it was good. The fish was seared and cooked very well, and it was nicely seasoned. The vegetables on the plate were tender-crisp. I ordered the morel and asparagus ravioli and was disappointed. The asparagus and mushrooms were delicious and cooked to the perfect bite, but the pasta was tough and a little dry on the edges, seemingly from sitting for a while. The seasoning was uneven across the plate with both the salt and pepper. I had to grab my drink after one bite because of the amount of pepper it had on it.

Service was fairly inattentive. Even with our initial drink order, we waited quite some time, and we both found it difficult to describe the situation as we left to go to the car. The best we could come up with was “aloof,” as if we were a little bit of a bother. The situation was one where we thought about mentioning the problems with the food to the server or the manager on the way out, but we didn’t because of the inattentiveness. Arguing both sides, in the server’s defense, I was asked how the meal was, but it was after I had only a couple of bites, and then I wasn’t asked again.

It is clear from the thread that others have had much better experiences than we did, even with the same entrées. We were both disappointed in the experience, but we also hope that this was just a misfire because the kitchen and staff were busy with the photographer.

[Pizzaandbrew]

I ordered the morel and asparagus ravioli and was disappointed. The asparagus and mushrooms were delicious and cooked to the perfect bite, but the pasta was tough and a little dry on the edges, seemingly from sitting for a while. The seasoning was uneven across the plate with both the salt and pepper. I had to grab my drink after one bite because of the amount of pepper it had on it.

Service was fairly inattentive. Even with our initial drink order, we waited quite some time, and we both found it difficult to describe the situation as we left to go to the car. The best we could come up with was “aloof,” as if we were a little bit of a bother. The situation was one where we thought about mentioning the problems with the food to the server or the manager on the way out, but we didn’t because of the inattentiveness. Arguing both sides, in the server’s defense, I was asked how the meal was, but it was after I had only a couple of bites, and then I wasn’t asked again. "

Not to be argumentative, but you mention you knew after the first bite that the ravioli was overpeppered and had to reach for your drink. Yet when asked after a couple of bites you chose not to mention this. At what point are diners responsible for their own satisfaction?

[leleboo]

Not to be argumentative, but you mention you knew after the first bite that the ravioli was overpeppered and had to reach for your drink. Yet when asked after a couple of bites you chose not to mention this. At what point are diners responsible for their own satisfaction?

I may be wrong here but by "one bite" I don't think lperry meant the FIRST bite was overpeppered -- I thought she meant that A PARTICULAR/SINGLE bite was, at some point during the meal (and that others were underpeppered/undersalted, hence the inconsistency). That's how I read it.

[Pizzaandbrew]

I may be wrong here but by "one bite" I don't think lperry meant the FIRST bite was overpeppered -- I thought she meant that A PARTICULAR/SINGLE bite was, at some point during the meal (and that others were underpeppered/undersalted, hence the inconsistency). That's how I read it.

Point taken. Thanks for the perspective.

[lperry]

I may be wrong here but by "one bite" I don't think lperry meant the FIRST bite was overpeppered -- I thought she meant that A PARTICULAR/SINGLE bite was, at some point during the meal (and that others were underpeppered/undersalted, hence the inconsistency). That's how I read it.

That's how I meant it.

[Pizzaandbrew]

That's how I meant it.

My apologies for misconstruing. Shannon was actually a bartender for me a long time ago. I admire what she does in the kitchen and I think my protective instincts kicked in.

[yfunk3]

The last couple of times I went (about a week apart in late May), I did notice a wait staff issue. It seemed that, at least during the lunch service, there just wasn't enough wait staff to handle even a half-full dining room. But being a long-time and frequent diner there, I chalked it up to it being a fluke. I then noticed upon walking out that there was a "help wanted" sign in the window, so have high hopes that it's just a temporary issue.

The food has been better at dinner than at lunch, from my personal experiences.

[TSchaad]

Perhaps the staffing issue is part of the opening of Virtue Feed & Grain. You have to think that some of the lead service staff came from other EatGoodFood operations to insure a smoother start there.

TSchaad

[plunk]

Perhaps the staffing issue is part of the opening of Virtue Feed & Grain. You have to think that some of the lead service staff came from other EatGoodFood operations to insure a smoother start there.

TSchaad

Was gonna say the same thing. We were at VF&F recently, and noticed some familiar faces from both Eve and Majestic.

[darkstar965]

Majestic in Old Town for a business lunch today. A salad of the day with 3 or 4 very nicely seared scallops and generous portion of greens/radishes. And the fried oyster starter which, with the salad, made a nice but lighter meal.

[Pat]

I had thought Nana's Sunday dinner sounded like a good experience. The menu for September looked especially good and included Caesar salad, a favorite of my husband.

It wasn't possible to reserve on Open Table, so I called a month (or more) ago and talked to a reservationist about it. She said that it was very popular and so not available on Open Table. We talked about the menu, and I made my reservation. On Wednesday, I got a call confirming my reservation. We got there tonight and were told it was sold out and that we had to reserve in advance to have gotten the Sunday dinner. Thinking I had reserved in advance, I was a bit peeved. That was the whole reason I made the call to the restaurant to begin with, and I had made it clear to the person I talked to why I was calling. The (very nice) waiter checked and no go, we couldn't get the Sunday dinner. A manager eventually came over, apologized, and said no too. Of course, they have no way of knowing I'm not making this up. I don't have a name for whom I spoke to and don't even know if she still works there.

If you want to go to the Sunday dinner, make absolutely sure you are making a reservation of a meal or multiple meals with the reservationist. Double check when they call to confirm your reservation.

We liked our meal okay but, since we were kind of steaming, we weren't really in the most positive mood. My husband thought his Caesar and ravioli were okay. I liked the breading on the onion rings I got, but the meatloaf was too dense. I generally love mashed potatoes, but these didn't do it for me. Amusingly enough, the thing I liked most on my plate was the wax beans (see my comment in the picky eater thread).

[Pat]

An update. The Service Director called us because my husband expressed satisfaction on a comment card. She was very nice and seemed concerned. We went back and forth a few times. I clearly didn't understand that there was also a la carte food, which had made me think our reservations had to be for the Sunday dinner. Everyone at the restaurant was/has been very nice. I would still say to be very sure of what you are reserving for if you want the Sunday dinner. (It's possible, for instance, for one person to get a la carte and another to get Sunday dinner.)

In the interest of further update while not cranky. I neglected to mention that the gravy was very flavorful and made the food on the plate more palatable. The meatloaf we brought home--while too pate-like for my tastes--was very good in a meatloaf sandwich.

[monavano]

An update. The Service Director called us because my husband expressed satisfaction on a comment card. She was very nice and seemed concerned. We went back and forth a few times. I clearly didn't understand that there was also a la carte food, which had made me think our reservations had to be for the Sunday dinner. Everyone at the restaurant was/has been very nice. I would still say to be very sure of what you are reserving for if you want the Sunday dinner. (It's possible, for instance, for one person to get a la carte and another to get Sunday dinner.)

In the interest of further update while not cranky. I neglected to mention that the gravy was very flavorful and made the food on the plate more palatable. The meatloaf we brought home--while too pate-like for my tastes--was very good in a meatloaf sandwich.

So you thought that only Nana's Dinner is served on Sundays? You had mentioned you discussed the menu in the first post, so it's such a shame that somehow wires got crossed and they did not ask you specifically if you wanted to reserve Nana.

The silver lining is that I've wanted to try it out for a while and now I know .

[Pat]

So you thought that only Nana's Dinner is served on Sundays? You had mentioned you discussed the menu in the first post, so it's such a shame that somehow wires got crossed and they did not ask you specifically if you wanted to reserve Nana.

The silver lining is that I've wanted to try it out for a while and now I know .

We talked about it because that was the reason I called in the first place. You can't reserve Sundays there on Open Table (which turns out to be because they offer both the regular menu and Nana's.) When I initially called, we were having a discussion about how much food there would be and how many dinners we would need to order, and I took away from the conversation that we would decide when we ordered at the table, but apparently this was an order we had to make in advance over the phone. I thought we had pre-ordered at least one dinner but we hadn't ordered any.

They were all very nice and accommodating. Just make sure you've reserved what you think you've reserved.

There were people (maybe 6?) at a table across from us having the dinner, and they looked like they were having a great time.

[Bart]

Not so Majestic.......

After a wonderful meal at the Majestic a few months ago, my wife and I decided to take my parents there when they were in town last week. I wish our recent meal was as good as the earlier one, but sadly it wasn’t. Nothing was horribly wrong or needed attention from the manager, it just wasn’t great. Our server was competent but not polished and had a look that just didn’t belong in a nice place. Scraggly facial hair is not appealing in someone bringing you your food! He also did the old upselling trick on the salads…..”Would you like a house or Caesar salad with that?” My parents both said yes, because where they come from when you’re asked a question like that the assumption is that the salad comes with the main course. I didn’t say anything as I didn’t want to spoil the mood (and was picking up the tab), but those salad were an extra 10 bucks each! Had my parents known this, they would have been appalled and not ordered them, or it would have badly tainted their meal.

The next bizarre bit of service came when the main courses arrived. Someone, a hostess or manager (not our server), arrived at our table with one dish in each hand, held at shoulder height. She stood there for a few seconds without saying anything and then said, “I need to slide this” in a tone that suggested a bit of anger like we’ve all done this drill hundreds of times. Yes, that’s a direct quote, and no, we didn’t know what she was talking about or what to do about it as there looked to be enough room on the table to put the plates down. Using all my powers of deduction, I surmised that “I need to slide this” was code for, “Could you please make some room for these plates?”, we did and she put my father’s plate (the plate she needed to slide) in front of my mother. Hardly the end of the world, but a little weird and borderline rude. I really hate when a server arrives with both hands full, says nothing and expects the guests to be mind readers. If you’d like me to make some more room on the table, just ask!

The meal itself was also hit or miss. My venison was rubbery and chewy except the end pieces that had a little more char on them and were very good, and the accompanying greens were oversalted and most remained on my plate. My mother liked the meatloaf but it was nothing special and either she or my wife could have made a better one. I’m a fan of meatloaf, but wouldn’t order this one again. My father liked the mussels and my wife liked her Restaurant Week choices: butternut squash ravioli, key lime pie and the best dish of the entire evening the appetizer called “Tomatoes and Potatoes”. Onions, potatoes, fried green tomatoes all toped with a sunny side up egg. That was a true winner and worth going back for. The onion ring appetizer was also a big hit.

The pace of the meal was also strange. The place was only1/3 full when we arrived, but there were very long pauses between courses where we just sat and sat. Our plates probably sat on the table for 10 minutes after we were all done eating and it was another 10 minutes of waiting for my wife’s dessert. We eventually flagged down our server and asked for it to go.

From the service to food, it was one of the least enjoyable meals I can remember in recent years, which sounds horrible, but it’s actually a comment on how many great meals I’ve had lately. This meal was far below what I’ve grown accustom to and really stood out.

Do you think the Armstrong’s are getting stretched too thin? Who knows, but sadly, I've lost my desire to return to this place.

[JuneBacon]

Not so Majestic.......

This is pretty dissappointing. I think the food at the Majestic has been my favorite in Old Town for a while now. I really like the restaurant as well. I think people have always had problems with the service, but we have never been treated with disrespect like you did. We are going tonight for RW, I am glad I saw your RW reccomendations though. Although I would be hard pressed to not order something that had freid green tomatoes and an egg on it. I'll let you know if it lives up to our expectations.

[yfunk3]

It's sad to hear that they're still having service problems. I haven't been in a few months, but I remember the last couple of times I went, Virtue was just opening/had opened and the service was noticeably worse/wobbly than every other time I went before. I was thinking this is just because some of the Majestic servers might have gone to Virtue, and the newer servers were learning their stride...but apparently not?

I'd still list it as my favorite place right now, but again...I haven't been in months. Hoping the server issue isn't going to be a continued problem.

[JuneBacon]

Our service problems go back a few years, haha. I actually haven't been in more than a few months too.

I am probably opting to not order off the RWeek menu tonight. Although its a nice deal, I don't like my choices to be limited.

I.e. I want the octopus.

[JuneBacon]

Dinner on Friday night (01/20), party of 4, 9:30pm reservation. We had a very nice night minus a seating fiasco.

We arrived 15 minutes early, checked in and were told that their reservations were right on time. We waited patiently. A few minutes after us, a party of 3 arrived and seemed to be chatting it up with one of the women who was helping the hostess. It became clear to me that after she was explaining the menu to them that they were her family (based on looks). 9:35 goes by and we were still not seated.

At about 9:40, the semi-hostesses' family was seated at a 4 person table. 10 more minutes go by, and the semi-hostess tells us that our table is finished eating, but they are chatting, so it shouldn't be more than 10 minutes. (I assume this was her scientific estimation?) Meanwhile there is an open booth right by the hostess stand. Semi-hostess comes back barely 1 minute later and tells us that another table is packing up and it should only be 3 minutes! Yay !

10 more minutes go by and we are seated. So we were essentially told 3 different things that were not true, and family members were blatantly seated ahead of us in the short time we waited that seemed like an eternity. For some strange strange reason, this place will never have A+ service, but the food always brings us back.

Our meal was not the most memorable we have had here, but it was very delicious.

I started with the grilled baby octopus, which was a teensie bit overcooked, and a teensy bit rubbery, but the buckwheat polenta was a nice creamy and citrusy complement. Future wife had the Tomatoes and Potatoes, which was very good, but did not live up to fried green tomatoes which we have had here in the past.

For the entree, I had the venison leg steak, medium rare. Came out beautifully red/purple in the center, very tender and flavorful. The acommpanying sauce was a very nice sweet bias to the savory venison.

Future wife had the Virginia Pork chop. It was really beautiful dish, super moist and flavorful, I preferred it to my venison. The quince-apple cider sauce was such a great pairing.

My favorite dish of the night was the side we chose to share, whole wheat parpadelle w/ black trumpets, parlsey, red wide and parmesan. Super creamy, and the pasta was perfectly toothsome. Loved the mushrooms and cheese, such a nice dish with a lot of depth, especially for whole wheat pasta from which I am usually not a fan.

Coconut cake was wonderful as well. I had a nice burboun fizz drink that was fun.

All in all a good night that rounded first base with a broken leg but sprinted home with some gusto!

[goldenticket]

After a hectic and somewhat stressful several days, all I wanted was comfort food in a comfortable spot. Fortunately, The Majestic had open seats at the bar beckoning as we walked by on Sunday evening. Like JuneBacon, we started with the grilled baby octopus, which was a bit overcooked in spots, but tender and tasty in the spots that were cooked just right. The polenta and rapini accompanying the octopus were hearty and satisfying. A side of Red's Onion Rings was the best execution of onion rings I've had in a long while (and maybe ever). Perfect crispy batter; big, tender rings; and interesting sauces for dipping.

For our main, we shared the meatloaf, always a favorite, and just what I was looking for that night. It's always nice to have a shared dish brought out already separated onto two plates. Paired with green beans with caramelized onions and bacon, and whipped potatoes - I don't think this dish could get any more comforting.

A Frisco Sour provided a refreshing start; the coconut cake (to go) was a great end to the meal. I don't make it in as often as I'd like, but when I do, it never disappoints.

[JLK]

Star sighting eh?

[DannyNoonan]

Fantastic evening at Majestic on Saturday evening. Gracious service, excellent food in a welcoming setting. We arrived with our party of 6, including two kids, and were welcomed like family. Some highlights -

* Interesting cocktail list - I often like to start off a meal with a cocktail so a well thought out list like Majestic's is a godsend. Not that we should be surprised given Mr. Thrasher's pedigree but it's a great feature. I tried the Leap Year (gin, Grand Marnier, bitters) and liked it alot.

* Guacamole - made tableside, great consistency, pleasantly limey with a bit of heat. My kids loved it too.

* Blue catfish - this was my entree choice and it was great. Relatively mild flavored fish enlivened by sweet-sour sauce featuring black sesame seeds served over sunchokes and spring onions. Completely awesome, especially paired with the Albarino offered by the glass

* Grilled branzino - my wife and MIL ordered this entree and really liked it. It is served with a fermented black bean sauce and jasmine rice. It required a bit of work to avoid the bones, but both plates were clean at the end of the meal.

* Kids burgers - seriously, these burgers and fries were big enough for an adult. I know I always harp on this but places that make the effort to put out a decent plate for kids deserve commendation

* Service - the entire staff could not have been more welcoming or accomodating. The way they interacted with our kids and were friendly all the while keeping the meal flowing and staying professional was fantastic.

The Majestic is a great place. I feel sometimes like it flies a bit under the radar but it's not often that a place offers such a high level of food and drink in a setting that is so warm and welcoming.

[mr food]

Dining at Majestic tomorrow night.  Any recent visits?

[jandres374]

Thanks to the bartender today for ruining my nice relaxing lunch.  In the middle of my meal he decided it was best opportunity to start chatting up the two ladies next to me.  Next thing I know I get a 10 minute story about his ski accident in high school, broken wrist with bone sticking out, vomiting, twisting back in place, etc.  Don't think he spared any detail, except maybe re-filling my drink that sat empty for the last 10 minutes of my meal.

[Bart]

The chef is leaving and so are the Armstrongs.

 

[darkstar965]

The chef is leaving and so are the Armstrongs.

Big news but have to feel great for Chef Overmiller that she was able to secure something that'll give her some balance for the first time in her career.

The Armstrongs (and Warners) did heroic work to restore/redefine what Majestic now is and it's sad to see that end.  But, so it goes with restaurants.  This is a place I'll remember very fondly while looking forward to whatever new comes down the EGF chute.  And, of course, depending on what comes next for Majestic, may stay a spot very much worth going to.

[The Doctor]

On Facebook, Chef Overmiller says her last day is the 17th. Only a handful of opentable reservations remain for the next few days.

[Bart]

Anyone care to hypothesize on what happened here?  I don't want to get all gossipy, just trying to understand what happened.

If I look at this like a football team, the owner doesn't sell the team just because the coach takes another job.  They just find a new coach.

Why would the Armstrong's bail on an operation that was successful?  (maybe my confusion is because I thought they owned the Majestic and not just ran it, (or whatever they did))