the restaurant is easily accessible, but doesn't draw any attention from the few brave people out on king street in alexandria on a chilly november evening. walking through the front door, your expectations are risen with a sign that not only notes that the proper attire is required, but also a nod to manners, asking the gentlemen to remove their hats. immediately upon entering, you are greeted by the hostess while still taking in the rich earth tones of the decor and a vast selections of wines in encased in a sealed glass cellar to your left. the bar to the right is dimly lit; the background of conversations and people generally milling around warms you quickly from the briskness of a perfect autumn night. drinks are tastefully presented in elegant glasses, libations of all sorts, flashes of spiral lime garnishes whisk by to the people around you.
as you are notified by the hostess that your table is ready, the staff takes the drinks from the ladies in the party to be delivered at the table, while coats are checked and you make your way through a seemingly cavernous restaurant. the seats are comfortable and inviting. the table linen is thick and soft, but not in a manner that makes you wonder if you are going to beware of small bits of dinner escaping onto a frette napkin that resides on your lap for the duration of the evening.
the wait staff has a well honed knowledge of the menu, describing every minute detail of the bistro offerings to quickly trigger a pavlovian effect in you. an order of hamachi with sea salt and lemon to start, and one of the last pieces of the daily special, veal chops with creamy mashed potatoes, served with porcini mushrooms.
the hamachi is delicate to the tongue, well complemented with the sea salt and sprouts, each bite dissolves like butter in your mouth. conversation flows at the table about any manner of topics, from pop culture to brief verbal skirmishes of politics and religion. introductions are given development, back stories of people's lives provide added dimension to your gastronomic partners for the evening.
the veal chops are formidable in appearance. their arrival demands your attention. a large, solitary bone stands tall, and the arrival of only one bone in the order signifies that this is the last piece available of the evening. the wafting aroma of the veal takes a hold of your olfactory senses, as your mouth once again begins to water, savoring the arrival of 12 ounces of tender, medium rare veal, cooked to perfection. a porcini mushroom hangs at the crest of the meat, while it's companions await at the base of the large veal chop, lazily resting on a bed of creamy, buttered mashed potatoes with a sea of a thick, rich, brown veal broth reduction.
the first piece carved off is a complete shock to your senses. the veal brings you to believe that this is truly the culmination of epicurean capabilities, and no meal forthcoming will ever be as good as this. the meat is flavorful with every bite, complemented well with the porcini and dabs of mashed potatoes. this is not a meal to satisfy one's hunger, but to something that one enjoys as a piece of consumable art. every bite begs for another to follow. and when all is said and done, you are left satisfied and only a large 8 inch bone to mark the last of your food.
this has quickly and easily become my favorite restaurant in the area. if you haven't already, definitely go check it out.
