peasoup

Dinner a week ago at Mirabelle was such a let down that it made me wonder whether I would still love Palena if I could go back in time and eat there today. Is my memory of my first time in the cafe, at the bar, eating a hamburger, the old fry plate with lemons, and Ann Amernick's platonic ideal of a brownie sundae, a meal which to this day remains a favorite, simply an experience I wouldn't enjoy today? Putting aside some issues with oversalting, nothing was all that tasty at Mirabelle. We ate 1 tasting menu, and a few first courses. Best part of the meal was the cheese course. The spring soup with buckwheat tempura walleye pike that Pool Boy enjoyed was gross during our visit. One note bitterness with stale curry flavors. The lobster plate had an interesting texture, neither raw nor fully cooked, and quite chewy. The cured trout that started the tasting menu was bland, forgettable, ho-hum, and worsened with an over salty potato bite. A salmon and white asparagus plate was also bland and boring. The john dory with sauce americaine was the best dish on the tasting menu yet nothing special. The lamb shoulder was too salty and plated with pretty vegetables that were pretty flavorless. The souffle to finish the meal was fine as in passable, decent, ok. Ruta and Chin were in the house so not entirely sure what to make of such a lackluster meal.

Hi Can, I ate in the dining room in February, though we had hoped for seats at the sushi counter. We were curious what the difference was to the omakase service between the dining room and the sushi counter, but our server didn't really know. thanks for the reply!

I'm always happy coming here. But I stick to the wedge, then either the burger, camp steak, their seafood soup when they have it, or the occasional duck leg dish. Lower cost wine list, too, often changing, with selections beyond the "usual suspects". The place is what it is....I don't think it's changed post-Groupons, or even post-Greenwood.

Had dinner here for the first time Saturday. Their $50 vegetable tasting menu is the best food deal in the DC area that I can recall. Very happy with the food and the wine list's '01 Vina Gravonia. I hope to return.

hi all. I'm new here, too.