shogun Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Great time at the Bar Agraria preview night! Derek, Tom, and the bar crew are doing seriously excellent work with the cocktails. I had the pleasure of trying three last night, and each was interesting and delicious in that way that too oftens seems difficult to locate! I too liked the way the restaurant was laid out. Unlike the other culinary caverns flaking Agraria, the space belied its true size through good use of partitions and private rooms. Most of the restaurant can't be seen from the bar area, and the 'main dining room' area didn't actually seem that big for the numbers it would serve vs. the capacity of the private rooms and that awesome wine room. I also agree that the bar was a little on the small size for the projected capacity, so hopefully those tables in front of it will be used more for bar seating. Going to be a tight fit on a busy Saturday night! Look forward to hearing about the food! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 My wife and I stopped in last night to try out the drinks. I ordered "The Martini" and my wife chose the Champange Cocktail. "The Martini" was the best I have had in Washington. It tasted like more than just gin, the bitters really bring a depth of flavor to this drink. The Champagne Cocktail was good, but paled compared to the Martini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 Mr. BLB and I stopped in on Saturday night for drinks before heading up to dinner at Citronelle. I never go down to the Harbour so I was shocked at how crowded it was. That was freaky. The space is huge and very sleek but a warm sleek, not a cold sleek... Derek greeted us warmly and turned us over into Tom's capable hands. We started with a Bronx and Sidecar. Very nice and much less sweet than the versions you see elsewhere. We then let Tom loose on his "obscure" cocktail craze and tried The Last Word. I remember it had gin but tasted like a margarita to me. Good but seriously strong. We didn't look at the menu but saw many a nice looking hamburger pass us by. Not sure how often we will find ourselves in the Georgetown area but we liked what we saw on Saturday night. Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonc Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I imagine you guys saw the aforementioned Regan's, along with Fee's and Peychaud's. I'm anxious to try this place out - and Mrs. BLB, it's not surprising that you found these cocktails to be quite strong, as prohibition era cocktails often are just that. They work with the natural flavor of the liquor, instead of hiding it among various mixers as more contemporary ones do. The revival of classic cocktail mixing in Washington is indeed good news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ol_ironstomach Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I imagine you guys saw the aforementioned Regan's, along with Fee's and Peychaud's. Saw them? Heck, we tasted them! Tom and Derek really were superb hosts that evening. (apologies for the blurry crap-o-la phonecam quality) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 My wife and I stopped in last night to try out the drinks. I ordered "The Martini" and my wife chose the Champange Cocktail. "The Martini" was the best I have had in Washington. It tasted like more than just gin, the bitters really bring a depth of flavor to this drink. The Champagne Cocktail was good, but paled compared to the Martini. I learned tonight that the secret is really, really good vermouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBK Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 CNN coverage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Does Agraria have parking or is it street parking only? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Does Agraria have parking or is it street parking only? Underground lot parking in Washington Harbor complex. They don't validate. It's $7.50 to park there after 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I parked on the street and guess what? Agraria was closed tonight. No evidence of a private event. No sign of life, period. We ended up at (blah) Mate instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I attended a private reception at Agraria last nite. It's a simply decorated, modern space with plenty of warmth, especially in the private dining rooms with sunflower murals and fireplaces. Apparently, North Dakota has lots of sunflowers. The reception had an open bar with a couple of featured wines. I had a glass of Albarino - nice and dry. Also tried the Agraria cocktail (Bulleit bourbon, sunflower bitters) and the Sidecar. The Agraria was sweet and the Sidecar was just right. The best version I've had in DC. Hooray for the return of classic cocktails. The hors d'oeuvres were bacon-wrapped asparagus, fingerling potatoes with sour cream and caviar, assorted bruschetta with tomatoes, olive tapenade, beef and peppers, and an assortment of others. All fine. The ingredients came from several states, Pennsylvania, Missouri, North Dakota, to name a few. It was cool to watch the prep of the food in the open kitchen. Agraria has a lot of potential. A nice, classy place with a great bar in an area known for mediocre food and drunken bar scene. I hope it does well. If they can get a great chef to work some magic with the farmers' products, people will come. They're serving a bistro dinner menu only right now. Re parking: There's a $5 evening parking lot across from the movie theater, about a block from the restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted June 10, 2006 Share Posted June 10, 2006 Agraria is the new contender for best tasting burger around DC. Grade A fries, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Nice piece on Agraria on NPR Weekend All Things Considered. It gives some of the background on the process of deciding what kind of restaurant, where to locate, etc. The question about having a place for farm lobbyists to go was an interesting one, given recent events around town. Click here to listen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 My mom is coming to visit us from Washington State and would like to take me out to dinner for my birthday. Can any of you give me an idea of the price range of Agraria? The website hasn't posted menus yet. (It sounds highly recommendable for the drinks alone; nothing like getting plastered in front of your mother.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 My mom is coming to visit us from Washington State and would like to take me out to dinner for my birthday. Can any of you give me an idea of the price range of Agraria? The website hasn't posted menus yet. (It sounds highly recommendable for the drinks alone; nothing like getting plastered in front of your mother.) Full menu is not available yet, only the "bistro menu" which is fairly small. Good charcuterie and excellent burger, although that doesn't sound like what you'd want to eat on your birthday. Go there and ask Derek for The Martini. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING The clock on the machine that dispenses tickets for the garage underneath Washington Harbour is about eight minutes slow. So if you get into the garage at 5:06PM real time (the lower evening parking rates ostensibly start at 5PM) be prepared to debate the matter (and your resultant charge) when you try to leave the garage. WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 I really really really enjoyed the burger. Really. The Mounds Mojito didn't float my boat because I think it mixes a before and after dinner drink in a way that didn't suit me. Chocolate before dinner was my mistake, lime afterword, probably the same. What a lovely space. Of course fine service. I see myself there more often. eta: many fine people like both grasshoppers and grasshopper pie, me not so much - lesson: know thyself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 My wife and I were there Saturday night on the way home from Makoto. It's an appealing space and I look forward to trying their food, but we just had drinks and coffee. My Sazeracs were very good, if a bit sweet, and the bar also made an excellent Manhattan. The place was pretty loud because of a gaggle of bachelorettes who looked like they had just stepped out of a John Waters movie. A Dante-esque note was provided by the parking situation, which of course is almost always bad in Georgetown. But that night you may as well have put a sign saying "Abbandonate la speranza..." above our parking garage. It took us 45 minutes to get out of it, and we were only one level down. Truly awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 My Sazeracs were very good, if a bit sweet Allow me to join you on the head of this pin. The barkeeps dispense simple syrup from the same flasks-cum-pitchers used for juices, which makes it awfully easy to over-sugar a Saz. Coupled with the use of the "barely legal" (51% rye) Wild Turkey rye, this nit-of-a-nit can lead to a bit sweeter drink than is desired (and insufficiently distinguised from the supposed-to-be-a-bit-sweet, wonderful Agraria Cocktail). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Allow me to join you on the head of this pin. The barkeeps dispense simple syrup from the same flasks-cum-pitchers used for juices, which makes it awfully easy to over-sugar a Saz. Coupled with the use of the "barely legal" (51% rye) Wild Turkey rye, this nit-of-a-nit can lead to a bit sweeter drink than is desired (and insufficiently distinguised from the supposed-to-be-a-bit-sweet, wonderful Agraria Cocktail). Yes, I noted that myself when I saw my drink being made. (Also, for my Sazeracs he happened to use Jim Beam Rye, not WT.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Yeah, you're right--he may use WT rye for Manhattans. I prefer the drier, higher-toned Old Overholt to Beam rye for Saz'es. Beam rye shares over-sugaring susceptibility with WT rye, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babka Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Agraria is the new contender for best tasting burger around DC. Grade A fries, too.If I may dare hearsay...that's a burger that would do Landrum proud. Seriously. We stumbled into Agraria after vodka & oysters at Sea Catch, so my memory, washed with a beautiful alcohol haze, is sparse on details. But oh my stars, I want this place to succeed. It's beautiful, with enormous windows, a few fireplaces, and a color scheme that shades from bright whites and soft hipster to dark, flickering private rooms, but I could eat that hamburger as a last meal in a windowless, flea-ridden hut and die a very happy woman. The beef is a perfect, thick, oozing medium rare, with a pickle something that sparks up your mouth. We nibbled at the charcuterie plate, which was perfectly fine, but the hamburger...I didn't even want ketchup, which is no small thing in the hamburger game. And while I usually hate all cocktails not called "Martinis" (sugar and alcohol tastes, to me, like soap and coke--why suffer?), the chartreuse aviator something or another was, um, another happy factor in the alcohol-hazed bliss. But the prices are high enough that I worry about Agraria's health, particularly without a chef. The hamburger, at $13, was one of the cheapest items on the menu; the cocktail was $12, add in tax and tip and you'll rapidly understand the poor masses standing at Tony & Joe's across the way. It's true that puts it into Palena cafe territory, but Cleveland Park for fine-dining, even on the cheap, is a no brainer. The waterfront, in contrast, draws a beer and burger crowd. Unless Agraria puts a few items on the menu to satisfy that crew, either in the form of a happy hour or a few gently-priced menu items, or unless it finds a chef who can draw Washingtonians to a new, parking-unfriendly corner of town, I don't see how it can attract the traffic it needs to keep that enormous space afloat. which would be a damn shame...because did I mention, the burger would do Landrum proud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 What are the hours? Specifically wondering about late afternoon on what promises to be a really sucky day tomorrow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferhat Yalcin Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 So , who is the new Chef? Mr Sietsema said they would announce this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 So , who is the new Chef? Mr Sietsema said they would announce this morning.According to Metrocurean, it's Ricky Moore - coming from Parrot Cage in Chicago, but with local experience at Vidalia, Equinox, and Galileo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonc Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Allow me to join you on the head of this pin. The barkeeps dispense simple syrup from the same flasks-cum-pitchers used for juices, which makes it awfully easy to over-sugar a Saz. Coupled with the use of the "barely legal" (51% rye) Wild Turkey rye, this nit-of-a-nit can lead to a bit sweeter drink than is desired (and insufficiently distinguised from the supposed-to-be-a-bit-sweet, wonderful Agraria Cocktail). They could solve this by using a sugar cube instead. i do it all the time - no grit if mixed correctly, and it's more of the traditional way of making it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekmbrown Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 They could solve this by using a sugar cube instead. i do it all the time - no grit if mixed correctly, and it's more of the traditional way of making it.“I would prefer to make a good sweet simple syrup, you know, the old-time sugar water, to put in any drink that requires a sugar base, you know. Because it is more smoother, and it’s a more natural taste and it have a way of making a drink more enjoyable, when you got that sugar.” - Martin Sawyer, Legendary New Orleans BartenderAlthough people should expect some sweetness from the Sazerac, it shouldn't be unbalanced. So I apologize to those who recieved an overly sweet drink. I've checked with the staff and one bartender was overpouring the simple syrup. That problem has been corrected, although its really as simple as asking the bartender to remake the drink. Its the same thing if a burger was sent out med instead of med rare, which shouldn't but does happen from time to time. We take a great deal of pride in our drinks and believe we make them exceptionally. Anytime you're not happy, please feel free to let us know and we'll replace your drink. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Although people should expect some sweetness from the Sazerac, it shouldn't be unbalanced. Derek, just for the record, it wasn't such a flaw to me that I would have sent the drink back. In fact I ordered two more! Bartenders have their own style, and I was happy to chalk this up to subjective differences on what is sweet and what isn't, especially since it was obvious the bartender that evening was serious about his work. I look forward to trying Agraria's other creations as liver permits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 According to Metrocurean, it's Ricky Moore - coming from Parrot Cage in Chicago, but with local experience at Vidalia, Equinox, and Galileo. "I am a chef that enjoys seasonal, flavor-driven food. Simple, delicious ingredients are the star of the dish," the chef said in a release. Gee, never heard that before. Hope it works. That location needs something worthy that sticks around long enough for me to remember its name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendanc Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 According to Metrocurean, it's Ricky Moore - coming from Parrot Cage in Chicago, but with local experience at Vidalia, Equinox, and Galileo. Ricky Moore was the Sous Chef at Equinox when we opened, great guy, talented chef, I am eager to see him back in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robojoe Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 Ricky Moore was the Sous Chef at Equinox when we opened, great guy, talented chef, I am eager to see him back in town. I have to second Brendan. Ricky has a great deal of talent and energy. He will do Araria proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekmbrown Posted June 24, 2006 Share Posted June 24, 2006 Derek, just for the record, it wasn't such a flaw to me that I would have sent the drink back. In fact I ordered two more! Bartenders have their own style, and I was happy to chalk this up to subjective differences on what is sweet and what isn't, especially since it was obvious the bartender that evening was serious about his work. I look forward to trying Agraria's other creations as liver permits.Thank you for the assurance. I think the Sazerac can tell a lot about our bar, and if its not the best we can make than we have some work to do. I appreciate the input.We'll see you again soon! Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm chen Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Last night, we needed a place to celebrate good news on short notice. Where could we go that would feel like an indulgence but still have available seats at 8pm on a Thursday? Right now, that's Agraria. The menu is still shortish (7 apps and 6 mains? ish?) but everything we tasted from it was delicious. Started off with a plate of charcuterie -- Iowan proscuitto, Italian proscuitto, a couple kinds of salami and some bresoala -- and two cooling summer cocktails. The ribeye was melty, rich, and delicious, and the arrabiata had just the right touch of spice (not to mention, came in a serving large enough for several meals.) It is certainly not bargain dining ($110 for two, pre-tip, cocktails but no dessert), but it felt like money well spent. Those tall white booths on the far side of the bar are perfect for people-watching while maintaining a semi-private, quiet space. Next time I'll try the hamburger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 We're going tonight -- can't wait! My question is, what does the dress code seem to be? Can I stay in my mostly casual work clothes? (Please?! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banco Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 We're going tonight -- can't wait! My question is, what does the dress code seem to be? Can I stay in my mostly casual work clothes? (Please?! ) Judging by my one visit at the bar, business casual is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted July 1, 2006 Share Posted July 1, 2006 We just returned from a lovely time at Agraria tonight. Between the four of us, we had a nice variety of the available dishes, and all were good. We started, bien sur, with cocktails. I had a glass of the Russian River bubbly -- very nice! Light and refreshing, perfect for a summer evening, and it went well with my starter of crab and avocado. Tripewriter and one of our friends had the Asian salad, and both declared it great -- they enjoyed the unusual varieties of greens and relished the roquefort toast. They both had the Sazerac cocktail. Our second friend had a sidecar and seemed to enjoy it. For the meal, I had the burger, Tripewriter had the scallops, one friend had the halibut, and the other had the tagliatelli. Derek recommended that we try the honey-basil beer with the tagliatelli and the burger, and a riesling with the fish dishes. The beer was amazing. It wasn't overly sweet, and the scent alone was fresh and cool. The flavor worked very well with the burger and particularly meshed with the yellow peppers on the meat. The tagliatelli was delicious, and the halibut was fine (it was a slight bit overcooked, and the flavoring added on the grill was a bit strong for the fish, but it was really a very nice piece of fish). The scallops were a stand-out dish -- perfectly cooked, and again, very nice, fresh raw ingrediants. For dessert, the four of us split the five options, with a split of icewine. Yum. The dessert chef has really come into his/her own -- my particular order of favorites would start with the coconut and key lime dish, followed by the basil dish (I wish I could give better names, but we examined the menu only extremely briefly before giving in to temptation and saying, hey, just give us the lot!), the strawberry soup, the chocolate, and finally the cherry shortcake. The shortcake was pleasant -- good salt-to-sweet ratio -- but the cherry was lost and the cake was too strong and overpresent a part of the dish for my tastes. The wine was fabulous. The one problem we encountered was a slightly confused albeit very polite and friendly staff. There seemed to be loads of waiters lined up against the back wall -- as Tripewriter said, it was as if they were waiting to go into the principal's office -- and many of the folks serviing us seemed to be just a bit bewildered by the demands being put on them. That said, our official waiter was quite pleasant and gave us supportive service without being too omnipresent. But watch for the mysterious charger/bread man, who seems to wander around aimlessly, performing tasks seemingly at random...he's the one who brought us bread after our plates had been cleared. No harm done, just a bit of amusement for the table All in all, a very nice time was had by the four of us. I would not hesitate to recommend Agraria to anyone. Put yourselves in Derek's very capable hands, beverage-wise, and order anything off the menu, and you'll be a happy and amply fed camper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asundstrom Posted July 2, 2006 Share Posted July 2, 2006 I wasn't the least bit impressed with Agraria last night. The service was comical - asking us, 5 minutes after receiving our appetizers, whether we wanted our entrees, since they were cooked already; spilling wine all over our tablecloth and then asking if we wanted them to replace the tablecloth, etc. Our waiter was as attractive as he was incompetent, which could reflect either some skewed hiring priorities or the Georgetown talent pool. Three courses took about 45 minutes, mostly due to being rushed by the kitchen. The charcuterie plate was nothing special compared to that offered by Circle Bistro, Vidalia, etc. The burger was very good, but the scallops were pretty pedestrian for $29. For around $75 for 3 courses and a glass of wine, there are much better options available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SrtaJRosa Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNINGThe clock on the machine that dispenses tickets for the garage underneath Washington Harbour is about eight minutes slow. So if you get into the garage at 5:06PM real time (the lower evening parking rates ostensibly start at 5PM) be prepared to debate the matter (and your resultant charge) when you try to leave the garage. WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING So right you are, a little scam I suppose, done by the parking garage owners. I was able to shimmy my way since I hadn't left Foggy Bottom before 5pm when I arrived at Agraria seated at the bar after 4:56pm (???) But now getting to the good part... I was able to get away for a Saturday evening (!!!), and took some much needed recluse at the bar at Agraria. The space is HUGE! There are endless rooms, secret passages, and much more behind the scenes than one can imagine at a restaurant! Tom was a gem at the bar, I have to admit it was awesome seeing him in his element. Cocktails were delicious, in addition to pan seared sea scallops served with caviar! Derek had a moment to give me the tour, and boy was I surprised! First one who reserves one of those private dining rooms or lounge or Derek's spectacular wine room, please invite me!!! OK, maybe a little bit overboard with the smiley icons, but hey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Website isn't helpful--open on Monday nights? Thinking of taking in a movie sans Mr. BLB and stopping in for a drink afterword. Office is planning to let us out early today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekmbrown Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 ‘WORLD CUP BY THE CUP’ WINE TASTING TO BE HELD AT AGRARIA Wines from Semi-Final Countries to be Featured during Final Match Washington D.C. (July 3, 2006) – Join World Cup fans and wine enthusiasts at Bar Agraria for World Cup™ by the Cup on Sunday, July 9, 2006 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. as the winners of the World Cup soccer semi-finals (France or Portugal; Germany or Italy) will square off on the field and by the cup. The game starts at 2:00 p.m. ET and will be shown at the bar. The event will feature a wine tasting led by sommelier Derek M. Brown from each semi-final winner’s country to taste and score. The week following the championship, Agraria will feature a flight of the wines from the first-, second- and third-place winning countries called World Cup by the Cup Flight, featured Monday, July 10 through Friday, July 14, 2006. Agraria Restaurant is a family-farmer owned and sourced fine dining restaurant. The contemporary American cuisine emphasizes meat and pasta dishes, as well as seasonal dishes based on available products from family farmers across the country. The restaurant is currently open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Reservations are suggested. To make a reservation, please call 202-298-0003. For more information please visit our website at www.AgrariaRestaurant.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sthitch Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 ‘WORLD CUP BY THE CUP’ WINE TASTING TO BE HELD AT AGRARIA Wines from Semi-Final Countries to be Featured during Final Match ... as the winners of the World Cup soccer semi-finals (France or Portugal; Germany or Italy) Luckily for those attending England did not make it into the semi's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 a flight of the wines...called World Cup by the Cup Flight So let me get this straight...Derek will be offering multiple cups to all? Sigh...if only I weren't so tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekmbrown Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 So let me get this straight...Derek will be offering multiple cups to all?Fine, I will be offering "multiple cups"... as long as you don't start in with that cod piece thing again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotteeM Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Fine, I will be offering "multiple cups"... as long as you don't start in with that cod piece thing again Great! Thanks for the nightmares I'm going to have tonight because of this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithstg Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 The Mrs. and I headed to Agraria on Sunday night, post movie showing. The restaurant is absolutely stunning, and the private dining room (I'm assuming that's what it was - with the wine racks covering the walls and a window out onto the fountains) looked incredible as well. Our waiter, Elijah, was very enthusiastic and helpful throughout the evening. On to the food - My wife had the citrus salad, which she enjoyed very much. I wasn't able to steal a bite of the salad. This was her second choice, as the crab and avocado(I think?) salad was sold out. I had beef carpaccio as a starter. This dish has been done to death, with every conceivable meat. However, the version at Agraria was really excellent, and extremely well prepared. I would order this again in a heartbeat. For mains, my wife had the tagliatelle with pesto, and I the roast chicken. Both these entrees tasted really "fresh", for lack of a better term - the focus on fresh, family farm grown produce and meat shone through here. No, the chicken is not Palena's, but the bird was well roasted and accompanied by some excellent wild rice, goat cheese, and vegetables. Very nice indeed. We found the wine list to be well priced and reasonably varied, especially for a restaurant that had just opened. The only snag of the night occurred after dinner. We met up with some friends in the lounge and took a seat. After being told that there was waiter service in the lounge, our party waited for approximately 20 minutes without being approached with drink menus. We did seek a manager after about 10 minutes, and were told that someone was on the way. Ten minutes after that, with no waiter in sight, we chose to depart. I'm sure that this service issue was isolated, and as the restaurant "works out the kinks", it will be addressed. Either way, we look forward to returning to Agraria often, and sampling more of the menu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 I stopped in post afternoon movie on Monday. I really like the space, the drinks are wonderful and the food was pretty darn good too. Let me just get my pet peeve out of the way: Serve food before 6:00 pm!!!! At the very least offer some bar snacks. I would have had a second drink if I could have soaked up some of the booze with food. There. I feel better. I started with the blueberry-lavender collins which was a delightful summer drink for a summer day. Very good. For dinner I started with the shrimp in a cilantro sauce of some sort. My name is Jennifer and I'm addicted to cilantro. Very nicely seasoned and I soaked up most of the sauce with the decent bread. I had the strip steak. It was very nice but needed a smidge of salt. The half I saved for lunch yesterday heated up very nicely. I skipped dessert--I'm a simple chocolate dessert girl at heart and everything looked too busy. Now if it just wasn't located in Georgetown, I'd be back on a regular basis. Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisa7 Posted July 7, 2006 Share Posted July 7, 2006 A friend and I stopped by the bar last night for a few cocktails. All I have is good stuff to say about this place. It is a beautiful space and the cocktail list is so exciting. Derek gave us a tour of the restaurant and I am so excited to come back for dinner. Everyone behind the bar was so pleasant, it will be definate on my rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 That Sazerac is the bomb! It was just the thing to soothe the soul after reluctantly attending a going-away get-together for a friend at Tony and Joe's mob scene meat market (I may have contracted herpes from just standing there). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Is it safe to say the drinks are more important than the food here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Let's wait for new chef Moore before we pass that judgment. But it is the most important bar in the city for drinkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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