Jump to content

Restaurant Eve, Old Town Alexandria - Chef Cathal Armstrong and GM Todd Thrasher - Closed Jun 2, 2018


Recommended Posts

[Posted on eGullet in July 2004...gee, almost a year ago...]

One more voice in praise of Eve.

Went with a friend last Saturday night. First, I have to say that getting a reservation is Hard Work - I honestly don't know many eateries here that you have to call on Tuesday to make sure you get in on a Saturday night in the middle of summer. But I sort of knew what I was in for, so no complaints from me!

Now, I have to disclose that I work at the restaurant where Cathal ran the kitchen before he and Meshelle opened Eve, but in a very unimportant capacity (part-time hostess). I don't think this had any role in the quality of food, or the ambience, only in how we were treated

First, I LOVED the decor. Very warm, homey but sophisticated, and soooo cozy. Bar is a bit crowded, but not in an annoying way. Unusual setup of bar with the counter and couches along the wall makes the place feel very social and home-like.

Service was very nice. Now, I am not a high-maintenance diner and I generally like my servers as unnoticeable as possible - tell me about the special, deliver the food, answer a random question and bye-bye. Our guy was very good - on hand when I needed him (not often) and not hovering when I didn't.

Now, the food. I understand now why legends of Cathal are still alive at places he used to work. It's awfully good. I have no claim to expertise in judging food except bits and pieces gleaned in the course of late-night tequila-shootin' with the sous, bu the man is seriously good.

Appetizer was baby beets and goat cheese salad. Anyone who hails from Russia has ideas about beets, mainly about how to avoid it when mommy insists. But this dish was really very good, clean, great ingredients shining through with minimum fuss.

I had my mind made up about entrees before going (I know I know..idle hands with Internet access...will have to think about something to put on timesheet) - pork belly for me. But the duck special sounded too good to pass, so I went for it. So good! Can one make duck medium rare and incredibly tender at the same time? Yes yes, that describes mine. Garnished with a very earthy, garlicky-tasting mushroom (something o'woods?) with no trace of garlick ON it, must be some clever basting technique at work. But now I have to come back for my pork!

Dessert was chocolate mojito - brick-shaped thingie of mousse crossed with flourless cake structure encased in chocolate glaze with mint Jello scattered about. So good. My friend had a peach granita that was quite good, too, I am just not a white chocolate fan.

I can't wait to try the tasting room! Meshelle told me they are going to start "Industry Nights" on Mondays in August - I am officially on a mission to get all kitchen folks from our place to go already. Oh, and she was so very gracious and wonderful to us - stopped by, like, three times in the middle of a Saturday night rush (I know what that's like!) Just a delight to be around. Face it, being cheerful can be very tiring when it's a part of your job description - we've all had these moments at the end of a busy night when you look at your guests and think, oh would y'all just go cluster!@#$ yourselves! But she was grace under pressure personified. Made for a great night for us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[posted on eGullet 2003-2004]

A brief check-in this evening. Started with the pickled martini which is housemade pickles, pickle foam (!) and Grey Goose Vodka. Undrinkable unless you really have a fetish for sweet pickles, although you have to applaud the creativity and craftsmanship (especially for the pickle emulsion on top). Not an issue, as I suspect this will be coming off the menu in the next month or so.

2001 Domaine Deliance Givry 1er Cru Clos de Marole at $12 is a decent glass of Pinot Noir, and more importantly, was served at the proper temperature from a little refrigerator-unit they have on top of the bar - actually, it was the first red wine I've had by the glass in ages that was served a touch too cold, but who cares, it warms up in about five minutes, and it's a big deal (in my small world) that a place cares enough to do this.

Bread was mini-ciabattas (ciabatti?) from Breadline, heated and slightly browned in-house.

The braised oxtail ravioli is served in a meaty red-wine jus with leeks, and is a fine dish priced at only $7.75. Think about how times are changing: in a bar in Alexandria, you can enjoy a very good little plate of braised oxtail ravioli for $7.75.

Confit of Pork Belly with glazed onions, baby carrots and swiss chard is this chef's reverential nod toward his homeland's classic Irish bacon and cabbage, though this observation might be a stretch since very little chard is used in the dish. The layer of fat atop the pork was brilliant, and exactly as mnebergall described.

I barely touched my martini, but had two full glasses of wine. When I asked for the check, the bartender (the excellent bartender) removed the second glass of wine from the bill without any prompting. This was an elegant gesture, because the wine was more expensive than the martini. Small offerings such as this create large amounts of goodwill, and can make a new customer eager to return for a repeat visit.

Eager to return for a repeat visit,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[posted on eGullet 2003-2004]

I went to the bar at Restaurant Eve this evening for the fourth time, and I have to say that nobody, anywhere in Washington, makes better mixed drinks than Todd Thrasher and Restaurant Eve.

I've now had just about every drink on their menu, and top-to-bottom, they're all well-conceived and brilliantly executed. Even the ones I don't love, I still respect.

Example: earlier, I reported that I didn't like the pickled martini, and this evening I had a revised version that I still find to be absolutely undrinkable, but I've been assured by others that it's a great drink, and Todd told me this evening that it's about a 65%-to35% love-to-hate ratio, with not much in the middle. It's an amazingly detailed drink, and not at all to my taste, but Todd looked at me defiantly this evening, and said, quite proudly, "this is not coming off the menu." Bully for him, I say.

Todd Thrasher is a baller.

The Bloody Mary, the Purple Basil Colada ... ooh....

What a wonderful, welcoming place to be, the bar at Restaurant Eve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[posted on eGullet 2003-2004]

What To Do At The Condom Dispenser

receive (paycheck);

note (disposable_income);

...select (dining_options);

......when (palena_chicken);

.........order (chicken);

.........eat (chicken);

.........note bill of ($9.00);

.........call (religious_experience);

......when (eve_pork_rillettes);

.........order (rillettes);

.........eat (rillettes);

.........note bill of ($9.50);

.........call (religious_experience);

......otherwise error;

...end_select;

religious_experience: proc;

hand (ten_to_server);

note (change_from_ten);

call (WC);

do number_of_quarters = 2 to (change_from_ten/25) by 2;

...call (purchase_condom);

end;

WC: proc;

fall (to_floor);

lick (grout_between_tile);

return;

end WC;

purchase_condom: proc;

first_time variable static binary init (true);

if first_time = true do;

...accept (masturbatorial_conundrum);

...first_time = false;

end;

purchase (condom);

end purchase_condom;

end religious_experience;

end;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Chef Cathal is already back from Ireland.  I just don't know when he plans to change the menu (it may already have changed).  Don't worry about the strawberry drinks, I suspect they will be around for a while, so long as the strawberriers are in season (in fact I think they are somewhat new).

I heard from Cathal - he got back yesterday, and he promises "big changes" in the Bistro menu beginning next Tuesday.

And don't forget that Nathan Beauchamp (our own nattybeau) has ably manned the kitchen at Restaurant Eve in Cathal's absence.

Cheers!

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I heard from Cathal - he got back yesterday, and he promises "big changes" in the Bistro menu beginning next Tuesday.

And don't forget that Nathan Beauchamp (our own nattybeau) has ably manned the kitchen at Restaurant Eve in Cathal's absence.

Cheers!

Rocks.

Darn, and I thought NattyBeau was short for National Bohemian Beer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stopped into Eve tonight for dinner at the bar and was lucky enough to find a seat as it was crowded at 6pm. Looking for something refreshing to drink while I decided what to eat for dinner Tami suggested that I try the Chateau Du Basty Cru Beaujolais. I was rewarded with a fruity and wonderfully refreshing wine. Since I am pretty ignorant of French wines it was nice to add another to my taste memory bank.

It being a cool and damp evening I was looking for something hearty and comforting and the ox tail ravioli appetizer fit the bill. The wonderfully rich and meaty braised ox tail was enclosed in extremely thin homemade pasta, perfectly sauced, and topped with thinly sliced sautéed leeks.

I chose one of the specials of the night, pan roasted guinea hen, for my main and was not disappointed. The moist sliced breast underneath a crisp skin was set atop slices of guinea hen sausage, morels, and fava beans with a rich sauce made from the hen. I could have eaten a bowl of the sauced favas and morels. While not expecting this to be comfort food the earthy richness fit the damp cool night perfectly and I made sure to get every last bit of sauce with my bread. The glass of a Rhone Blend from Domaine Cascavel that I had went well with this dish.

For dessert I had the banana cream pie that was definitely not an ordinary slice from the local diner. A buttery rich round of ‘crust’ topped with a surprisingly light cream filling and a slightly toasted meringue was placed on top of some caramelized banana slices. Being a dessert nut this was the highlight of the meal for me, although the guinea hen was very tasty.

I confirmed that the new menu will be out next Tuesday and am looking forward to see what will be on the new menu.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For those of you interested in the new spring menu at Eve, Chef Cathal gave me an advance copy. As I understand it, the new fare is available starting this evening. Voila:

edited to add: Shit, it didn't work. Don, did you disable the attach file function?

[Mark, yes, because of the potential for copyright violations (and my limited time in policing them) But here it is! Cheers, Rocks]

Eve_Spring_Menu.pdf

Edited by DonRocks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty sweet sounding lunch deal going on at Eve right now (from an email from teh restaurant):

The Lickity Split-Lounge Lunch Menu $13.50

Welcome to Restaurant Eve, we use the freshest ingredients that local farms and area markets can provide.  We change our menu often, to provide you, the best of the season. Bon Appetit!

This special promotional menu is available only in the bar and lounge from 11:30-4:00  (Valid One per guest only-cannot be shared Thank you.)

Selections

Choose any 2 items....YES!...We mean ANY TWO.

DAIZE’S SEASONAL COCKTAIL Local Strawberries, Limes and Absolut Citron Vodka

KEN FORRESTER Petit Chenin Blanc 2003 (South Africa)

CASTILLO DEL BARON Monastrell 2003 (Yecla, Spain)

VICTORY-Pilsner-Draft

Virginia Asparagus with Virginia Ham and Everona Piedmont

Market Salad; Mixed Greens, with Garnishes from Local Markets

Spanish Omelet (Tortilla Español) with Grande Aïoli

Virginia Asparagus Soup with Créme Fraîche

Manilla Clams with Chinese Sausage and Spring Garlic

Salad Du Jour

Sandwich Du Jour

Risotto

Fingerling Potatoes

Irish “BLT” with House Made Chips

“Birthday Cake”....Just Because

Chocolate Torte

Apple Fritters

Edited by bilrus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to Restaurant Eve, we use the freshest ingredients that local farms and area markets can provide.  We change our menu often, to provide you, the best of the season. Bon Appetit!

Besides some weird comma action this seems like a great deal!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've going to have to swear off of R. Eve. For some reason, Chef Cathal keeps embarassing me whenever he mentions some special that contains some ingredient that I find to be a little on the weird side and which I have never had before. First it was the sardines, then the tripe, and now eel.

Yesterday evening, there I am, sitting at the bar, minding my own business, waiting for a buddy of mine to join me for an after work drink, and in comes Rocks. Then my friend shows up. Then Cathal comes out and starts talking about the eel. I kind of purse my lips and wrinkle my nose (kind of like Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched). Cathal gives me one of his "hairy eyeball" looks. The next thing I know, out come three vessels of the stuff. God Damn is eel good, especially when prepared by one of the most creative chefs in town. Sitting atop a pool of creamy sauce with pieces of lobster claw, petite pois and wild English asparagas, was a juicy, tender, flavorful piece of eel. Thank God for the piece of bread that was used to soak up all the rest of the sauce.

Needless to say, Chef Cathal is making maximum use of seasonal ingredients. If you happen into Eve and the eel is on the menu that night, I strongly recommend it.

Edited by Jacques Gastreaux
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was surprised by the texture the first time I had eel. I thought it would be more chewey or rubbery, but it was surprisingly fish-like and flavorful. I've only had it in Asian settings - this one sounds different and good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was freshwater eel, not marinated, and thus firmer and less sweet (because it wasn't marinated) than what you'd get at a Japanese or Korean restaurant.

And that sauce was goood soaked up by a Breadline roll - lobster, butter and a touch of caviar never hurt the cause...

It's apparently difficult to cut eel horizontally - that's why if you go to Mark's Duck House, and they pull one from the tank, slithering like a sea snake, they'll meat-cleaver it vertically like they're chopping a carrot, and serve the wedges on-bone.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was surprised by the texture the first time I had eel.  I thought it would be more chewey or rubbery, but it was surprisingly fish-like and flavorful.  I've only had it in Asian settings - this one sounds different and good.

Smoked eel is a staple of German restaurants.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The eel battle on the original Iron Chef show is one of my all time favorites. esp when they peg them down on the cutting board and slice them down the middle length wise. ouch!

I'll be at Restaurant Eve Friday night, so I'll keep my eye open for eel on the menu!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

from todays Post.......lucky Todd - sounds like there are some good meals in your future (hmmm, maybe we need a where I ate on my summer hols thread), and as for the G&T, all I can say is yum......slurp.......burp....let me know if you need a taste tester :lol:

TODD THRASHER , partner and sommelier at Restaurant Eve , 110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria; 703-706-0450:

Where are you traveling this summer?

My wife and I have August reservations for both the legendary Michel Bras in Laguiole, France, and the legendary El Bulli in Roses, Spain.

What are you working on now?

A special gin and tonic. It's made with a syrup of honey, yuzu juice and quinine from a Brazilian rain forest. I'm even making my own tonic, using a seltzer bottle, and the ice cube will be long and narrow like a test tube.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

from todays Post.......lucky Todd - sounds like there are some good meals in your future (hmmm, maybe we need a where I ate on my summer hols thread), and as for the G&T, all I can say is yum......slurp.......burp....let me know if you need a taste tester :lol:

TODD THRASHER , partner and sommelier at Restaurant Eve , 110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria; 703-706-0450:

Where are you traveling this summer?

My wife and I have August reservations for both the legendary Michel Bras in Laguiole, France, and the legendary El Bulli in Roses, Spain.

What are you working on now?

A special gin and tonic. It's made with a syrup of honey, yuzu juice and quinine from a Brazilian rain forest. I'm even making my own tonic, using a seltzer bottle, and the ice cube will be long and narrow like a test tube.

Perhaps Rocks can provide us with his impressions of this concotion. I saw him down one the other evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to Eve for lunch today to try their "lickety split" lunch menu. What a great place to enjoy a nice leisurely lunch, especially with fellow DR.com'er Hillvalley and Lani olda (birthday girl).

To recap, the lickety split menu is a $13.50 lunch menu that give you your choice of any two items (the regular Bistro lunch menu is also available). bilrus posted the menu above. Hillvalley and Lani olda started with the cream of asparagus soup while I opted for the asparagus salad. I'll let them describe the soup. The salad came with al dente asparagus spears arranged in a triangle with some greens on top and some prosciutto ham and shaved everona cheese. The saltiness of the cheese contrasted nicely with the sharpness of the cheese and the textures of the greens and flavor of the asparagus. A wonderful way to start the lunch.

All three of us had the Irish "BLT" with house made potato chips. Whenever you see something in quotation marks at Eve, you know it will be different than what you expect. The Irish bacon is more akin to a smoked ham. The best way to describe the tomato element is that it is in the nature of a relish or a compote, not the traditional slice of fresh tomato (which aren't in season anyway). The lettuce was, well, lettuce; kind of hard to change that. But all of this was between a couple of slices of nicely grilled bread. These ingredients combined to produce what can only be described as "not your mother's BLT."

We splurged on dessert, having used up our two options on the lickety split menu. Hillvalley and I had the strawberries and cream. Some incredibly fresh strawberries atop some congealed cream stuff that Hillvalley knows the name of and I can't remember. Wonderful presentation and a perfect combination of the slightly sour berries with the sweet cream stuff. We'll let the birthday girl talk about her desserts.

Eve was worth the field trip for a lunch on a beautiful afternoon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hillvalley and Lani olda started with the cream of asparagus soup while I opted for the asparagus salad.  I'll let them describe the soup.

The soup was exquisite. When I ordered it I assumed it would be a cold asparagus. Well, you know what happens when you assume.....The soup was served hot. The cream was the perfect background to the asparagus flavor and the color was a brilliant light green. Laniloa summed the color up perfectly when she remarked that this was the color she would like her kitchen.

Some incredibly fresh strawberries atop some congealed cream stuff that Hillvalley knows the name of and I can't remember. Wonderful presentation and a perfect combination of the slightly sour berries with the sweet cream stuff

I believe that was vanilla bean panna cotta. Jacques didn't mention that the berries were lightly sweetened and softened by what I believe was good old fashioned sugar, but I would not be surprised if we are missing an ingredient or two.

Eve was worth the field trip for a lunch on a beautiful afternoon.

It was a perfect field trip, even if it meant crossing the river. The only thing that could have perfected the meal would have been sitting out doors or possibly one of Thrasher's Gin & Tonics. I tasted this beautiful concoction back when it was still in development. I am not a g&t kind of woman but this drink could convert me. The planning that went into the ice cube alone makes it worth a try. Sweet, refreshing, a perfect accompaniment for a summer eve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This was my inaugural outing to Eve and what a wonderful introduction. I am at a loss to explain why I haven't been there before considering all of Mssr. Gastreaux's words of praise.

The asparagus soup got better with each spoonful. Like hillvalley, I thought it would be served cold. The creme freche gave it just the right amount of tang without detracting from the taste of aspargus. You all must go and have the BLT. I'm trying to figure out if I can disappear from work for a couple of hours tomorrow and get another. The tomato compote? chutney? remoullade? (whatever you want to call it) was made with oven dried tomato that matched the smokiness of the ham just perfectly. I love a lush in season tomato, but I'm not sure I'd want to swap a tomato slice for this spread. In the name of science, I'll have to go back at peak tomato season and compare.

Dessert was a tough choice. Hillvalley was quick to flag the little yelp of happiness that escaped my lips at the mere description of one of the desserts. The birthday cake would have been the natural choice but they had this chocolate tart with lemon mousse. Which I needed. After my dining companions finished giving me crap for not getting the birthday cake, the kind folks at Eve brought me both desserts. This was dense, dark chocolate paired with light, tart lemon. Fabulous. The cake held its own too complete with the light sugar crust on the top of the frosting that recalls so many birthdays past.

Lively chatter with both my fellow diners and the stellar staff. A perfect addition to a great birthday. I'm loathe to eat dinner because I can't imagine anything comparing to this lunch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Funny, Craig asked me at dinner (which I cooked using the recipe in Sunday's Source--really--it was good!) what are we supposed to do about it being laniloa's (lani olda???)'s birthday. I explained how these things work.

If this was Gardenweb.com, I would post a picture of a rose for your birthday. However, this is about food.

I have never eaten eel and, after reading Gunter Grass' "The Tin Drum", I probably never will. How do you get over those nauseating mental pictures???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!!!! You certainly had some nice company today. Many, many more.

Barbara and Craig (who is going by "dameedna" or something like that. . . he won't tell me what it means)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never eaten eel and, after reading Gunter Grass' "The Tin Drum", I probably never will. How do you get over those nauseating mental pictures???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIRL!!!!  You certainly had some nice company today.  Many, many more.

Barbara and Craig (who is going by "dameedna" or something like that. . . he won't tell me what it means)

Thankfully they didn't present me with an eel with a birthday candle because I just couldn't handle that!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never eaten eel and, after reading Gunter Grass' "The Tin Drum", I probably never will. How do you get over those nauseating mental pictures???

Now you understand my initial, irrational, reaction to eel. The reaction proved to be truly irrational. Not chewy, not rubbery, just plain unctuous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually left the District Friday to eat...yes this is a very rare occasion and such occasions should be done properly...hence I took the folks to Restaurant Eve, hey mom's b-day and dad's footing the bill so why not right?

I now see what all the fuss is about.

we started off with a drink in the bar, I went with the yin and tonic, Eve's take on the gin and tonic made with homemade tonic water. A very refreshing drink. The bar was a very nice space, upscale but not pretentious, almost like you had walked into a friendly inn sitting in the middle of a city.

We then move in to the main dining room for the bistro menu. The room is small but not crowded with skylights over head giving a refined airy space. I started off with the warm quail salad. Half a quail nicely rare, served with a small salad off baby romaine, a bacon vinaigrette and half a hard boiled quail egg. The salad was nice, simple with out being flashy. My dad had the Seared Maine Scallop and crepes and gooseberry sauce...being a Brit he was thrilled to see gooseberries on the menu (we used to grow them in our back yard)...the scallop was delicious, nicely seared on the out side but still rare in the middle.

I then went with a the pork belly...wow, delicious! a large slab of the belly, served over cannellini beans and a rich sauce of tomato and oregano...the meat was wonderful, fatty and flavorful, the beans cooked just right still with a slight bite to them, and the sauce was wipe clean with bread...delicious.

Dad had the skate wing with local artichokes and beurre noisette, I tried the fish and it was nicely tender and moist. Mom went with the lamb with creamy polenta and rapini, chef kindly switched the polenta for some fingerling potatoes. The lamb was cooked to medium, just a hint of pink, but mom was really blown away by the shredded braised lamb shoulder that came with it. it was damn good!

for dessert dad and I split the cheese course, a tallegio, stillton and some other gooey blue cheese...mom had some pineapple fritters which came with ice cream.

Restaurant Eve is definitely worth the outing. It's expensive with most apps above $10 and most entree above $25...but for a special occasion or just a drop in for a meal at the bar worth the money...now I must try the tasting room menu!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A co-worker and I decided to break the post-weekend duldrums with a not-so-Lickity Split lunch at Eve today. What a way to indulge! I had the warm asparagus soup with the salad du jour, while the Dublinder went for a taste of home with the Irish BLT.

If I had an inkling of an idea that soup was on the menu, I would have had my ass surgically attached to a bar stool long ago! The salad was unfortunately a huge let down after the creamy, verdant bowl of bright asparagus - today's salad was lobster, heart of palm and avocado on top of mixed greens and tomatoes with a tart vinaigrette. The BLT seemed to fulfill all the basic needs of a filling sandwich (the housemade chips looked just out of the fryer - yum grease!).

The true indulgence came with my dining partner's second menu choice - the apple fritters. Served with warm caramel sauce, the fresh fritters radiated a ripe apple aroma...crispy outer shells floured with the perfect combination of cinnamon and sugar...gooey/moist insides with chucks of succulant baked apple... I am most definitely hitting the pool for a double work out tomorrow morning!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After making a lickity-split lunch of the spansih tortilla and sandwich du jour (pulled pork shoulder) I had the seasonal fritters for dessert. The two dishes were as good as expected, but the dessert was wonderful. The fritters are sour cherry (from a local farm). These wonderfully fried pillows of dough are filled with flavorful cherries and served with a sweet and sour cherry dipping sauce. Get there before they get gone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After making a lickity-split lunch of the spansih tortilla and sandwich du jour (pulled pork shoulder) I had the seasonal fritters for dessert.  The two dishes were as good as expected, but the dessert was wonderful.  The fritters are sour cherry (from a local farm).  These wonderfully fried pillows of dough are filled with flavorful cherries and served with a sweet and sour cherry dipping sauce.  Get there before they get gone!

What he said. The pork was wonderfully moist and flavorful. It was so tender it melted. Had I stopped there I would have been perfectly happy. But the cherry fritters sounded too good to pass up. The cherry flavor was pervasive without being overwhelming. I particularly liked the texture of the fritters -- nice crisp crust with doughy inside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was supposed to have dinner with Rockwell in the tasting room at Eve yesterday evening, but the car accident I had at 18th and Constitution on the way to the restaurant put the kibosh on that. By the time I was able to get to Eve, after waiting for over an hour for a cop to arrive at the scene of the accident and then having to have my car towed to a body shop (pictures later), Rocks was on like course number 6 and he and Thrasher were playing some sort of "name that tune" game with wines.

But I digress. I wound up at the bar with an old friend and we tried some of the new stuff on the bistro menu. After a couple of tequila gimlet to calm my nerves, I went with the crab cake appetizer and the leg of lamb entrée. Both were excellent.

The crab cakes come out with 2 2 oz. cakes with a squeeze of avocado aioli and marinated hearts of palm on the side. The pungency of the hearts of palm contrasted nicely with the sweetness of the crab cakes, which were so lacking in filler that they had to be held together with some sort of anti-gravity concoction. You touch one with your fork and a nice lump of crab falls neatly to the plate to be quickly smeared with the avocado stuff. My only complaint is that they don't give you enough of the avocado sauce, my supply was exhausted about half way through the second crab cake. I dutifully raised this defect with Nate Beauchamp, the chef de cuisine (the recipe for the crab cakes is his mothers, I believe)

The leg of lamb entrée also was spectacular. This is sort of a 4-layer operation. The bottom layer is polenta, the next layer is braised lamb shoulder, the next layer is some sautéed swiss chard (I think, anyway some sort of sautéed greens) the top layer was a row of these little medium rare lamb medallions about the diameter of a nickel. The presentation makes your mouth water and your jaw ricochet off of the bar. The combination of flavors and textures of creamy polenta, braised shoulder, sharp greens and medallions is hard to describe. I had to restrain my self and take my time savoring each bite. I ask Chef Cathal how he was able to do the lamb medallions, which didn't fit with my understanding of how leg of lamb usually comes out. He said that they tease the muscle segments out of the leg before cooking. That is how they get the cross-cut medallions. I have never seen this preparation before and I hope he finds other things to do with it as it likely has a lot of possibilities.

I need to find out what the wine was that Todd sent out with the lamb, a burgundy of some sort. It went real well with the lamb. I have learned to ask if they have anything else by the glass that evening that is not on the regular by the glass wine list. Frequently they have something open back in the wine cave that is unusual (like the glass of red chassagne Montrachet they brought out for my friend to have with his soft shell crabs)

Chef Cathal did us a favor by selecting the cheeses for us for our dessert. Three bleus, the everona, and one other (I don't remember). All I know is that they all went well with the Sauternes we had with it.

I have no idea what Rocks had back in the tasting room, all I know is that one of the "name that tune" wines he initially described as a Paulliac turned out to be a South African syrah.

edited to add: And oh yeah, I felt bad leaving Rocks back in the tasting room to dine alone. But he appeared to be enjoying himself.

Edited by Jacques Gastreaux
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was supposed to have dinner with Rockwell in the tasting room at Eve yesterday evening, but the car accident I had at 18th and Constitution on the way to the restaurant put the kibosh on that...  I have no idea what Rocks had back in the tasting room, all I know is that one of the "name that tune" wines he initially described as a Paulliac turned out to be a South African syrah.

Dear MarkUptown,

Dental problems, car accident, what's the difference? :P

Cathal once told me: if you haven't dined in the tasting room here, you've only had 50% of the experience. He's right. As many times as I've been to Eve, I still hadn't done this, and it changes your entire perception of the restaurant. The tasting room at Restaurant Eve is a wonderful experience, featuring course-after-course of local and seasonal ingredients, and with service as good as any in town.

Cheers,

Rocks.

P.S. Regarding the wine: I took one whiff and got Band-Aid in the nose, blurted out "Pauillac," but then quickly changed my guess to a Cabernet Sauvignon from Switzerland since it was heavyhanded and smelled lactic, just like a Tete de Moine cheese. The wine ended up becoming more viscous in the glass after my somewhat feeble guess, and probably could have only been a new-world Zin or Shiraz in retrospect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night, at Eve, I had the only meal that's brought tears (of joy) to my eyes. We started at the bar -- I had the Graham Beck champagne-style beverage (for a short time only, they're serving vintage at nonvintage prices -- and trust me, it's worth it! A beautiful drink indeed), Craig had the pickeled martini (with pickled air :wub: ), and my friends both had the mojito -- DELICIOUS. Then, at the table, Todd brought us a sample of his basil two ways cocktail -- outstanding. Sweet but light, with none of the alcoholic burn that I associate with cocktails -- the drinks at Eve are the only hard alcohol drinks that I can not only tolerate but enjoy.

Then, the meal: I started with the tortellini with fava beans, in a sauce that rocked my world. Craig had the quail salad, and our friends had the beet salad and the mussels (which were liberally distributed around the table, with accolades all around). The beans were a surprise for me -- a great accompaniment for the luscious sauce -- though the pasta itself didn't leave a deep impression on me. Then, the main course.

I had the hen special, and it blew me away. I mean, seriously, tears sprung to my eyes! The flavor, texture, saltiness and flavoring. Wow. I thought perhaps it had been brined, but Cathal said no -- so just beautifully cooked. A masterpiece. On the side was a (I believe) leg confit, with cooked cherries, and it also was superb. Best. Food. Ever.

In fact, all of our dishes were so good that nobody _wanted_ to try anyone elses -- they were too wrapped up in the intricacies of their own food to want to spoil it with something outside their own dishes. Craig had the rockfish special, and our friends had the lamb and something else that the hen has wiped from my mind.

Dessert was birthday cake and cherry fritters, with vanilla custard to share, plus one of our friends had an Irish coffee, made "the right way" -- by Cathal himself. We all lusted after it, but a sip to taste was all we were allowed :P

Now, the wines. I couldn't begin to go through all the various glasses that we had, but I'll do what I can remember (which, embarrassingly, isn't anything like names, wineries, or anything useful -- just what I recall of the flavors). First, Ronnie, who sommoliered for us, was outstanding -- charming, personable, and willing to go through every course each of the four of us was having to make recommendations. Not that we've ever been disappointed with the service at Eve in any way, but he was a stand-out. After I started with the Beck sparkling wine, I moved on to a lovely white (not the pinot gris but...the other one) -- such flavor! It was great with the creamy sauce for the pasta -- cutting through while complementing. For the hen, I had a Rhone (the first one on the by-the-glass menu) that was exquisite. Craig had it with the quail for his first course, and only one sniff of his glass was enough to get me excited about having a glass all my own! (Insert evil, no, I'm not sharing, laugh here.) It was warm and spicy and delectable -- peppery and perfect (PERFECT) with the hen dish. I don't know that I've ever had a wine pair as nicely with a dish ever before. Craig had the rose with his fish, and that was also a stand-out glass. It began fruity and ended on a zingy, spicy note -- the finish lasted a long time and was a treat to the end. One of our friends had an Australian riesling that she said tasted very creamy, and our other friend had a red that was grapes -- big, black, juicy grapes -- through the finish. Yum. We decided that Eve is the sort of place where you could spend, you know, five or six hours at the bar, drinking, and not only never repeat yourself but never have a disappointing sip. Expect to see us there soon :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My recipe for a perfect summer Saturday evening:

2 seats at the bar at Eve

1 Tomato Water Bloody Mary

1 seasonal cocktail (muddled fresh mango and lime w/rum)

Share the following:

1 olive oil poached tuna appetizer

garnished w/ Sweet 100s - the sweetest little cherry tomatoes I've ever tasted

(add a glass of Rose)

1 leg of lamb over braised, pulled lamb shoulder, polenta and rapini - perfectly done, perfectly seasoned and a perfectly sized portion!

and

1 sour cherry fritter w/dipping sauce - mmmmm

I could go into the recipe for a perfect Monday in May evening.... 9 course w/wine pairing in the tasting room but that's a much longer story, with equally (or even more) satisfying results - including an early trial run of the yin and tonic, housemade gnocchi, OOO, etc. etc. etc. .....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My recipe for a perfect summer Saturday evening:

2 seats at the bar at Eve

1 Tomato Water Bloody Mary

1 seasonal cocktail (muddled fresh mango and lime w/rum)

Share the following:

1 olive oil poached tuna appetizer

garnished w/ Sweet 100s - the sweetest little cherry tomatoes I've ever tasted

(add a glass of Rose)

1 leg of lamb over braised, pulled lamb shoulder, polenta and rapini - perfectly done, perfectly seasoned and a perfectly sized portion!

and

1 sour cherry fritter w/dipping sauce - mmmmm

I could go into the recipe for a perfect Monday in May evening.... 9 course w/wine pairing in the tasting room but that's a much longer story, with equally (or even more) satisfying results - including an early trial run of the yin and tonic, housemade gnocchi, OOO, etc. etc. etc. .....

Welcome to DR.com Goldenticket. Great first couple of posts. keep 'em coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tuesday night my wife and I celebrated our anniversary with a spectacular meal in the tasting room at Restaurant Eve. Everything was fantastic from start to finish. Some of the highlights were…

Corn Nut Crusted Maine Diver’s Scallop with Corn Tamale – A perfectly seared scallop encrusted in house-made corn nuts (!).

“A Wolf in Lamb’s Clothing” – This dish consisted of a piece of Wolffish set atop a lamb-filled ravioli. My wife reluctantly shared this dish with me.

Gnocchi with Oven Dried Tomatoes and Spring Arugula – this may have been the star of the night. As our waitress said, “who would have guessed that an Irishman can make such darn-good gnocchi”. The tomatoes and arugula did not overpower the gnocchi; instead, it served as a light sauce to showcase the gnocchi. Hats off to Chef Cathal for this dish.

Four Styles of Artichokes – My wife was surprised at how much she enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the different preparations, but they were darn good (I know that is not much help).

Cheese Course – Eve has a very nice selection of cheeses, many of which come from Cheesetique in Alexandria. We each got to choose 3 different cheeses. The absolute best was the Epoisse De Bourgogne, which the menu describe as “Herby, Stinky and Fruity”. Who knew something that smells like feet could taste so good! This cheese was runny, gooey, and stinky, but absolutely delicious.

Oh yeah, the Apricot Baked Alaska and the Chocolate Souffle were terrific, but repeated heavy-handed wine pourings prevents me from remembering specifics. We chose the wine pairings with our meal and Todd certainly did not disappoint. The standout wines included the Robert Sinsky Cabernet Franc, as well as the Domaine Du Mas Blanc, which paired remarkably well with the Chocolate Souffle.

Thanks again to Chef Cathal, Todd Thrasher, and the rest of the staff for such a remarkable evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I piece together my weekend eating, Saturday night we went with my inlaws to the bistro at Eve. The bread was fabulous. I thought it was the best of all three nights, though my MIL liked Corduroy's bread better. My MIL, who has been watching her diet for a long time, got the sweetbreads and loved them. My FIL asked for the pork chop done well, then it was really hard to cut and he realized that it was because he asked for it done well :P . He's a total sweetheart :lol: .

My husband got the olive oil poached tuna to start and salmon special. I got the tortelloni appetizer and halibut with potato confit. I enjoyed my food thoroughly. I don't think there was anything left on anyone's plate that night (or any night).

My FIL and I both got the chocolate lemon terrine dessert, and my husband got the pink fluffy birthday cake :P .

It was a great meal. I enjoyed it a lot. Plus we had a great waitress. And we had Todd Thrasher's advice on wine. It was a thoroughly satisfactory experience.

Edited for typos twice :wub:

Edited by Pat
Link to comment
Share on other sites

For "Restaurant Week" last night, I created my own three-course menu at Eve, with the goal of coming in under the $30.05 three-course menus that participating restaurants are currently offering (Eve is not participating in Restaurant Week):

Beet Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese and Beet Vinaigrette had the best beets I've had all summer long, tasting like the earth itself, and along with the subtle, fresh goat cheese and a glass of Mulderbosch rose, was about the freshest and most satisfying course I've had recently.

Olive Oil Poached Tuna with Fried Capers and Sweet 100's was a thick, cut-your-own-sashimi-quality cut of tuna with just the right amount of fat around the edges, basking in a small pool of of high-quality olive oil with red salt on top. A fabulous dish, made even better by the small pile of Sweet 100 tomatoes mixed with a small amount of fried capers for flavor.

Risotto with Eastern Shore Corn and Baby Leeks is a side order on the menu, but serves perfectly as a main course: a small tureen of firm, well-made risotto with freshly shucked Maryland corn and small-diced leeks, sopped up with a piece of warm Breadline bread.

Total cost for the three courses: $28.50!

Rich, satisfying, healthy, inexpensive, and other than the tuna, 100% vegetarian. If you dine at the bar this week and order this exact same menu, you'll be glad you did.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...