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


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Now, like you, I have no idea what that last sentence means. But this morning, just before I awoke, I was having a dream - I don't remember who or what it was about, but the dream was being narrated, and the last words I remember were these: "He's at his best with noodles, women, and a garret-covered Rickenbach."

This was precisely the moment where Armstrong's foie reached the final vessel in my Temporal Lobe, setting off an electrical impulse that triggered the hallucinatory, post-prandial, REM-sleep twist, altering the narration in my dream, and forcing me awake, laughing out loud at the silliness I had just heard.

You are very lucky. Now you have gout. Ha.

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Part one of 2 birthday dinners for Mr. S...

It was difficult to decide what to order, but I knew I couldn't go wrong. I had the bacon egg and cheese salad (as wonderful as described) and the ribeye steak with "liquid gold." And liquid gold it is...a delectable combination of mustard and Kerry Gold butter, with I don't know what other herbs or seasonings, but it was darn tasty. Mr. S had the beet salad and bouillabase, which he said was delicious, and we shared the root vegetables. We were pretty stuffed, but went ahead and shared the birthday cake, well, just because. Not much to add to the accolades, just glad we finally got a chance to dine here. Only complaint--we were seated at a small table that had a cooler next to it for bottled water, so waiters were constantly reaching in to take out or put back a bottle. At first they were pretty careless and noisy about it, until I mentioned that I thought they must've seated us at the worst table in the room. (We were too far in to our meal to see about changing tables. If I ever get back here, I'll know to ask to change tables if it happens again.) After that, they were much more cognizant of not "throwing" the bottle back in to holder. I know the place is small and there probably isn't another location for it, but it was kind of annoying and the only damper on the evening.

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I enjoyed the mussels and merguez curry so much during a dinner in the Bistro that I ordered them again as part of a lickety-split lunch the following Monday (MLK holiday). This dish is a beauty, hearty flavors and a very generous portion. It's great to see the kitchen at Eve branching out into subcontinental flavors. The same menu also included a tasty riff on papri chat--this version essentially a composed salad of chickpeas, crisps, yogurt, and various chutneys.

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I stayed away from the Lickety-Split lunch for too long!

I second the recommendation for the mussels with merguez. The curry sauce on the shells makes for messy eating, but it's too delicious to let that stand in the way.

Today's sandwich du jour was a hot ham and cheese. Ham cured and smoked in the restaurant, from one of Joel Salatin's hogs. It was the most amazing ham and cheese sandwich I have ever had, and so far removed from what we usually think of as ham . . . . I can't think of any words sufficiently superlative. It was over the top!

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We wish Restaurant Eve continued success. Wish I worked in or close to Alexandria to be able to partake of the Lickety-Split lunch. We had one of the best meals we've had in this area at the bistro: we had the bouillabaisse (the best I have ever had) and the charcuterie platter (awesome), chicken liver parfait, pork belly and nettle soup. We are doing a repeat visit to the Bistro for a joint birthday dinner for ourselves this weekend, and we're wondering what else is new and recommended. Looks like the bacon egg and cheese salad is still on the menu - would love to try it.

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Sadly, the bacon egg and cheese salad is not on the dinner menu, but the mussels, papri chat, oysters and charcuterie plate are (as appetizers). The house-made charcuterie plate alone is enough reason to frequent this place. My husband loves it so much he made an exception to his no-meat Lent. For $16, it is a deal. We had two specials which also rocked - diver scallops on fingerling potato slices with pureed cabbage and pickled shallot and beets, and the "chicken-fried" short ribs: short rib meat cooked until tender, taken off the bone, then formed into a patty and fried in a panko crust, served with a rich sauce and winter root vegetables and spinach. So clever, so delicious. Husband had the rockfish with an "Irish stew" of bacon, leeks and creamy sauce. We also tried the Lemony Laurel and Eamonn's cocktails, the former with vodka, bay leaf and lemon, and the latter with yuzu, red lemonade and irish whiskey with a lime jello garnish. (We saw Todd Thrasher and were worshipping him from afar like silly, shy groupies: "There he is!".) For dessert, sticky toffee cake with coconut ice cream, yummy but a little on the dry side. Could have used a bit more drenching in the sticky toffee. Minor quibble. Overall, a really fantastic meal. kudos and thanks.

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One thing I love about Restaurant Eve is that they get the peripherals right. All the little things that surround the meal are executed so well here, starting with the friendly greeting at the host stand (*), the long, anticipatory walk to your table, sitting down to a freshly pressed tablecloth, and of course the stress-melt that begins when you unwind into one of Todd Thrasher's mixed drinks. There's nothing better than good bread and butter, and now that Restaurant Eve has turned to its own Nathan Hatfield, the basket of housemade bread is some of the best around. But it goes to another level when you take a slice of that bread, a little Irish butter, and some of Dan Fisher's fantastic charcuterie - I won't call it "refined," since bread, butter, and charcuterie is about as gutteral as it gets - but there's no restaurant in the area that does this combination better.

Cheers,

Rocks.

(*) Although "fully committed" has become trite. :mellow:

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Iranian Golden Imperial Osetra Caviar: take out a loan, borrow from your kid's college fund, do whatever you need to do to try this dish. The golden eggs are salty, buttery and nutty and are paired nicely with toasted brioche sticks and a coddled egg served in the shell. Not your typical bar food :mellow:

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President's Day gave Mr. MV and me a chance to enjoy a Lickety Split lunch. The mussels with curried carrots and merguez sausage are as generous and good as ever. I also enjoyed an endive salad with gorgonzola and candied walnuts which had a really nice hard coating and were a great counterpoint to the sharp, salty cheese.

Mr. MV had the butternut squash soup and the BLT which is pure unadulterated artery clogging bliss. From the fried buttered bread to the Irish bacon, to the homemade mayo which blended with the tasty tomato.

Of course, we enjoyed the bread and Irish butter. Delightful as always.

To paraphrase comedian Kathy Griffin- eating at Eve is like getting a hug from Jesus.

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Another quick nod to "bar food" at Restaurant Eve.

My visit last night started off with a pork terrine that had been in the making for the past couple of days. Smoked pork, meat rendered from a whole shoat, boudin noir, and assorted innards (as per Chef Armstrong) were expertly crafted into this flavorful dish. Topped with micro greens and a dash of coarse salt, this was a great way to start any evening. This was followed by an expertly cooked Polyface Farms ribeye, adorned with truffles and melt-in-your mouth marrow. Certainly worth the effort to "go across the river" for this decadent bite.

PS: Thanks to Evan for his pouring of a Francois Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre Premier Cru Chablis (2005) when I thought I was going to have the trout and for cracking open the 2001 Franc Maillet when the Chef had other ideas about my main course!

--Beau

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Well, I don't want to sit here and pimp Restaurant Eve in every thread, but I had a fantastic cappuccino there last week - it was good enough where I'm questioning why I don't order them more often. Someone else please chime in about Eve's coffee so I can delete this.

Why delete? Can't pimp something any more if it's already proved its worth. Although this was two years ago, I too had a fantastic cappuccino at Eve. Been meaning to go back, but something about the bank account numbers....

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Bar Food (Part Deux)

At the bar again last night. Iranian Golden Imperial Osetra Caviar is still available and just as nutty and silky as described in an earlier post. A terrine of foie gras was also on offer last night. The meat loaf like slab of foie that I had was rich (of course), but surprisingly delicate in flavor. Accompanied by a late harvest Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc, this made for a very tasty snack. Delightfully crispy shad row has also returned. Finally, the Chef's marvelously prepared short ribs (off the bone) are back. The meat is sweet and super tender and when paired with a 2001 Vietti Barolo, just what the doctor ordered for a cold winter's night.

--Beau

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A little bit more on Restaurant Eve's "bar" food:

It looks like lamb season at Restaurant Eve! Over the past week, the Chef has been presenting lamb in a number of delicious ways. First, sauteed lamb's brains atop a Meyer lemon and capers "sabayon." The brains were beautifully crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside, and mild in flavor. The sauce was a marvelous accompaniment to this dish, as was the 2005 Dujac Fils & Pere Puligny Montrachet. Next, carpaccio of Spring lamb, accompanied by a sprinkle of julienned beets, and a drizzle of Armando Manni Per Mio Figlio. A third interpretation consisted of "lamb 3-ways" -- sweet and tender braised shoulder meat, along with seared medallions of the leg and loin. A Domaine Clape 2004 Cornas completed the experience.

Finally, although not involving lamb, I would like to mention that Restaurant Eve serves pretty good diner food, too, like the short "patti" -- a pressed round of short rib meat that is then fried so that a crsip and crunchy outer crust forms to enclose the succulent meat. A 'light' repast, especially when accompanied by a La Rosta 2003 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico.

-- Beau

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Speaking of bar food, Let us again praise the Lickety Split Lunch!

Two courses from the special menu, for $13.50. The courses include specific glasses of wine and two desserts, but also the soup, salad, and sandwich of the day, any of which, ordered solo, comes to more than $13.50, along with several other menu items, as long as you order in the bar.

I've had the hot ham and cheese sandwich twice now, and it doesn't get any better than that!

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Went to Eve today for Lickety Split, in theory in celebration of my getting a walking cast, but as it turns out in actuality as a means of getting me through the next THREE TO FOUR weeks of castage. Sigh. At least I'm able to start putting weight on it today, and the doc said it looked good.

Started with nettle soup, which made Tripewriter finally admit that spring is here. Then moved on to my eternal favorite, the Irish BLT. They used a softer bread and grilled it less, which I wasn't sure about at first, but it cradled the meat and other fillings beautifully and gave the sandwich's natural juices somewhere to go other than all over me and my plate. This is a good thing, and the sandwich was the best I've had in recent memory. Cake for dessert, and now I'm comatose, but in a good way! They have a fancy beer on tap -- something Rouge -- which was a beautiful, fruity, rich beer. It was perfect with Tripewriter's cheese plate, though I honestly don't think that I could have finished a pint on my own. Ingrid is the new daytime barkeep, and she's doing the Eve team proud -- friendly, relaxed, charming, and entirely personable!

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I think I was there at the same time as you, Walrus, and I was similarly impressed with that nettle soup. My SO got a second round of bread just to sop up every last drop of it. I would have loved the Pulled Pork Sandwich with Pommery Mustard just as much if the juices from the meat had not turned the bread into a soggy mess that required multiple napkins to navigate through. I don't know how this problem would be remedied, though, as the copious juices from the pork were exactly what made it so good.

Also, far be it from me to tell the Restaurateur of the Year how to run his business, but I would absolutely love to see the lounge open for at least one day during the weekend. I'd be back time and again for this deal at lunch, but it's a far enough trek away from where I work that it can only be an occasional thing.

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We ate at Eve on Saturday night in the Tasting Room for Tripewriter's birthday and had a typically outstanding experience! Two at our table decided to let chef choose their courses, and the other two of us had different items still, so I don't know that there's any possible way for me to remember all 20+ items (!!!), but I will say that there were a few standouts from my selections that I couldn't possibly forget! Beginning with the spring garlic custard, topped with the season's first morels. Delicate yet creamy, with the morels having amazing flavor and no grit at all, it was a great way to start out. I also had the butter-poached lobster and the quail, which were beautifully flavored and strikingly presented. I am blanking on the other course that I had, which is sad because I remember it being a stand-out. I'll just have to go back and have it again so that I can report on it here ;) The course that impressed me most was the dessert course, with creations from Rebecca Willis gracing our plates. I had the floating island on the lemon tart, and it was superb. This was one of those meals where you start thinking to yourself, "How can we manage it so that we can eat here every week?" Thanks to all involved for a great night, and particularly to Evan, who took excellent care of us.

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Speaking of bar food, Let us again praise the Lickety Split Lunch!

Two courses from the special menu, for $13.50. The courses include specific glasses of wine and two desserts, but also the soup, salad, and sandwich of the day, any of which, ordered solo, comes to more than $13.50, along with several other menu items, as long as you order in the bar.

I've had the hot ham and cheese sandwich twice now, and it doesn't get any better than that!

About the Lickety Split: can I assume that it is pretty difficult to get two seats between 12p.m. and 1p.m.? Am I better going before noon or after 1:30? I've never been, and don't know what the Old Town weekday lunch crowd is like.

Thanks.

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About the Lickety Split: can I assume that it is pretty difficult to get two seats between 12p.m. and 1p.m.? Am I better going before noon or after 1:30? I've never been, and don't know what the Old Town weekday lunch crowd is like.

Thanks.

I've been twice in the past few weeks and it wasn't difficult either time to get seats. Last week we got there a little after 12:30 and the bar was about half full, the low tables largely inhabited. In fact, the lounge was much more full at 1:30 when we were leaving.

Enjoy the lunch!

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I've been twice in the past few weeks and it wasn't difficult either time to get seats. Last week we got there a little after 12:30 and the bar was about half full, the low tables largely inhabited. In fact, the lounge was much more full at 1:30 when we were leaving.

Enjoy the lunch!

Second that. You're fine...but it won't hurt to call on the way to double check!

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The bar was almost empty when my husband and I arrived at 11:30--early lunch because I had to go to work after. He had the current mussel preparation with bacon, that I loved a few weeks ago, and he loved it, too. He had the sandwich du jour--pastrami. My beet and Pipe Dreams goat cheese salad was perfectly done. I'd avoided this salad before because I was afraid the sugared walnuts would be too sweet, but they weren't. My pulled-pork sandwich was really wonderful--my new favorite! So moist and tender, with a sauce of Pommery mustard that was subtly mustardy, and the cole slaw was the right note of sharpness. I'm not great at descriptive prose, but we both loved every bite of our lunches.

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The bar was almost empty when my husband and I arrived at 11:30--early lunch because I had to go to work after. He had the current mussel preparation with bacon, that I loved a few weeks ago, and he loved it, too. He had the sandwich du jour--pastrami. My beet and Pipe Dreams goat cheese salad was perfectly done. I'd avoided this salad before because I was afraid the sugared walnuts would be too sweet, but they weren't. My pulled-pork sandwich was really wonderful--my new favorite! So moist and tender, with a sauce of Pommery mustard that was subtly mustardy, and the cole slaw was the right note of sharpness. I'm not great at descriptive prose, but we both loved every bite of our lunches.

I must have just missed you. My coworker and I got there around 12:30 for lunch yesterday and both started with the mussels. I can't imagine doing Lickety Split and not getting mussels, I've loved every incarnation I've tried. She had the pastrami and enjoyed it very much. I got the salad of the day which was a Polyface Farms chicken leg confit with caramelized cippolini onions, sauteed chanterelles, and a bit of burrata. I had hesitated to get this salad because I thought it would be too much food after the mussels and bread. My completely empty plate would beg to differ. It was so fantastic that I think I'm going to have to confit the Ecofriendly legs I've got in my freezer in order to relive this one at home. Such a perfect summer salad!

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My first venture to Restaurant Eve produced mixed results. Obviously, a lot of thought has gone into decorating the premises and planning the menu. But doesn't it stand to reason that when the front desk sees someone who has difficulty walking, as I do, they won't lead him to the table that is absolutely farthest from the front? We were in the first seating of the evening, so almost every table in the place was empty. I had the sense throughout that the servers are incompletely trained. The waitress took our order and then came back to check it, having written it wrong. I had the bouillabaisse, which I've been hankering for, and the broth was tasty and delicious, but there certainly were not the requisite four or six species of fish (according to traditional preparation). It was mostly shellfish -- two shrimp and a welter of inexpensive mussels. I had the goat/lamb cheese platter in lieu of dessert and that was very well done. Well chosen, well aged slices with bread, cherries and slices of fruitcake. I haven't mentioned the cocktail and the tea, which were fine but maybe a little fussy in their presentation. I had taken a look at the online menu before I went, so when the bill came I noticed that all the prices had been raised $1-3 beyond that which they advertise. I understand the menu changes regularly in an active restaurant, responding to availabilities in the market. But if the item is exactly the same as that listed, doesn't the establishment have an obligation to update the price online? This could be construed as bait-and-switch, though I don't think that's true in this case, it's probably just too many things to do. Restaurant Eve is very pretty and ambitious, just as everyone here has said. But there are some commonsense realities that seem to have flown past them.

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I've now tried the bistro several times--for lunch and for dinner and walked out each time as a very satisfied customer. The bartenders were amenable to making fun non-alcoholic drinks for me and also addressing the concerns I had as a pregger...are certain cheese pasturized, etc. My fav drink this summer has been the strawberry tonic at Central, but Eve's version on Saturday, trumped it! I have yet to explore the entire menu, but I didn't feel like prices were unreasonable for the quality and execution. So far my favorites are: beet salad, BLT sandwich, barbeque pork sandwich, halibut and the side of risotto!

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Yes the dining room is very large, why would they put you at the far end of the Bistro? Did you ask not to sit so far away?

They put me at the far end because they wanted to see me hobble. I can't think of another reason. And after the marathon, all I could see from that placement was a service station, a blank wall and the smiling faces of my companions.

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They put me at the far end because they wanted to see me hobble. I can't think of another reason. And after the marathon, all I could see from that placement was a service station, a blank wall and the smiling faces of my companions.
I would imagine that they took you to that table because they had the seating for the evening pre-set and that was your table. It would have been nice for someone to realize you were having a problem and call an audible and change that, but I doubt they were being malicious. Maybe that does need to be part of their training.

I haven't been there in a while, but I've always found the service quite warm and friendly. I'm sorry that lowered your opinion of the restaurant.

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They put me at the far end because they wanted to see me hobble. I can't think of another reason. And after the marathon, all I could see from that placement was a service station, a blank wall and the smiling faces of my companions.
I'm sure that if you explain your problem walking, that any restaurant would be more than happy to accommodate you.
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I had the sense throughout that the servers are incompletely trained. The waitress took our order and then came back to check it, having written it wrong.
I would certainly rather have a server come back to the table to correct his/her order-taking mistake before the food ultimately came out wrong. I just don't see what is entirely wrong with this and what it has to do with being "incompletely trained."
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They put me at the far end because they wanted to see me hobble. I can't think of another reason.
Do you seriously believe they were that malicious and sadistic? Perhaps it was the walk down the hallway, past the wine cellar and kitchen toward both dining rooms that made the walk within the bistro room itself seem longer. While the bistro is the larger of the two rooms, both the bistro and tasting room are on the intimate side in terms of size.

-Camille

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Do you seriously believe they were that malicious and sadistic? Perhaps it was the walk down the hallway, past the wine cellar and kitchen toward both dining rooms that made the walk within the bistro room itself seem longer. While the bistro is the larger of the two rooms, both the bistro and tasting room are on the intimate side in terms of size.

-Camille

Having had a similar, puzzling experience with the service at Eve, I do not think they are malicious and sadistic. I do think that the servers and FOH staff seem to have been a bit off in the way they interacted with StephenB. Here, StephenB walks with an obvious impediment. The thoughtful, and more professional, way for the restaurant staff to have treated the situation would have been to communicate with the party upon seeing StephenB that there might be a bit of a walk. Or even better, they could have made arrangements for him to sit in one of the areas that they passed on the way to the table.
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Here, StephenB walks with an obvious impediment. The thoughtful, and more professional, way for the restaurant staff to have treated the situation would have been to communicate with the party upon seeing StephenB that there might be a bit of a walk. Or even better, they could have made arrangements for him to sit in one of the areas that they passed on the way to the table.
Honestly, I have personally been involved in situations where I have offered different seating to a table at a restaurant based on the fact that one person in the party is elderly and/or has had a walking impediment and have been met with some nasty glares. Some people appreciate the gesture. Some are offended at the fact that you have pointed out their handicap.

I would put this situation in the same family as people with allergies. The onus is on the guest to speak up and let the hostess/server/manager/reservationist know what they can do to make your dining experience better. Restaurants (especially Eve) are really in the business to make your visit as pleasurable as possible and the last thing any of us would want to do is anger someone before they even sit down at the table.

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All right, I'll be serious for a moment and admit that I don't think anyone was being malicious. Thoughtless, perhaps. An unwillingness to connect the dots. It has to do with my sense that the staff wasn't paying full attention. Couple that with a waitress who can't read her own handwriting, and who asks if we want to see the sah-moh-lee-ay (that would be the wine guy). As for the suggestion that I should have made my situation clear before we were assigned a table, no, that doesn't work. Tony, do people at your place know precisely where they're going when someone says, "This way, please"? My walking stick does all the explaining that's needed. And by the way, for those who are interested, I'm hoping to correct the impediment surgically next month. If I'm lucky, this particular gripe will be off the table.

Interesting that no one has commented on the differential between the advertised prices online and the ones actually charged.

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Interesting that no one has commented on the differential between the advertised prices online and the ones actually charged.

That is probably because most restaurant web sites are always out of date. Unless there is a date posted on the online menu I never believe that it is current.

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As for the suggestion that I should have made my situation clear before we were assigned a table, no, that doesn't work. Tony, do people at your place know precisely where they're going when someone says, "This way, please"? My walking stick does all the explaining that's needed. And by the way, for those who are interested, I'm hoping to correct the impediment surgically next month. If I'm lucky, this particular gripe will be off the table.

StephenB, what I am suggesting is that you inform the host/hostess that you have a physical issue that requires that you not walk a long distance to your table. Granted, it should have been obvious to the person seating you but guess what, it wasn't so you learn from that and speak up the next time and save yourself the hassle of being pissed off!

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That is probably because most restaurant web sites are always out of date. Unless there is a date posted on the online menu I never believe that it is current.
And because right now food prices are in constant flux- mainly upwards though.
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StephenB,

I'm not sure if I'm reading this right. I really hope that you aren't as angry as you appear. First, the price and menu on the website are not the definitive menu at most places. Furthermore, given Cathal's commitment to local and seasonal principals, that menu changes extremely regularly. He's active in espousing the values of those principals down to even encouraging people on the website to find fine local purveyor.

Second, I have empathy with your difficulty in moving, but I really think its rather absurd the statements. At worst, it was a person not realizing you need accommodation. As a person who doesn't suffer from a similar situation, I'm fairly confident that this is likely a person trying to show you some respect. It is a touchy situation for many because they don't always know what you want. There are plenty of situations where people in your situation are embarrassed by the inquiry. The goal is to meet the guests needs, and you assuming that a person who has only a few moments to calculate your situation can do so, without your help, is a bit presumptive.

I'm not associated with the restaurant, but I do feel a bit of sympathy for them. There job is too exceed your needs and desires, but they can only do so with help from the customer. Ask anyone whose worked in hospitality, they will tell you the most upsetting guest is the one that is non-responsive. Even the angry or upset one, can give you a chance to make it up by doing the extra something. It's why at the higher end places like Eve, it's not uncommon for captains, and others to spend a few minutes trying to figure out why you are there. They know that it's a 95% chance you are there for something special. If you don't engage, you won't get the best of them. At places like Eve, they want you happy and you should not assume they can do that without you.

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It was only as we were eating our Lickety Split lunch at Eve today that we realized how long it had been since we'd posted about this -- one of our all-time ever, anywhere, favorite restaurants.

We had taken the afternoon off, on a whim, largely to enjoy a fabulous feast at the bar. I started with the Eve's Temptation, made by Tami (who rocks it every time!), and Tripewriter had a glass of Ken Forrester 2007 Chenin Blanc. Delicious -- it's apparently available at Planet Wine, but if you want some, you'd better beat us to it! :lol: The soup of the day, which both of us had, was the sweet corn veloute -- amazing. The flavor was so light, but so satisfying that I simply sat and savored it (sorry if that slowed the kitchen -- it was just THAT good!). Chef Armstrong lets his love of sweet corn shine through in this dish -- supremely satisfying. Next, Tripewriter and I split the salad of the day -- greens and perfect tomatoes (a variety of varieties) with a leg of chicken confit. The chicken sounded heavier -- to me, a confit is a very satisfying cooler-weather dish -- but it paired delectably with the greens and tomatoes. It just fell off the bone when I touched it with my fork. It was moist and satisfyingly crispy, and the saltiness paired very well with the tomatoes. We then had our standard sandwiches -- ham and cheese for him, Irish BLT for me -- and finished with two desserts. I was wooed away from trying something new by the allure of the birthday cake -- it's just such a perfect dish: small, moist, RICH, and flavorful. Tripewriter had the blackberry/peach (his two favorite fruits) cobbler, with vanilla ice cream, and I'll tell you, I almost regretted the cake! The peaches were outstanding -- and apparently available from the Mount Vernon's farmer's market on Tuesdays. I only took three small pieces of peach, as I didn't want to steal too much of something he was loving as much as he was, but they were one of the highlights of the meal -- nicely baked, slightly soft, intensely flavorful.

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I know I didn't ask the question, but I'm interested in hearing the answer from my perspective.

Time: no limit

Cost: $400

Amount to eat: We generally tire after about 3 courses of most menus, but at Komi for example, we were able to finish most of the numerous plates put in front of us. How much food is the 9 course menu as compared to the 5 course one?

We are headed out there next weekend, so any input that anyone has would be much appreciated.

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You did a full tasting at Komi in less than 2.5 hours? That's impressive.

It was right around 2.5 hrs. Given that it was about 15 courses, I didn't really notice it took 2.5 hrs. I did a 10 course tasting at Citronelle and that was easily under 2 hrs. I guess the amount of time should be commensurate with the numbr of courses. The one thing that I've heard that's somewhat discouraging is that Eve is on the slow side.

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It was right around 2.5 hrs. Given that it was about 15 courses, I didn't really notice it took 2.5 hrs. I did a 10 course tasting at Citronelle and that was easily under 2 hrs. I guess the amount of time should be commensurate with the numbr of courses. The one thing that I've heard that's somewhat discouraging is that Eve is on the slow side.
One person's slow is another's comfortable pacing. They're not dropping one course on the table as they remove the plates from the previous course, which is as it should be.

As far as the length of time you're able to sit, I've seen them delay courses in the past for parties who needed to leave the table for one reason or another, and I'm sure they'd be happy to do the same for you.

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