Not bad, but not great either…read more
The restaurant's ambience is truly modern and inviting. As someone who resides in Dumfries, this is a very welcome addition to upscale dining, and I was greatly surprised by the decor. I've visited many casinos locally and around the country, including Vegas, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Mississippi, and New Orleans, and I must say this restaurant's decor is on par with many of the other fine-dining restaurants.
When I arrived at the restaurant, it was not busy at all. In fact, there were only a few people at the bar and another couple who came in at the same time as us in the dining area. While someone would look at this and be very skeptical, I took it as number one. I was coming on a Sunday night around 5:30. Number two, it may be early for dinner, and number three. I could assure you that my food would come out hot.
My server was excellent. The service was terrific, which I had heard was the most mixed part of the experience previously, due to staff turnover and inconsistent service levels for a fine-dining establishment.
Akeara was fantastic, I mean, truly remarkable, and coupled with the excellent management and leadership of Veronica Keller, they made the dynamic duo who saved my dining experience.
Akeara was very well-versed in the menu and sensitive to dietary restrictions when asked about many of the ways ingredients were prepared. She was invaluable and well-versed in preparation methods, as well as in drink pairings and menu options, to ensure we had a great culinary experience.
The food
I really enjoyed the calamari. It was fried perfectly. The two dipping sauces were fantastic. The rose salad is absolutely a star on the appetizer menu. I was a little skeptical about the crabcake because the way she described it sounded more like a fried crabcake than a pan-seared one. I think had she mentioned pan-seared, I would have likely gone with a crab cake, but I am certainly not disappointed in the calamari, and again, the salad was phenomenal.
The steaks were a different story. I think they marinate the steaks, although I got different answers from the server and the manager when I asked; however, the steaks were a great cut.
I saw someone get the bone in Tomahawk, which is presented nicely, hanging from a hook, with the Chef coming out to torch butter over the steak and vegetables beneath.
I got the New York strip. It was a very, very lovely piece of meat. The New York strip was severely underseasoned. In fact, I had to ask for steak sauce, which is a cardinal sin of any steak restaurant. I think had they used a little more salt, pepper, and garlic to finish the steak It would've been perfect. The cook was absolutely perfect, medium rare. The seasoning was just off.
I also got the risotto and short ribs. The short rib was well seasoned, though so much gravy from the short rib almost covered the entire plate of mushroom risotto. Tasty but just a little disproportionate in presentation.
The bread basket was terrific, and the honey butter was nice, though the bread had a slight cheese flavor. It was still a really good combo.
The baked potato is by far one of the best values on the menu as a side item. It was large. It was hot and fully loaded. The creamed spinach was a little more cream-cheese-forward, and it seemed like the spinach needed a little something else and seasoning, so it wasn't as bland.
The desserts were another story: the toffee cake I thought would look like something I would get at Hell's Kitchen looked more like a very crumbly cornbread with ice cream on top. The vanilla ice cream tasted great, but the cake was just OK. The crème brûlée was on another level. It was fantastic, creamy, full of vanilla, and had a great crunch from the Brulé sugar on top.
What really made this meal so good was the service. I talked with my server about my dissatisfaction with the two lobster tails: I did not appreciate being told they were pulled from the lobster shell, and they were served cold and rubbery. The server immediately jumped into action, spoke with the manager, and had the lobster removed from the bill. Thank you so much. But what really impressed me was the time that both the manager and my server spent at the table. Veronica was truly a pleasure to meet.
As a military officer who has commanded hundreds and been responsible for thousands, she really hit it out of the park with her ability to problem-solve and immediately address issues as they arose.
She was very engaging and really a pleasure to be with. This dynamic duo, who've only worked at this location for less than 5 months combined, really made me say I will come back to the restaurant, assuming they may have had an off night with seasoning and timing in the kitchen.
If there's anything to take away, the food is OK (3 stars), the service from this dynamic duo was fantastic, and that's why they got the four stars.