Warm Lentil Salad
Karver

Karver

1809 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, United States

Soup • Fish • French • Coffee


"We went to this restaurant on Mother's Day. Although we had a reservation, we didn't learn that there was a restricted Prix Fixe Menu in place until we were seated. Despite the restricted menu, which should have taken pressure off the kitchen, the service often was painfully slow, and we waited for over 10 minutes to receive hot beverages when we were seated; four hot dishes appeared several minutes before the other two came out. On the positive side, there is strong evidence of a serious traditionally trained chef reflected in the food. The Hollandaise on the Eggs Florentine was classic and excellent (rather than the glop that is usually served on eggs , well seasoned with tarragon, and the eggs were perfectly cooked. The strip steak was outstanding, and the burger fine, but the duck was mediocre, curiously presented on a bland puree of pea. The breads were standout I am not a big fan of bread, but this bread was well worth eating! Dessert was a platter of 5 elegant confections, two of which were excellent, two of which were good, and one of which was tasteless. Our waiter had an accent (French? that made him hard to understand, and he also seemed to have trouble understanding us when asked about anchovies on a Caesar Salad he told us it was part of the dressing, but it was actually two fish laid on top of the dish (which I would have requested not to have if I had been given correct information . The menu itself was curiously constructed, with explicit information on some dishes, and not much on others. Although this restaurant is meant to be a brasserie model, it lacks the welcoming environment of this kind of setting that is usually established by the host and wait staff the only place this was in evidence was at the bakery, where the service was friendly and attentive. Because of the relatively high quality of the food, it is hoped that this restaurant works on its wait staff and kitchen organization, so that the food is optimally presented."

River Bend Bistro

River Bend Bistro

7966 Fort Hunt Road Alexandria, VA 22308, 22308-1292, United States

Wine • Fish • Meat • Coffee


"We had stopped coming to this place last year because the food quality had declined but decided today to give another try based on recent reviews. The good news is the food is good again! Bad news is the service is still terrible. The servers are young and inexperienced which isn't their fault, of course. It is evident that the management has put zero into training in the basics, however. We waited 30 minutes with empty glasses of water after placing our order. Literally had to grab the server as he was chatting up another table to remind him we had ordered wine. I was brought the wrong entree which prompted a conversation by two servers looming on each side of me about what to do while someone else's entree cooled in front of me. Asked for a to go box which was plopped unceremoniously on the table. Pro tip; servers should take the remainder to the kitchen and pack your to go container. While fumbling with the to go, I accidentally knocked over and shattered the empty wine glass (no offer ever to refill during the meal) no one, including hosts or servers present, offered to help as I picked up glass shards from the table and floor. Everyone kept their gaze firmly on the floor in front of their feet. Finally, as we left with my elderly mother and another patron using a walker in front of us, not one single employee thought to get the door for us much less thank us for our business. The kitchen is still super slow. Our Cheeseburger was good but not cooked to the requested temperature. The place is way too noisy for comfort. Wheelchair accessibility: Not accessible"