Pamela M.
Yelp
Not being big red meat eaters [my husband eats zero red meat, daughter is pescatarian, and I indulge in a good filet on special occasions] we are not big steakhouse aficionados. Following my precious Mom-in-Law's funeral last week, my husband wanted to treat the 3 of us to a relaxing, exceptional dining experience. He selected C&J and daughter clinched the reservation.
Our dining experience was exceptional, to say the least! The closest I have come to dining at a restaurant like C&J is The Capital Grille in DC [dined there numerous times] and a Morton's in northern VA. Although both of these restaurants provide solid, exceptional experiences, C&J completely eclipsed both of them in every way possible!
The abundant staff were all friendly, courteous, and beyond knowledgeable! They all really displayed a heart for service, which is exceptionally rare these days. I asked one of our servers about their training, being a long-time server/cocktail waitress "back in the day" myself, and I mentioned that they must have a 15 minute "stand up" meeting prior to service each shift. She said, "No, our training is much more extensive than that," which was clearly evident in their execution. Well done C&J!
I absolutely love artichokes, and their treatment of the artichoke appetizer I ordered was exceptional [that adjective seems to be a theme here!], creative, and unique. It was very filling. It inspired me to go on an artichoke preparation adventure and try to replicate their recipe along with a long-time Italian version I've been wanting to cook.
The gnocchi were delicious! The crab cake was exceptional, and all dishes were prepared to our special requests, plates removed at the appropriate time, and waters never empty - all inconspicuously and unobtrusively. Their wine list was the size of a small town's phone book, and daughter and I split a sauvignon blanc which was an excellent accompaniment to our dinner selections.
Thank you, C&J for providing an uplifting memorable experience for our family, after such an extremely solemn day!
We look forward to visiting your restaurant in nearby Nashville for a special occasion!