Tim L.
Yelp
Hadn't been here in years - after seeing it on NoVa Mag top 10, I thought we needed to revisit. As you would expect from driving by, the parking is tough, and the inside is tiny (maybe ten, 2 top tables). Being so small the tables are very close, hopefully you won't have loud neighbors like we did. Despite it being slightly cramped and the decor needing a refresh, there is a pleasant, homey ambiance. There was one server for the restaurant who was attentive and friendly. I was pleased to see several non alcoholic drink options on the menu - more and more high end restaurants are doing this and I love it. The menu is seasonal, and tight. I think I read somewhere that the intention was to only have 2-3 options per course so everyone at the table could order something different and all dishes could be tried - mission accomplished. I started with the pistachio cream salad. It was a miss for me - just a very basic spring greens salad with an occasional pistachio and punch of orange zest. My wife however ordered the roasted vegetable cake - which was outstanding. I never would have ordered this dish, but after tasting it I felt like this is the type of food you'd find at a Michelin restaurant - great respect for the ingredients, just letting them shine through superb technique.
Second my wife had fried squash nuggets. She didn't care for it, but I found it to be playful and enjoyed the flavor combinations with the caraway in the sauce. I had the mushroom risotto which was by far the winner of the evening. No points for technique as the rice was broken and unevenly cooked but the flavors were phenomenal - I could eat this dish at any meal multiple times a week and not get sick of it.
Third my wife had mussels in a citrus and fennel broth which was fresh and lovely - the mussels were large and plump. I opted for the short rib. While the whole dish came together well, the quality of the meat wasn't what I would've hoped for (or perhaps it was old, I couldn't tell). The beef notwithstanding, the bed of grits, with pickled beets and fried onions on top provided a fantastic contrast of flavors and textures and I really enjoyed it.
Fourth my wife ordered the honey cake, which was a bit dry and felt like a very basic fall dessert. I ordered the birds milk however and we both loved it - creamy, earthy, sweet, savory all at once.
After dinner we were sufficiently full so I don't agree with all the complaints around portion sizes, especially given the price $55 per person). Were prices higher I'd probably agree that more food should be offered, but I found it all to be appropriate.
While a couple of the dishes weren't great, we did have a few fantastic ones. I'd definitely recommend Maple Ave Restaurant for a casual date night in Vienna - we'll be back!