Tiara M.
Yelp
This place is a gem of Southern MD! The service staff was attentive and welcoming, from their recommendations to the quick delivery of menu items and timely table clearing.
Now, on to the food!! The chicken lettuce wraps--let me put it plainly--my boyfriend said he's likely to sneak over on Monday night football for their $12 burgers and lettuce wraps. I ordered the Caesar salad, which instantly became my favorite; there is no other comparison in this area--you can take my word for it. The house-made brioche croutons will dare you to ask your waitperson to bring some on the side, lol.
Their drinks were well-balanced and served in tall glasses. Our waiter never consistently refreshed our water.
The braised short rib was cooked well, and the reduction was beautiful, pairing nicely with the mash. My only criticism is that the carrots, while buttery, were a bit lackluster in comparison to the rest of our orders.
For my entree, I chose the pan-seared scallops at the bartender's recommendation and she did not disappoint. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were friendly and buttery, but the risotto was the secret weapon. Creamy and soft, it had pumpkin seeds and cranberries/craisins that SET IT OFF! I will have to try that in my kitchen, Chef; well played, sir... well played. I found myself forking through the risotto, looking for those surprise ingredients.
Finally, we sat on their velvet benches in the corner of the dining room. Although we were clearly in the eyes of all the other guests, it felt a bit more private and intimate, which we appreciated since my boyfriend and I were celebrating an anniversary. The ambiance is warm and modern, with deep greens and blues supported by gold and black accents. Candlelit tables contribute to the warmth in the room, making it romantic and cozy!
If you've gotten this far in my write-up, here's the overall scores:
Location - 8/10 (I live in Waldorf, and this place is a reasonable distance considering the quality of food and service. Located off of Main Street in La Plata isn't too far for us)
Food - 9/10 (We thought to pull a point for those carrots, but if anyone asks, the carrots won't change my report of "everything we had was great!"
Service - 10/10 (Attentive and welcoming; shoutout to Ricardo [hope I remembered that right] and the female bartender for guiding us to the perfect selections based on our inputs)
Ambiance - 8/10 (My partner reminded me that we did have to soapbox a fruit fly or two now and then in our cozy corner, but we didn't make an issue because it was clear it was only our area and others were not experiencing the same problem)
THIS IS A MUST TRY RESTAURANT - please show them some love.