A diner from Washington, DC
Apr 17, 2000
The Oval Room is located steps from the White House in NW, DC. It's convenient to the Farragut West and North Metro stops. Because of its location, one can expect to see many famous faces at lunch, but reserve in advance. Dinner reservations are much easier to come by.
The atmosphere here is casually sophisticated. There is no dress code, but most guests are nicely dressed. The service is prompt, courteous and efficient. I've rarely been to a restaurant where it seemed that the entire staff was there to take care of my requests.
The food is outstanding; you can opt for the special or a regular item with compete confidence that the food will be flawless! I've eaten there about a dozen times and can safely say there are no bad dishes on the menu, and the portions are generous, especially the entrees. Whenever possible, try the game selections. Recently there has been duck and venison. Lamb is a regular item. The daily specials are just as spectacular. Don't go to this restaurant and order the same thing your companion does; you'll definitely want to try each other's choices.
The appetizers include fantastic soups with unexpected ingredients, eg, Brazillian Seafood soup, lots of seafood in a tomatoey broth complimented with coconut milk. The wild mushroom soup is a wonderfully heady blend that leaves you begging for more. If it's on the menu, the butternut squash soup is fantastic. Also available are more standard choices such as crab cakes or bacon wrapped scallops on skewers with shrimp and vegetables. Occasionally, one might find buffalo carpaccio, that just melts in the mouth.
Among the entrees, the lamb is simply the best I've had from among hundreds of restaurants in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, DC, Cleveland, Las Vegas and Boston. Another standout is the
Moroccan Seafood Stew, which offers a huge assortment of fish and shellfish in a light broth with couscous (this dish is what fine, healthy dining is about). For more traditional tastes, try the pork tenderloin, chicken breasts or steaks. The flounder is perfect if you want a light, but filling meal; it's subtly flavored with a blend of lemon and capers. There is also fried chicken with homemade fries that are the best -- light, thin and crispy. If you are really starving, go for the fried seafood and vegetables. There is easily enough food in that dish for two. Vegetarian offerings are available as well (the owner is vegetarian).
Most notable about all the choices is that the ingredients are obviously fresh. You won't get frozen anything here.
The desserts are wonderful too, but I love the creme brulee so much it's all I've tried. It's at least as good as that found at the Four Seasons hotels.
If you are looking for "artistic" food, try somewhere else. The presentation here is simple and honest; you'll recognize everything and know how to eat it. The sole negative aspect is the slight scarcity of vegetables that accompany the entrees. You won't find any with the lamb. That works fine for me since I mainly prefer meat, seafood and starch items. To their credit, when veggies appear with the entree, they are in-season, sweet and properly prepared -- never greasy or overdone.
There is outdoor seating and complimentary valet parking.
The atmosphere here is casually sophisticated. There is no dress code, but most guests are nicely dressed. The service is prompt, courteous and efficient. I've rarely been to a restaurant where it seemed that the entire staff was there to take care of my requests.
The food is outstanding; you can opt for the special or a regular item with compete confidence that the food will be flawless! I've eaten there about a dozen times and can safely say there are no bad dishes on the menu, and the portions are generous, especially the entrees. Whenever possible, try the game selections. Recently there has been duck and venison. Lamb is a regular item. The daily specials are just as spectacular. Don't go to this restaurant and order the same thing your companion does; you'll definitely want to try each other's choices.
The appetizers include fantastic soups with unexpected ingredients, eg, Brazillian Seafood soup, lots of seafood in a tomatoey broth complimented with coconut milk. The wild mushroom soup is a wonderfully heady blend that leaves you begging for more. If it's on the menu, the butternut squash soup is fantastic. Also available are more standard choices such as crab cakes or bacon wrapped scallops on skewers with shrimp and vegetables. Occasionally, one might find buffalo carpaccio, that just melts in the mouth.
Among the entrees, the lamb is simply the best I've had from among hundreds of restaurants in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, DC, Cleveland, Las Vegas and Boston. Another standout is the
Moroccan Seafood Stew, which offers a huge assortment of fish and shellfish in a light broth with couscous (this dish is what fine, healthy dining is about). For more traditional tastes, try the pork tenderloin, chicken breasts or steaks. The flounder is perfect if you want a light, but filling meal; it's subtly flavored with a blend of lemon and capers. There is also fried chicken with homemade fries that are the best -- light, thin and crispy. If you are really starving, go for the fried seafood and vegetables. There is easily enough food in that dish for two. Vegetarian offerings are available as well (the owner is vegetarian).
Most notable about all the choices is that the ingredients are obviously fresh. You won't get frozen anything here.
The desserts are wonderful too, but I love the creme brulee so much it's all I've tried. It's at least as good as that found at the Four Seasons hotels.
If you are looking for "artistic" food, try somewhere else. The presentation here is simple and honest; you'll recognize everything and know how to eat it. The sole negative aspect is the slight scarcity of vegetables that accompany the entrees. You won't find any with the lamb. That works fine for me since I mainly prefer meat, seafood and starch items. To their credit, when veggies appear with the entree, they are in-season, sweet and properly prepared -- never greasy or overdone.
There is outdoor seating and complimentary valet parking.
