a.lounge+bar - Alexandria — Restaurant in Alexandria

If you’re searching for a top tier Restaurant Week experience, keep searching.

Because I am someone who enjoys the art of cooking (and eating!), my boyfriend and I rarely eat out, but when planning a day trip to Alexandria, we were introduced to the concept of Restaurant Week. In an effort to try a new experience and treat ourselves, we selected a.lounge+bar from the list of participating restaurants based off their set menu, which promised an evening of refined dining and flavor.

When the time came to fulfill our reservation, we found ourselves sorely disappointed. While the restaurant has an upscale design with good vibes and comfortable seating, the food was a severe letdown.

We participated in the Restaurant Week set menu and ordered as much variety as possible.

For starters, we got the Roasted Sweet Corn Chowder and the Peaches and Prosciutto Toast. The soup was relatively thin for a chowder and had a heavy flavor of dried herbs, which gave it more of a home-cooked dish feel than an upscale course. The Peaches and Prosciutto Toast was tasty, but unoriginal.

Our mains were the Smoked Pork Tenderloin and the Miso Glazed Cod. The pork dish delivered what it promised, although it was nothing to rave about; the green beans were well cooked and seasoned, and the eggplant purée was creamy and paired well with the protein. The Miso Glazed Cod was underwhelming and overcooked. The actual cod filet was a thin piece, as if taken near the tail and upon delivery, was dry and tough. I would have expected a better protein source for the prices and quality that the restaurant is advertising. Additionally, the corn purée underneath the fish was cold, which, if intentional, was a non-cohesive decision for the course, and the shishito peppers were oily and under seasoned. The menu for the course listed a pickled tomato vinaigrette, but the plated component was more like a sweet tomato jam and lacked the added acidity that the dish would have benefitted from.

Our desserts were the Lavender Espresso Crème Brûlée and the Lemon Thyme Panna Cotta. The creme brûlée was decent, but didn’t have the decadent rich custard that one expects from this type of dessert. The lavender also did not come through the flavor profile, although this may be a good thing! Who can know? However, the Panna Cotta had a chunky, curd-y texture that we could not overcome, so we set that dish aside and split the crème brûlée instead.

Our server was an absolutely sweetheart, but certain elements of the overall experience, such as time between courses, was not up to par. We were told that the hotel was also cooking for a banquet, which was the reason for the issues and delays we experienced, but a well organized and experienced kitchen should be able to handle their events and daily operations...

We had an exceptional experience here as we were in town celebrating my husbands 65th birthday with our son and his wife. Owen is by far one of the BEST mixologists I have had the pleasure to meet and he created fantastic cocktails that blew us away! The staff here are friendly and the food was excellent. We order appetizers including the Brussels sprouts, broiled oysters and cheese board. The cheese board was very disappointing so I don’t recommend that and it was very overpriced. The sprouts and oysters were great. For dessert we ordered the banana bread pudding with banana gelato and we couldn’t get enough of it. Fantastic!! I can’t...

This lounge and its food is raising the bar, both in its quality since opening over year ago and for this Alexandria neighborhood. It has found its footing. Our experience was exceptional. We were there on day four of their extended menu, and the food was very well prepared and plated (as noted even in the low reviews above). They’ve improved the cocktail selection and both of ours were complex and balanced. The design and attention to detail are unparalleled in this area, as well as the cleanliness and quality customer service. I think this location is highly underrated and under-publicized for what it has become....