Restaurant Adarra — Restaurant in Richmond

I’ve been looking forward to coming here since I heard about the opening. My mother and I decided to give it a try one evening in an effort to treat ourselves while going through some family grieving. Upon walking in, the lady at the hosting (lady found out she’s the co-owner) gave us the option to sit at the bar or table. I felt like she had a weird attitude but I thought maybe I was being hyper sensitive so I shook it off and we went with a table. Like I mentioned previously…my mom and I are in a grieving process and wanted to try to escape a little by having a nice dinner. Our server (I believe his name is John), was wonderful. Incredibly knowledgeable, so friendly and made us immediately feel welcomed. We ordered two drinks, and three dishes but before receiving the first dish my mother had been emotional at the table. Things felt tender so we decided it might be better for us to take food to go. We let the server know everything was fine but we unfortunately needed to leave and if it was possible to wrap up our order. Given the tapas style of the restaurant he needed to check first if the dishes would be ready. Totally fine. So we waited to see what he’d say. The co-owner came back first…..and as soon as she approached our table I could tell she was bothered. She said our salad is ready but the rest of our food was gonna be 35 minutes so we could either wait and eat there or have it wrapped up when it’s ready. Which is understandable, literally wasn’t upset with that cause once again….i know the type of restaurant it is so that makes sense. My problem however was the co-owner’s attitude. I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 16 and normally if customers are hastily trying to leave the first response is to check if everything is okay and try to work with them….she came across bothered that she even had to come to our table. I’ve never seen someone in management or as an owner have that type of energy with a customer. Especially because we weren’t disruptive, we weren’t even upset about anything. If she had an ounce of awareness or empathy then she would’ve seen there was clearly something going on that had nothing to do with our experience at the restaurant. But she didn’t ask. She got annoyed in response to my mother saying she’d be fine with waiting and instead of politely asking for clarification her response was “okay so I’m confused….don’t want to stay orrrr…” At this point, I was getting heated and trying to keep calm for my mother’s sake so I said to cancel the order and we’ll take the salad since it was ready. Our server came back over and could immediately tell we were going through it, he was so kind and checked in on us (something you’d expect the co-owner to do). And honestly, between the drinks, the food and our server…those would be what brings me back but now knowing my money would be going straight into the pockets of that woman..I have zero interest. And if anyone asks about my experience, I’m gonna make sure they know the type of person...

A Disappointing Dining Experience at Adarra

We recently had the opportunity to dine at Adarra, the Spanish-inspired restaurant that relocated from Jackson Ward to the former Mama Zu location in Oregon Hill. Unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired.

Atmosphere and Ambiance

The new space, while an ambitious renovation, feels more like a missed opportunity than a triumph. The decor features dark woods, coffered ceilings, and uninspiring wall art, creating a somber and uninviting atmosphere. The restaurant's compact size contributes to a noisy environment, making conversation challenging. Despite the significant investment in the space, the ambiance falls short of expectations.

Service and Wine Selection

Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly and seated promptly. However, the service experience quickly declined. The absence of a wine list was perplexing; instead, we were expected to discuss our preferences with the sommelier. This process was time-consuming and lacked transparency, as we were not informed about the wine regions or pricing, making it difficult to make an informed choice.

Menu and Food Quality

The menu was sparse and uninviting, offering little to excite the palate. We opted for two appetizers, both of which were uninspiring and lacked the finesse one might expect from a restaurant of this caliber. For the main course, we chose the special of the day: a full trout. The trout was presented on a white plate with a significant layer of oil, making it greasy and unappetizing. Attempting to crisp the skin by placing the fish in a hot pan of oil resulted in a failed endeavor. Additionally, the trout was stuffed with an overwhelming amount of rosemary, overpowering the delicate flavor of the fish.

Dessert

The cheesecake, while not exceptional, was the highlight of the meal. It offered a brief respite from the otherwise disappointing dining experience.

Value for Money

The total cost of the meal, including tip, was approximately $550. For that price, one could enjoy a refined dining experience at a Michelin-listed restaurant in New York City, such as The Leopard at des Artistes, which offers elegant decor, a thoughtfully curated menu by a renowned chef, and impeccable service.

Conclusion

Adarra's relocation to Oregon Hill has not translated into an improved dining experience. The lackluster ambiance, cumbersome wine selection process, uninspired menu, and high prices make it difficult to justify a return visit. Richmond's dining scene offers numerous other establishments that provide better value and a more satisfying...

Updated:

This is my second time. The first time was May 20, 2022 and I gave a 5 star and a rave review. I went back on April 28, 2023 and would not go back again. We were seated near the door and anyone coming in blew in the air onto our table. That plus the state police were harassing people on the street and we were treated to several rounds of flashing lights. We had three different servers. The first one was totally indifferent. The second was much better but so busy we didn't see him much. I went there to celebrate my brother's birthday (70) and wanted them to put a candle on a desert. We waited over 25 minutes for the desert. I would have gotten up and left if it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to recognize his birthday. Earlier we had an issue with the butter. My brother wanted butter for the bread and when he asked for it Lyne (the co-owner) shouted out, sure you can have it but it will cost an extra 4. I was mortified since I was paying for it and I didn't want my brother to worry about the costs. I quickly said yes. Then my brother realized that he could have sopped up the juice/gravy from the dishes instead of using butter. After we hung around waiting for ages for the desert, he finally went up to Lyne to chat about how he shouldn't have ordered the butter since he could have just sopped it up. Lyne told him he better sit down since his desert was finally ready, which she then brought over (no idea why our second waiter did not). We ordered ham, shrimp, gnocchi and lamb shank. The gnocchi was $24 which last year was rabbit and gnocchi and therefore I thought the price was fair. This time, mushrooms and gnocchi, really $24; way overpriced. The lamb shank was excellent because those guys can cook. The owners bought Mamma Zu's building and are moving their restaurant there. Hopefully they can get back to where they were a year ago when I last visited and gave them rave reviews. To top it off the parking in the area is bad. I parked where everyone else parked and came back to a parking ticket for a tow away zone. Got to love RVA.

Previous review

Went to this place on May 20. Hands down the BEST restaurant in Richmond. Everything was flawless. Highly, highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a Michelin star experience (even tho it is not a Michelin restaurant). I just can't say enough about how great this place is. To me it beats L'Opossum, Stella's, Alewife, Grisette, The Roosevelt, Lillie Pearl, Lemaire, Bookbinder's Seafood, Maple & Pine etc, etc - in short all the top...