Marcel’s

Marcel’s probably deserves both a higher rating and a more thorough review than I’m about to write. Steve and I went a few weeks ago. The space was pleasant, the decor a bit fussy for my taste but appropriate to the tone and clientele, the food very well conceived and executed, but... That special something was lacking.

That special something is important when you’re paying in the vicinity of $40 per entree.

Here’s my list of quibbles: first, we were somewhat rushed through our meal. Granted we did arrive at 6:00 on a Saturday night, a time often chosen by people in a hurry to get to a show. But the staff asked us, and we told them no, we weren’t seeing a show, and we were in no hurry.

Our first courses arrived no more than three minutes after we ordered them. That’s just too soon, especially — did I mention this? — when you’re paying a lot of moeny, not just for the food but the experience. Our three course dinner was done in an hour, record time for that kind of restaurant.

My second quibble was with the wine service. I asked to see the sommelier, with the intent of ordering one glass per course. The waiter came back about one minute later and said that he’d help me. I was a bit put off by that, but decided to play along. He clearly was unsure what wines to pair with the dishes I ordered. In the end, although the wines themselves were very good, they were not particularly well-chosen. In fact the first one really suffered alongside the food. That’s a damn shame, and should never happen. A restaurant that charges — did I mention this? — on the order of $40 per entree should be ready, willing, and able to help a customer choose wines, even if they’re only by the glass instead of by the bottle.

The experience was only made worse by my recent memory of the glorious sommelier at Maestro.

At any rate, the French-influenced cuisine really was good. But for the price, you can get food as good or better and a better dining experiece at several other restaurants in the greater DC area.

Value is subjective, of course, and that’s why people seek opinions rather than numeric ratings to help them decide. But, given an occasion to celebrate and unlimited budget, I’d choose Maestro, Palena, or Citronelle over Marcel’s.