Monday night eight of us headed over to Sur La Place (5105 Macarthur Boulevard NW-Washington-(202) 237-1445) and it still does some of the best budget meals around DC with decent food and good service.
The place was virtually empty, and we were concerned that it seemed to take a long time for the appetizers to show, but other than that our server Angel handled us with care and concern.
The HEARTS of PALM Salad is always a hit with baby Spinach, White & Green Asparagus, Apple and Citrus Vinaigrette. I chose the new-on-the-menu SMOKED TROUT SALAD with baby Spinach, Strawberries, Endive, Strawberry Vinaigrette & Pommes Pailles. It is, like the others, a huge and filling salad piled with those tasty thin fries on top and tasty pieces of smoked trout. POTATO LEEK SOUP got raves as well.
The best thing for a main course here are the mussels, but Samuel of course had the STEAK FRITES seasoned and cooked deliciously with a mild sauce and bearnaise (which he opted to skip) on the side. The MONKFISH & SCALLOPS got nice commenst, but the Roasted CORNISH HEN was apparently very dry.
Mussels ranged from BEBERT-with celery, onion, smoked salmon, leeks, horseradish and the Belgian beer Delerium Tremens all making a tasty dish with a novel salmon twist in chunks buried amongst the mussels.
DIJONAISE was celery, onions, Dijon Mustard, white wine and herbs & BRUXELLES with celery, onion, bacon, garlic, leeks, goat cheese and bier was apparently a bit more loaded with bacon this time than last.
JAMAICAN ISLE was a novel twist with celery, onions, herbs, coconut cream, curry and bier. I thought this would be a rich creamy concoction, but the curry was good and the coconut added at a level for flavor rather than rich sauce.
Our first wine was a GRANGE des ROQUETTES Marsanne/Viognier blend which was a good price and tasty. We looked forward to more with the mussels, but we had the last bottle and so switched to a pricier, yet just as tasty Domaine Thomas Sancerre "La Crele" that was also a great mussel wine!
We left full without dessert, even though it is made so well here!
It's really great to have Sur La Place just 5 minutes from the house with street parking, good prices and friendly faces!
