Reviews, Press and News

The Washington Post Magazine, October 17, 2004

2004 Fall Dining Guide

Good things come in threes at Eve. Think Cathal Armstrong, his wife, Meshelle Armstrong, and Todd Thrasher. They're the chef, the hostess with the mostest and the sommelier/cocktail master at what instantly became Old Town's top table when it opened earlier this year. Patrons are offered two ways to dine: casually, in the lively bistro, or more formally, in the chef's "tasting room." The former is hugged by brick walls and hung with gold swags. Here's where you might find cod tiled with thin slices of potato; a lusty rib-eye; and impossibly light fruit fritters -- pretty, immensely satisfying food. Much as I enjoy that experience, things get even better in the intimate tasting room, where the five-course menu begins with three gratis treats from the kitchen before the real show starts. With dishes as diverse and refined as lobster creme brulee, roasted venison loin with figs and hazelnuts, and, in a twist on surf and turf, seared ahi tuna with braised oxtail, chef Armstrong performs as ably as Washington's top toques. Service is smooth and sure, no matter which room you pick.

By Tom Sietsema

The Washingtonian, December 2004

Best of Washington - All About Eve

Cathal Armstrong’s Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria offers First-Rate Cooking in Suprising Surroundings. The charms of Eve are not immediately obvious. Rather than entering through the door of it’s South Pitt address, diners must head down an adjacent breezeway to the entrance. Inside, to the right, is a comfortable bar. To the left, after diners walk past the glass-enclosed Wine cellar, is the bistro. The more formal dining area, where tasting menus are served, is in a separate room next to the bistro.

» to read more

The Washingtonian, December 2004

Best of Washington - Best Creative Cocktails

Ever had a cocktail with purple basil, tomato water, or foie gras? They might sound odd, but the Edenesque Cocktails made by Todd Thrasher, mixologist at Restaurant Eve (110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria; 703-706-0450), are delicious. Try his Eamonn’s Cocktail—a twist on the Irish Rickey made with yuzu juice, Irish red lemonade, and Powers Irish whiskey—or his New-Age Gibson, garnished with saffron-infused pearl onions. And the foie gras? That comes on the side of the Pear of Desire, a blend of puréed pears, Liquor 43, fermented ginger, and ginger ale. All drinks but Pear of Desire are $8.75—less than the price of a vodka tonic at some downtown clubs.

The Washington CityPaper,Young & Hungry, October 15, 2004

The Three Faces of Eve

Every time I hear about an ambitious new restaurant with one of those trendy, single-word names that’s meant to evoke a place you’ve never heard of, or a restaurant that hypes its menu concept as though it were reinventing the medium, or a restaurant with a self-congratulatory back story about the chef’s far-flung journeys (the soon-to-open Oyamel hits the trifecta), I want to scream: How about this for a concept? No concept. No trend-fucking, no narrative-making, and no guessing games with the name, either. Just good, attentive cooking with a little bit of heart in it and a well-trained staff that knows the menu and minds the details.

» to read more

The Washington Post Magazine, Editors Pick, June 22 2004

"Who is the governor of Virginia?" isn't a question waiters typically see on a job application, but Restaurant Eve isn't your everyday Virginia restaurant. As Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong prepared to open their establishment in April, the couple looked for personality over experience in their recruits. They spoke of creating "a family" instead of "a clique" at Eve and avoided the obvious hiring strategy: Most of the service staff "doesn't have fine-dining experience," says Cathal Armstrong, the Irish-born chef. "Too many bad habits to break there."

» to read more

The Washingtonian, February 2004

Best Bites

In his 13 years in Washington, Dublin-born Cathal (the "t" is silent) Armstrong has worked in the kitchens of New Heights, Cities, Gabriel, and Vidalia and for the past four years has been chef at Bistro Bis. Now Armstrong and his wife, Meshelle, are striking out on their own with Restaurant Eve, named for their daughter. It is slated to open in February at 110 S. Pitt St., in Old Town Alexandria (703-706-0450).

Restaurant Eve will offer two dining experiences. In the more formal, 32-seat Chef's Tasting Room, Armstrong will offer daily-changing five- and nine-course tasting menus priced at $65 and $90. The 90-seat Bistro and bar features a lounge and brick fireplace, and there's a 30-seat garden terrace. Its menu, inspired by Armstrong home cooking, will focus on local farm products, including some from Troy Farm in Westmoreland County grown to Armstrong's specifications. Bistro prices range from $7 for appetizers such as a terrine of rabbit and foie gras to $24 for main courses such as braised beef short ribs or bouillabaisse.

The Bistro is open weekdays for lunch and Monday through Saturday for dinner. The Chef's Tasting Room is open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and Tuesday through Saturday for dinner.

By Thomas Head

The Washington Post, September 1, 2004

Ask Todd

Q: Virginia: A few of my friends and I have been doing cocktail tours around town. We wanted to know in your opinon what restaurant is doing the coolest cocktails in town?

A: Tom Sietsema: The "coolest cocktails in town" are being stirred and shaken at Restaurant Eve in Old Town. No one is more experimental (and successful) with libations than the restaurant's sommelier, Todd Thrasher.

» to read more

The Washington Diplomat, October 2004

Return to Eden - Eve Offers Unexpected Joys With Updated American Cuisine

The best and worse restaurants are often judged that way, not so much because of the quality of the food, service or décor, but because of our expectations. The expectations usually come from a review, a trusted friend or "the buzz," which is basically a combination of the word on the street and hype.

» to read more

The Alexandria Gazette, April 29, 2004

It's All About Eve - Newest Old Town restaurant makes debut.

Step past the gate and walk down the alley to Alexandria’s newest dining experience, Restaurant Eve. Thirteen months and two weeks after renovations began at 110 S. Pitt Street, Eve’s doors opened for business last Monday evening. Restaurant Eve is in an old building that once housed other restaurants and features a courtyard. The location was always a favorite place for dining, due to the quaint atmosphere.

» to read more

The Washington Post Magazine, The Weekly Dish, July 21, 2004

OH, TO BE A WAITER AGAIN!

One of the problems some restaurant workers face is where to eat on their free nights, which typically fall on Sunday and Monday -- the same nights many upscale restaurants tend to be closed. Taking note of the situation, Restaurant Eve (110 S. Pitt St., Alexandria; 703-706-0450) plans to open its two dining rooms to the trade on Monday evenings. Co-owner Meshelle Armstrong has dubbed the deal -- which includes a 15 percent discount on food -- "Eve's Industry Night." Here's how it works: Anyone in the restaurant community is welcome to make a reservation in either the restaurant's bistro or more formal, 34-seat tasting room. Guests simply will be asked to let Eve know where they work and bring a business card from the establishment when they come for dinner. Armstrong wishes she could include wine and cocktails in the discount, "but Virginia law forbids us from giving away alcohol for any reason." Industry Night commences Monday, Aug. 16 -- chef Cathal Armstrong's 35th birthday, as it turns out.

By Tom Sietsem

AOL City Guide

Washington, DC Restaurants

"Nourish the Palate" is the motto of Restaurant Eve, which also promises a feast for all senses. Dublin native Chef Cathal Armstrong builds on his culinary experience at Bistro Bis and Vidalia, serving up seasonal treats and produce grown his way at Westmoreland County's Troy Farms. His restaurant savvy wife keeps things running smoothly and the place is named for daughter, Eve.

» to read more

The Washington Post, The Weekly Dish, May 19 2004

Make A Wish

Long before they opened the new Restaurant Eve (110 S. Pitt St.;703-706-0450) in Alexandria, Meshelle and Cathal Armstrong knew there was one thing they had to have on their menu: "Sticky-sweet birthday cake," Meshelle recalls. "The kind of cake everyone remembers from when they were kids.

» to read more