It’s been quite a year already for Chef Robert Wiedmaier: He’s celebrating the 10th anniversary of his first restaurant, Marcel’s. He’s been nominated for Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, and he’s opened his third eatery, BRABO, in the new Lorien Hotel in Old Town Alexandria.
Like the elegant Marcel’s and the more casual Brasserie Beck downtown, Wiedmaier’s newest addition springs forth from his Belgian background and his devotion to classical French technique. Unlike those two, however, BRABO is not named for one of his children. Instead, BRABO takes its name from Silvius Brabo, a legendary Roman general, whose statue graces the Grand Place in Antwerp.
The scene: Things get started off on the right foot here before you even go inside, thanks to the lovely face-lift the hotel received before becoming the Lorien. An expansive brick courtyard between the wings of the hotel fits in perfectly with the Federal architecture of Old Town, but I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Old World as well. Inside, a copper bar greets you as you enter, and dark hues of metallic brown contrast with the white tablecloths throughout. Kudos to management for placing most of the tables more than an arm’s width apart. Even on a crowded night, there are plenty of spots where you can have some privacy.
The pour: The list of Belgian beers here doesn’t quite approach that at Brasserie Beck, but there’s still something here for every fan of the small country’s artisan brews. Nearly 30 wines are poured by the glass, with an additional 100-plus by the bottle. The list features French and American bottlings, divvied up by Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux varietals. I would like to see a few more modestly priced labels added, however. There are plenty of reasonably priced red Burgundies, so why is $75 the cheapest offering?
The taste: The menu, overseen by Wiedmaier and Chef de Cuisine Chris Watson, has plenty of traditional Northern European fare (roasted farmhouse chicken, pan-seared Icelandic salmon), but there are more than a few curveballs. Instead of steamed in their shells, mussels here are served in a gratin with Gruyére cheese. Caesar salad is topped with an anchovy-laden dressing and rolled in a roulade of Parma ham. Seek out the duck preparations — curry-cayenne duck sausage with lentils and roasted Long Island duck with orange and green peppercorn sauce. Braised pork shank was rich and fork-tender, even if its accompanying chili sauce didn’t add much. But skate wing with lemon-thyme butter was overcooked and swimming in oil.
The touch: Like with a lot of hotel restaurants, you might find a “tale of two staffs” here. During prime hours, the servers — led by manager Gonzague Muchery, formerly of Westend Bistro and himself of Flemish extraction — are efficient, friendly and knowledgeable. During lunch and downtimes, the pace slows down a bit and the service becomes less professional and more lax.
Don’t miss: The wild mushroom and foie gras ravioli, made even richer than it sounds with a truffle Madeira sauce. It will make you wish winter had stuck around longer.
Why you won’t go: The desserts here need some fine-tuning, despite their creativity. A traditional Belgian waffle with a compote of tart cherries was done in by a bland cream cheese filling. And the apples in a cobbler, served in what resembled a “cage” of crust, were soggy and insipid.
Why you will go: To check out the smaller, more casual BRABO Tasting Room, which serves sandwiches and tarts baked in a wood oven. And Wiedmaier’s presence is still metastasizing around the hotel complex — he’s just opened the Butcher’s Block market next door, which sells wines, cheeses, charcuterie, desserts and sandwiches to go.
If you go
BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier
1600 King St., Old Town Alexandria
703-894-3440
» Hours: Breakfast — 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily; Lunch — 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; Dinner — 5 to 11 p.m. daily
» Prices: Appetizers $9 to $14; entrees $19 to $32
» Bottom Line: A welcome addition to the northern stretch of Old Town, this is a cozy space serving comfortable cuisine.
