Thursday, July 14, 2011

Restaurant Week at Watershed & Smith Commons

Two local spots have signed up to participate in this round of Restaurant Week. It's a great chance to try out new places without breaking the bank. During restaurant week you can enjoy a fixed price lunch for $20.11, or dinner for $35.11. In our neck of the woods Todd Gray's Watershed and Smith Commons are on the list (Smith Commons only for dinner). Capital Spice has a nice post on the topic and a handy map of participants. Restaurant Week runs August 15th-21st. Don't forget that Granville's is participating in Belgian Restaurant Week July 15-21.

17 comments:

Micaela said...

Restaurant week is AUGUST 15 - 21st, so never fear!

inked said...

Doh! Dates too similar. Thanks for the catch.

Campy said...

off topic:

It was mentioned today that Steuart broke ground at 360 H (Giant grocery). The official ceremony with Wells and Grey will be on Tuesday at 10:30am.

MJ said...

Anyone tried Watershed yet? Feedbag feedback?

emo said...

Watershed: food good to ok, service amateurish to terrible

Anonymous said...

I had great food at Watershed, but I will second emo that the service isn't the best.

Anonymous said...

I have to agree with the others on this. The food is ok but the service really stinks. No reason for it, the place wasn't jumping or anything, the waiter just disappeared around the corner somewhere.


Green Cat

eator said...

i went to watershed once for a brunch. i was surprised they had absolutely no seafood offerings.
i feel ripped off since i was very disappointed and the food i did eat was mediocre. and it wasn't cheap.
and the decor is more drab than anywhere else i've eaten in dc.
not a fan

Gonzo said...

Wow, that is terribly disappointing to hear about Watershed. I hope you all drop the management a line or email them so that they get this feedback. The menu looked like it had great potential. Bummer.

Rayful Edmond said...

I went during the first week it opened. The food was great, but alas service was dismal. Thought by now they would have cut the lowly wait staff.

Not emo/hipster said...

I had a phenomenal meal at Watershed recently. Stellar, flavorful dishes and good portions. I can't wait to go back... though it did seem a bit understaffed. At least the waiters were friendly when you could actually get their attention, unlike some of the places on H (ahem Sticky Rice service sets the low bar).

Anonymous said...

Joe Englert said:

I think Watershed will very quickly find their feet. Equinox might be the best restaurant in the city. I am sure thing will improve and you should not give them more of chance.....

Anonymous said...

Joe Englert said:

Sorry, sticking typewriter keys!!!

YOU SHOULD GIVE WATERSHED A SECOND CHANCE....I AM SURE THEY WILL IMPROVE THE SERVICE....FOOD ALWAYS GREAT ALREADY

OP 7:10 said...

I'm surprised to hear people say the food was just ok, or even mediocre. To expand on my previous comment, I thought the food was really good-- I had a perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked piece of fish. Gazpacho, raw oysters, scallop crudo, and cocktails were all top-notch. Our waiter was a bit on the slow side, and forgetful-- he didn't mention a few of the specials, and wasn't really sure how to describe a few of the dishes-- but the food MORE than compensated for that. It's in a hotel, so yeah, the decor isn't the best, but the outdoor patio is great. I thought prices to portion-sizes were quite reasonable, especially given the quality of the food and commitment to using what's local/sustainable.

I second Joe Englert-- give them another shot. I've got no affiliation... I just happen to like good food, and think Watershed nailed it.

emo said...

I did end up sharing my experience with a friend who helped build the hotel and knows Todd Gray. He said he'd pass it on.

At the time I tried to tell the shed manager that we had had a lot of people trying to serve our table (that was one of the problems, we were asked at least twice about everything possible). He didn't really listen, just assumed that that was a good thing...

on fifth said...

Had dinner and drinks on the patio at Watershed early in the summer and had a great time. I'm surprised by the negative comments about the service, because we had a great waiter. He was really accomodating - our friends brought their 4 year old and the waiter kept bringing her chips (which were keeping her happy) and had the chef make some (delicious) mac n cheese for her (not on the menu). The chef even came out and chatted with us. I don't remember what we had, as it was a couple of months ago now, but I know we all walked away happy. it's worth going just to hang out on the deck.

Karin said...

Went to Watershed last night and had a wonderful dinner. Food great, ambiance fabulous and service great (our server was a professional, a rarity these days). One of my dining companions is a chef and she agreed. I will be going back for restaurant week.