M Street Grill, Washington, D.C.

Reviewing my blog after making the last post, I noticed I didn't ever write about Sunday's dinner experience. It, too, was sorely lacking in accommodating service, a noticeable lapse in a usually better-run restaurant.

Ryan and I had been at our friend Max's place for cocktails and, on our walk home, stopped at the M Street Grill in the Hotel St. Gregory. Now, I've only been to the M Street Grill for brunches before, but the service then was always fine. I guess they had different waitstaff for dinner.

We weren't terribly hungry, so we just ordered entrees with no preliminaries. Ryan ordered the pan-roasted chicken with sweet potato pecan puree and broiled macaroni and cheese that looked quite delicious, and all of which got eaten. It also came with a green vegetable they called "broccolini" that I thought looked rather like broccoli rabe rather than normal broccoli. I got the steak and potatoes. Several tender steak medallions were on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes and topped with a brown gravy scented with sage. I was also supposed to have had "broccolini," but was served sauteed spinach instead. I thought the food was all pretty good.

For dessert, Ryan got an apple crisp with ice cream and I got the dulce de leche cheesecake. The delivering waiter brought two spoons and didn't pick up on my comment to Ryan about "Do you still have a fork leftover?" (we'd each been brought two napkin-packs of flatware).

The problem with the service? It was extremely slow and we seemed at various times to have three different waiters. At the end of the main courses, the waitress brought the check and didn't inquire about dessert, coffee, or anything else. At least at M Street Grill, we had the impression that everyone in restaurant was the victim of slowness.

Must be Sunday night malaise.