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I try not making snap judgements, particularly when there’s a new restaurant involved. I like to bide my time and see if a newcomer to the evening dining scene is worthwhile. Of course, in this city if you take too long you’re bound to miss out. I think in this case, should Viridian bow out of the restaurant landscape, it won’t be missed.
Viridian: Worth The Price?
I’ve been to Viridian twice now, and I have to say that neither visit was a remarkable experience. And what gets me is that this place has the look of a restaurant that is all about selling an experience. Clean lines, soothing color palettes, all the mod minimalism one could want (though, the concrete floor makes for a loud atmosphere — even despite the attempts at what seem like acoustic padding under the tables)…Stepping in to Viridian makes me think, “Oh, yeah…this is going to be nice.” But, it’s not.First, the service was incredibly slow. On my first visit, I was willing to let that go since it was shortly after Viridian opened. But now that it has been around for a few months, there’s been plenty of time to work out the kinks. I have to say that a lack of attentiveness on the part of the waitstaff is only going to detract from my enjoyment of the evening (and I do try to enjoy my dining experiences!). I’m not asking for hovering obsequiousness; just don’t make me wait.
Second, the food is overpriced. I don’t mind small portions — in this age of obesity, in fact, a healthy-sized portion is admirable — and I’m no cheapskate, but I’m unwilling to part with Jackson and Co. for a single dish if you’re not going to follow through with decent flavor, texture, and presentation. For example, last Tuesday’s special (Rabbit leg served on a bed of pureed and whole peas) was flavorful, but so dry that I had to keep washing it down with water (okay, at least the guy with the water pitcher was paying attention). And perhaps this sums up my experience well: the flavor was great, but the rest of the dish fell short…just as the promise of Viridian seems full of potential, but the experience leaves much to be desired.
In Viridian’s defense, I’ll say my dining companion for the evening had a halibut filet that was absolutely mouth-watering. And, the wine she had along with it (Terrace Heights Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2005) was equally delicious. So, I’m going to give Viridian one more chance to prove that it can hang in Logan Circle before I write it off completely.
But maybe this time I’ll just sit at the bar.
Responses
I have to concur. Although my food was delicious, the service was slow and the food overpriced for what it was. Logan Circle is in dire need of a new infusion of restaurants to support the barrage of loft dwellers flocking to the area, but this restaurant clearly doesn’t fit the bill.
Viridian? Feh…
My fiance and I went there a month or two ago and were horribly disappointed. It’s a nice-looking place, and the service was fine, but the food itself was shockingly underwhelming. In general, everything seemed to lack flavor. The fish, the chicken, the sides — all seemed timid.
But the dessert was a joke. Seriously. We ordered some $10 “chocolate cake” and what came out looked like two brown fig newtons. We had to ask the server if, in fact, this was the chocolate cake, and she seemed embarrassed to confirm that it was. Still holding out hope that our $2.50-a-bite dessert would at least taste amazing, we gave it a shot. Sadly it was dry, and like everything else we tried at Viridian, sorely lacking in flavor.
Yeah, Viridian is an overpriced waste of space. Nice curtains, though…