The culinary offerings of hotels have recently become an obsession of mine. Years ago, hotel restaurants were an afterthought or a safe place for a business traveler to dine solo. Now, the menus are more creative, the chefs more talented, traveling diners more sophisticated, and locals step out to their local hotels to sample the menus. Recently, I had the opportunity to lunch at Jardenea at the Melrose Hotel near Georgetown and the experience reiterated my theory. Given the experience, I decided to start a series called Power Lunch, where I meet up with a fellow blogger friends to discuss life and business. Jardenea offered the perfect setting for lunch with Mariella of Splendor Styling. All about our experience:
Power Lunch at Jardenea at the Melrose Hotel
The decor: It was the perfect place to take Mariella for lunch as she has an interior design company and blog. We were taken by the shades of grey in the hotel, giving it a very cool and welcoming vibe. As you enter, you see plush couches, pillows, and bookcases which make you think you’re in a very hip home. Jardenea at the Melrose Hotel has a few tables facing the window and a more intimate seating area. I preferred the informal seating area as it had tons of natural light (natural light = food blogger best friend for foodie photos).
The Food: We started with roasted oysters from southern Virginia. Chef Nate Lindsay focuses on using as much local products as possible. He shared with us how he tries to reach out to local farmers and vendors to create menu that reflects the area and seasons. We continued our meal with a delicious white asparagus bisque with a touch of truffle. Although it is getting warmer in DC, the soup still felt light enough to accompany the spring weather.
A power lunch is not complete without salads. The star was the kale salad with juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant marcona almonds, and parmesan cheese. The key of the greatness of this dish was the bacon vinaigrette, which gives it a savory touch. We were transported to more tropical lands with the ahi tuna with grilled pineapple and candied macadamia nuts. It’s a combination I would have never thought of, but it worked surprisingly well. Was not a big fan of the romaine lettuce on thetuna dish but everything else worked perfectly.
Dessert: a requirement of lunch with friends is sharing dessert. We couldn’t resist digging into the cream puff, they were light and airy with just enough cream to fill but not overwhelm. We also shared a s’more inspired pastry with toasted marshmallow top. Enjoyed that the desserts were not overly sweet and the portions were just right for sharing. Tip: Definitely save room for dessert at Jardenea at the Melrose Hotel.
The Verdict: Jardenea at the Melrose Hotel has all the checks: great service, beautiful setting, delicious and modestly priced dishes, and convenient location. One of the things I enjoyed about this hidden gem was that it was as noisy as other lunch spots in the city. Is the perfect place to have a lunch among friends or a business meeting. The Dining Traveler recommends!
I dined at Jardenea at the invitation of the Melrose Hotel. As always, opinions are my own.
