Grace's Mandarin, the restaurant with the giant Bhudda (at least that's what my sister calls it), is right across the street from the Gaylord National, where I stayed over the last weekend with my family for my sister's birthday. It's a short walk from the hotel room, but when the windchill is nine degrees it seems like you're hiking across Greenland. Once again, I had to painfully wait for my meal. Reservations, which I STRONGLY recommend (unless you like waiting for two hours) for Grace's Mandarin, were for 9:30, and by then I haven't eaten for nine hours (I arrived at the Gaylord at 12:30 with no breakfast). We were taken up an elevator to our table and promptly seated, where we were then given impressively courteous service, considering the amount of people the staff must greet every shift. Napkins were placed on our laps, towels were offered to clean our fingers, very intimate service for a three story restaurant.
We ordered a vast array of dishes (in classic Filipino birthday style!), so I will narrow my reviews down to several highlights.
For starters we ordered fried calamari and crab rangoon. I'm sure you and I have had calamari everywhere, so you know what it tastes like, but this calamari was very crispy, and the meat didn't fall out of the breading (sign of a perfect fry). The crab rangoon caught my attention though. Crispy wonton on the outside, rich creamy crab filling nestled inside, a delicious favorite, which I enjoy whenever I get the chance. But this version had melted cheddar or jack cheese on top, and had enhanced richness from the gooey texture of the layer of cheese. A delicious appetizer.
The sushi was fresh and devilishly succulent, but it is VERY expensive compared to other local sushi bars. Two pieces of toro at Grace's Mandarin cost eight times as much than it costs at Osaka in Springfield, my local sushi bar. I ordered the sushi deluxe, which was quite costly, but the quality was greatly appreciated by my family and myself. Try the uni! It's the foie gras of the sea, full of melt in your mouth goodness. The clam was sweet and tender. The toro was the jewel of the plate, perfectly marbled with tuna belly fat, giving it a velvet texture on the tongue. The salmon caviar is quite fun to eat, they entertain your mouth when they pop on the crowns of your teeth. The other fish were also fresh and delicious. Except for the price this was a perfect platter. I also ordered a roll of cucumber and eel. It was good, but not incredible. I give the sushi two thumbs up.
My mom ordered a lightly dressed salad with a slab of seared salmon on top (I can't quite remember the name). The dressing had a good balance of acidity, and the greens weren't soggy, but I found the salmon slightly overcooked. The seasoning was perfect though.
My grandmother ordered the assorted tempura, which was perfectly crunchy on the outside. The vegetables were perfectly crisp-tender and not soggy. The shrimp were still moist and steaming when I took a bite out of them. Obviously they weren't carelessly left on a counter for twenty minutes, and customers appreciate little things like the food being hot (come to think of it, that's not a "little thing").
The chocolate cake was just sexy. Moist layers of cake topped with a silky layer of chocolate frosting that glistened under the dimmed lamps, oh it just makes me hungry remembering it. Guilty perfection. I am a firm believer that a perfectly executed chocolate cake is the best way to end a meal.
If you're willing to splurge on a Friday night while you're visiting National Harbor, head down to Grace's Mandarin for a gourmet experience like no other. If you get a window table you'll be able to see the monuments in DC winking on the darkened horizon. I can honestly say Grace's Mandarin was one of my favorite experiences ever at National Harbor. At first, I thought National Harbor was a tourist trap, but it has great restaurants. Check it out. Oh, and ask for a waiter named Trevor (that was the server name on the receipt) . He provided excellent service. read more