...although everyone already has Creme on their list of places to take out-of-towners, I recently had such a nice experience there I thought I'd note it. I was having a bad day - typical government beaucracy b.s. is the best way to describe it without getting myself fired - and to top it off, I got a ridiculously expensive parking ticket. Bub, fantastic boyfriend that he is, called as I was walking to Whole Foods to tell me that since he couldn't be there to cheer me up, he'd made me a reservation at Creme and he'd "take me out to dinner" from SF. I was off like a shot while he was still talking.
I was treated like a queen. The maitre d' was chatting about how sweet Bub was and gave me a semi-private table where I could still people-watch. Having a number of food allergies, primarily celiac disease, can make dining a pain but the waiters and chef were familiar with the allergy and let me know what was off-limits. This is a HUGE plus, because often waiters just look for wheat or flour and there are a number of other foodstuffs which contain gluten. The waiter kept my wine glass filled and was friendly without being intrusive. The chef delivered my dishes and we talked a bit about the restaurant, again friendly without letting my food get cold. They refused to let me even see the bill, saying it'd been taken care of, so I estimated an additional 20% and promised to return. When I did, about a week later with friends, the waiter and chef remembered me and my allergies. Big bonuses all around.
Other Creme positives - it doesn't feel cramped but it's actually pretty small, which allows for neighborhood-ness while still feeling like a destination. My favorites on the menu are the mushroom masterpiece (one of my favorite foods and there are a lot in here), smoky, earthy variations punctuated with sharp manchego - no boring buttons. The mussels - different (but equal) than Saint Ex's are made by the cilantro/garlic, plus they're a good portion. For the mains, look no further than the meat and potatoes american, a braised short rib that barely needs a push of the fork to separate. For braised beef, it doesn't feel heavy, and the flavor is deep without being too "meaty". The au gratin is crispy on the outside and flavored with another delicious sharp cheese, and although the accompanying vegetables aren't spectacular, the focus is really on the meat and I always like a simple roasted vegetable.
There's a tendency on U/14th St towards a put-on artsy pretension - one gets the sense in a place like Busboys, The Red Room, even Saint Ex sometimes, that the staff and most of the patrons are hipper-than-thou and they're all in on this joke that you're never going to be privvy to - particularly if you live in Virginia - and that they've been here all along, before 14th was cool, while you, Johnny-come-lately, will be gone with the first rat you see. I don't really mind it
because I frequent these places to read or to meet friends, not to compare original-artwork-tatoos on my lower back, but my point is that Creme doesn't have that vibe, it's really open, welcoming, and draws a constantly changing clientele. Well played, Creme.
I was treated like a queen. The maitre d' was chatting about how sweet Bub was and gave me a semi-private table where I could still people-watch. Having a number of food allergies, primarily celiac disease, can make dining a pain but the waiters and chef were familiar with the allergy and let me know what was off-limits. This is a HUGE plus, because often waiters just look for wheat or flour and there are a number of other foodstuffs which contain gluten. The waiter kept my wine glass filled and was friendly without being intrusive. The chef delivered my dishes and we talked a bit about the restaurant, again friendly without letting my food get cold. They refused to let me even see the bill, saying it'd been taken care of, so I estimated an additional 20% and promised to return. When I did, about a week later with friends, the waiter and chef remembered me and my allergies. Big bonuses all around.
Other Creme positives - it doesn't feel cramped but it's actually pretty small, which allows for neighborhood-ness while still feeling like a destination. My favorites on the menu are the mushroom masterpiece (one of my favorite foods and there are a lot in here), smoky, earthy variations punctuated with sharp manchego - no boring buttons. The mussels - different (but equal) than Saint Ex's are made by the cilantro/garlic, plus they're a good portion. For the mains, look no further than the meat and potatoes american, a braised short rib that barely needs a push of the fork to separate. For braised beef, it doesn't feel heavy, and the flavor is deep without being too "meaty". The au gratin is crispy on the outside and flavored with another delicious sharp cheese, and although the accompanying vegetables aren't spectacular, the focus is really on the meat and I always like a simple roasted vegetable.
There's a tendency on U/14th St towards a put-on artsy pretension - one gets the sense in a place like Busboys, The Red Room, even Saint Ex sometimes, that the staff and most of the patrons are hipper-than-thou and they're all in on this joke that you're never going to be privvy to - particularly if you live in Virginia - and that they've been here all along, before 14th was cool, while you, Johnny-come-lately, will be gone with the first rat you see. I don't really mind it
because I frequent these places to read or to meet friends, not to compare original-artwork-tatoos on my lower back, but my point is that Creme doesn't have that vibe, it's really open, welcoming, and draws a constantly changing clientele. Well played, Creme.
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