WASHINGTON (Map, News) - When Chef Susan Lindebourg retired last year, it was unclear what would become of The Majestic, the upscale Southern diner she oversaw in Old Town Alexandria.

The restaurant remained open but in a state of limbo until the owners brought Chef Cathal Armstrong (of Restaurant Eve fame and the newly minted Chef of the Year) and his team aboard to retool the menu and oversee operations. It was a natural fit: Armstrong and his wife hatched the idea for Eve over a bottle of wine at The Majestic four years ago. His menu, executed by deputies Shannon Overmiller and Michael Bergeron, remains aggressively American with a few Southern touches and has locals filling the small room nightly.

» The Scene:

A minor face-lift has made the restaurant look a bit less like a Johnny Rockets, but the narrow room retains some of the trappings of a diner, such as tile floors, unclothed tables and cozy booths. Heavy curtains, neutral tones and dramatic chandeliers jazz things up a bit.

» The Pour:

Todd Thrasher, Armstrong’s partner and cocktail guru, developed a list that puts a fresh twist on classics: Hemingway’s Daiquiri adds fresh grapefruit juice to the standard lime, for example. The wine list is modest in length and price: Most bottles are American and less than $50.

» The Taste:

With the exception of broiled sardines and calves’ liver, this is a pretty straightforward menu. Pickled onion and pea shoots dress up a nice pan-seared pair of crab cakes. A bright asparagus soup gets some kick from goat cheese cream. Bacon vinaigrette livens up the crispy soft shell crabs over succotash. Whole grilled fish is tender and juicy (if a little bony), served over a tangy fennel salad and lemon.

On the other side of the ledger, fried green tomatoes were undercooked and underseasoned, and their simple tomato sauce didn’t bring much life to the party. The meat loaf, meanwhile, was overseasoned, overwhelmed with salt and herbs. And the house-made orecchiette with bread crumbs — one of the “little tasty sides” — was clumpy with bread crumbs. You’re better off with the green beans with house-made bacon or the tender English peas with mint, shallots and lemon zest.

» The Touch:

On my visits, service was acceptable, if unremarkable. What was remarkable was the classic Caesar salad, prepared tableside. Composed of nine ingredients, individually added to the bowl and tossed to order, the tangy, garlicky salad was the best I’ve had in months.

» Don’t miss:

The old-fashioned icebox cakes, which change nearly every day.

» Why you will go:

For Nana’s Sunday Dinner, a family-style feast for four that sets you back only $68. July’s menu (it changes monthly) includes barbecue chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob and a whole pie.

» Why you won’t go:

Because on weekend nights, the parking situation along this stretch of Old Town can turn back even the most intrepid restaurant adventurer.

jdufour@dcexaminer.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

12:15 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 17, 2008 re: "New eateries may bud in Haight-Ashbury"

Gaza George said:
Let them eat and drink. Too many hemp products can be harmful to the multinational restaurant bottom line. Go liquor holes.

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7:27 AM MST on Fri., Oct. 5, 2007 re: "Chef Paolino�s dishes pasta with pizazz"

Examiner Reader said:
I was very surprised by the comment. When we go to eat at Chef Paolino, I always take the kids to a table first and either my husband or I order for all of us. Our first time there, we all took a menu to a table and then my husband went up and ordered for the family. I think the writer just misunderstood.

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8:42 AM MST on Wed., Sep. 12, 2007 re: "Chef Paolino�s dishes pasta with pizazz"

Examiner Reader said:
On the evening of 09/07/07 my family and I went to eat at this restaurant for dinner at 5:30 pm. Being our first time there I questioned if they would seat us or should we seat ourselves. The employee advised me we had to go order our food then we could seat ourselves. I ask him if I could please sit first. In my arms was my handicapped 5 year old daughter who from Spinal Bifida can not walk, my husband was carrying our 3 month old son and I had 3 other children with me ranging from 7 to 9. I explained to him I could not continue to hold her and go order my food due to her wait. It would be impossible to hold her and order, pay, ect. Even after explaining why I needed to be seated first he refused to do so. My family and I had to leave that establishment and to say the least was very dissatisfied with our first experience at the Chef Paolino Cafe.I believe this restaurant needs to change there process of ordering and seating customers. This process is very difficult for the handicapped

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12:51 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 25, 2007 re: "Powell brings Jamaican spice to Penn Quarter restaurant"

Anon said:
Chef Alex Powell's enthusiasm for his work and his creations comes across well in this article. As a food connoisseur and a lover of island flavors, it will be my priority to visit the 701 Restaurant. The chef takes me back to my own roots where the belief is that you can never go wrong with simple, natural ingredients. Way to go chef and welcome to DC!

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5:39 PM MST on Mon., Jun. 4, 2007 re: "Beer soup brightens meal in Ellicott City"

Examiner Reader said:
Sounds like a typical visit to most restaruants these days. Steak are always "iffy" I try to avoind them because a chef will tell you fat on a steak helps retain juices, but I don't like fat. Also, if I see a sauce on anything I avoid it. especailly at a place where I have never eaten. I had a friend that was a professional chef. I was grilling steaks at my house one day and asked him to show me how he made his steak taste so good. He rubbed both sides with salt.

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