To start with, the location is not ideal. Due to the fact that Range is inside of Chevy Chase Pavilion, which is a mall and a hotel, patrons of Range are left staring at rows of hotel rooms which is slightly uncomfortable. The lack of windows and natural light also makes the restaurant somewhat claustrophobic, especially considering how loud it is in there.
Aside from the ambiance, the menu at Range is also quite underwhelming. Are the dishes meant for sharing? Is this a small plates restaurant? There are several tasting platters, such as a cheese plate, which are conducive for sharing. So are the veggie side dishes, like the crispy brussel sprouts and the mashed potatoes. But then other items, most notably pasta dishes and salads, are extremely awkward to share, but aren’t really enough as a main course…
Quality wise, the dishes are average. Mashed potatoes are creamy without much flavor, a beet salad is generic, roasted carrots and turnips are forgettable, and the menu overall is meat heavy, rather than flavor heavy. There is not a single vegetarian pasta, and only one meat-free pizza. Even the bread basket is lack-luster, with dry pita bread and hunks of French bread. The only highlight are the cheddar-chive biscuits, which are buttery and savory. Desserts may be the biggest failure however. Sweets such as the apple crisp are miserable. A deconstructed apple crisp basically means balls of undercooked apple, without much else. The banana bread pudding is dry, small, and unsatisfying. A candy cart which comes around to different tables is fun and whimsical, but ultimately has few enticing options. The only winner on the cart is the crinkle, a chocolate cookie with gooey liquid chocolate on the inside.
The best advice when contemplating heading to Range: Go to Volt instead.
Range, 5335 Wisconsin Ave Northwest Washington D.C. 20015, 202-803-8020
Related: Bryan Voltaggio
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