Eaton elegance

I finally paid a visit to the new Eaton Steakhouse this week, a place I've been dying to visit after hearing about how beautiful the restaurant is and its ambitious menu. I will be reviewing it for the Eagle soon, after a visit at dinner, but here's an early peek after a lunch visit with Denise and our longtime friend Diane Lewis, who was as engaging and fun as ever.

Diane with a view of the restaurant. One of my favorite parts of our lunch with Diane was her contempt that the restaurant actually brings you a fresh white linen napkin with dessert. "That is just unnecessary," she said with her usual matter-of-factness. But I agree, Diane. (We had a cinammon bread pudding for dessert that was scrumptious.)

Denise enjoying the delicious crusty rolls.

The restaurant really is beautiful with its massive, stately columns. It was completely packed at lunch and we even had to wait about 20 minutes for a table.

One of the nice features is fresh flowers at every table, and every arrangement is different. I didn't take a photo of the pastry cases on the other end of the restaurant, with its towering cakes and creatively decorated tarts, cookies and cupcakes, but believe me, it's worth a visit just to gawk at.
Oh, and as far as the food, well it was a little mixed. I felt my mahi mahi was a bit overdone and the accompanying fresh green beans were woefully undercooked, and Diane's French dip sandwich was a bit too chewy, but otherwise tasty. So I'm hoping to be impressed more at dinner. Stay tuned.