OUR VISIT TO THE MAJESTIC IN OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA
It’s rare to find food that knocks my socks off. As a lifelong vegetarian who likes to cook, restaurant eating can be a Groundhog Day-like experience of cheese, potatoes, pasta, and repeat.
Sunday, guys. Sunday I ate food that knocked my socks off! And the restaurant was fairly kid-friendly, and right in Old Town Alexandria (I hate driving far for food…or driving far at all).
We had family in town, including foodie cousins who could write their own vegetarian-friendly Zagat guides of Chicago and New York. AND 4 children ranging from ages 4 months to 6 years old. So you could say we were an easy crowd to please.
This muggy, overcast Sunday we happened into The Majestic on King St. My cousins had eyes this spot on the way over from their parking spot. I adore brunch, and this menu sold me at cornflake encrusted French toast.
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SEATING AND ORDERING
We piled in the narrow entryway to a dark dining room. The hostess seated us right away (a bonus with 7 hungry folks in our party). This was a glimpse of the quick, friendly service to come throughout the meal.
Per my foodie cousin’s advice, we ordered a bunch of dishes and sides to split family style. For my preschoolers and grade schooler we ordered buttered pasta from the kids’ menu. The waitress asked if I wanted to dilute the juice with water–a nice touch. YOLO, I thought, and ordered my kids the hard stuff (undiluted juice, neat).
The adults ordered coffees, which came in oversized teacups in saucers.
We sipped and sweated in the dining room. The air conditioning wasn’t working or just couldn’t keep up with our balmy fall weather. numerous guests fanned themselves with makeshift and actual fans. Willing to suffer in the name of gluttony, we mopped our brows with the soft cloth napkins and ordered a hearty spread of vegetarian items. Monkey bread, a stack of blueberry pancakes, cornflake-encrusted French toast, grilled cheese with caramelized onions and mushrooms and fries on the side, truffle grits, home fries, and an egg white omelette with fall veggies, and a biscuit.
While we waited, we looked around. Diners ranged from the after-church crowd to those who’d worshipped runners high at the Army Ten Miler that morning. We saw two other families with babies but no preschool kids.
THE FOOD: CUE ANGELS SINGING
The food came very quickly even during the busy brunch hour. The server brought the kids’ meals first. Al dente cavatappi (curly tube pasta) with butter and a bit of melted white cheese. It was bland enough for the kids but a tasty side for adults to munch on too.
The monkey bread came next and was divine. With each bite, the warm, crispy caramelized shell gave way to a gooey inside. Easy to share as we pulled it apart into bite sized pieces. The remaining dishes came quickly after that. The cornflake encrusted French toast was as unique as I’d hoped. The outside had a satisfying crunch and the inside a melt-in-your-mouth softness. “Ohhh yeah, that’s good,” I said to no one in particular. I hadn’t had food that made me vulnerable to a “that’s what she said” joke in a long time. It felt good.
The truffle grits didn’t have much truffle flavor but the creamy, cheesy, salty goodness was a nice contrast to all the sweet foods. I loved the substantial bread and caramelized onions and mushrooms of the grilled cheese but the actual cheese tasted suspiciously like Kraft to me. Would have loved some real cheddar.
Scrambled eggs the color of sunshine arrived studded with some bright green herb with an onion flavor. Chives, maybe? The bite of the herbs combined with the soft scramble made this a surprise egg of the best kind. These unique touches in the food made the trip to The Majestic worth it, even though I make versions of the same food at home.
The kids enjoyed the blueberry pancakes, fries, and French toast (once we’d taken the edge off their hunger with the pasta, we had them join in the brunch-as-tapas concept). I didn’t try the egg white omelette but my foodie cousins were pleased, and that’s a compliment.
LOGISTICS: POTTIES AND PARKING
The Majestic is equipped with a family restroom with room for a stroller and a soft cushioned changing table. When all three of my kids wanted to use the potty at the same time mid-meal, the four of us fit. Unfortunately the floor was wet, making the potty visit a bit icky. There’s another restroom for adults–nice in a restaurant with limited space.
The aisles were narrow, so you should probably leave your stroller outside or in the hallway, but an infant car seat would work just fine. Two of my kids sat in booster seats in a booth. The seating allowed for mid-dining potty trips without having to disturb other guests.
Toward the end of the brunch, two of my kids started losing it. We were able to make a quick exit onto King Street to do some people- and dog-watching while my cousins wrapped up their meal.
Street parking is available but no dedicated lot. There are some local lots within a 4 block radius, or you can Metro to King Street and take a trolley.
http://themajesticva.com/
911 King St, Alexandria
Highly, highly recommend this brunch spot.
