Help with restaurants - Staying at Gaylord National Resort & Conference Center in MD

[cqt]

We are attending a conference at the Gaylord National Conference Center - I am not excited about eating hotel food while we're there.

I haven't been to this part of the US since college so I would welcome any recommendations.

What is Maryland known for? Any good foodie restaurants that are reasonably-priced?

Should we try to go into DC or Mt.Vernon? If so, any recommendations? I read about Braisserie Beck so definitely thinking of this as a possibility for one night.

Thank you in advance!

[woodleyparkhound]

I love Brasserie Beck so I think that would be a great idea. Will you have a car?

Here are some threads on dining in/near the National Harbor.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/734129?tag=search_results;

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/531346?tag=search_results;results_list

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/677950?tag=search_results;results_list

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/705551?tag=search_results;results_list

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7108...

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Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

[cqt]

Thank you, Woodleyparkhound!

I did read through those links earlier and the area around National Harbor seemed very chainy and the hotel restaurants very pricey.

We will not have a car but are not opposed ot take a taxi or water taxi. It sounds like our two options are to take a water taxi into Alexandria (Is this "Old Town?") or taxi into DC.

For Alexandria, Restaurant Eve seems to be the consensus. I am worried about the $110 prixe fixe pricing since we are traveling for work - I would love to try it if I were on my own. What do you think of this vs other restaurants (weighing innovative and good food with price?)?

For DC, the only lead I have is Braisserie Beck. Good to know that it's a good choice.

TIA!

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Restaurant Eve
110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

[Steve]

Restaurant Eve offers a pix fixe tasting menu in an exclusive room called The Tasting Room, but the rest of the place is a la carte and not as expensive. Also in Old Town is La Bergerie for classic French with a few twists.

http://www.labergerie.com/index.php

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Restaurant Eve
110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

La Bergerie
218 N. Lee Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Tasting Room
101 N Market St, Frederick, MD 21701

[woodleyparkhound]

Yes, you take the water taxi to Old Town, which is a part of Alexandria. King St. is the main street running through Old Town, from the water up to the King St. Metro station. It's a really pleasant and charming area with lots of shops and restaurants.

Two other places there that are popular with chowhounds are the Majestic and Vermillion. I have been to V. just for drinks. I've been to the Majestic, but only for the Sunday evening "Nana's Sunday Supper" which I do not recommend. The normal dinner menu is said to be much better.

For cheap and casual on King St., Eamonn's does great fish and chips. It is run by the same people who run Restaurant Eve.

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Restaurant Eve
110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Eamonns
728 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314

[cqt]

Steve and Woodleyparkhound - thank you!!

After researching some more today, I think that we narrowed our choices to:

Alexandria - Majestic (thought about Restaurant Eve but still worried about the prices but couldn't find an actual menu on their site)

DC - chose Central over Brasserie Beck's. Woodleyparkhound, hope that this is the right decision.

Can't wait!!!

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Restaurant Eve
110 South Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

[woodleyparkhound]

You're most welcome!

Not sure why you couldn't find the menus on the RE site... Here they are at the bottom of the page:

http://www.restauranteve.com/menu/ind...

In any case your choices are both good ones. I love Central! (Especially the "faux gras" -- check it out!

)

You'll eat well here, I'm certain! Enjoy your trip!