del ray cafe

del ray cafe is even more of a work in progress than green pig bistro with construction still going on in the front and light fixtures with no light bulbs as of yet. but, the concept is big and grand and ambitious and i hope it succeeds. i've never quite come across an all day restaurant that offers comfortingly rustic french cuisine but from the setting and feel to the elegant yet simple dishes i saw on the menu, i really enjoyed the meal and i am very excited about the vision of the place. i am most excited about trying out their breakfast since it gives an option beyond traditional diner fare or the local fast food breakfast burrito.

a new dining destination in del ray. i decided to take advantage of the del ray cafe's soft opening to have a nice lunch out on friday. i am happy to report i made a very good decision. the cafe is created out of a former residential home that had also recently served as a retail space. the owners have created a parking lot at the back of the building, allowing for a significant amount of off street parking. as you enter across a sizable wraparound porch (which will soon be available for outdoor dining), you see a working kitchen on your right, and a bright, open casual dining area on your left. there are a number of two-tops tables in the room and a long dining shelf against the windows facing the front of the house where you can seat a number of individual diners or a family with small children. the upstairs is divided into two large dining areas, each with high ceilings and a number of skylights to let natural light in throughout the day.

i was seated downstairs and started with a bowl of the carrot and ginger 'soup of the day'. i was served a bowl of pureed vegetables tasting as much of cream and butter as of carrots and ginger. there was just enough bread left to clean out the bowl when i was finished. while i was waiting for my entree, the ladies seated next to me were making short work of two servings of pei mussels meunière with saffron. one of them was so intent on consuming every bit of the broth that i thought she was going to start licking the pot the mussels came in. i chose the chatham cod on crushed new potato for my main course (this was a very leisurely lunch). it was perfectly cooked, and was just the right amount for a midday meal. after i finished, i was told by staff that they were going to serve brunch on saturday, and then close for the rest of the weekend to take a look at what was working and what things needed to be addressed prior to the official opening on monday, may 14.

with that information in hand and a positive first impression for lunch, i decided to go back for the brunch first thing saturday - another good idea. they had just opened the doors when i arrived and i was again seated in the first floor dining area . i had planned to try the french toast that was listed on the monday - friday breakfast menu, but it was not listed for the weekend brunch menu. i was delighted when they offered to prepare it anyway. what came out were two pieces of perfectly cooked brioche bread topped with warm, poached fresh fruit and a small mound of creme fraiche on the side of the plate. as with lunch, the portions were not the usual mountain of food that would guarantee a request for a take home container, but the civilized portions you would expect at a french country cafe. again, i observed a couple at another table who were being served their orders of eggs benedict. the young lady took a first bite and just closed her eyes and tilted her head back in enjoyment - no words needed.

i think this restaurant has a chance to establish itself as one of the best places to dine in del ray. the only problem i can foresee is too much popularity, too fast impacting the food service. the food is cooked with care and with an appreciation for the quality of its ingredients - which means it takes some time to reach the table. when i was there for lunch on friday, some of the people arriving after 12:30 or so were told they would have to wait until some tables cleared if they wanted to be seated.

i talked to the owner, laurent janowsky, after my breakfast. he is still working to bring aboard what he considers adequate waitstaff for the cafe, and is still working out the reservations vs walk-in policies. if future customers will have a little patience and understanding while the additional service staff is brought aboard and ownership works out the inevitable kinks that occur with a new operation, they will be amply rewarded.

by the way, after my conversation with mr. janowsky, he offered me a small croissant as i left. now i have another reason to go back.

expected more - flavor. for $100, (we had two beers and a gin and tonic) each had an appetizer and entree. trout was good, but pork entree was a little tough and overcooked. plum sauce really didnt have much flavor. friend had french onion soup (liked) and fish special (halibut) which to me seemed not too substantial although cooked properly.

you can do much better for the price elsewhere.

wonderful atmosphere and food. the best french onion soup, chicken salad, and dessert. small restaurant with friendly staff. abdel is the best.

my wife and i were walking through the beautiful town of alexandria and we came across del ray cafe. we walked into the house turned restaurant and immediately fell in love with the atmosphere. food was amazing. service was fast and efficient. enjoyed every waking second of the experience. i highly recommend

marcel janowsky works here and he smells and needs to clean up his eyecrust. one time the crust fell in my waffles. he went through a period where he tried to rock a mullet and it was so gross i couldnt finish my food. besides that, the jaunt hits👌🏼.

the owner is so rude and yelling at us at the restaurant. i dont like to write somehing online but i have to let others know what they did to us today. while eating a brunch today at 10am, the owner came over with red eyes (he might be drunk) and took our silverware away saying our 1 year old son was stabbing "his" table. it all happened in few seconds so we were si surpised. and i had to start my brunch witout it until we aksed him to return it. when i was having a private chat downstairs to hear some apology, he rather yelled at me saying we let our son stab his precious table. and it was a cheap old plywood table. i mean is it a restaurant or his own house? maybe we shouldve taken our shoes off at the door.

avoid - mistreatment of guests and terrible service. avoid! what a horrible experience! the manager yelled at the customers at the table next to ours. our waiter apologized but we told him it wasn't his fault. the waiter took my contact info and told me that the manager or owner would contact me. that never happened. i called back and left a message and never heard back. i called again and the person who answered the phone told me that they couldn't take a message but that the manager laurant would be in at 5 pm that day and to call back. i called back. laurant wasn't there, but the woman gave me his cell phone #. i called laurant's cell. laurant was brusque. laurant told me that he was too busy(!!) with restaurant week to talk to me about the situation but would call me "first thing monday morning." laurant called at 10:41 am on monday. his disinterest and poor business acumen was obvious and he is just plain rude. he sighed and told me that he knew i had a good meal because the waiter told him so(!!). i asked why he didn't contact me previously, he said he was "true to his word" by calling me today (even though i had made several previous unsuccessful attempts to reach him). i reminded him that he was supposed to call "first thing on monday." he said: "next time, i'll call you at 5:30, then." he offered 20% off our next visit as compensation. i feel that isn't enough of an apology for a night ruined. he asked me what i wanted and i told him at least a free meal as a "do over." he said that was too much. i attempted to explain how i felt about the situation and his manner -- his "brush off" of me, but he continually talked over me. a business is made or broken by its treatment of its guests. no matter the food or atmosphere (both of which were good), this business is broken. what a shame. avoid!

...we decided to go grab a late brunch/lunch and del ray cafe seemed like the perfect spot.  i’ve been wanting to try del ray cafe ever since i read that it was a french food cafe. you know me and my love of a good croissant. once we got there, we sat down outside on the screened-in porch. the atmosphere was lovely, mostly because it was such a beautiful day and not a billion degrees like today. since it was later, we had the space to ourselves, but the tables had plenty of room, so even if it we

has a lot of potential j the cooking just doesn't quite make it saying that iam going to give another chance has it was a pleasant evening

perfect neighborhood spot!. i have been there three times each at different times of the day. for brunch, i would suggest their crab benedict. it is the kind of entrée that you (almost) wish you had never tasted because you will want to have it every morning! i am always in search of a good vegetarian entrée and the organic veggie burger is out of this world. the vegetables are actually bursting through the seams of the sandwich. the snails are a perfectly succulent butter delivery system. the beef carpaccio is paired with truffle oil and parmesan -- need i say more? the staff is very customer oriented and the owner is clearly invested in the customer's pleasant experience. i would recommend this place to any size group -- i have been with parties 2-6 and everyone has raved about their meal. prices are reasonable and the kids menu is a steal.

the del ray cafe is a neighborhood gem. it’s in two-story white house just off mount vernon (del ray’s main street). it looks like a house that grandma converted into a restaurant 50 years ago but kept in impeccable shape. it’s got a screened-in porch, window boxes full of pretty flowers, a lovely garden, even a christmas tree in the front yard.

well, we were not impressed with their brunch. i ordered the vegetable hash with a fried egg on top, the root veggies were bland, had no herbs or any kind of spice. very boring dish. the crab cake benedict came with very little sauce which made it dry. we also ordered a crepe which was a disappointment. the crepe was tough. we were just in strasbourg, france and ate delicious french food for half the price. this cafe is always packed but this couple was not impressed, especially not for the prices they are asking. the food was not bad but certainly nothing special.

exquisiteness has swerved toward the homey in del ray. after years spent mastering fine french cuisine at old town’s la bergerie, laurent janowsky has embraced a homier vibe at his new del ray café. janowsky’s strategy began long before any guests glanced at their menus. the restaurateur refurbished a split-level home, creating a country-inspired retreat with sliding barn doors and a screened-in porch overlooking the yard. inside, classic gallic songs filter through the rooms while the kitchen–presided over by la bergerie veteran sylvain tonello–prepares crusty baguettes, herb-speckled roast potatoes ($5) and thick, summery dishes of ratatouille ($5) from breakfast through dinner. the day starts with buttery pains au chocolate ($3), or eggs flanked by rotisserie ham, potatoes and warm bread with goat cheese ($14). by d