This place is a hidden gem. Â Wonderful wine choices. Â 5 stars for the wine options. The flights are nice as well. Â The service is 5 starts - very attentitve & they'll let you taste any wines that you'd like. Â I was also pleasantly suprised in all of the beer choices. There is a huge refrigator with great bottles of beer to choose from.
5 stars for the food as well - wow the scallops are scrumptious! Â The mac-n-cheese is to die for. And the beef sliders are oh-so yummy yummy! The brie is great to start! and I've even had the salmon and loved it!
I'm only giving this place a 4 because this place is typically empty & awkardly quiet and I like more of an upbeat atmosphere with music. Â That is the only reaon. Â Otherwise it's a star 5 establishment!
We checked into our hotel in the area around 5 and wanted a nice dinner after a long day of traveling. We wandered a bit and happened upon Grand Cru, and what a happy accident it was. Considering we had absolutely zero expectations- even if we had- we were very impressed with the service, the wine, and the food.
The brie and honey tapas was a lovely start, and others liked the truffled deviled eggs. I was in love with my scallop dish, my hubby enjoyed the veal tenderloin. We had a bottle of Barbera that was delicious. Our server was really attentive and very sweet during the entire meal.
If you're in the area this is definitely the place to go.
Maybe I was expecting too much, but everything from the food, wine, service, and atmosphere was just meh.
Appetizers:
3 stars for cheese tray and mussels.
2 stars for the what I call cold cut tray.
Entree:
3 stars for both the duck and lamb.
(But the portion is ridiculously small - I have my fair share of small portion at fine restaurant, but this place takes the price)
Portion:
1 star (see above)
Service;
3 stars (the waiter was attentive, but really nothing special)
Too many good restaurants to try, for me to give this place a 2nd try.
I really didn't know about this hidden gem until one day a friend offered to join him for lunch!
What struck me first how unique this establishment is. It's a wine bar slash bistro slash wine store with rustic yet cozy ambiance.
We were pleased to sample the Executive Lunch special, where I chose a Soup du Jour, Reuben sandwich and got a bonus Chocolate mousse dessert. French-inspired cuisine is truly pleasing to the palate, while atmosphere is intimate and inviting to just relax and unwind.
They have a great selection of wines at reasonable prices, and a little perk, if you become a wine club member, you receive 10% discount with every purchase. So, I stocked up on some wines to conclude my dining experience!
Definitely will be going back for dinner!! Can't wait to see more of Grand Cru!
It may help that I live in the apartment building right next door to Grand Cru but  I love this place!
Don't be fooled by their slightly strange location - you will need a reservation if you are trying to come here for dinner on the weekend. They have a quirky selection of wines that you probably won't find at a lot of other restaurants and their wine flights are unique and always changing.
Things we like to order include: cheese plate, charcuterie, Mac and Cheese (it isn't a super thick sauce but it is rich and there is bacon), escargot, spinach salad, and the duck. The only thing I would suggest skipping is the creme brulee.
I really like Grand Cru! Â It is a favorite happy hour spot of mine in Arlington and gets additional cool points for their outdoor patio in warm weather! Â Located near Ballston between the old folks place and condos, it's definitely in the cut, but provides a quiet patio that lacks the Ballston hustle and bustle in the summertime. Â
They have a happy hour menu that offers 5 or 6 types of glasses of wine and a bunch of $5 happy hour apps. Â If you come during hh here, it will be quite a bit cheaper than screwtop in Clarendon. Â
I started with their $5 hh Pinot Noir and ended up sticking with it for refills because it was quite a pleasant glass!
I tried the red wine beef sliders which I thought were so-so on above average buns. Â They were small and I had a cheese craving so decided to try their cheese platter. Â It was awesome and came with generous portions of seven cheeses, grapes, apricot, and some bread and other crunchy items to eat cheese with. Â Loved them all except for one that was just too stinky for me. Â Wish they had little flags sticking out for identification, since I had no idea what they were!!
My friend got the jumbo lump crab cakes off the regular tapas menu and out came to generously sized well made crab cakes. Â I stole a bite and thought they were darn good!
The place is small so try to grab a seat early. Â Since it's small, service was fine, our waiter/bartender was Hispanic, nice and there when needed, but not great with English. Â The people that go here skew a little older than some of other a-town happy hour spots, but that's okay. Â Rock bottom out, wine bar in!
Check out their bathroom before leaving, the sink with rocks is zen like and cool!
Went here for dinner on Saturday and we'll definitely be going back! The restaurant only has approximately 10 tables (not including the bar) so I'd say it's an intimate experience but not over-the-top. Service was fantastic - the busboy kept our waters full and cleared the plates in a timely manner so we didn't have to stare at dirty dishes. Our waiter had a great attitude and was very attentive. We decided to order each course as we went. This would annoy some waiters, but ours never made us feel rushed. His timing was impeccable - we never had to wave him down to order more food or wine. I wish I knew his name (he's Latino)!
We ordered the cheese fondue, proscuitto wrapped dates, mushrooms stuffed with escargot, braised beef rib, and French onion soup. It was ALL well-executed, well-seasoned and delicious, though on the small side. The only downside was their scallop entree - scallops themselves were cooked perfectly but something (shallots?) in the side dish was burned so it ruined the flavor.
Had the white wine flight - Jezebel Sauvignon Blanc blend was my fave. Also ordered three glasses of red wine a la carte which were all tasty. They change their wines seasonally so the ones listed on the website might not be up-to-date.
I've lived pretty much next door to this place since 2010 but never had the opportunity to go with anyone to actually eat. Â I've only made it in to buy a bottle of wine every now and then. Â Finally made it last week for a meal and was very pleased with it. Â I was a bit worried to ever try it b/c one person had mentioned it's pricey and another had mentioned there wasn't any veg options. Â Well it is pricey but I wouldn't say it was over the top. Â
We ended up getting a bottle of wine and I had the mushroom risotto which was so yummy that I was craving it the next day. Â There were also other veg options there that sounded good so I'll definitely be coming back. Â
The inside is kind of dark and feels a bit stuffy whereas the outside area is in a courtyard area with a water fountain. I can't wait for the weather to get warm so I can enjoy a glass of wine and food from there outside.
Great little place in Ballston. Â The decor and arrangement are a nice compromise between Europe and the U.S. Â The Moularde Breast of Duck (cooked medium) is fantastic, and following that with the wild mushroom strudel made the meal just about perfect. The jumbo lump crab cakes and Mediterranean Medley salad got great reviews from my friend. Â The "World of Red" wine flight is highly recommended, but you'll have to see the current menu at the restaurant as the online menu is not up to date. Street parking is sparse, but you can park across the street at Ballston Mall.
Review Source:I've eaten at Grand Cru Wine Bar a dozen times now. I can truly say the menu and quality of food and excellent service has increased over the past couple of years. I'm become a regular customer ever since! Most recently, I had the opportunity to meet the head chef, and he makes the restaurant feel very warm and welcoming. As I've become a WINE lover ever since I moved to San Francisco, this is also the place I tend to shop for when it comes to wine. And if you have any questions, especially when you're going after a nicer/refined wine bottle, ask for the head chef! The waiters know the wine very well too!
Most recently, as I randomly stopped by to purchase wine (as I always do), I decided to eat a late New Year's Eve dinner. It was my first pre fixed menu here, and I must say... AMAZING.
Atmosphere: Quiet and Romantic.
My husband and I came for New Year's Eve dinner. It was our first time here. The night got started on a wrong note because the restaurant had a fixed menu, which was NOT advertised on the website or through Open Table. My husband didn't like any of the appetizers and the chef offered a simple green salad instead. Â Ho hum. We noticed another couple leave when they discovered the fixed menu. While it is typical for restaurants to have set menus on New Year's Eve, they should have advertised it so patrons would be aware.
But enough about that. On to the food. What a lovely meal! First course - scallops and citrus. Â Two large, perfectly cooked scallops with great seasoning and accompaniments. Second course - I had the venison, quail and duck trio with sauteed brussel sprouts and sweet potato puree. Â All three of the meats were well cooked, and the wine reduction on the venison and duck delicious. The sprouts were tender and flavorful. My husband had the medallions of beef tenderloin with bearnaise sauce, roasted potatoes and mushrooms. Â The steak was perfectly cooked, but would have been better with the sauce on the side. Third course - we both had the blue cheese/apricot tart. The tart was warm with plenty of blue cheese, apricots and sun-dried tomatoes. The dough could have been cooked a bit more, but otherwise delicious. Dessert was terrific - a sample of chocolate mousse, bread pudding, raspberry sorbet and flourless chocolate cake. Â All very nicely done. Redeemed the night for my husband.
Wonderful bistro atmosphere, great wine and beer selection and lovely food. We'll give it another try with a regular and I am confident that the restaurant will win my husband over. Can't wait to eat outside when the weather is nice.
I spent National Cabernet Day here with Dr. Q. She is a trained sommelier you know.
We started with the one that was on happy hour special from the bar. Why do wine bars serve their wine so warm? I mean it was the end of August. It was the DC-MD-VA heat apocalypse. And the wine was warm enough to bathe in. Blergh. Room temperature is pretty much ascribed to the temperature of the castle. And the ambient temperature in the castles of england and france back in the day was about 60F. So these wine bars need to chill out. Seriously. Anyway, the bottle we ordered was slightly cooler. And it was perfect. Check it out. You know, in my pictures.
We also ordered the charcuterie and mussels. Very tasty. I must say. Very very tasty. I would definitely return to Grand Cru wine bar and bistro (warm wine or not). I know how to chill things down. It is a-ok with me!
08/30/2012
For a wine bar this place cranks out great classic food. Â It's pricey, for Arlington, but it's very good. Â Lamb chops are excellent, and a big portion too. Â Outdoor seating some will like, some will not. Â It seems like a good idea with the fountain and all, but the street lights and spotlights from the retirement home ruin the ambiance. Â They have a lunch special that is reasonable for a sit down meal/meeting. Â HH has $5 glasses of wine last I checked. Â To me this is the best "nice" restaurant in Arlington, food and atmosphere wise. Â For a similiar but I think slightly better experience go to Montmarte down by Eastern Market in DC.
Review Source:I'm a fan. This place made me feel so welcome when I wanted to go out by myself for a glass of wine. They were very attentive and had great recommendations. I gave them a big tip and they went out if the way to come back and thank me for it. Most servers take the money and run. This was a nice touch and made a big impression.
Review Source:I will agree that Grand Cru has a great location, and a decent wine list. I enjoyed the food but it didn't WOW me. The issue that I had is that our waiter double charged my debit card for our dinner, and 6 days later, it still hasn't been resolved. When I called the next day to see what had happened, the person on the phone accused me of calling them criminals... when all I had said was "I think my card was charged twice, and the money has already been debited from my account". The manager then got on the phone and said that it was their new policy with their bank... Â REALLY??? She said she would call me back with a resolution but I have yet to hear from them.
I would definitely be wary of their credit card machine and pay with cash!
This is an Arlington gem! Located slightly off the Balston Orange Line metro (making it easy for most within the District to get to!), Grand Cru is tucked back in a courtyard which just adds to the ambiance. It is casual but high end making it a comfortable restaurant for all. The tapas is delicious and well priced. The wine list combines well known names with smaller boutique vineyards. The staff will gladly and graciously answer your questions.
Oh and they offer a FREE wine club, provide basic info and each time you come in to buy bottles of wine it's 10% off.
Cool little neighborhood spot to enjoy a glass of wine.
I have to say that in the age of ballston new restaurant opening's and elbow bumping, crowd packing venues, it is refreshing to still have a quality place to go that is more laid back. This bistro-esque place is located in a courtyard tucked behind a couple of apartment and office buildings. Â They offer a small number of indoor and outdoor tables as well as a full service wine shop. The prices for the wine are not the best, but with only a $10 (less if you are a member) corkage, you can't beat picking out your own bottle for dinner. The ambiance is more on the reserved side and makes for a great spot to relax. The menu is limited but the selections are all pretty tasty. Do not come here if you are looking for corn hole, beer pong, or golden tee. Do come here for a nice meal and good conversation.
I have now dined at Grand Cru about five times. Â The location is unbeatable if the weather is nice and you're able to sit outside. Â
Initially, I thought the wine selection was far superior to the meals. Â However, they have really improved their food. Â The filet of beef is especially delicious.
Man this place was good. Loved the outdoor seating. It's nice and in the shade.
Excellent wine list and a small, but eclectic beer menu.
I highly recommend the duck for dinner. The sauce we a really nice apple-bbq sauce (at least, that's how it tasted to me) and the duck was cooked beautifully.
It is on the pricey side, so it probably isn't a weekly endeavor, but it is a great date spot every now and then.
I am having my lunch at Grand Cru as I am writing this review and it is very disappointing how this place has deteriorated since a year ago. The whole staff is changed (unfortunately, for the worse). It used to be a warm, cozy place where you could have a nice time at lunch, as well as happy hour and dinner. It is now a very unwelcoming cold place (literally) with the server(s) just as chilly as the temperature inside (and outside)...
The server (unfriendly female) is actually rude and very unresponsive. I may have a better success (and more warmth) from talking with the fountain outside than attempting to strike a guest-server kind of talk with her....
It is a shame that the owners cant get their service right because the food and the ambiance is still good here (though the crepes are also too cold). But in this competitive industry, the service is the key.
Hope Lena and Troy are attentive to this...
P.S. the cafe is charging UNREASONABLY $3 extra for the seafood crepes (seafood option on the menu) whereas the menu does not mention this charge. Beware!
I was quite surprised to discover this cozy little cafe in the midst of the concrete jungle that is Ballston. Fun drink selections (sparkling wine from New Mexico, who knew?) and right-sized, tasty plates. My blackened tuna nicoise was a little spicier than I expected, but no biggie.
This is a cool place to catch up with a friend or two. It would also be a nice date destination.
Walking in to Grand Cru is like walking up to a sidewalk cafe in France. Â That is the atmosphere they evoke. Â I also really love eating outside in the Ellipse when it is warm.
Aside from the atmosphere...they occasionally have wine tastings where you can sample 3-4 wines or more for free. Â During Happy Hour you can get a selection of their house wines for $3.50 a glass. Â I had the Mac and Cheese which is made with penne pasta and some ridiculously awesome cheesy sauce topped with bacon and some greens. Â It was so good I was tempted to get another order of it at $12 a bowl. Â
The wait staff is super friendly. Â Of course, I was with friends who visit this place frequently and they knew everyone by name. Â ;-) Â
They get five stars because I can't really think of anything they could do better. Â They are perfect for getting a glass of wine after work and they have quality food to match.
Boyfriend and i enjoyed this place very much. Â It is so cute on the inside, and I liked that it doubled as a wine store and that you can walk around and pick out your own bottle. Â The whole place was very charming.
The dishes: we split fouie gras (sp?) and escargot for the appetizers, trying to be adventurous (boyfriend has never tasted either). Â The snails were great, and the foiue gras not so much. Â We detected a fruity taste in there that neither were teh biggest fans of - I have had much much better at Cure in DC. Â Both of us had outstanding meals: he had a chicken dish that was very moist and had paprika on it, and I had the mushroom orzo - which was very rich but absolutely delicious. Â I highly recommend both those dishes!
We actually got a dessert this time - they have tray of mini creme brulees of different flavors - avocado, normal and ..i believe chocolate. Â They were all incredible! Â It was surprising to see avocado in this kind of dish, but it definitely worked.
For drinking we selected a bottle of wine from the store portion that we drank with the meal. Â BIG TIME WARNING: Â They charge an outrageous corking fee - $14!! Â It was stupid of us not to look this up or ask the waiter before choosing a wine, and we certainly will never be having a bottle opened for us there again. Â It was ridiculous! Â That right there knocks a star off.
Oh, they also have a good selection of beers. Â I was pleased to see my favorite Russian brand, Baltika, there even though they didn't have my favorite #7.
I think this is a great place to go on a date and to eat something that you don't usually encounter every day. Â It was expensive so we won't be back any time soon, but I am definitely glad we went.
Great decor, good food, but really really bad service...
Things that were good: the wine selection, the wine prices, and wine chilling system, the food. Not a wide selection of food, but it went well with the wines, which is the whole point.
The bad: We made reservations for 7 p.m., and they didn't seat us until 7:35. They gave us each (4 in my party) a glass of champagne as an apology, which was nice, but we were awkwardly standing around because there wasn't a place to wait, and, isn't the whole point of reservations to not wait?
After we were finally seated, you would think that they would step up their service as an apology...but no. There was a huge service problem with EVERY. SINGLE. COURSE.
1. Took far too long to bring out the wine, then came back later to get our appetizer order...fondue, which they charge an extra $7 per head for, but only melt a couple extra cubes. Tiny little pot.
2. Then the waiter finally took our food order. Knowing we had just finished the fondue and would wait for our meal, we ordered the bread basket and another bottle of wine to have while we wait for our meal. Instead, we sat there waiting for 20 minutes with no wine, no food, and he brought everything out at once. I really disliked his lack of care for our dining experience, especially after our wait was so long.
3. We ordered coffee with dessert, and the waiter spilled the hot coffee all over the table and got some on me. Then, he sort of apologized and walked away while I sopped it up with my napkin.
Maybe they were severely understaffed, but it really tarnished my dining experience. I wouldn't go there again.
Unfortunately, this restaurant could described easily with a song..."HOT and COLD" by Katy Perry...
I'm not sure if they've changed executive chefs or anything of that sort, but service and food were all lackluster tonight....
I was so impressed with the french onion soup from a few nights ago that I came back tonight with the bf for him to try it! We came in and were seated by Astroduar (sp??? couldn't hear the waitress telling me his name that well). We asked for his recommendation...I already knew we wanted the mussels and French Onion soup as starters, but wanted a recommendation for an entree. We have had the scallops and duck breast previously, but had not tried the pork medallions before and he told us it was a new addition on the menu and that we woudl absolutely NOT be disappointed at all...
my bf wanted to stick with someone we had already tried and knew was good (as usual) but I convinced him to try something new...boy, did i regret it...
Before we discuss the entree however, let's discuss the apps....The french onion soup was still delicious (esp the cheese), but the mussels....out of say, 12 of them, 4 of them were empty! I don't know...but 1/3 of them empty is not a great ratio in my opinion...
next, the pork medallions..it came out and the portions were not great, but still fine...the biggest part was not the side salad or even the cream sauce it came in...but the pork meat itself...it was bland and tasteless, but worst of all, DRY and tough to chew!!! Because we were eating late, we had only ordered one entree...after one bite of it...we looked around for our waiter Astroduar (sorry, butchering up his name)...he NEVER showed up again for the night...my bf of course was starving and just started eating it and the ENTIRE time was complaining about how he was just not satisfied with the dish...we finally were able to catch the attention of a waitress Pauline and she told us that the waiter we originally had was working the other side now...Oh geez, thanks for letting us know!!
I asked my boyfriend if he was full..and his response was "full, but dissatisfied"...and unfortunately, that was exactly how I felt as well...so much to the point that we just wanted to order something else to end our date night on a right note...We told Pauline our situation and asked her if we could get scallops too instead of just jumping right into dessert..she said it was fine...We got them and they were good, although one point I do have to make is that these scallops are supersuper tiny...which was fine since it was just an addition to our meal, but probably would not have made a normal person eating it as their main entree as happy.
Service was extremely slow this time around and no one came to check up on us (in fact, Pauline didn't check up on how the scallops were until we were done with it). We were utterly disappointed with our experience here this time around and it's sad that Grand cru's so fickle in terms of experiences and food! Sometimes, it's amazing and sometimes it's just utterly disappointing...
3.5stars
Grand Cru is like the Opposite of ScrewTop....Where screwtop is modern and a bit trendy, Grand Cru rustic with an older clientele. Â
I've been here twice and each time the staff is friendly but a little inattentive. Â It's definitely less crowded than ScrewTop which is an automatic plus. I think it's more of the kind of place you go to when you really want a good glass of wine AND you want to be able to hold a conversation with your friends.
I had a great experience here last night. Â I've never been but heard such great things so I really wanted to go.
We couldn't sit outside, totally fine that's normal at places now adays. Â So we got a cute table inside. Â They had a free wine tasting going on from an amazing vineyard in Barboursville, VA. Â I'm not a white wine drinker, but the Viognier was amazing. Â The man doing the tasting was actually from the vineyard and we were able to easily talk to him and find out about the place. Â Pretty close to us actually, so we will be going there this summer. Â :)
Back to the restaurant. Â We did say we saw them on Yelp and got the $4 glass of wine which was very good. Â You got to choose from all their house wines. Â
The meal was outstanding. Â We got the tomato soup, two tapas and one main meal. Â The soup was so good. Â Just a little heat to make it great. Â The Pomodoro Caprese was excellent. Â It didn't look like much, but there was so much flavor in there, I could have eatten two of them. Â The truffled deviled eggs were pretty good but not as good as the caprese. Â Now, the main course was the scallops. Â Oh my. Â I was in heaven. Â The plate was prepared and served nicely, but the taste was just outstanding. Â You actually savored every bite. Â I will definitely go there again to try out there Bouillabaisse and mac & cheese. Â YUM!
I like this place. It's warm and cozy and a bit romantic if you get a good seat in the tiny dining area. Their wine flights range from $12-$30 and the pours are generous. They offer a $5 glass of house wine. One of their featured wines - the rumball sparkling - is really good (sweet, but good).
We had a reservation for Friday at 6:45 and the table wasn't ready yet, so we wandered the store. To our surprise, a waiter came over to us, apologized about the table, and offered us a free glass of wine. How nice!
Once we were seated, we had the french onion soup (gawd, I love french onion soup). Then we got the pate, a cheese plate, and a charcuterie platter. The portions were huge! The cheese platter came with delicious honey and a fig spread. Mmmm. And only $11 for 4 types of cheese!
We didn't try any entrees, but we'll be back.
Great wine selection, but the food completely ruined the experience. I tried a few items from the dinner menu (chicken and mac and cheese) and was disappointed. It was dry, lacking flavor, and not cheap. I think they might do better with the light appetizer selections they offer, but I won't be back to try any.
The outdoor dining is quite nice and staff was very friendly.
Went back to Grand Cru for lunch today, and was well impressed with the improvements!
I ordered executive lunch special, which includes a house salad or the soup of the day, any crepe or sandwich, and dessert of the chef's choosing for $13. The salad was delicious! The veg was fresh and the oil dressing was tasty. (There were also bits of really rich cheese, which were really good, but I couldn't eat all of them due to le lactose intolerance.)
I ordered the beef bourguignon sandwich again with slight trepidation and even gave it a good examination before eating it. But I was rather impressed! Absolutely delicious, just as I thought it would be: tender beef, with savory demi-glace and (roasted, I think) tomatoes that were so soft and deletable. The sourdough bread is a good choice for a sandwich like it, since its thick (and buttery), and didn't fall apart while I was eating it.
Dessert today was key lime mousse, which sounded just plain intriguing and tasted so, too. Light, fluffy, and moussey. A good lunch dessert since it doesn't weigh you down. My server asked if I'd like coffee, and since they serve Illy, I couldn't resist a french press of decaf. Delicious (read: not at all burnt, a la Starbucks) and quite a large portion for $3.
Service was excellent this time around (I should say that Dimitry, my server, was great last time, but the server who sat me wasn't very friendly, souring my first experience from the start). I was promptly sat, and although I didn't wait long for my food, I didn't feel at all rushed; fantastic, because I really wanted time to finish reading my WaPo and catch up on baseball highlights on SportsCenter before heading back to the office.
Sorry to reiterate the word "impressed" (I'm running short on synonyms today), but I love that the owner sincerely took notice of my last review and took action accordingly to make my second experience waaaaaay better than the first. I rarely have time to do a sit-down lunch (hence why it took me so long to get back), but it was delightful; one of the most relaxing lunch periods I've had in a long time. Hopefully Grand Cru will stay consistently good and I'll definitely go again when I have time.
Visited Grand Cru for the first time as a group of four. Â The outside seating was really pleasant given the intimate nature of the plaza it is in. Â
The food menu is limited but had a varied selection of meats and veggie dishes regardless. Â I had the Sevilla chicken and was extremely impressed. Â The other dishes at the table were all great as well. Â The chocolate mousse dessert was wonderful; the other diners cleared their dessert plates as well. Â Overall, a great meal.
The wine menu is extensive and they offer several "wine flights" for an extremely reasonable price. Â We ordered a bottle off the menu, and because of the nature of the on-site wine store, it too was extremely cheap.
Service was great, too!
I met Yelp vigilante Tina R. here tonight for much-needed conversation and post-work booze. I tried the Loire Valley wine flight and we shared the mushroom strudel and salmon crostini as well as creme brulee for dessert.
A previous reviewer was right--this mushroom strudel was dry. The salmon crostini tapa was misnamed--perhaps mound o' salmon with garnish of bread would be more apt. I asked for more crostini (there were two meager spears of bread on the plate for two people) and our server looked flat-out aghast.
Tina and I agreed that the dressing on the salad that accompanied the strudel was off--I found it over-flavorful (yes, it happens) and a bit fishy to be honest. The creme brulee was divine--earning Grand Cru its third star.
One of my wine glasses was dirty. Our server was slow as molasses and a little pushy. I wouldn't return.
I went to Grand Cru for a happy hour. Â When we arrived, the place was crowded, and someone who appeared to be the manager suggested that we sit on the patio. Â When we told him it was drizzling outside, he said it didn't look too bad and insisted that we sit out there anyway. Â We argued a bit, and he put us outside anyway
They house wine was potable, and the appetizers were excellent. Â I got the brie with honey and dried cranberries and tried some of the bruschetta as well. Â They don't have umbrellas on their patio tables, so it was just a matter of time before our food and wine got damp, and eventually it started raining so hard we decided to go inside.
Overall, I'll say the appetizers were probably worth three or four stars, but the service was worth two stars at best. Â What kind of restaurant makes people sit outside when it's ALREADY raining? Â Aside from the person who made us sit out there, the servers were reasonably nice. Â I don't really anticipate going back.
Update
Owner was very responsive to this review - have been back once with a group - still not really my cup of tea, but everybody in the group seemed to enjoy it.
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Paper and rubber - nice to write on or ride on, not so nice to eat. Phyllo pastry with no oil between the layers so it comes out dry and brittle and almost inedible? Polenta, bland dry and gritty with non-fresh mozzarella that was so rubbery it was impossible to eat? This is a restaurant that was laughably amateurish - easily the poorest quality restaurant we've been to in a long time. No technique, no consideration of flavor and texture. And this was after we were told the duck confit we'd ordered "wasn't up to standards tonight!"
We went on to the bar at Willow and enjoyed well executed appetizers from a professional kitchen. What a difference!
By far one of my favorite places in my neighborhood. Â Tucked away, in the courtyard this wine shop offers flights of wine and a large selection of wine by the glass. Â You can also purchase wine at the store and have the staff uncork it with your meal.
Perhaps the biggest surprise however is the food. Â The Sevilla spiced rub chicken is to die for and the steak is extremely tender. Â Great for after work as well with a terrific selection of appetizers.
With Big Buns, Pupatella food cart, the sandwich shops (like Potbelly and Cosi), and the foot court at the mall, it's hard to justify another lunch spot. Which I think is why Grand Cru is largely abandoned at noon. But don't let that turn you away - the sandwiches are some of the best around, and competitively priced (well, to Big Buns anyways).
The parisian tartine is a delicious country ham and melted gruyere open-faced sandwich on some "rustic" French bread. It's better than 'good', and including a tiny mixed green salad with balsamic reduction it's only $7. The crabcake sandwich on brioche is just a few more bucks, and it beats a burger from next door anyday. Other offerings are various salads, antipastos, and (for the wine tasters) tapas. A carpaccio for lunch will cost you only $9.
In the end, Grand Cru is a change from the ordinary. It's a little gourmet, a little treat-yourself spot with ambiance and charm. After 8 straight weeks of Potbelly and Lean Cuisine, the change is more than welcome. Plus, you can sit outside. How amazing is that? Too busy to sit outside? They do take-out as well.
What do you want to do after an afternoon at a bridal shower where you know nobody but the bride? Â Drink wine! Â So when the bride suggested that the 'young girls' stick around we go grab a drink, i was not going to argue.
We walked to Grand Cru and were pleasantly surprised to find the patio completely empty. Â They have many different house wines, each costing $5 for a decent sized glass of wine. Â There were also a couple that weren't even on the list, so if you want a certain type just ask! Â I tried the White Shiraz and the reisling... both were awesome. Â
They also have a wide selection of tapas to try. Â And i hope they dont get rid of them! Â They were great. Â We got a bunch to share. Â My favorite had to be the pesto foccacia. Â It was really good. Â Â Very resonably priced. Â We each had two glasses of wine and an appetizer and with tip it cost us each $25. Â Great deal!
Overall the perfec tplace to grab a light bit and a glass of wine on a lovely evening. Â And if you really like the wine, they have a vast selection inside the store!
I have lived right down the street in Ballston for four years, and this is a great addition to the neighborhood. I've been three times. My boyfriend and I found it when we wanted fondue for Valentines Day, but wanted to avoid the insanity that is the Melting Pot. Grand Cru was a fantastic alternative. It's intimate feel and the neighbor-like friendliness of the staff make it a great place for a date or to catch up with friends. I'm a wine geek, so I love that they have such a great selection, and you can buy them to take home, as well!
Most recently, I met a friend for drinks on a warmer day in March; they had the patio open and we sat and chatted and drank wine for a few hours. We never felt rushed and the courtyard that the patio overlooks is very cute. The food is good as well, though a little on the pricier side.
Overall, I would definitely recommend a stop at Grand Cru. It's well hidden, behind Vapiano at the corner of Wilson and Glebe, so I fear that it may get overlooked - but it's worth looking for! I recommend it to all of my friends. It's a fantastic addition to the neighborhood and I can't wait to spend a ton of time sipping wine on their patio this summer!
I had no idea this place existed until I saw an ad for them at a movie a few weeks ago. When I checked their address, I knew why: it's right next door to Big Buns, which means it's so hidden and out of the way that the only time you'd go there is if you already knew about it. Consider this my way of spreading the word :)
Grand Cru is quite eclectic. It's a wine bar, a restaurant, and a wine shop all rolled into one. I can only comment on the wine shop portion. They've got a selection size about as big as your typical grocery store, but without most of the run-of-the-mill wines you'd find there. Grand Cru offers a decent selection of Californian wines along with more exotic choices like wines from Lebanon and Israel which you usually don't see represented among many wine selections.
Prices are reasonable, with most wines hovering in the $20-35 range, though they've got some higher-priced selections if you need to pick up a bottle of something particularly special. They also have a small selection of beer that I'd really like to see expanded ;-) For the most part, the beers aren't anything to write home about, but they have Kasteel Triple and Delerium Tremens for about $4 per bottle, and as a result I'm here every week or two to pick up a few bottles.
I have a sneaking suspicion that within a year or so, Grand Cru will probably get rid of the dining portion of their business and focus strictly on the wine bar and wine shop. They only have a few tables to begin with, and I've never seen more than two of them occupied in the evening. Granted, that's probably due to the fact that unless you were going to Big Buns at some point or lived in one of surrounding condos, you wouldn't know this place existed. If the owner were to ask me, I'd advise him/her to get rid of the restaurant portion, serve light meals at the wine bar, expand the wine shop, and offer a strong selection of imported beers and microbrews. There's enough demand in the area (and enough disposable income) to create a true neighborhood wine shop with the kind of beers and wines you can't get at the grocery store. Maybe even offer gourmet cheeses and cold cuts.
The verdict: if you live in the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, you should definitely stop by and check Grand Cru out. In terms of wine selection, it's probably a much more varied selection of wine than you're used to in the area.
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