Good food. I had onion soup, which I'd been craving for a few weeks. Then I had the appetizer size (2) Greek lamb chops, which were perfect. Â Partner had seafood bisque and grilled scallops, both good. Pricey, hence four stars. Nice and quiet as most patrons were in the bar with the great pianist/singer.
Review Source:This place provides a classic lesson of not judging a book by its cover - it's located in the corner of a random strip mall in Vienna and is not particularly impressive on the outside all. However, the food has always been good. I've had various assortments of seafood dishes here that have been tasty, and my husband enjoyed his dishes as well. Another plus is that it's usually not too crowded. For some reason, most of the crowd seems to be above 50, which doesn't bother me... I just find it to be interesting. Some of the food might be a little overpriced, but as long as they keep makin' it tasty, I'll keep payin'.
Review Source:I would give this restaurant 3.5 stars. It is good food and nice atmosphere.
Wait staff is excellent. I have been here twice. Once for dinner and once for Sunday Brunch. They have a make your own Bloody Mary bar and very affordable brunch selections. I had the fried chicken biscuits and sausage gravy with fried eggs. A good combination and very filling. The biscuits were the only real down fall of the dish, felt like they were cooked in the morning and been sitting around in a hot box or under lamp for a while. The chicken was lightly fried and sausage gravy was tasty. The fried egg was a bit over cooked, but I enjoy runny eggs so will leave that up to personal preference. I enjoyed my meals both times but not blown away. I would recommend it for taking your grandparents to and everyone can find something to eat and enjoy the meal.
It is on open table and very easy to make a reservation directly from YELP. Kudos for that MG.
Like most places in the area it is in a strip mall. This makes it a little hard to find from the main road as it is tucked back in a corner between a wine/beer shop and a dollar store with no real signage other than the strips marque.
Marcel's platter can't be beat for Brunch it had a nice assortment and I think the Home fries were excellent.Table seemed a little small I can see it could be a little tight when they are busy, very nice decor. I would like to come when someone is playing music on the piano. I do agree with Jason A on the bussing of the dishes. I find it a little annoying that the place was not that busy , but they are right there getting there plates?
Review Source:I headed to meet with a friend of mine in Vienna but the location we were going to was closed. We saw that Maplewood Grill was open and decided to try it out. From the beginning, our server was so know knowledgable of the menu and respectful. The food came out in timely manner and it was "excellent". I gotta say that with great service, great food, after eating here I did the rest of my errands of the day with a smile. Excellent I say, Excellent!
Review Source:For background, we made a diner reservation for Valentine's Day. We're two men together for over 20 years.
While we don't expect roses where we go, it's good business sense (and common courtesy) for the owner of an establishment sitting at the hostess desk to receive customers professionally - "hello and welcome" is enough - especially when:
a) they're obviously celebrating
b) most people don't respond well to grunting
c) they've given you a deposit to hold a table in a half full restaurant
d) the menu only offers a prix fixe dinner at $70 per person.
As for the food, his salad and my lobster bisque first course was interesting and gave us hope. Plus the couple next to us were a little chatty and it broke the ice in an otherwise slightly awkward atmosphere.
Unfortunately, our main course was a confused concoction under the very loose heading of "surf and turf."
Mystery crab and reasonably good beef, though spoiled by a heavy sauce over a bed of mushroomy potatoy goo.
The Chocolate cake dessert, similar to what you'd find at the bakery counter of a Harris Teetor grocery store, to finish was tasty and helped redeem the meal.
Oddly, we passed on the included champagne only to be charged five bucks for soda water. That sort of petty gouging really made me wonder if they believed the dinner package was somehow undervalued.
Our server tried hard and was genuinely sweet, but the busers were bad. I don't hold them at fault, but rather think they've never been properly instructed on how or when to clear dishes from a table with customers. Ironically, for as often as they tried to grab our plates, the table next to us remained uncleared long after the couple had gone. This lent a certain Fresh Choice ambiance to our area of the restaurant.
It was an unfortunate evening for us; maybe your luck will be better.
Stopped in by change and was pleasantly surprised. It is a small place but  very comfortable. The waitress was so pleasant! My friend ordered the soup of the day and I had a spoonful, wish I had ordered it! Crab and corn chowder SO GOOD! I had a Cobb salad which I would say was elevated a bit with arugula and corn , very tasty! I cant believe I have walked by this restaurant so many times and not stopped by. I love finding a restaurant ideal for lunch and catching up with friends. Definitely will go back soon!
Review Source:This is by far my favorite restaurant. The ambiance is cozy and the food is always awesome. I love the piano bar and the fact that people actually sit right at the piano. We could hear the bar singing along to Christmas carols & other classics during dinner. I'd eat at Maplewood for every meal if I could :)
Review Source:My husband and I tried Maplewood Grill on a recent date night. The place was packed, the piano music created a wonderful atmosphere, wait staff were patient and helpful, entrées (Angus Burger for him, Steak Frites for me) were delicious, and oh my goodness, the Shrimp & Crab Poppers were to die for.
Review Source:Wow,  disappointing.  Food was lackluster.  Service was terrible.  As many servers that buzzed around, took over 20 minutes to get a salad.  Ice tea was not drinkable.  Beer was never received.  Desserts  were not worth the calories.  Won't be back  Most of my party was disappointed.  Far too many places in town that are WAY better, including Outback....
Review Source:Nice restaurant with piano bar and live music in the evenings. My wife and I are vegan and tried the restaurant for the first time after noticing that vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options are available upon request on the online menu. We had a great salad and fantastic vegetable plate. The plate consisted of several small dishes ... an avocado-based soup, traditional salad, corn-based salad, and two or three other items. All very good! Two vegan dessert options -- both consisting of sorbets. Coconut was our favorite. All told, very nice. Service was efficient and good, too. We'll go back. Price-wise, it is a little on the pricey side but the food is commensurate with the prices.
Review Source:I had visited Le Canard several times and never the new layout for Maplewood Grill. Â I brought the family early on a Friday evening, and we were very pleased. Â I had a Mahi and polenta special that was good, and my mother's scallops in a mushroom gravey was excellent. Â We split a crab and shrimp appetiser that is the house specialty and it really was the highlight of the meal. Â While an American-themed restaurant, their French roots are appearant with excellent sauces on everything - appetisers, salads, and entres. Â I have seen complaints about the prices, but this is a fancy restaurant, and sharing an appetiser with our entre provided a lot of food. Â I cannot complain about well prepared and well portioned entres in the low $20s.
We were a bit dissapointed that they did not have any meatballs prepared for the kid's menu; however, the hamburgers were massive and delicious. Â They were very well done, though. Â The kids would have preferred less char. Â I ordered a garden salad that was massive enough to split to feed three school-aged girls.
Though definitely a fancy restaurant, I felt welcome with my children from both staff and patrons. Â The pianist was particularly kind, playing if first song for them as they stood by the piano.
Heard good things about this place and decided to check it out with the rents. I arrived at the restaurant and was surprised by the look of the inside. It's bigger and fancier than you would expect just from walking by. Â Piano man was setting up to play some tunes. Nice but small bar area where we waited a few minutes while our table was cleared. Mind you it was a busy Saturday night so wait time was minimal and impressive.
We were greeted quickly by our server who was great from beginning to end. Bread was served and water glasses were never half empty. Good service, although the food took a little longer than expected.
I had the salmon topped with crab and a Caesar salad, both of which were excellent. Great overall experience, I would repeat and would even take a date here next time.
What a cozy, upscale neighborhood restaurant!  Came in with the BF for a belated heart's day dinner.  I wanted a non-chainy restaurant with personality and this was just the ticket.  Live piano music was playing when we came in, we were greeted and seated warmly.  Water and bread were provided and our server came within a minute  of the bread.  She proceeded to tell us the specials, after taking our bar order and I went with her suggestions of the lobster bisque and scallops for my entree.  He started with the crab/shrimp poppers and shrimp po boy for his entree.  The bread, was just ok...but I wasn't there for that.  My bisque was pretty good, but I had one of the poppers, OMG...so good!
My scallops were prepared with mushrooms, bacon, asparagus, and mashed potatoes...wonderful. The po boy was good, not amazing, but good. Â I had no room for dessert, but will definitely be back. Â Thanks for the warm friendly service and yummy food!
I have been to the Maplewood Grill a number of times. Â My office is located walking distance from the restaurant, so I often take people there.
The food is good and the atmosphere is nice. Â The piano bar is nice at night. Â My only complaint is that the service can be a little slow during the day.
Ever since this restaurant opened I have wanted to try it. Today, driving around at lunch, looking for something "new" I decided to give it a try.
I walked in and was greeted by the owner who sat me down. I had someone come up right away to give me bread and water and soon my waiter came to take my order. I ordered a tea to drink and it took them 10 minutes to bring me my tea. At the time I ordered my drink I also ordered my entree, Buffalo burger. The waiter did not ask me how i wanted it cooked. You have to be careful how much you cook buffalo so I thought I would leave it in the hands of the cooks to cook it the proper way. It took about 20 minutes for me to get my burger, seemed a little long, since the place was not that busy, but once I got my food, any doubt about the service went out the window. The burger was cooked perfectly, had a nice  crust on it, could see juices oozing out of it, which told me the burger was not overcooked. It had cubes of blue cheese on it and two strips of bacon.
I took a bit and my taste buds went on a flavor journey. The buffalo had the most incredible taste, not too gamey. The flavors burst into your mouth, it was cooked medium, and was very juicy. The fries were great as well.
Now, as I said it took 20 minutes for my burger, but taking in the fact it probably took close to 10 minutes to cook the burger, it was super thick, it has been rested and the juices were through the burger and I was in heaven. This is my first time here, will go again and try other things on the menu. Â
My rating really is a 4.25-4.5 only because of the service, it could have been a little faster, especially when it came to the drink. But once I was done, the waiter came right over, gave me my check, and quickly had it back to me after running my credit card and I was out of there.
I highly recommend this place.
I'm ambivalent about this place, because I always want to like it better. Â It used to be a stuffy French restaurant now turned into a more modern bistro like place (the owner's son is the chef, I believe). Â And it's better, but still could be a whole lot better than this.
Whenever we come in we're struck by the apathy of the host, who's also the owner. Â Last night he gave us a table and instead of helping me get seated, as is usually the case in nicer restaurants, he threw the menu's in the middle of the table and walked away. Â
The waitress was nice and advised us that Monday nights are half price wine bottle nights. Â I took advantage by ordering a bottle, because the leftover wine can be taken home. Â
One problem I have with their menu is that it's quite heavy. Â Lots of fried and sauces etc., I only go because my husband has a liking for the place. Â Last night we ordered two appetizers, the salmon quesadilla (tasty, but have definitely had better) and shrimp and crab poppers. Â The latter are one of the better dishes they have.
For a  main course I ordered the goat cheese salad, knowing the appetizers would be heavy.  I was disappointed to see the goat cheese "wrapped" in the same weird potato (?) straw as the poppers.  It was merely ok.  I guess I'm comparing to the similarly priced goat cheese salad at Sweetwater Tavern and the latter would win hands down.
The restaurant is busier, than it was when it was Le Canard, so I guess the change worked well for them. Â It's still not by far my favorite in Vienna.
First, we walked in at 9:15pm the hostess sat us down and there was a very soothing piano playing. A man was singing...very soothing... sat down and when the waitress approached, that's when the experience took a turn. She looked at her watch, what seemed to be 30sec then looked up. She had a sour puss look on her face. Basically, she was telling me that it's late, and why are you sitting down. She was abrupt and unkind. I wish people would just quit their jobs if they are not happy. Â Everytime, Â I asked for somethin, Â I felt like it was a huge inconvenience for her. The young bus boy was so kind and nice. Wish he would have taken our order. The food was mediocre, Â service horrible.
Review Source:Tried this place on a whim. Â It was the wife and I and our 2 year old. Â Not really a kids place, but they did their best to find a good place for us.
The food was wonderful. Â My wife had the pork chop and I had one of the seafood specials. Â Both meals were delicious. I did find a rather large bone in my fish, which the waitress noticed on my plate. Â She apologized and actually took the bone to the Chef. He then had the Manager come over and apologize and offered us free dessert or coffee. Â This was all unnecessary as I still enjoyed the dish very much, but it shows the standards they are striving to attain here.
We will definitely go back soon.
Today (Valentine's Day) my wife and I had lunch here. Â I started with an excellent gin martini. Â For appetizers, she had the shrimp and crab popovers, which was fantastic. Â I had a ceasar salad, which was very good. Â She then had the shrimp po boy while I had the pecan trusted trout. Â Both were very good.
The service was just average. Â The only major negative is the poor quality bread that they bring in a basket. Â It is way below the quallity of this restaurant.
Holy ticklish ivories, a Piano Par! Â Where's my martini?
The first visit that the would-be missus and I made to the Maple Wood Grill was not all that exciting. Â It was a Saturday and we caught them between shifts. Â The place was empty, with the exception of us and few employees. Â And, while we weren't particularly thrilled with our late lunch that day (I ordered the wrong things), we were very impressed by the discussion we had with Owner/Chef Paul Kuchler, and his enthusiasm for food and his pride in the menu. Â So, as we were also curious about the piano bar, we decided to return for dinner. Â I am glad we did. Â The Maple Wood has become a regular stop for us.
The food is excellent. Â I like to go with the specials, but the Roasted Pork Chop with Apple Peppercorn Sauce and Gruyere Mac & Cheese is my favorite menu item. Â The would-be missus travels the menu a little more than I do, and has tried a greater variety of dishes. Â She often orders one of the fresh fish selections, as I don't like to cook fish at home. Â Last night she had the Surf & Turf, selecting the Crab Cake for the "Turf" portion. Â Being from Maryland, I refuse to suggest that it was the best crab cake I ever tasted. Â That said; it was pretty darn good. Â Â
The Piano Bar is its own experience, and a lot of fun. Think Dino, Frank and Sammy (Not Joey Bishop though. Â I could never figure out why they kept that guy around), Rosemary Clooney, and Dinah Shore. It definitely draws a seasoned crowd, with years and years and years of experience. But these folks go to the Maple Wood to have a good time, and do so with a certain sense of style that helped define a past era. Â The casual observer may hear arcane phrases like "Thank you" and "You're welcome". Â And don't be afraid to sing along. Â It's not karaoke, but there are plenty of volunteers who aren't afraid to stand up and share a tune. Â Many of them are surprisingly good. Â Many of them are not. Â It's all part of the adventure
So, if you're in Rat-Pack state of mind, put on your favorite blazer/turtleneck combo, splash on some Old Spice, and head up to the Maple Wood for a martini, a nice steak dinner and little "Fly me to the Moon".
There was something a bit off about everything I ordered. I had the lobster duet for appetizer, which came with a small lobster roll and a lobster bisque. The lobster roll was very good, but the bisque had small clumps of flour in it. I also had the beef shortribs special. The meat was cooked well but the sauce was too salty. Â Then I ended with the chocolate cake. It was delicious until I got to my last couple of bites, which were dry. The cake also came with strawberry ice cream, which was also delicious, but it was a little frozen, with bits of ice in it.
In conclusion, this is an ambitious menu, but the overall experience fell short of my expectations. For this price, I would definitely expect better. I have to add however, that my husband loved his meal. He had the shrimp po' boy.
Service was excellent.
I just went there for the first time this weekend with my family. Â My parents enjoy this restaurant, I cannot really see why. Â While there we experienced the following:
Ordered an appetizer while waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. Â The wait staff thought it better to not put the order in. Â That dish was eventually cancelled.
Ordered the onion soup. Â In all the years I have eaten French onion soup, I have never found a bay leaf in my bowl. Â In fact all recipes say, "discard bay leaf'.
The wiener schnitzel was the fattiest and most bland that I have ever encountered.
When our  entrées arrived, my nephew's child portion of angel hair pasta and meatballs was clearly forgotten.  That dish was obviously hastily prepared to the point where it was obvious the meatballs were deep fried.
So between the wait staff and the kitchen, this place is not worth the hype and the quality is not worth your cash. Â I would avoid if possible. Â I will not return.
Maplewood Grill is located on the 70s strip mall next to Blockbusters in Vienna. Â The plaza is long overdo in terms of a makeover and, more importantly, modernization. Â The restaurant is, however, a great place for foodies.
Usually I like to start with the positives, but with a place like Maple Grill, I think you have to get the negatives out of the way. Â
1. Â The decor inside the restaurant leaves a lot to be desired. Â It's a hodge podge of items collected over the years, including one of those 1970s, several piece paintings. Â It's a shame, because if the restaurant were stripped down and painted a nice beige gray, had some modern lighting and took some truly special features like a very cute little row of old fashioned bird houses and made them a focal point, the restaurant would be a much more inviting place.
2. Â The furniture is staid, staid, staid and the 'guard'/presumably the owner at the front door are unwelcoming (he even, as only a French person can do, ended up insulting my friend!). Â The average age of the clientelle is 75....in general the restaurant lacks youth. Â Hire a competent young hostess and breathe some life into this place! Â The family claims to have a family night-but unless your children grew up in Europe, I cannot see this being an option for the famille americane.
3. Â I don't know why, but both Cafe Renaissaince (also in Vienna) and the MG insist that their wait staff wear overdone uniforms for this level of restaurant. Â Again, the restauarant is out of touch with the 21st century and should buy their staff sleek, simple black uniforms with a modern logo, instead of the ridiculous uniforms-women wearing ties. Â
Here's the good news-the food is fabulous and our server was very friendly and unobtrusive.
We both had Ceasar salads that were great. Â My "Sally-like" requests (anchoives on and crotons on the side) were met with a smile. Â The salads were well prepared, not too big and the dressing and generous serving of parmesan cheese were divine.
For the main course, I had rockfish that was prepared a bit like a ratatouille. Â It was scrumptious and this was one of those rare occassions that I made it through such a generous entree in one go. Â My friend had crab cakes and they were plump, well browned and seasoned. Â The crab cakes came with golden, crisp fries and and slaw-perfect for the person who loves good taste and could give a toss about the calories.
All in all, the food was a delight. Â Call in the calvary to bring the restaurant decor, staff and 'welcome' desk rolling into this century.
Well that was a disappointment. Â
We frequent Sweet Ginger in the same strip mall, so we've seen the location and wanted to go for a while. Â We went for dinner about 615p on a Saturday with our two kids. Â (We called ahead to make sure they were kid friendly and were told, "Absolutely!") Â We were seated promptly, and indeed there were at least three other tables with smaller kids than ours. Â
Our waitress seemed to be annoyed that she had to help us, walking away from the table at least 3 times while my husband and I were still talking. Â
Knowing it was a "throwback American" menu I ordered the Wiener Schnitzel. Â It was tough, but edible, but the buttery sauce overshadowed the meat. Â And the accompanying mashed potatoes tasted like glue. Â No where near worth the $21 price tag. Â My husband had the Fried Shrimp Po Boy and said it was good enough. Â
The highlight of the meal was my son's chicken dish. Â The chicken was cooked perfectly, and as most kids do, he loved the large pile of super crispy frites.
The worst part of the evening? Â The muzak. Â I swear to you we listened to over an hour of Lionel Richie. Â Seriously??? Â Every lame song he ever sang at least twice. Â Painful, though we had a good laugh as to how much of the lyrics we remembered. Â
I'd consider giving it another shot, if only to order something with frites! Â But doubtfully anytime soon.
I met my family there around 7 on a Tuesday night. Â The place was pretty near empty, and the other diners were very casual in jeans. Â Call me old fashioned, but if I'm going to dinner somewhere relatively nice I'm going to put a decent outfit together and maybe you should too! Â Regardless, the service left a lot to be desired. Â
We were not asked about drinks in a timely manner, and actually it wasn't until we were asked if we were ready to order that the waiter noticed we were still drinkless. Â eep. Â My martini, when it finally arrived, was good.
Our apps and entrees were tasty. Â My sister and I particularly liked the spinach and artichoke dip, the toasted bread and browned cheese on the dip.. mmm it was quite nice! Â No complaints about their entrees, except for the wrong salad being delivered to my mom (eep again). Â
Maybe on a weekend night the place is more lively and the staff is more attentive.. Â NIce little place, poor location in a run-down shopping center on the border of Vienna and Tysons.
I drove 12 miles in the pouring rain to check out Maplewood Grill based solely on it's Yelpitude, and was not disappointed.
However, be forewarned that the dinner menu is a fair bit pricier than the average price here indicates. Â All but a few entrees are over $20, so by the time you throw in a bowl of soup or a salad and something to drink, you're at $40 per adult pretty quickly. Â This is not to say Maplewood is not worth it, nor is it something I would balk at were it not that I was on per diem for my visit and I easily overran my dinner allowance.
But, as I said, Maplewood was worth it. Â I was pleasantly surprised by the cozy yet classy decor tucked away in a strip mall next door to a liquor store. Â A piano player serenaded the handful of tables seated on the dreary Wednesday evening with a mix of standards and holiday music, giving it a loungy ambiance. Â People came and went unobtrusively around the bar, alternately chatting with the piano player and bartender, or watching the Wizards game on the muted TV behind the bar. Â It was a laid back yet upscale atmosphere that was exactly what I was in the mood for.
I started with a bowl of the soup du jour, a minestrone finished with some kind of delicate white cheese and pesto, and my flat iron steak entree was prepared perfectly (although a bit tough in spots), accompanied by a flavorful but not overpowering peppercorn sauce, a slab of au gratin potatoes, and two fat spears of grilled asparagus. Â Everything was delicious, and the pacing of each course's arrival was timed perfectly to not make me feel rushed, but certainly not neglected.
Maplewood would be a great option for a nice date or business dinner, of which I saw both during my visit. Â My only complaint is that the draft beers were incredibly pricey. Â $6 for a 14oz (it may have even been 12oz) Dogfish Head 60min IPA seems to me a little out of line, even for a place of this calibre. Â But that's a pretty minor gripe - it's not like you're going to be drinking like a fish there. Â Or if you are, the beer prices are clearly the least of your worries.
I've been looking forward to getting over to Maplewood Grill, ever since my Dad came home one day and told me Le Canard was no more! Â Vienna is known for it's ethnic food, but not so much for it's more traditional American options, with the exception of Bazin's on Church, which is a whole other review. Â
I stopped by at lunch with a coworker. Â The place looked like a great spot to bring a family for dinner, lots of good dark wood and a cozy little bar area. Â I ordered the Lobster Bisque/Lobster Roll lunch combo. Â The bisque was less creamy than what you would normally expect, but that wasn't a bad thing. Â It was just as savory. Â The lobster roll, was GREAT, however, it was the perfect combination of lobster, mayo, seasoning, and a sturdy, yet unobtrusive roll.
My coworker was under a time constraint and our service was perfectly attuned to our needs.  I am definitely looking forward to getting  back to Maplewood Grill when I can enjoy a leisurely meal and further sample what the menu has to offer!
my roommate raves about this place, so we went out last night to check it out! had a few appetizers (scallops with mushrooms and baked brie); everything was excellent- although not traditional french cuisine anymore, there are still some parts that remain very french-- the sauces are lighter and less creamy than traditional american or italian and some of the food is saltier (although not too salty).
it was hard to decide what to eat--everything looked great. i had the lobster ravoili with crab and asparagus- delicious! very different than i had expected it to be like. it was in a very light tomato sauce with roasted cherry tomatoes, peppers, and asparagus with large chunks of crab and lobster. excellent without being too "seafood-y." my roommate got the mahi special served spanish style. she thought it was excellent as well.
as mentioned before, they do have some great beers in bottles and on tap. they had several interesting cocktails, as well.
the waitstaff were very nice and not overbearing. the chef came out to see how we were enjoying ourselves.
will defintiely be back!
Finally got around to checking out this "looks-more-expensive-than-it-is" French/American restaurant next to Norm's (awesome brewstop, fyi). Â One of the guys at Norm's actually recommended I come here and get the Bacon & Cheddar Angus burger for $9. Â He said this with two thumbs up, so that is exactly what I did. Â
Wednesday lunch hour was no rush. Â Just a couple of old gal's in there, the kind who talk for a while before they actually order food. Â Service was decent, I think I waited about 15-20 minutes. Â
They have a detailed menu online so no need to dispense detail. Â My burger came with a nice portion of cucumber salad (red onions and yogurt), and snoozestring fries. Â Salad was pretty cold and the fries were serviceable. Â Nothing to write home about there. Â They didn't ask me how I wanted my burger done, but it came out medium so I was quite pleased. Â This burger was definitely one of those juicy affairs that take some careful maneuvering. Â But not like one of those greasy train wrecks at 5 napkin burger. Â The bun was proportionate to the patty, and the toppings all made sense- lettuce, red onions, ketchup-mustard-mayo in dip-friendly cups. Â
I didn't imbibe since I had to go back to work. The draft beers were decently priced at $5-6 for a small but excellent selection. Â 90 minute ipa, Two hearted ale, Delirium Nocturnum, that's a long enough list for my satisfaction. Â
I should also mention the decor here. Â It's kind of... tuscan? Â You know, dark wood trimmings with lighter beige wall colors. Â The ceiling tiles have a nice faux-wood carved pattern going on. Â Everything was pretty tasteful, even the bird-houses over the door. Â
One odd thing was their napkins are very thick. Â Think boyscout handkerchief meets Brawny man paper towel x12. Â When you unfold it you will find a spoon, 2 forks, a butter knife, and a regular knife. Â Why not just set the table for all that?
Used to occaisonally eat there when it was Le Canard and have no relationship or business interest with owners. Â Definately the kind of place Vienna needs.
Been there at least four or five times as Maplewood and never disapointed.Took a group of 16+ and services was exceptional. Â Food is great, particularly the shrimp poppers, veal sliders and spring roll apetizers.
Crab cake sandwich rates a ten. Â Have not tried the entrees but no reason to beleive they would not be be same calibre.
Great draft beers if you are not into Bud Miller etc and prices for both beer and food are really reasonable. Â
The Outback or Maplewood? Â No brainer that Maplewood is the right choice. Â This is fresh food served on demand versus pre processed MSG junk
Full disclosure: I am close friends with the co-owner and head chef Paul Kuchler. My review is from the soft opening. Maplewood Grill opens on March 2.
The Kuchlers closed Le Canard on the first of the year after decades of serving excellent traditional french cuisine. My mom and I were excited to be invited to the soft opening of Maplewood Grill, a modern American restaurant with a new menu full of Chef Paul's favorite dishes as well as few nostalgic nods to Le Canard (escargots, steak frites, moules, duck breast).
We were seated right away by Marcel (Paul's father and co-owner) and our server Diana came right away to get our drink orders. Maplewood has an extensive offering of bottled and draft beer (though the taps weren't working properly that night). There are lots of German beers, but a good selection of domestics and at least one excellent regional (Dogfish Head 90min IPA). It was unseasonably warm for February so I went with the Hofbrau Hefeweisen and it was great. My mom had a glass of something white (pinot?), but I don't know much about wine so I can't comment on that.
On to the food! There is a ton of seafood on this Grill menu; I was a little surprised by this. We started with the crab and shrimp poppers, which were fantastic!! Each of the three poppers are kind of like a crab cake with shrimp chunks wrapped in a kind of fried crispy stringy nest, drizzled with three sauces: roasted red pepper, a spicy cream, and an herb puree. I realize this description is full of generalized adjectives... all I can say is ORDER IT!
My mom ordered the seared scallops entree and I was surprised because we both believe that scallops are usually hit-or-miss in most restaurants. These were definitely a hit... I mean out of the park home run! Crispy on the outside and not the least bit rubbery through the center, Chef Paul proves he has supreme ability with shellfish. The dish comes with a cream sauce that complimented the meat and vegetables (though I don't remember the veggie details).
Maplewood offers several cuts of steak, including a filet mignon, Parisian style steak frites, and a rib-eye with choice of sauce. I like the idea of choosing the sauce so I went with the Bearnaise, which I thought would go well with the accompaniment of asparagus and mashed potatoes. My steak was prepared exactly as I ordered it (medium), though a friend who was also there said his was over-cooked. Maplewood's rib-eye is very large, but a little thin, which would make it a little harder to get the temp exactly correct. The vegetables were fine and there was just the right amount.
Dessert! I'm not big on sweets, but Diana recommended the Bailey's and Cream bread pudding, which piqued my interest. The ice cream had started to melt by the time it arrived at our table, but I don't know anyone who won't lick their bowl clean at home? I liked that the dish had the ice cream, but the bread pudding itself wasn't overly sweet.
It's hard to compare the new Maplewood Grill with the old Le Canard because the cuisine is completely different. But the quality of the food is still top-notch and the staff is still very friendly and knowledgeable. Stay tuned for a followup as they have a different lunch menu with lots of sandwich and salad entrees that look outstanding!
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