1322 U Street NW

Washington, D.C. 20009-4445

202-234-1884 

We arrived at Crème Café in anticipation of deliciously, yummy brunch food. Sadly, there was a line out the door and a 20-minute wait. A miscommunication with the hostess left us waiting for our table longer than she’d promised, but once it was discovered, we were seated right away.

The restaurant was totally packed and incredibly loud to the point where we had to shout at our own table. It sort of ruined the atmosphere, having to yell at the person sitting across from you, but people seemed generally happy. The overall atmosphere of the café is nice. It features a full bar with seating and TV for you sports fanatics. Bench seating lines the tables along one side. There’s nice lighting in the restaurant and little flower filled bottles of Voss water line the benches. We did notice one disturbing thing though; it smelled a bit like fish in the front, but like syrup in the back of the restaurant.

The menu is extensive for brunch, which is available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. We especially enjoyed the bottomless Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas for $16. That’s quite a steal if you ask us. The following is the rundown of what our table ordered:

• The Traditional. It lacked Hollandaise sauce, but held true to the standard. It is served with greens.

• French toast with berries. Overall, it’s very good. The berries are fresh. It’s a large portion, perfect for splitting.

• Build your own omelet. It was ordered with sausage, bacon and tomatoes. Much to this customer’s dismay, the restaurant does not carry avocados. The omelet came with dry greens and was rated with a mild OK. It was really big and our friend couldn’t finish it. He said it was “too much food for even a big guy.” Also, he had to order taters on the side, which were interesting and came served with basil and onions and were really good. Though, this friend of ours wouldn’t order the omelet again.

• Lox and Bagels. They were overpowered by the saltiness of the capers. Our friend who ordered this dish said he was, “Jealous of the quiche at our neighbor’s table.”

• Cheesy grits. Would you like grits with your cheese? That was our initial and overall reaction to this goodness in a bowl. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart and if you’re lactose intolerant, we suggest you skip the cheese.

Our server, who shall not be named, was less than stellar. He forgot our drinks. The bad service made the food seem not as good as it could’ve been. Half of our table said they wouldn’t come back again.

As for the parking situation, you’re lucky to find some on U St., especially on a Saturday morning. But make sure you have lots of quarters to feed the meters. You only get 7.5 minutes for 25 cents.

Rating: La, leaning toward blah. 

523 8^th St SE

Washington, DC 20003

202-543-6401

What is it that you’re craving? Steak, pasta, sushi? They have it all at Jordan’s 8. We were pleasantly surprised at the modern decor and super friendly staff. Jordan’s 8 was our restaurant of choice on a beautiful Sunday evening. Located at the new hot spot, 8th street SE (Eastern Market), Jordan’s 8 is a two-story restaurant and lounge with an awesome, covered outdoor patio.  

The first floor was super inviting with a full-length bar and posh seating; perfect for any date. The second floor looked comfy, cozy with lounge seating, sushi bar and topped off with a hookah. How awesome is that?! Of course both bars, upstairs and down, have flat screen TVs for those of you who must keep up with your reality television, sports and such. But one cannot get bored here. We took our dining outside to enjoy the perfect weather and noticed it’s great for those of you who enjoy quiet romantic dinners.

Drinks and food. There is always some kind of special, so whether it’s ladies’ night or drinks out with the boys, you’re going to get a deal. Make sure you visit before the big bachelor party rolls through, otherwise your selection will be limited (as was the case when we visited. A large bachelor party had been at the restaurant the night before and cleaned the bar out.) But, other than that the “Luau” drink hit the spot. It was strong, but very tasty.

The food was OK. We wouldn’t jump through hoops for it, but it was well prepared and the presentation was beautiful. The lamb chops, served with mashed potatoes and spinach, were good but not very flavorful. The lamb could have been a little more tender. The burger was good, but nothing to rave about. You can tell the meat is good but there isn’t much flavor. Fries were substituted with a salad because of said bachelor party, but it did have great dressing. The bow tie pasta with chipotle chicken, was spicy but in a good way. The sauce is like an Alfredo-chipotle sauce. MamaLa gave it an 8 out of 10. She said it was, “A little boring because the flavor is just the spice.”

So, overall, the food was missing that “kick,” but that won’t hold us back from hanging out there again. We’d like to see this place on a Saturday night. Stay tuned!

Rating: La, for now.