The Ebbitt Room

On a (finally) warmish midweek evening, I took myself to dinner at The Ebbitt Room in The Virginia Hotel on Jackson Street. I enjoy dining with myself and do it as often as I can. This night, after an arduous month in every quarter, this felt like an extra-special treat—more self-care than just solo dining. It was the exact right and wonderful spot to be, dining at a two-top on the enclosed porch at the front of the restaurant. It was early and quiet, and I just enjoyed the silence, gazing up Jackson Street as visitors ambled along on their way to points unknown, but likely to the beach or one of the many other restaurants in town.

I’ve eaten at The Ebbitt Room a number of times and have declared each time that the experiences (including the meals) have been on my Top Five list for 30 years. That’s a lot of dinners, a lot of restaurants, a lot of moving parts for meals to rise to the top. Having worked the front and back of the house in my years, there are many layers to consider. The Ebbitt Room checks every single box and then some. The foundation of an impeccably trained staff, the atmosphere, the selection and creativity of the menu, were all very high on the list.  In the end, it’s the quality—of all the moving parts—that wins out. Executive Chef Jason Hanin sees to the food, and his skill and creativity are seen (and eaten) from appetizers to desserts.

The Ebbitt Room’s dining philosophy is based deeply in “farm-to-table and farm-to-glass” wrought in the menu, wine, and signature cocktail offerings. It’s important to note that the “farm-to” is a fundamental part for the restaurants in the Cape Resorts dynasty, all served by Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May.

I made reservations through Open Table and chose the porch seating, though there are other options inside: the lobby with comfy seating; sitting room; and seating in the lounge next to the fabulous and lively bar.

I was greeted by the host and seated immediately at my table. There were at least three staff members assigned to take care of every patron. All bases covered. I was offered water (still, tap, or sparkling) and yet another waitperson came to take my drink order. I opted for the Blood Orange Margarita. I’m not really much of a drinker, but I do love an interesting margarita. This was a treat. Tart and lovely.

My waiter, Kate, was at my tableside immediately. She explained the specials and didn’t have to read a word from a cheat sheet. She was obviously well-versed and answered questions. She knew her stuff indeed. Since I’d already studied the menu in detail, I listened to the specials and ordered what I’d drooled over for a week.

The menu is organized thusly: To Share, Raw Bar, Starters, Mains, Vegetables, and Desserts. So, even though I didn’t have anyone to share with, I ordered the Parker Rolls, served with honey butter, and topped with sea salt flakes. Those four rolls arrived warm. I had two, but they were small and I took the other two home. They survived the night. Barely.

For my Starter, I absolutely could not resist the Beach Plum Farm Deviled Eggs. I love deviled eggs, any flavor. I’ve made them a bunch of times, and they are always good, but look like a hot mess. So, anyone who brings a plate of them to a party or a picnic? They rise to sainthood. These wonderful morsels had two toppings; a pair of them were topped with about a tablespoon of chicken fajitas. Yummy. The third one had chopped Black Mission figs, crumbled blue cheese, and a touch of balsamic glaze. Honestly, I couldn’t decide which I liked better, but I could have eaten those all over again.

For my main, I ordered the Pork Chop. This was literally the size of my head, only thinner, grilled to perfection, sitting atop a lovely pool of pureed apple butter, topped with braised and lightly grilled cabbage, and sprinkled with fresh pomegranate seeds. Now, the cabbage was a special kind, and my bad for not writing it down, so you’ll have to order the pork chop to try it. I was so happy with this mega-chop and all three accoutrements. Seriously, this main was inspired, balanced, and so flavorful. As I am wont to do, I will order this again and again, as long as it’s on the menu.

I was going to order a side vegetable because they all looked great—potato puree, charred broccolini, and braised Brussels sprouts with shaved pecorino—but I couldn’t have eaten one bite. Next time, for sure.

Last but not at all least was the dessert menu. All the desserts are house made, even the ice creams and sorbets.  They all looked tempting: Valrhona Cacao Pie, Sweet Ricotta Doughnuts, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble, and Key Lime Pie. In the end, the crumble won the day. Gotta say—warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream? It simply does not get better than that.

The Ebbitt Room never fails to amaze, the recipient of awards from all the best reviewers in the biz. Judge for yourself. You can absolutely expect the best of all the things.