Ada's on the River

We came for a weeknight dinner to celebrate my daughter’s 20th birthday. Although we made reservations, we waited about 15 minutes past our reservation time to be seated because the restaurant was full. It was a lovely temperate evening, so the weight wasn’t bad. The inside of the restaurant was very loud. There is not a lot of sound dampening, so I do not recommend this for someone who is easily overstimulated by sound. Our waiter was great. He asked about dietary restrictions and allergies at the start. (I am gluten-free), and answered all of our questions. He was knowledgeable about the featured cocktails of which I had Poetry in an Algorithm, and it was spot on. He brought the birthday girl, a complementary mocktail, which was light and refreshing, not too sweet, and perfectly enjoyable. My daughter had the lamb shank, pictured here. It was poetry on a plate in presentation. Fall off the bone tender. It was a huge entrée, but my daughter ate it with gusto. The manager came by to check on us at one point and we had a lovely chat. She told the manager that the lamb was amazing! My husband had the trout stuffed with crab, and he said it was good, but his taste buds were confused. I had the petite fillet mignon, and I used the table knife to cut it, it was so tender. The sweet potato side and the asparagus side were both interesting and delicious. For appetizers, I had the stuffed mussels, which had a nice little flavorful kick that lingered and built after you had eaten the bite. My husband and daughter shared the mushroom lasagna. It was good and flavorful, but they said it was underwhelming. We finished up the dinner with the raspberry Napoleon. It was the perfect little bit of sweet to top off a very rich and filling dinner.

Our party made a quick stop in Alexandria and Ada’s turned out to be a nice, last min surprise! The modern interior was warm and welcoming, yet elegant and refined. The riverfront view in the rain was so pretty! Ada’s was very accommodating of my dietary needs. They have gluten free options labeled on the menu and showed great care in prepping my food. The salmon was particularly good with seasonal vegetables which, with a few alterations, didn’t feel less than. The staff were genuine and kind. I appreciate all their hard work. If I didn’t live out of town, I would absolutely dine at Ada’s often.

Service horrible. Staff did not provide a welcoming experience. Food was ok. Will try the restaurant next door. Not a gluten friendly restaurant.