My wife and I had heard of the Water Grill for a long time...but we rarely eat Downtown. Tonight, however, we had tickets for Disney Concert Hall, so we wanted to eat dinner close by. I read CitySearch (of course! THE best place to find restaurant referrals...), and - to be honest - I picked the closest restaurant on the recommended "Top 10" list to the concert hall. As it turned out, the closest one was Water Grill.
We dropped in at 6pm without a reservation, and the very kind host and hostess greeted us and seated us. The dining room is beautiful! Very warm colors...and not loud (i.e. they have carpeting instead of hardwood flooring). We enjoyed the atmosphere.
Our server -- I think her name was Donna Jo? -- was "personality plus!" She was kind and funny. We told her that we were on a tight timeline, and she said that she would be sure to get us on our way in plenty of time to catch the 7:30 p.m. show.
We started with drinks: My wife had a pomegranate martini...and I had my ususal gin-and-soda. Both drinks were exceptionally good. In fact, I got up and told the bartender how much we had enjoyed them.
For salad, we shared the Gorgonzola salad. It was SUPERB. After tasting it, I regretted that we had chosen to share it. Next time, I'm getting my own!
For our entrees, my wife ordered the tuna and loved it. I ordered the John Dory fish, and I thought it was good -- not great...but good.
Our dessert was Devil's Pudding, and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD!
After we paid our bill, we were on the sidewalk walking towards the Disney Concert Hall by 7:05 p.m. Just as Donna Jo had said, "In plenty of time to get to the show..."
After the show, we returned to the Water Grill valet stand to get our car. Even the valet staffer was exceptionally polite - and quick.
What a delightful experience. It is rare that my wife and I leave a restaurant saying, "Without question, we will be returning." Water Grill? We will be returning!
Pros: Atmosphere, Service, Food, Drinks, Parking
Cons: A bit pricey - e.g. the pomegranate martini was $15
Posted 12/17/06