POLITICO's "
Playbook" channels its inner-Frank Bruni, and I like it (June 25, 2011):
Good Saturday morning. TWEET DU JOUR: @MichaelPFalcone: Saint-Ex just banished us, citing a "no late joiner" rule. We thought they were joking @abcgregory
PLAYBOOK RANT: Saint-Ex: dead to us! This is even worse than the full-parties rule, which we find so irritating and counterproductive that we won’t stay at a place that tries to enforce it (bye, bye, Founding Farmers). There are too many other amazing places to eat. Usually we start with a passive-aggressive, “Oh, I’m so sorry: We’re in a hurry, and need to start ordering,” and that often works. At Lauriol Plaza, we go with the aggressive-aggressive, “OK, it’s a party of one,” and make them keep adding chairs, tables and set-ups. Even works on the patio.
Pipón was similarly unimpressed with this 14th Street mainstay (March 3, 2010):
It'd be way too generous to say that Saint-Ex (1847 14th Street NW) suffers, à la Obama, from unfairly high expectations. It is simply overpriced, overhyped and overrated. I'm not sure why it's so in demand, other then inertia and the long lines created by its frustrating policy of not accepting reservations. It's certainly not the "charming" ambiance. The basement is a shadowy bar; the main level, lacking a coat rack and adequate lighting, gets packed like a rush hour Metrobus. I tried the $36 prix fixe menu, sampling a special tortilla appetizer that showcased chopped, soggy chicken, and an overcooked steak. One of the fish entrees looked enticing, but our Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch app recommended "avoid." I'd say the same about Saint-Ex.
