Chef Geoff’s

By Bonnie Dana

Over Christmas break, my family and I went to Washington DC to visit my almost eighty year old grandmother.  We went to an Italian restaurant called Chef Geoff’s. I immediately noticed how dark the restaurant was which made it feel calm and peaceful. In addition, I noticed how quiet the restaurant was even though there were hard wood floors and many people. We were seated very quickly in a corner of the restaurant. The waiter handed us a tall menu with small type. I noticed my grandmother used a flashlight to read the menu because it was so dark in the restaurant. 

Chef Geoff’s reminded me of an old-fashioned train: The main room of the restaurant was long and narrow; the velvety seats were blood red and the walls were an ivory color; on the walls, there were old pictures of Washington DC and the monuments, along with many mirrors. The tables seemed very close together. They were set up formally, with two plates and two glasses. There was also a wine bottle, a candle, and salt and pepper, making the table feel small and cluttered. The table we were sitting at was wobbly and the “table cloth” was paper which seemed  strange for a nice restaurant.

After a few minutes, our waitress brought a shiny, silver bucket of bread with some whipped butter. In the bucket, there were only four golden-brown dinner rolls; enough for our table but no more. However, the rolls were warm and freshly baked; they were very good.

A short time later, the waitress came up to take our orders. I ordered ‘straight up’, a basic cheese pizza.

After about fifteen to twenty minutes, our food was served. My pizza, like most pizza, was mostly red and had green basil on top. The pizza seemed oily with a crispy crust. The pizza looked like a flattened rose with small parts of leaves on top. Presented on a small plate and with the basil unevenly spread on the pizza, the food lacked visual appeal. 

However, as I brought the pizza to my mouth, the smells wafted around my nose. I could smell the basil on top of the pizza, which made my mouth water with anticipation.  The basil smelled like a cup of tea containing herbs and healing plants.

The pizza tasted as fabulous as it smelled.  When I took a bite, the tomato sauce exploded in my mouth along with the distinct taste of Mozzarella cheese. As I chewed, the dough, tomato sauce, and the 

Mozzarella cheese made a wonderful blend of flavor. The crispy crust was sharp and hard to chew but was a good contrast to the soft inside part of the pizza. The crust tasted like freshly toasted bread. The pizza was a great temperature: not too hot, but not cold either. The serving size was just right to satisfy my hunger.

The service was very helpful and fast. All the waiters, but one, were very respectful. As I mentioned earlier, we were seated very quickly, within 5 minutes of entering. One of the only unpleasant aspects of the service was that halfway through dinner, our candle went out. My mother asked a waiter if we could have it relit. The waiter acknowledged the request and walked away but didn’t come back. Our main waitress came to check on us throughout dinner about four times but didn’t notice the candle was out. 

Although the restaurant was great, I do have some suggestions. I would suggest that the restaurant have more light and that they think about where the tables are and their proximity to each other. In addition, I would say that the waiters should follow up with the customers. Furthermore, I think the chef should at least show that he cares about what the food looks like. 

Despite minor flaws in the service, I would recommend Chef Geoff’s when visiting Washington DC. While in the restaurant, I felt relaxed and safe. I really enjoyed being in a quiet restaurant with decent service. The atmosphere was quiet and cozy. I also thought the pizza was one of the best I have ever had! Even though the restaurant could use some minor improvements, I really enjoyed Chef Geoff’s. 

Chef Geoff’s: 4 Stars