Tom Sietsema Slams His Early Visits to Del Frisco's Grille

Earlier this week, we took at look at the early word on Dallas import Del Frisco's Grille, and now Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema has weighed in with a rather tough First Bite column which he later revealed is based upon two not-so-good visits. Of what he dubbed "[a]n unfortunate (and LOUD) replacement for Les Halles," the critic writes about some "awful art" and misses on the menu:

The surf-and-turf import from the Lone Star State manages to touch on a lot of wishes without mastering many. Oysters on the half shell are so scrawny and tired, we leave half of them on their bed of ice. A mash of black-eyed peas with a fan of tasteless crackers and vinegar-soaked vegetables goes back to the kitchen largely untouched.

That said, Sietsema likes the tuna tacos, schnitzel, lemon cake and perhaps the enthusiasm of the waitstaff — aside from those "who relentlessly push designer water and appetizers," of course. In his online chat, he offers some further damning-by-faint-praise: Del Frisco's is "probably fine" for just drinks and it's a spot where Sietsema "can see a family having a good time after a day at the Mall." And all this before he even drops a formal review.

· First Bite: Del Frisco's Grille [WaPo]
· All Previous Del Frisco's Grille Coverage [-EDC-]

[Photo: R. Lopez]