The Early Word on Water & Wall

Water & Wall is the newest restaurant from Maple Ave. chef Tim Ma; it opened earlier this month. The new restaurant has more seating than its predecessor, more room in the kitchen, and more of an emphasis on design. But how is the food? Here's what the first reports have to say about it.

The Special Occasion News: On Facebook, Jessica has a good experience hosting a party at Water & Wall. "Thank you much for making my birthday dinner SO special. The food was impeccable, Nick and the team were beyond friendly and the vibe was spot on. Total home run. Can't wait to come back!" [FB]

The Facebook Rave: Here's another positive experience on Facebook, this one from Dierdre. "Loved your menu and looking forward to my next meal here!" [FB]

The Clean Plate News: Water & Wall is currently earning five stars on Yelp, with 14 reviews in. Sandy T says, "Our waiter, Anthony went over the entire menu and when I couldn't decide, suggested I try the duck, with the carmelized brussels sprouts.  It was delicious, as was the seasonal kale salad which had apples and walnuts and their own specially made goat cheese. My husband had the chicken wings and the chicken breast, and he also enjoyed it very much. There was nothing left on either of our plates. We also liked that we each had our own coffee served in a French press. There was easily two cups of coffee in each press." [Yelp]

The Decor News: On Yelp, Andy H says, "The space is nicely designed with clearly a lot of thought into the decor. It made for a very comfortable, enjoyable setting. The front of house staff is still rounding out, but they were attentive and very friendly. Of course the main attraction was the food!  Our table went all in on appetizers, ordering the shrimp and grits, chicken wings, pork belly, mussels, and bone marrow. They were all done with great precisions - not a bad bite in the bunch. I will say the chicken wings and pork belly seemed to go the fastest." [Yelp]

The Maple Ave. Comparison: On Yelp, Jocelyn H. says, "Water & Wall is like Maple Ave's sophisticated city cousin. Bigger with a full bar area and lots more tables which were all full tonight! Chef Tim Ma has brought some of the best from Maple Ave to share with Arlington and added some new hits to the lineup.  The pork belly is the star of the starters - do not miss it.  The pickle plate is great on its own but compliments the pork belly nicely." [Yelp]

The Dessert News: Blog Eat What's On Your Plate has positive things to say. "To finish off the meal, I would definitely recommend splurging on dessert. The crack cookie is chewy, crunchy and sweet with a cranberry sauce to lighten the dish.  A fantastic way to end a great meal." [EWOYP]

The Craving Tweet: On Twitter, @kwilson202 says, "Totally craving chicken wings made by @Tim_Ma_TMRG from @WaterandWall...yum." [Twitter]

The Date Location Lowdown: UrbanDaddy calls Water & Wall, "more of a date spot, with glass everywhere and moody lighting coming from suede-and-canvas chandeliers. Start out with a basil gin and tonic at the copper-and-granite bar. And then... well, maybe just stay there. It's separated from the dining room by a copper curtain." [UD]
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