Alexandria
Mackie’s Bar & Grill
For: Steaks
907 King St., Alexandria
When Las Tapas closed last year, lawyer, and now, restaurateur Sang Lee, decided to open Mackie’s Bar & Grill.
In the cozy front bar area, diners watch busy King Street through big windows, but the back is closed off, making it feel like neglected surplus seating. But the welcome starts early with a basket of bread (usually suited for sandwich-making: pumpernickel and marble rye) with soft, herby and overly salted butter.
It’s sad when salt ruins a meal. It’s like the sun: it makes everything better, until there’s too much. Salt also overtook ratatouille and a crab cake. The New York strip au poivre was the winner of the meal, studded with peppercorns and blanketed in a thick cognac sauce. The accompanying fries were also a bright spot, as was the half-priced bottles of wine on Tuesday.
(February 2015)
