Del Merei Grille

Have-it-your-way dining is a hallmark of the fast-food industry, but Alexandria’s Del Merei Grille lets diners play mix-and-match with gourmet components in an environment free of plastic booths and fluorescent lighting. Del Merei’s Southern cosmopolitan dinner menu is anchored by salads that can be made heartier by adding protein and a “From the Grille” column that invites diners to choose a meat or a portobello mushroom, add one of several sauces to it, and then select two side dishes. Cuts of beef are tasty and affordable ($17 to $25), considering the quality, and the “enhancements,” including a bracing peppercorn brandy cream and tangy house steak sauce, are served on the side—which encourages shared dipping. Still, sides tend to be the main event. Potatoes are served as a buttery mash that manages to be smooth without obliterating every chunk, and diners can add bacon, caramelized onion, goat cheese, and other extras to the whip if they like. Baked mac and cheese is penne dripping with creamy, sharp cheddar, and green vegetables, such as grilled asparagus and sautéed spinach, retain flavor and color but not too much crunch. And for those who would prefer to have the kitchen assemble their entrées rather than participate in do-it-yourself meal-making, there are eleven chef’s suggestions, where the meat, sauce, and sides are predetermined.
—Sarah Godfrey, January 9, 2006