Equinox

Review by chelledc on August 22, 2007

I went to Equinox during restaurant week and was highly disappointed. The shrimp appetizer was the highlight of the meal. The salmon looked and tasted like it was grilled in a George Foreman grill. It barely showed char marks from a quick second grilling. Not sure what method was used but it produced a slimy textured fish. The corn served with it had a distinct taste and then it dawned on me. Canned corn! That's what it tasted like. Now don't get me wrong I've loved canned corn all of my life but I wouldn't expect it to be served at this sort of restaurant. The dessert was pleasant when blended together but underwhelming. I tried a friend's pasta and it too tasted of the canned variety. The only thing that tasted fresh were the peas which were an oddly placed in that particular dish.
The service was ok. I do remember noticing the waitress gesturing towards a guest at our table to a co-worker and the co-worker stating "Oh well she'll get over it." I think it had something to do with our not so enthusiastic reaction to our waitresses question of whether or not we were enjoying our food.
Can't say that I'd go back anytime soon.

Review by PhiloDC on May 24, 2005

for an upscale downtown restaurant...it definitely fits the bill. the food was excellent, in small but just right proportions to leave you feeling satisfied but not stuffed. a great place for a business meal or special date.

Review by tarawilley on February 13, 2005

My boyfriend and I (both vegetarians) had been wanting to try out Equinox for some time, and when we saw that their website advertized "vegetarian options available upon request" we waited no more. Our meal, however, was a HUGE disappointment. The waiter was incredibly rude, and just got worse as the night progressed. When we inquired about the vegetarian options, he said we could get the salad without the beef and the gnocchi without the duck. Great. That's what I expect from somewhere NOT advertising "vegetarian options" but oh well, we'll just enjoy the meal anyway. Like others mentioned, the portions were incredibly small, especially considering both our appetizers and entrees were lacking a main ingredient. Our waiter never once stopped by to ask us how our food was, or if we needed anything else. We had to flag him down just to get a glass of wine. But the real kicker came when we got the bill. There was an additional $48 charge for the gnocchi. The menu was presented and in fine type it said there was a $12 surcharge for the gnocchi because it had black truffles. Well, $12x2 doesn't equal $48, not to mention there were no black truffles on the dishes we received. We hadn't even looked at the menu because it said vegetarian options available!! They took the charge off, but the damage had been done. I was so disappointed with the experience - not only were our vegetarian options sub-par, but the only choice costs you an extra $12 - and after dropping $250 we left hungry!!

Review by elena0570 on August 9, 2004

Review by johngrimes99 on June 11, 2004

Let me preface this with the understanding that we went to Equinox to eat dinner and ended up eating at the Old Ebbit instead.

So here goes:

When my wife was picking our random restaurant to experience, she suggested Equinox on Connecticut Avenue right near the White House. I have reservations about eating at restaurants that situate themselves so closely to monuments, but curiosity won out.

Our plan was to sit at the bar and sample a few appetizers and perhaps an entree. On arriving at the place, we both noted the unusual floor layout. The dining room is in what appears to be a modern storefront resembling a florist. It looks quite a lot like an enclosed patio and feels like it too. The bar, on the other hand, was situated in a wasteland between the kitchen and the door, affording bar guests a periodic brisk blast of cold or hot air, depending on the season. Lovely.

After running the gauntlet of the hosts' eyes, we situated ourselves on a couple of stools and prepared to make the most of it. After a bout with an alarmingly curt bartender (we didn't know they made bartenders like that), we turned our attention to the menu.

I must admit, the menu is mouthwatering. The selection of tantalizing dishes was almost overwhelming. We ordered the ham-style duck and the foi gras (sp?) and practically rubbed our hands with expectation. The dishes that swept out of the kitchen were works of art, beautifully presented, carefully decorated, absurdly small. Ridiculously small. Do you remember the stereotypical haute cuisine from 1980's films? You know, the two peas with the squiggle of sauce between them. That's what we're talking about here. The duck was literally paper thin, all five pieces of it. There was almost enough duck there to satisfy a somewhat overfed goldfish, but not quite. Let it be noted that I was not expecting Super Sized portions. But I was expecting some food for the money. As tasty as it was, it was almost embarrassing eating what looked like small slices of paper bag.

The foi gras (sp?) was better on portion (in the same way that falling off a cliff is better than being whipped to death). Unfortunately, no artful garnish in the world could hide the fact that this rubbery lump was the sorriest excuse for foi gras I have ever seen. As hungry as we were, the blubbery and nearly tasteless blob got through relatively unscathed.

It was at this point that we, listening to the growls in our tummies, decided to cut our losses (more than $150 worth, thanks to the wine) and find some real grub. I guess we're too lowbrow for the likes of Equinox. We'll stick to more down-to-earth places like Ten Penh and 1789.

Review by limogesj on April 23, 2004

The food is down home and good, but the prices have increased for a quality of food that is just good. The service is excellent.