A heady fizz practically kisses diners as they enter the Dutch. This self-described American restaurant, bar, and oyster room bubbles over with a fabulous clientele, and the boisterous decibel level is jazzed with the razzmatazz buzz that "it" places possess. The staff hustles and bustles to the beat of the room's rattle and prattle while a battalion of managers dashes about trying to keep the chaos organized. It feels like a party, and in a way it is.
The sprightly decor can be enjoyed in a more sedate ambiance during lunchtime and early-dinner hours. The rectangular space (formerly Solea) is broken up into more intimate areas by thick white brick columns. Walls are white brick too, and tables are blond wood It's a llight, clean-lined, contemporary-rustic look: IKEA meats Martha Stewart. A bustling bar stands at one end of the room, a marble seafood bar at the other. Between is a continuous ebb-and-flow of waitstaff, diners coming and going, and some people just passing through to see and be seen. A patio seduces more subtly, with foliage and softly glowing lanterns.
If the Dutch really were a party, it would be a well-hosted one with very good food and drink.
Stay tuned for the full review, due tomorrow...
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