by Izzy Whitaker

Sitting in the heart of Church Hill, Alewife is a relatively new restaurant with an ever-changing menu providing food for people with different pallets. The food is described on its website as “mid-Atlantic seafood, influenced by the Chesapeake Bay & foodways of Virginia,” but that is not all it provides. The menu is brief, but there are enough options to satisfy the carnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians in the group. Paul Brockwell, Jr., describes this feeling of flexibility when he writes in his review in Style Weekly, “The interior at Alewife is warm and welcoming, with great service and a vibe that gives the space a remarkable blend of versatility… The short and creatively arranged menu also manages to draw inspiration from many different cuisines without feeling confused.”

I visited Alewife with my parents, Norvell and Charlie Whitaker, and my sister Sarah Whitaker (’16). Upon walking in and looking around the small restaurant, I noticed that every seat was filled with hungry customers, but it still did not feel crowded. I began by ordering my usual Diet Coke, but then changed my mind when I saw the “No Alcohol” cocktail list and ordered the Lime Mint Soda. The drink was a homemade concoction, with the perfect hit of fresh lime to counteract the sweetness of the minty drink. Before I knew it, I had finished the soda and found myself ordering another.

Next came the entrees. This part of the process was almost perfect, except for the fact that we had to wait for close to twenty minutes after receiving our drinks until we could place our dinner orders. However, once the waitress finally arrived with her little black book and ballpoint pen, I quickly felt better. Not being a seafood fan, I ordered the duck breast cooked medium rare, with radicchio, sunchokes, and golden raisins from the “Off The Bone” portion of the entree menu. My sister ordered the same thing, my mom ordered the rockfish, and my dad ordered the monkfish. 

After receiving my meal, I was ecstatic. The aroma rising from the plate was incredibly enticing, and I could not wait to start eating. The duck was cooked to a perfectly pink color, and the sweet, tender flavor of the duck matched perfectly with the creamy and starchy flavor of the sunchokes and the bitter and crisp flavor of the radicchio. The three foods complemented each other perfectly in one cohesive dish, and it was truly one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. 

My only aversion with the meal was the sparse amount of duck on the plate. After skipping lunch in preparation for the meal, I was elated after placing my order, but my excitement quickly fell and my stomach started grumbling when I saw the mere five or six bite-sized pieces of meat on my plate. While I could have eaten three more servings, I was equally satisfied and impressed by the end of my meal.

To wrap up the meal and satisfy any last cravings we could have possibly had left, we pondered the dessert menu. My dad and I both ordered the sundae with toasted pistachios and caramel sauce, Sarah ordered the soft serve with toasted pistachios and salted caramel, and my mom ordered the affogato with soft serve and coffee. When the three different desserts arrived, we were all surprised to discover that each separate dish, with different prices, were essentially the exact same thing. A medium-sized bowl with chocolate soft serve, toasted pistachios, and caramel (in some form or another). Nonetheless, the ice cream was thick, creamy, and delicious. 

My experience at Alewife was definitely a positive one. Impeccable service, mouth-watering food, and perfectly concocted drinks were all on the menu that night, and they were delivered flawlessly.

Featured image courtesy of Alewife’s website.