Nestled in Arlington right outside of Shillington, the Carlyle Restaurant is and exceptionally elegant Bistro. I was imprested with the impeccable facility and staff aptitude. The foyer’s marble floors and woodwork through the facility are a nice touch of class on this exquisite location. I notice a few things about the Carlyle that made me highly recommend the restaurant to everyone.
Carlyle Crab Cakes
We were referred to the Carlyle for their crab cakes. The Carlyle Crab Cakes did not disappoint. Since my date and I come from Maryland and have crab cakes regularly, we consider ourselves connoisseurs of finer crab cakes. Of all the crab cakes we’ve had over the years, my date rated Carlyle’s crab cakes at number 2. The other crab cakes that are comparable come from Timbuktu. And you literally have to go all the way out to Timbuktu to get them. If Timbuktu’s crab cakes are a 10 the Carlyle’s crab cakes are a 9.5. 98% of the crab cakes were real crabmeat so the fall apart easily. However they are exceptionally good even as loose as they are.
Carlyle’s Ambiance
The Carlyle had exceptional lighting and intricate woodwork throughout the building. I was impressing with their craftsmanship and car of every aspect of the restaurant. The wide marble staircase was put together quite well. The vaulted ceilings were draped with stylish light fixtures. The level of lighting in the building gave it a cozy warm atmosphere that felt quite natural. To say the least, Carlyle made an environment that was upscale without the requirement of a strict dress code.
Carlyle’s Phone Ahead feature
I gained a greater appreciation for this once arriving at the restaurant. I called ahead to verify the location. During the call, the staff member kindly asked me if I’d like to make a reservation. I thought that it was rather odd to make a reservation, but I went with it and said yes. I let them know I’d be there at roughly 6 ~ 6:30 PM. I wasn’t really sure when my date would be ready. We arrive ate 6:20. I go up to the counter and state that I had called ahead and asked for my table. The informed me that the wait would be 5 to 10 minutes. “Cool”, I said to the staff member as I took my beeper and waited. Right beside me another couple without a reservation came up to request seating. They were informed that the wait was over and hour. The young couple promptly left. 4 more couples came after us and accepted the 1 hour plus wait. All this happened within 5 minutes. We were seated quickly and enjoyed all five minutes watching others as we waited.
Carlyle’s Staff
Normally this would be a complaint. In this case however, we applauded the staff for their efforts. My date ordered food that happened to have a hair in it. It was a single hair. I was shocked and disappointed. The waiter came over and asked if everything was OK. We mentioned the hair in the food. The waiter stated that he would bring out a new plate. We stated that we simply wanted a replacement crab cake. They obliged and gave a new one. The manager came over to the table and offered his apology. When we received the bill her meal was completely complementary. We were impressed and gave the waiter a tip as if the meal was not comped.
Carlyle Proximity to Movies
After the meal, we took a casual stroll down the street. We found a movie theater in walking distance. The theater had the latest movies. Though the seating was not stadium, they we adequate. The Carlyle’s proximity to the movies makes this the ideal local for dinner and a movie. Off street parking is free in a garage right near the theater. We didn’t move our car and spent several hours in the area.
To say the least the restaurant is worth a visit. The food, ambiance, staff are all top notch. The ability to call ahead and avoid a wait is great. The Carlyle’s proximity to a movie theater makes it ideal to take in a quick flick. As a whole it is a great date environment for anyone interested.
