Best Healthy Restaurants in Virginia Union University

It had become a family tradition for my daughter, husband and me to visit Amuse on Christmas Eve. It had also been a few years since we’d been able to time it right! This year we made a plan and I am so glad we did. The food and service were both outstanding! Alex took care of us from start - with our sparkling holiday cocktails - through lunch with scallops, oysters, a strip steak, and the best beets, brussel sprouts, and parsnips - until dessert, an upside down pear and pomegranate cake. We won’t wait as long before we go back again!

I had high expectations for Stella's based on all of the positive reviews over the years and Stella's totally lived up to the expectations and, in fact, exceeded expectations. Our server Hannah knew the menu quite well and was able to make on point recommendations to us about the food and the beverages. She did a great job describing all of the specials to us. The portions here are large so come hungry. You will get your money's worth!! The first page of the menu is meze which can be shared. I saw several people get the saganaki which looked delicious and provided a fun viewing since it comes out on fire. The next page is full of traditional Greek dishes. I had the salad on special as my appetizer - spinach, toasted pita, almonds, pomegranate arils and cheese. Delicious and huge - we could have shared it. My entree was the pastichio but over pasta. Also huge and yummy. Our dessert was the chocolate ouzo moussed. SO GOOD. I can't wait to return to Stella's.

We enjoyed a great lunch to celebrate the Winter Solstice! Our server, Justin, was professional, attentive, and helpful. The environment was lovely; we were seated in the small dining room next to a lovely fire in the fireplace and with a great view of Carytown. The super-thin octopus and fried calamari appetizers were great starters. We moved on to phenomenal crab cakes (so much crab!) and fried oysters, both over a roasted corn salad. The oysters also featured a spicy aioli, and the crab cake was served over roasted sweet potatoes with a cilantro oil. We also had a Yellowtail carpaccio that was superb. Dessert was amazing: a perfectly balanced single malt butterscotch pudding with shortbread, a superb version of sticky toffee pudding, and delicious house-made donuts with lemon curd and fruits.

Incredible as always. Arctic Char was outstanding and the Fondue starter was fun.

From the point of entering the restaurant to exiting, the experience was very pleasant. The server was very attentive and cordial and took the time to explain various options. The food was prepared perfectly. We never felt rushed. The setting and atmosphere was also very pleasant. I will return in the future.