B Smith's At Union Station

I took my mom here for a pre-Mother's Day brunch when she was in town. I made the earliest Sunday brunch reservation (11:30am) and there was definitely a crowd waiting for the doors to open. The brunch buffet is $29.95 a person and includes unlimited champagne and/or mimosas. The buffet tables are set up in a conservatory-like narrow area, which has a very nice effect but can be a little difficult to manuveur. There are made-to-order stations for omelettes and Belgian waffles (regular and blueberry!) Unfortunately the stations are only set up to cook 2 pans or 2 waffle irons at a time, so the line quickly backed up for those. Make sure you come to brunch with an appetite! Beyond the traditional bacon, sausage, french toast, etc., there is fried chicken, collard greens catfish, shrimp pasta... We only made it two rounds before we were full. And then there is a very nice assortment of cakes and other desserts. They all looked delicious but I have no idea what they taste like as I was too full to partake. I wanted to take my mom (visiting from Seattle) to a Southern-style brunch and it came down to B. Smith's and Georgia Brown's. GB's offers a similar brunch, but on top of the buffet you also get to order an entree, which is basically a whole other meal (if you are smart, you ask for it to go and eat it later). For only $3 more, GB's is probably the better deal, but the deciding factor to me was atmosphere. B. Smith's is a beautiful space and within historic Union Station--a great and convenient place to bring out of towners. GB's is a few blocks from the White House, but is otherwise in a nondescript business area. So something to think about the next time you feel like a multi-round eating extravaganza.. more

My mother in law and I went to lunch here the other day, it wasn't as expensive as I expected, and everything looked lovely. the room is very pretty, very high ceilings, molding etc. the service was very nice. She had a side salad, which came in what looked like an upside down top hat made out of some kind of rice tortilla... and fried catfish fingers; i had the roast duck salad. The fried catfish was delicious, perfectly fried, and moist and so good. the duck was very good also, it had a honey glaze that was very nice, but the salads were just... eh. They could have used something... the dressing i think must have been just oil, because it didn't taste like anything. I would go back again, and even order the same thing, but ask for balsamic vinegar to douse the oily lettuce with. more

B. Smith is the former fashion model-turned-restaurateur and her Union Station eatery is one of three, I believe. The New York City restaurant is brightly lit and trendy. The one in Sag Harbor - the town in the Hamptons that features an established African-American community - attracts a diverse crowd, and is spacious with views of the water. The Union Station restaurant also is spacious, with a main dining room with subdued colors, and an enclosed outer area with larger windows. The food is perfect --- soul food branded with a gourmet touch. During the week - when I've been here - the crowd is professional and African-American, mostly Capitol Hill types checking in with each other, sprinkled with a few local celebrities...maybe a weatherman from the TV station here, a congresswoman there. Prices range between moderate and expensive. And though it's attached to Union Station, one of the busiest places in town, you'll feel far away from the Amtrak trains and shoppers. more