I tried Violet with my partner a year ago first. It was somewhat empty, but what we sampled then was light. It is American food with a French twist, two notches up from Blue Plate on Montana, but you pay for some other things that are worth it. Tonight, I went alone and enjoyed it more. It was a bustling Saturday night and I made a reservation. I was greeted sweetly by the host who was wearing tight jeans, had lots of tattoos, a punk rock hairdo and some man-cleavage t-shirt. In other words, if I were still in high school, I would take him home. My waiter was even more adorable and also attentive, but not overbearing. He was more of the geeky country boy type. If I were still in college, I would take him home. You get the picture. The crowd was 25-45 and lively. I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio which was buttery, but a good match for the food I ordered. The soup was white onion with a buttery broth and was a little too rich for me, but probably great for someone else. I still enjoyed it. I had seared scallops with white onion sautee, sauce and mint leaves. The mint countered the lovely sweetness of the scallops that were perfectly medium rare (closer to rare). I also ordered the mushroom ravioli. I got two medium pieces, nice strong taste, some more butter, but not too much. By this time I was quite full actually. They also serve a lovely white bread to help with some of the richness of the food. After about half hour and a chat with the nice couple sitting next to me, I sampled the lime tart. This was very fresh and creamy and not jelled like you may expect. More a lime custard tart than pie and a nice soft crust, served with a dollop of whipped cream, a slice of semi-cooked orange and some more mint. I wish they had some lighter desserts like sorbet, but all their desserts are on the same level. For $50 plus tip, I was happy. If starved to death (for food) you may not appreciated it as much. I did. I hope someone can take that waiter home and post a review :)
Pros: Atmosphere, variety, staff
Cons: Butter, butter, butter
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