I'll just offer a backwards compliment and say right off the bat that the Water Grill is much better than the location's previous tenant, Karsen's. This neutral-toned, sleek and sophisticated establishment is brought to you by the Richmond Restaurant Group, the mini-gastronomic empire run by Michelle Williams and Jared Golden, and it has all the right elements to be successful.
There is a magnificent and commanding water feature β hence the name β right as you enter the door. Water cascades down a striking wall-mounted fountain featuring the eatery's stylized and modern logo. It's beautiful, big and impressive, but it's also somewhat cold and remote. Karsen's did the initial and extensive renovation, turning adjoining properties into a spacious two-story restaurant that seats and offers a romantic fireplace upstairs.
A commanding outdoor patio facing Cary Street creates a superb venue for outdoor dining. Artwork is tastefully discreet, booths are cushy and lighting is low and flattering. Somehow, however, I can't get overly excited about this place.
The theme of the menu is seafood, something the kitchen should be very good at as The Hard Shell the parent group's flagship dining spot has been one of the area's most consistent and popular seafood restaurants since There is a nice selection of raw-bar items as well as some predictable first courses such as fried calamari and a delicious and impressive crab cocktail served in a sea-salt-rimmed martini glass with both drawn butter and a lemon vinaigrette.
Similarly, carnivores will be happy with the wide assortment of choices, including three different steaks. Though the peppercorn-encrusted New York strip was a substantial ounce portion, my date and I found the flavor and texture unremarkable, though the portobello-red wine reduction splashed on top was to die for and could have rescued the lackluster beef had there been more of it.
