We decided to celebrate our 3 Year Anniversary/Valentine's Day at the Boathouse while visiting Richmond. Although our reservation was rather late (9:45pm), we had a very nice time. They had live jazz when we arrived which really helped set a romantic mood. However, we only got to enjoy for about 15 minutes. We were given the option of ordering from the regular menu or a prix fixe menu which allowed each person to pick 4 courses for approximately $40 a person. We chose the regular menu as my boyfriend was set on trying their oysters and I did not find anything on the special menu to be enticing. To start our dinner we had half a dozen oysters (3 Bluepoint and 3 Chesapeake) and the lobster bisque. Our waiter, Daniel, suggested that the Chesapeake were saltier. They indeed were and were more delicious than the forgettable Bluepoint. The only drawback to the dish was that they only served one lemon. The lobster bisque was very delicious and had a slight kick to it. It would have been much better if it had few more chunks of lobster meat, as it only had one big chunk. As our entrees, we had the Wood Grilled Mahi Mahi with mango pineapple salsa and the Mojito Glazed Duck Breast with couscous. I was a little disappointed with the Mahi Mahi as it wasn't very flavorful aside from the mango pineapple salsa, which was also a little bland. The mashed potatoes, on the other hand, were topped with melted cheese and were delicious! The duck came with a side of couscous, which my boyfriend had never had before. He absolutely loved the couscous! The texture was amazing, as it was cooked to perfection, and the flavors were mild but sufficient. The duck had a great taste. Although the portion was not as big as he would have liked, it was very well-cooked duck. It was a little on the overcooked side for his taste, but delicious nonetheless. Total cost for dinner for 2 was about $70 (greatfor a Valentine's Day Dinner at a restaurant with a great ambiance).
Pros: Intimate ambiance, great couscous and mashed potatotes, good service
Cons: Very hard to find, small portions
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