Donovan Kelly
Crummy But Good Writer with a Lighter Touch
Although I have been reviewing restaurants for many years, no place has excited me more than La Gruelerie, the new must-go French restaurant in downtown Great Falls, Va.
The restaurant has taken over the historic cheese grating mill on Colvin Run. This area of Northern Virginia has long been famous for the hard cheese produced by local cows, and farmers came to the mill to get their cheese grated before taking it to market. Because of the cheese mill, the falls on Colvin Run became known as "Grating Falls," later shortened to "Grate Falls," and the current "Great Falls." The old mill now serves as a beautiful, not-to-be-missed restaurant overlooking Colvin Run Park.
Although gruel is not as popular in the U.S. as it used to be, the French have come up with some exciting new combinations that have become a big hit in New York City and are expected to catch on in Washington. If you can make it in New York, then you can make it anywhere, even gruel.
I recommend the refried blackened Cajun gruel. Like a good New Orleans jambalaya, the spices in the blackened gruel kick in quick before you can start worrying about the little bits of strange ingredients that the French call "le mystic."
My dining partner was quite taken with the novo cuisine gruel. Although the novo servings provide much less gruel for your dollar, the chef does draw pretty pictures on your plate with the little bit of gruel he serves you. For first timers, novo cuisine gruel may be a good choice, because the less gruel you eat, the better it tastes, much like boiled cabbage, which, come to think of it, also is not as popular as it used to be.
For dessert, instead of the traditional gruel on a stick, try the crème de gruel with chocolate sauce. Ask for lots of chocolate sauce. Lots and lots of chocolate sauce.
The original cheese grating mill was condemned and closed in 1956, but things are much worse now. The new owners have tried to maintain that historic condemned feeling, and they have succeeded well.
Over the years, I've reviewed more than 100 Crummy But Good restaurants for the Washington Post and WAMU Radio, but La Gruelerie is at the top of my Crummy list and the first restaurant to rate the coveted five C's. Try it while the April Fool's Day Special is still on the menu.
(La Gruelerie was first reviewed by Kelly and David Furst on WAMU Radio on April 1, 2005. Send your favorite crummy but good restaurants to donovan@donovanwrites.com).