The Majestic to Reopen Tuesday with New Menu, New Look

• PHOTOS: The new look at The Majestic includes plush booths with intimate lighting; artwork found at local thrift shops decorates the walls; Executive Chef Gaby Hakman; upholstered banquettes line the lefthand side of the restaurant; new lighting over the bar; opulent light fixtures over the main dining area. Dishes include dinner entree Garganelli Pasta vegetable bolognese, pecorino; Roasted Beets citrus, whipped goat cheese, pistachios; Charred Octopus chickpeas, olives, arugula, harissa. Patch photos (click on smaller photos to enlarge)

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ALEXANDRIA, VA -- There's a new opulent look to The Majestic restaurant, reopening Tuesday at 911 King St., after an eight-week renovation. The plush jewel-toned fabrics, cozy booths, old-fashioned tin ceiling and intimate lighting harks back to an earlier time, with hints of the Orient Express or an art deco movie palace from days gone by.

The historic cafe was purchased last year by Alexandria Restaurant Partners, which is quickly making its mark in the area with, in addition to The Majestic, Lena's Wood-Fired Pizza, Virtue Feed & Grain, Palette 22 and their next anticipated project, Vola's Dockside Grill & the Hi Tide Lounge.

At The Majestic, the renovation's new ravishing interior is by prominent local designer David Anthony Chenault and the stunning interior architecture is by Paul Beckmann, of Beckmann Architects also of Alexandria.

To go with the new look, new Executive Chef Gaby Hakman is bringing a fresh culinary direction to The Majestic, steering away from the restaurant’s previous Southern influence toward a more diverse, seasonal and vibrant, protein and vegetable-forward menu.

A native of Brooklyn, Hakman moved to Alexandria (and happily has a sister who lives in town) from Miami and has found a place to live within walking distance of The Majestic. She's been in charge of her own restaurants in South Beach and Santa Fe, N.M.

Hakman has worked to create a contemporary seasonal bistro menu at The Majestic, with ingredient-focused dishes showcasing quality olive oils, herbs, garlic, and other influences that reflect her Mediterranean palate, as well as rotisserie meats, which will add deep flavor and variety to the restaurants signature dishes.

Hours

• Lunch (starting May 31): Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Dinner (starting Tuesday): Sunday-Thursday: 4-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday: 4-11 p.m.
• Brunch (starting May 28): Saturday-Sunday: 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Happy hour: Monday-Friday: 4-7 p.m.

The Majestic will offer contemporary seasonal bistro fare showcasing uncomplicated and robust dishes with hints of a Mediterranean palate. Meats and produce are sourced locally and from small producers whenever possible. Additionally, a rotisserie has been added to the kitchen, which allows the culinary team to cook food evenly and help seal in juices, producing more flavorful dishes.

A selection of daily specials will also be available, exclusively during dinner service. Highlights include Roast Chicken on Tuesdays; Planked Salmon on Wednesdays; Spit-Roasted Lamb on Thursdays; Prime Rib on Fridays; Lobster on Saturday and Chicken & Ribs on Sunday.

Here's a look at the dinner menu:

Nibbles

• Fried Olives pimentón aioli
• Deviled Eggs chef’s whimsy
• Market Crudite & Dips
• Baked Feta za’atar, chiles, country bread
• Potato Chips caramelized shallot-onion dip

Starters

• Steak Tartare cornichons, grilled bread
• Kale Salad bacon, dates, almonds, parmesan
• Little Gems tomato, cucumber, buttermilk-herb dressing
• Roasted Beets citrus, whipped goat cheese, pistachios
• Lamb Meatballs currants, pine nuts, yogurt
• Charred Octopus chickpeas, olives, arugula, harissa

Mains

• Whole Grilled Fish salsa verde, olives, broccolini
• King Salmon quinoa, asparagus, pistachio gremolata
• Roast Chicken panzanella, au jus
• NY Strip roquefort butter, forest mushrooms, fingerlings
• Pot of Mussels tomato, wine, calabrian chiles, frites
• Garganelli Pasta vegetable bolognese, pecorino
• Majestic Burger aged beef, smoked gouda, bacon-onion jam

Sides

• Baby Carrots dukkah, yogurt
• Roasted Cauliflower parm butter
• Charred Broccolini soy, sesame, chiles
• Grilled Asparagus pangratto
• Crispy Fingerlings rosemary
• Frites coriander-cumin salt
• Creamy Polenta

Desserts

• Majestic Coconut Cake
• Nutella Budino ganache, caramel crack cookie
• Strawberry Balsamic Tart pistachio crumble, rosemary cream

In additional to a full bar that will feature some specialty cocktails, there are beer and wines from California, Washington, Colorado, Oregon as well as France, New Zealand and Italy and more.

On the draught beer menu, you'll find five beers from Virginia: Champion, Shower Beer, Pilsner, Charlottesville; Old Ox, Alpha Ox, American IPA, Ashburn; Devil’s Backbone, Vienna Lager, Lexington; Port City, Optimal Wit, Witbier, Alexandria; Heritage, King Mountain, Scotch Ale, Manassas.

Two selections on the bottled beer menu are from Alexandria's Port City: Essential Pale Ale and Monumental IPA. On the wine menu, you'll see Virginia winery's Barboursville Vineyard's, Cabernet Franc Reserve (the House red wine by the region’s most esteemed culinary destination, The Inn at Little Washington). All bottles of wine will be 50 percent off on Wednesdays.