With all the hype of Chef Antonio Park and the impressive success of Park, we had our eyes set on Lavandria for an amazing experience. Walking into the restaurant, I was really impressed by the warm and inviting decor. Lavanderia seems to present more of a casual dining experience, compared to Park. We were immediately greeted, which set the tone for the night. The staff were very knowledgeable and attentive throughout the meal.
We ordered both ceviches (shrimp and the fish of the day), the soup of the day (lobster, mussels, and shrimp), and the cornish hen. Without a doubt, the hen was the best. It was moist, flavorful, and perfectly charred. Although all the seafood was cooked perfectly, the shrimp ceviche was quite bland and the fish of the day ceviche was far beyond the point of proper acidity. The soup of the day was tasty but it came out lukewarm at best.
Overall, given the reputation of the restaurant, our experience at Lavanderia was underwhelming. The meat was clearly the highlight, so we'll have to come back again and have a "meat-lovers" meal. Stay tuned for an update.