The Simon
By Chef Gabriela Ackerman
I didn’t expect to leave a hotel restaurant talking about caviar, cheese, and one very good gin and tonic but here we are. The Simon, inside the new JW Marriott Reston, has a way of quietly winning you over.
From the start, the kitchen signals ambition. The night started strong and a little playful. Among the opening bites was a potato millefeuille topped with Petrossian Ossetra caviar and house-made ranch. This was fun, indulgent, and surprisingly unfussy. Alongside it, Roseda Farms steak tartare on a lotus tartlet that was rich, a warm pimento cheese gougères tasted like someone actually cares about comfort food, and fried pufferfish with sorghum mambo sauce brought crunch, sweetness, and just enough personality to keep things interesting. It set the tone early: elevated, but not uptight.
The emphasis on local sourcing feels genuine, not performative. That’s especially evident in the Maryland crab salad, one of the strongest dishes of the night. It’s clean, bright, and restrained, letting the crab shine without drowning it in unnecessary flourishes.
The lobster ravioli was where things lost me a bit. The pasta itself was fine, but the cauliflower took over the plate, dulling the lobster’s natural sweetness. It wasn’t bad but just heavier than it needed to be. And on a tasting menu, that kind of imbalance stands out.
Thankfully, the kitchen bounced back quickly. The local golden tilefish was perfectly cooked and gently flaky, it was savory without being heavy, with celeriac, baby leeks, and mussels adding depth while the restrained sauce vin jaune tied it all together.
The dry-aged filet mignon lands squarely in classic territory and that’s not a criticism. A melt in your mouth and perfectly cooked, deeply flavorful, and comforting in its familiarity. The brown butter carrot purée and pommes millefeuille added richness without tipping the plate into excess. It delivers exactly what you want from a main course at this level. No gimmicks, no theatrics, just perfect execution.
If there’s one area where The Simon truly flexes, it’s beyond the plate. The cheese room is outstanding and feels like a destination in its own right. It is thoughtfully curated and clearly taken seriously. The bar also deserves real credit: the gin and tonic was exceptional, crisp and beautifully balanced, the kind of cocktail that quietly raises the bar for the rest of the meal and easily one of the best I’ve had in a long time.
What really tied the evening together was the service. The staff was attentive without hovering. Glasses refilled before you noticed, questions answered easily, and pacing that felt natural. It’s the kind of service that lets you relax into the meal instead of feeling guided through it.
Dessert leaned warm and nostalgic, and this is where the meal fully won me over. The Virginia peanut butter and jelly meringue cake was hands-down my favorite dessert of the night. It was playful, comforting, and just indulgent enough without feeling heavy. A huckleberry sorbet refreshed the palate, while the chocolate Devalia torta delivered for anyone craving something richer. The closing mignardise felt thoughtful, not like an afterthought.
Between the thoughtful sourcing, polished service, and a few genuinely memorable bites, it feels like a place that understands its audience. Not everything hit perfectly, but enough did that I’d go back and that’s usually the clearest compliment. It’s a welcome addition to Reston’s dining scene and proof that a hotel restaurant can feel just as thoughtful as a standalone destination.
11340 Reston Station Blvd,
Reston, VA 20190
571-720-1085
eat@thesimonrestonstation.com
Monday-Friday 6AM – 10PM | Sat & Sun 7AM-10PM
