Cafe Natalie

3.5 star food. 1.5 star service.
Upon approaching the host stand, no employees in sight. Spoke with a bartender and he found the hostess for us. She did not seem to care about our reservation despite the fact that this restaurant was marked as «reservation required» in another guide.
She seated us promptly. Décor was acceptable, but tables were very close together and ceiling was low and there was no background music, allowing us to hear clearly most conversations and other sounds in the restaurant.
Our waiter had to have been a rookie. Nervous, fidgety table-​side manner. One of our party asked him which of two dishes he preferred and he was remarkably honest and unhelpful when he said, «I haven’t had either.» All of this despite the fact that I could hear other waiters and they all seemed very polished.
My only complaint about the food is that I believe it sat under the heat lamps for a long time because the plates were *very* hot. This could have also been our waiter’s fault. I had «chicken Natalie,» a well-​executed butter-​sauce over crab meat over chicken breast with crisp steamed veggies and red potatoes on the side. My wife, the vegetarian, had some pasta dish in a pink sauce with vegetables substituted for the shrimp that originally came with the dish. She was happy.
If you’re looking for a nice restaurant and are not inclined to leave Richmond, give this place a shot and let us know how you like it.