By: Catherine Wooten

Walking under the beautiful stripped awning to reach the back iron door of The Orangery pulls you in to a gorgeous dining experience. The varied international influences, ranging from white archways and columns to Asian-inspired partitions in the decor, is also reflected in the menu. For our lunch, the wait staff was courteous and pleasant, and our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and made us feel welcome in the otherwise ostentatious atmosphere.

While sitting at a table in the main dining room, there are many opportunities to admire the gorgeous interior of the restaurant. From the winding staircase in the lounge to the painted clouds on the ceiling of a side dining area, there is beauty all around. Another thing to look at are the other clientele there for a late afternoon lunch, who consisted mostly of men in suits and older women in classy pastel pantsuits.

Presentation is key in every aspect of the meal, from the gorgeous plates to the single white rose in a vase on each table. When the waiter came by to set a single piece of bread on each person's bread plate, everyone began to relax and conversation was flowing. The bread slice came with two softened squares of butter that was surprisingly easy to spread. Taking out the work involved with breaking a loaf of bread and putting the butter on seemed to add to my enjoyment of the tasty but basic slice of bread.

I know people who do not ever visit The Orangery with having Cauliflower Soup, so it seemed appropriate to taste it for myself. The somewhat familiar broth (like that of broccoli-cheese soup?) Served as a great base for the small pieces of cauliflower mixed in. The unusual soup proved to be very pleasing, and I found myself a bit disappointed when my cup was empty. The soup was very worth its reasonable price of $3.

The first item on the lunch menu was Chicken Breast Stuffed with Boursin Cheese and wrapped in Puff Pastry for $12. When I read that it was paired with whipped potatoes, I knew this was my choice. The puff pastry was flaky and warm. Executive Chef Christopher Stallard mastered the delicate dough. Opening the pastry revealed a tender piece of chicken breast with Boursin cheese, a French triple-cream cheese, flowing out of its center. The Champagne-Dijon Cream Sauce that was drizzled over the pastry added a complimentary flavor. The whole package was very rich, which limited how many bites I could take, but the ones I took were very satisfying.

The whipped potatoes that served as the resting place for the puff pastry suffered a bit under the pressure. I am a big fan of whipped potatoes, but the fluffy "whipped" quality that I have grown to love was missing in the thick, smashed mound. This was the only point of the meal when I wished for salt, but because salt and pepper shakers were not fixtures on any table, I refrained from possibly insulting the chef by asking for this forbidden seasoning.

Adding a splash of color to an otherwise neutral arrangement was a delicate pile of purple cabbage. When I asked the waiter about it, he said, "I don't know why, but little old ladies love it." Their cabbage was tossed with raspberry vinaigrette and sugar, and it was served warm. When it first entered my mouth, I enjoyed the strong vinegar taste and smell, but the enjoyment faded as the sugary sweetness kicked in and I was left with an unpleasant aftertaste.

When one of my companions' meals came out much latter than the others, he was quickly offered a complementary dessert. The waiter suggested the Oat-Walnut Apple Fritters with Two Sauces for all of us to share. He returned with a bowl of fritters with homemade Bourbon Caramel Sauce and Cinnamon Creme Anglaise on the side. The round fritters were crispy on the outside, with warm, soft insides. Bits of apple punctuated the soft dough, creating a savory treat. The Creme Anglaise drew me in first, but adding a drizzle of the caramel intensified my love of the fritter.

The $2.25 coffee was probably not worth the price, but pouring the cream out of a dainty silver pot did help me feel a little better about it. Although it could have been the fact that I drank the coffee with the fritters that added to its taste.

Lunch was a unique and wonderful experience, and I could not help but feel special while I was there. A special occasion or celebration would be a perfect reason to go to The Orangery, where Stallard brings luxury into every dish.