A Taste of Honey Nectar Welcome Addition to Cityís Hotel Restaurants by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana Nectar is a further addition to a trend in Washington that should be welcomed: Small, high-end restaurants in hotels. We can easily count a dozen like this, and many of them serve what is best described as nouvelle American cuisine. These restaurants are generally sophisticated, creative, cool, fun, and you almost always have to use valet parkingóand Nectar is no exception. Located in the lower level of the George Washington University Inn in Foggy Bottom, the ambience is warm, cozy and a bit romantic, with low, soft lights emitted from cream sconces and candles on the tables. Along with the tan- and sand-colored sponge-dabbled walls, the space creates a warm, earthy mood in an open rectangular area interrupted by square concrete pillars painted the same as the walls, which are no doubt structural supports. It stays that way until you look up. Itís unfortunate that the designer decided to go with the exposed ceiling look. High ceilings with intricate turns of exposed ductwork are interesting, sometimes even fascinating. Plumbing exposed on a low ceiling is less so. It seems as if the plumbing is hang ing out, ready to drip. The drain and water pipes are so low you can almost here the water swirling through them. And the choice of brown paint doesnít help. The dining room seats about 35 to 40 people, and the tables are fairly close together, giving off the feeling of being crafted and hand made. A few large paintings of close-up fruits and vegetable line the walls. The bread plate was an assortment of four fine breads from Marvelous Market: caramelized onion, semolina, pumpkin-raisin and gorgonzola cheese breads. The six chilled raw oysters ($15) were each served in a mini-bowl on a large white plate and immersed in a cucumber and dill oil sauce, topped with a tiny strip of seaweed. Tuna tartar ($13) came in a low, flat rectangular strip the shape of a candy bar. It was covered with a mix of baby basil, sun-dried tomatoes and pinenuts. The crunch of the fresh baby basil balanced the sushi smoothness of the tuna and had an underlying hint of cinnamon. The beet salad ($12) was a slightly unusual and savory combination of greens, boiled potatoes, haricot, asparagus mini-croutons and blue cheese dressed in a pistachio-hazelnut vinaigrette. The entrees were served on oversize white plates in an attractive but not unnatural presentation. The scallops ($28) were expertly pan seared so they were lightly brown and crispy on the outside. They were served with pistachios and golden raisins in a curry sauce, along with haricots, chorizo and dried fruit pieces. The veal cheeks ($26), which refer to a cut of meat off the face of a cow, were tender and accompanied by a flattering lentil squash puree and baby carrots, parsnips and endive. The veal cheeks also had underlying hints of cumin and cinnamon. The waiter was very knowledgeable and accommodating and was able to arrange for our food to be served in tasting plates, with smaller portions of a few dishes. The wait staff had a chic, cool appearance to them, with all of them dressed entirely in black. The baked Alaska ($9) was actually a variation of the traditional dessert. At the center was maple-walnut ice cream covered with a spiky browned meringue that sat in a pool of warm liquid described as ìhi-ball sauce,î which we suppose refers to the retro whisky cocktail. The waiter said that he was not allowed to set it ablaze because of the fire hazard potential. The fall fruit cobbler ($9) was cooked and served in a little pot and filled with various fruits, including blueberries and cranberries, and accompanied by a light-as-air warm white Russian milkshake that was thick and sweet. Now that the problem of good restaurants in good hotels is nearing solution, maybe the on-street parking problem can be addressed next. Nectar is located at 824 New Hampshire Ave., NW, in the George Washington University Inn. The telephone number is (202) 333-3312. All major credit cards are accepted. Dress is urban casual. Valet parking is provided. The kitchen serves breakfast Monday to Friday from 7 to 10 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner is served Sunday to Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.