"Being a tourist in Colonial Williamsburg in the midst of tourist season means making restaurant reservations ahead of time is a smart move. I wasn't that smart, but it worked out - since the restaurant was full, I was able to go to the cafe garden area of the King's Arms Tavern. It was a very warm and humid day, but sitting in the shade helped a lot, as did the continuous refills of my water glass.I had heard about the "A dish made of beef" from someone, so I decided to try it. Well worth the money. The beef truly was tender; the red wine sauce was flavorful; the pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms were well-cooked and seasoned; and the mashed potatoes had a good consistency and flavor. The dish looked a bit small when I saw it, but I was satisfied when I finished.For dessert, I tried the "syllabub" which was a colonial dessert, I think. "Wine-laced cream whipped to a froth, seasoned with lemon zest and garnished with seasonal berries." Well, there was half-a-strawberry on top of the cream, but the lemon flavor was not overpowering, just the right amount (I did end up munching on a couple of lemon zest pieces). The sherry wine did separate from the cream, so I tried a sip after finishing the cream, but didn't like the sherry so much. Interesting dessert, but not a must-have.I would have given full marks for the King's Arms Tavern but for one aspect to the service which I observed: the servers did not work together. One woman was very energetic and friendly in her interactions with customers; the woman who served me was good to me, but complained loudly about having to walk to a table in the back in the heat - "It's too hot to be walking all over" was something she exclaimed loudly and frequently. Eventually the energetic and friendly server took care of the back table, although it was away from all of the other tables she waited on. Other than the complaining server, everyone else seemed to be very helpful."

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