Formal, Style and Top Notch Food for a Chigaoan
My sister is a very sucessful sales rep in Chicago, who has just changed jobs after 16 years. She is bringing a client to DC from Chicago and wants a place in keeping with Citronelle - the client has heard excellent reviews of Michel Richard, but she can not get a res. on Tuesday, October 23? The client likes Tru, Alinea and Charlie Trotters in Chicago. Please give me a good suggestion as the client is about the experience and the food. I reccomended :
City Zen, Palena (back room), Eve, Komi, Central
Thanks- I want to help my sis out.
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To those who suggested Marcels - it was a big hit. This was business dinner so those who thought some of the places I suggested would be to loud, etc. were correct. My sister said the food and service were immpecable. The client was impressed, the bosses were impressed and the deal was done. Yea.
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Il Mulino may also fit. The food and experience are worthy. It just got a good review in the Washingtonian. The original restaurant in New York has a waiting list of 4-6 months for a reservation but opening more recently in DC, it is easier to get reservations.
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I'd run to phone to reserve at The Oval Room. The chef at The Oval Room was the Sous Chef at Jean Georges in NYC. (In fact, four Jean Georges chefs have followed the chef to DC.) The chef learned his lessons at this top restaurant well: Delicious food. Inventive-but-never-ridiculous combinations. Sleek modern decor. Professional yet warm service.
My husband and I turn to The Oval Room when we want everything to be perfect and memorable.
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In my opinion, CityZen is a step above the others that have been mentioned here in terms of formality, presentation, and food.
Back-up choice: Tasting Room at Eve.
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re: dzherbst
jpschust
Sep 28, 2007 01:29 PM
Honestly, our last experience at CityZen made us think it was a waste of time and money, the wine list was especially overpriced- I'm willing to pay a large markup but this was highway robbery. I recall having at least one dish that had to go back as it was poorly cooked as well.
I'd have Eve before CityZen.
If the client is all about the food and you don't mind a short drive, go to 2941- it's not in the city, but it's highly appropriate for a business dinner and it's stunningly good with some of the best service in the city.
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re: jpschust
Based on the information the OP gives the choices are few:
- Citronelle- is ruled out b/c no reservation
- Palena- Although an excellent restaurant, It doesn't come across as modern, inventive when compared to the others
- Komi- Excellent for the money, but decor is a bit austere (although I like it) and I don't think you can get cocktails, only beer and wine
- City Zen- This would be my choice
- Eve - I would have picked this restaurant, but its in Alexandria-
re: cleveland park
Pool Boy
Sep 28, 2007 07:20 PM
Palena is not modern or inventive? What alternate reality Palena have you dined at? There is practically no restaurant in DC that is more seasonal, more fresh, and more inventive and creative in their dishes than this place. Sure Palena doesn't practice WD-50-like food chemistry experiments, but Mr. Ruta is clearly gifted and very inventive.
The space could use an update possibly, to perhaps be more up to date and modern, I suppose, but that is a slim criticism.
But please do know that I am a Palena whore.
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re: Pool Boy
ktmoomau
Sep 29, 2007 07:36 AM
I don't even want a space update, unless they were moving to a bigger one. I love the back room atmosphere. It is slightly romantic without being over the top cutsey and I am so tired of all these restaurants being just uber modern that takes away so much for me. I think their space has a nice mix of old and new that is quite charming. And I am not a Palena whore... but if I lived closer I might be.
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re: Pool Boy
I love Palena, its one of my favorites in the area, but it seemed to me that the OP was looking for something different and more modern, based on the restaurants mentioned. I was not putting down the food at Palena and i never said Ruta is not gifted as you imply, I think you are assuming a lot from my post but I'm happy that you love Palena just as much as i do.
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re: jpschust
Pool Boy
Sep 28, 2007 07:17 PM
Komi is certainly a good choice and I agree with jpschust. Cityzen is overrated.
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No. No. No. Eve is over in Virginia, no business people travel to Old Town for dinner. Komi does have wonderful food, but it has no formality, no decor, no gravitas. Central is a brasserie/bistro experience, and while the food is wonderful, it is certainly not a hushed, business environment. Even Palena, while great, is well north of the business district.
For this I would recommend CityZen for sure. Other good choices would be Yannick Cam's Le Paradou (while my experience there was mixed at best, Cam is fantastic on a good night, and they have first class service). Kinkead's is a national award winner and a Washington favorite. Vidalia is a recent James Beard award winner and due to a recent remodeling has a new sophisticated air about it with outstanding food. And finally, Marcel's is a wonderful alternative with a beautiful setting and food to match.
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Certainly Komi would be on my list...especially since it's most like the other places you listed in Chicago.
Also another very good, formal restaurant is Equinox. The tables are spaced out enough that you can have a proper business conversation, the waitstaff is top notch and the food is excellent. They use a lot of local ingrediants and change the menu weekly (possibly daily?) depending on what's available for that season. I've had a number of incredible meals there and highly recommend it.
From what I hear Central is quite good, but not even close to the formality of Citronelle and a number of people have said its a little loud---maybe not fitting for a business dinner.
I also loved my dinner at Eve's Bistro. I was told at the restaurant that the Bistro is more rustic where the Tasting Room is much more inventive and might be closer to a Komi or Tru/Charlie Trotter experience. It's out in Old Town, VA though.
Finally, chances are you can't get a reservation on this short of notice but you can try to get 2 seats at MiniBar at Cafe Atlantico. I would say that's the closest thing to the level of creativity and presentation of Alinea and Charlie Trotters. I would call ASAP though because I think they only take reservations a month out or something and it books up quickly...similar to Komi.
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