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2941, Chef Bertrand Chemel in West Falls Church - Restaurant Moves Toward a More Casual Experience


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WRONG.

I wrote about the interim chef Scott Bryan a few weeks ago here. It makes sense for him to come here, because construction at 10 Downing seems a bit "behind." I've been tracking Bryan's career for many years, and he can cook the lights out of any kitchen - he's absolutely one of the great chefs in this country. (He has a prominent mention in Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential, if you have that book in your library.)

This was in today's NY Times Food Section:

Chefs on the Move

SCOTT BRYAN, the executive chef at Veritas in the Flatiron district, has left, with no destination decided. He has been replaced by Ed Cotton, who worked for Daniel Boulud and was to have been the chef at the new Bar Boulud near Lincoln Center.

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I'm a huge fan of Jonathan Krinn, but I really hope at the new place the front of the house is up to the quality level of the kitchen. I've been to 2941 many, many times, for special occasions, with guests and for spur of the moment dinners, and have loved every meal. I have never been there without some problem with reservations, seating, service or the like, though. Tysons is closer for me than Falls Church, so I'm sure I'll be there very shortly after opening and probably frequently thereafter.

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I'm a huge fan of Jonathan Krinn, but I really hope at the new place the front of the house is up to the quality level of the kitchen. I've been to 2941 many, many times, for special occasions, with guests and for spur of the moment dinners, and have loved every meal. I have never been there without some problem with reservations, seating, service or the like, though. Tysons is closer for me than Falls Church, so I'm sure I'll be there very shortly after opening and probably frequently thereafter.

Interesting. I've been there maybe a half-dozen times, and never had any problems of that sort (well, except for one occasion when someone who is no longer there seemed rather upset that one of our party actually poured his own wine - no words were spoken, but she watched very closely afterwards). Let's see what happens on Friday night.

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Will Kathy Morgan be leaving, too?

I am happy to say that I will be staying at 2941. I have enjoyed working with Chef Krinn for the past two years; I respect him and wish him the best of luck in his new place. I am also looking forward to working with Chef Bryan and our permanent Chef (sorry...I can not confirm or deny any rumors....). Opportunities like this do not come around often.

I hope to see a lot of you at 2941 in the coming months.

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I am happy to say that I will be staying at 2941. I have enjoyed working with Chef Krinn for the past two years; I respect him and wish him the best of luck in his new place. I am also looking forward to working with Chef Bryan and our permanent Chef (sorry...I can not confirm or deny any rumors....). Opportunities like this do not come around often.

I hope to see a lot of you at 2941 in the coming months.

I am actually not displeased that Jonathan is leaving 2941. Maybe it's time for a change. His food has been tending to the extreme a bit. I had ostrich on one visit and lion on another, and I honestly couldn't tell you the difference in terms of taste. Nonetheless, I love Mel's breads, especially the chocolate-cherry baguette. But I can't imagine a destination restaurant succeeding in Tysons right now. The traffic there is absolutely horrific and will worsen as the Metro is built. I wish Jonathan all the best in Tysons, but I don't think the area is going to be overly supportive of an upscale restaurant until the traffic problem improves.

The Boulud chefs coming to 2941 is an absolutely fantastic development for northern Virginia foodies! Yippee! Very soon we'll be singing the praises of 2941 as easily the equal of Restaurant Eve for fine dining in northern Virginia.

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But I can't imagine a destination restaurant succeeding in Tysons right now. The traffic there is absolutely horrific and will worsen as the Metro is built. I wish Jonathan all the best in Tysons, but I don't think the area is going to be overly supportive of an upscale restaurant until the traffic problem improves.

Yeah, the traffic has really killed Maestro's business.

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Being Chef Krinn's last week, we had to go, so my wife and I had dinner at 2941 last night. No coasting for the final week here - we had the tasting menu and every course was excellent. For me the stand out was a squab and chantrelles dish. While my wife really enjoyed that, the star for her was wahoo with a saffron sauce and little neck clams. Wonderful breads, as always, with a loaf to dig into in the morning.

Jonathan was out periodically shaking hands and chatting with repeat guests. While he wouldn't give details on the new location, he said it will be about 11 months before it opens. He's going to take some well deserved time off and travel a bit.

Service was very good throughout the evening. Interesting note - someone must have read my post from Wednesday and put it together with the name on the reservation. When being seated, the following comment: "Welcome back. I understand there were some problems on your last visit, but everything will be perfect tonight." I had never complained before.

Thanks Jonathan and 2941 for a great run. I'm sure I'll be back to see what the new chef is like and am looking forward to Jonathan's new place.

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Being Chef Krinn's last week, we had to go, so my wife and I had dinner at 2941 last night. No coasting for the final week here - we had the tasting menu and every course was excellent. For me the stand out was a squab and chantrelles dish. While my wife really enjoyed that, the star for her was wahoo with a saffron sauce and little neck clams. Wonderful breads, as always, with a loaf to dig into in the morning.

Jonathan was out periodically shaking hands and chatting with repeat guests. While he wouldn't give details on the new location, he said it will be about 11 months before it opens. He's going to take some well deserved time off and travel a bit.

Service was very good throughout the evening. Interesting note - someone must have read my post from Wednesday and put it together with the name on the reservation. When being seated, the following comment: "Welcome back. I understand there were some problems on your last visit, but everything will be perfect tonight." I had never complained before.

Thanks Jonathan and 2941 for a great run. I'm sure I'll be back to see what the new chef is like and am looking forward to Jonathan's new place.

WOW!! I had no idea Jon was exiting to a new venture. Guess it pays to listen to gossip. After numerous visits to 2941, from a drive away from the country life of The Inn @ LW, to the time now in the city, each and every one of them being stellar and well worth the trip. I wish Jon the best of luck, and continued success which of course will follow closely in his foot steps. All the best to you Jon. :blink::P

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Let me save people the trouble: The chef will most likely be Bertrand Chemel, Chef de Cuisine at Café Boulud. Confidence level? Very high. It's going to happen unless Daniel wakes up and realizes what he's about to lose. Things can always change, but all indications are currently pointing toward Chemel.
An October 5 article in New York magazine re Chemel's departure from Cafe Boulud
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An October 5 article in New York magazine re Chemel's departure from Cafe Boulud

BTW, to conjure an intriguing thought: I heard from someone who talked directly with Scott Bryan a day or two ago. He is only consulting with 10 Downing, and is not slated to be their chef. I didn't know this, and it may or may not have any implications for the DC area (taken by itself, it's a fairly minor piece of information; I just thought I should mention it since I implied otherwise in an earlier post).

Cheers,

Rocks.

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A little more intrigue....according to someone in the know, the owner of the property that includes 2941 is a bit of a 'hands-on' sort of person. Whether or not that had anything to do with Jonathan's departure for greener pastures is unknown, but I still have very high expectations for the Boulud chefs coming to the area....

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A little more intrigue....according to someone in the know, the owner of the property that includes 2941 is a bit of a 'hands-on' sort of person. Whether or not that had anything to do with Jonathan's departure for greener pastures is unknown, but I still have very high expectations for the Boulud chefs coming to the area....
I have heard that more than a few times from those in the know.
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My wife and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary last night at 2941. This was our first time, so unfortunately I am unable to compare our experience to what it would have been like under Chef Krinn. What I can say is that Chef Bryan amply lives up to the praise of his predecessor. Anyway, maybe it was the booze in the romantically sensual Phillipe Gonet champagne, but my wife said (close to weeping) that this was the best meal she'd ever had. I don't like to lend myself to that sort of absolute, but I can say that it was way way way way up there.

Ordinarily, I try to temper overly positive reviews with some nit-picky criticisms so I'll be taken seriously. I'm having some trouble this time around, so, uh... hmm. Okay. Here's a complaint. They gave us too many helpings of bread, so we were too full to walk home.

Speaking of bread, Mal has of course followed his son onto newer things, but his recipes have been left behind. The olive bread had a sweet red wine aroma, and I would have been happy having the chocolate and cherry for dessert forever. It didn't need it, but even the butter was luxurious.

The amuse bouche was octopus with saffron aioli and corn. The octopus was not at all chewy or tough - at first we thought it was salmon! - and the aioli and corn were light and fresh while still posessing the sort of aromatic bass note characteristic of Autumn food. It was SOOO good (HOW GOOD WAS IT??) that my wife, who usually disdains my more disgusting dining habits, had no problem with me reaching down and eating the piece I had dropped on the floor (I'm such an ass).

For apps, my wife had the lobster salad with fava bean puree, white asparagus, fine herbs, and rainbow greens. This is a fantastic chilled lobster dish. The surprising co-star was the asparagus, which was braised or blanched in SOMETHING that brought out an earthy freshness that paired perfectly with the lobster (I'd love to know what the preparation on it was, as I've been trying to get my wife to like asparagus at home for a very long time!).

I'm a foie gras fiend, and will usually order it even when there might be something a bit more unique on the menu. In this case, I stuck to my guns: seared foie gras with pineapple vanilla confit and black pepper gastrique. Well I don't know what a "gastrique" is, but it tastes amazing (especially given that the word doesn't sound very pretty). In this dish I got my old friend foie, but with the surprise use of the pineapple vanilla confit. Something about it had a sort of minty-offness which clashed in an ever so small way with the foie, but it remains one of my favorite foie dishes of all time, and one of only two my wife has enjoyed.

If the appetizers were the London Symphony Orchestra, then the entrees were the London Symphony Orchestra playing Mozart and accompanied by the Beatles. And no, I'm not really sure what that metaphor means.

My wife had slowly braised short ribs with Yukon gold potato puree and carmelized late summer vegetables in bordelaise sauce. THIS is what Fall is all about. Earthy and dirty and crispy and windy*. They fell apart in the fork. The potatoes were like cream without being watery. Potatoes are usually relatively flavorless, but these captured the essence of great, raw potato flavor (raw in the sense of base characteristics, not in the sense of uncooked). "I've never had an emotional response to food before, and the potato puree almost made me cry," says the Mrs.

Per Stefane's recommendation, I went with the venison. ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR WAITER, KIDS! Venison loin over smashed rutabaga, glazed turnips, orange, green peppercorns, and Armagnac. As the French say, "Holly flirking shnit." The loin was covered in a delicate and delightful blend of spices, and if the rest of the meal called up the orange leaves of October, this was the quiet comfort of a late November curled up by the fire. I lack the vocabulary to describe how good this felt in my mouth and my belly, so I'll make up a word: orgstastiffic.

Dessert was bittersweet chocolate coulant with Tahitian vanilla ice cream and espresso Anglaise for my better half and warm apple turnovers with butterscotch ice cream, cinnamon sugar crisp, and caramel sauce for me. A+ all around. Since it was our anniversary, we were also given a giant piece of white chocolate mousse cake. Moist and chocolatey.

The meal ended with a decaf cappuccino (which STILL dented my sleep!) and a plate of strawberry jellies, cream cheese-filled mini Oreos, and a tiny sweet potato cake. Plus the requisite lime cotton candy.

Our server was knowledgeable, courteous, and friendly. Plus you know you know you're in for a culinary treat when your waiter has a French accent.

Since it was only Chef Bryan's second week, I expected there to be some timing issues as he adjusted to the new kitchen. Not so. This meal was perfectly paced and choreographed.

Kathy really knows her stuff, although next time I'll have to have her set us up with a wine flight so she can show off a little. The Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateuneuf-du-Pape was the only wine I've ever seen my wife really get excited about - so bravo, Kathy! :blink:

The whole atmosphere and design of the place is amazing. It feels like you're pulling into a secluded forest inn in Europe, but it's an office building next to the Beltway. I hope whoever designed it got an award...

To sum up... 2941. We will definitely be back. In fact, we're already planning on doing New Years there. Which reminds me... I should probably make a reservation.

A BIG thank you to Kathy and everyone there for making our first anniversary almost as memorable as our wedding! :P

*Windy?

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Finally got back to 2941 for lunch. Scott Bryan has been updating the menu, but the new items seem to be entirely 'safe'...nothing that challenges you to broaden your gastronomic horizons. There's a veal piccata now. Seared hanger steak replaces the "coulotte". Etc.

Even if it hasn't evolved into a thrill ride, you can be assured that the execution is superb, especially the seafood items. The fingers of cod in the fish and chips have a great golden crackle to the batter, but the fish inside is curiously delicate. Lobster bisque with aged sherry is rich with lobster meat and flavor, and a perfect texture - not a hint of overthickening here. One ridiculous bargain is the fried calamari plate - a giant heap of lightly fried pieces, no tentacles at all, that at first glance looks like it might be too light in color, but someone has paid careful attention to the batter thickness and it's properly cooked through. There's enough there for three or four people to share as an app.

Mal Krinn's assistant has assumed the baking duties, and after a period of tweaking the crustiness (properly crusty bread is apparently kid-unfriendly, sigh) has settled into his own. The crumb doesn't quite achieve the open structure that the baguettes used to have, but the garlic loaf remains as delicious as I remembered.

For a restaurant in transition, the play-it-safe strategy seems to be succeeding in maintaining quality in the BOH, which I expect is reassuring to the regulars. I'd love to see the specials (today: monkfish) take a more adventurous tack next...

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I received a promotional postcard today from 2941. On the front, it says, "2941 invites you to enjoy New York Times 3-Star Chef Scott Bryan's New Menu." Also on the front there's a quote from the Michelin Guide, NYC, a quote from Anthony Bourdain, and this quote:

I've been tracking Bryan's career for many years...he's absolutely one of the great chefs in this country.

Don Rockwell, Wine Columnist - Washingtonian

I believe the original quote was here.

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I received a promotional postcard today from 2941. On the front, it says, "2941 invites you to enjoy New York Times 3-Star Chef Scott Bryan's New Menu." Also on the front there's a quote from the Michelin Guide, NYC, a quote from Anthony Bourdain, and this quote:

Cancel my reservation! :blink:

And where did that quote go??

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And where did that quote go??

Do you mean on the postcard? The oversized postcard is set up portrait (as opposed to landscape) style, has the headline ("2941 invites you...") along the top, a photo of the chef on the upper left, three quotes on the upper right with Don's quote below the other two, and a photo of the outside of the restaurant on the bottom part.

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Do you mean on the postcard? The oversized postcard is set up portrait (as opposed to landscape) style, has the headline ("2941 invites you...") along the top, a photo of the chef on the upper left, three quotes on the upper right with Don's quote below the other two, and a photo of the outside of the restaurant on the bottom part.

Never mind. :blink:

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Thanks again to Kathy for a wonderful evening!

I was a bit disappointed by one thing - the website advertised that there would be seven courses with two choices for each course, however when we got there we were given a set menu. Don't get me wrong, everything we got was delicious, but my wife and I were looking forward to splitting fourteen courses between us!

The standouts were the warm Maine lobster with celery root, black truffle and aged balsamic. This was just an all-around solid flavor deliverer with terrifically textured lobster. The Muscovy duck breast with braised red cabbage and glazed root vegetables was nice and smoky, almost like bacon, with oozy duck flavor running over everything in my mouth. The black truffle risotto that accompanied the prime beef tenderloin was just a belly-warmingly wonderful execution of this old standby, and the steak itself had a curiously* thin, crisp and sweetly caramelized exterior.

*I say "curiously" not because it was bad, but because I'm curious as to how it's done.

The 2006 Roussanne from Domaine Manousakis in Crete was the the standout wine - unique and surprising, and a great accompaniment to the pan roasted turbot with cabbage fondue and foie gras emulsion.

One of my favorite dishes wasn't even on the menu - it was made for my pregnant friend who isn't allowed to eat foie gras or turbot. I can't even remember what it was, but the star was porcinis, and I'm just such a sucker for them - even if they DO smell like wet dog.

I know it's a little trite, but I can't resist little touches of "working class" ingredients in haute cuisine (i.e. Michel Richard's assorted uses for Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes), so finding Pop Rocks in my sparkling strawberry Bavarian with chocolate creme and Brachetto gelee was a delight.

And we all got a loaf of bread to take home! w00t!

The full menu, with pairings, was:

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Has anyone been to 2941 now that the new chef is there and (hopefully) settling in? New menu? What's it like?

TIA!

In the middle of a lengthy review I bumped a key and the whole damn thing disappeared. My hands hurt to much to retype, so I'll sum up: the menu is changing almost daily. At a recent lunch, the gnocchi were flavorless and so soft they disintegrated; the hanger steak was competent but too mild and the sauce didn't really complement it; the venison dish one or two tweaks away from being a knockout, with a very mild anise flavor in the sauce that brought out the mild gaminess; the free form lasagna with veal cheek bolognese was a K-O, with everything being perfect, a great balance of textures and flavors; and the Asian flavored arctic char was eyes-wide-open fantastic. Perhaps the friend who ordered these last two dishes will tell us more. :(

The desserts I tried were well-conceived and executed, but I'm getting tired of precious desserts. You know, a little taste of this, that, the other thing, and the other thing's second cousin once removed, all separate from each other on the same plate so you can play around with taste/texture/temperature combinations at your whim. If you enjoy that sort of thing you'll love the desserts. Mine was a riff on tart tatain; another featured a black current poached pear, which was a perky change to red wine poached pears.

The three course fixed price lunch menu is a bargain at - wait for it - $29.41. But other than that (warning: strong personal opinion ahead) I still think that 2941 is twice as expensive as it should be for the food.

I want to be proven utterly wrong once Chef Chemel gets up to speed.

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Chicken breast and filet mignon are the garbage meats of the foodie world. It's for this reason alone that my antennae rise <<a la façon de Ray Walston>> when I see either of them on the menu of a fine-dining establishment.

There are two ways to interpret the presence of chicken breast and filet mignon: The low road is an appeasement to the masses, a capitulation to capitalism at the expense of artistic expression; the high road is a chef in the role of Tarzan, saying, "Guess what, my fellow kitchen rats? I can do this just as well as I can pull off a pompano-liver tartelette." Any decent pianist can seduce the crowds and cover up their faulty Liszt with pedal, but do they have the extraordinary technique needed to strip off all their clothing and play Mozart?

"Bertrand Chemel."

Finally. He looked up, rose from the bench in the tiny waiting area, and slowly walked onto the stage. The lights were in his eyes, but he looked down toward the judges' area, and took a small bow.

Chicken Breast "façon coq au vin," with bacon, Yukon gold potato, savoy cabbage ($30).

He then turned and sat down at the piano, took a deep, resolute breath, and heard over the loudspeaker:

"Mr. Chemel will play his choice of the Mozart Fantasia in C-Minor, K475, or the Liszt Hungarian Dance Number 5...."

Cheers, Bertrand, and welcome to Washington DC - we're lucky to have you here.

Rocks.

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Chicken breast and filet mignon are the garbage meats of the foodie world. It's for this reason alone that my antennae rise <<a la façon de Ray Walston>> when I see either of them on the menu of a fine-dining establishment.

There are two ways to interpret the presence of chicken breast and filet mignon: The low road is an appeasement to the masses, a capitulation to capitalism at the expense of artistic expression; the high road is a chef in the role of Tarzan, saying, "Guess what, my fellow kitchen rats? I can do this just as well as I can pull off a pompano-liver tartelette." Any decent pianist can seduce the crowds and cover up their faulty Liszt with pedal, but do they have the extraordinary technique needed to strip off all their clothing and play Mozart?

"Bertrand Chemel."

Finally. He looked up, rose from the bench in the tiny waiting area, and slowly walked onto the stage. The lights were in his eyes, but he looked down toward the judges' area, and took a small bow.

Chicken Breast "façon coq au vin," with bacon, Yukon gold potato, savoy cabbage ($30).

He then turned and sat down at the piano, took a deep, resolute breath, and heard over the loudspeaker:

"Mr. Chemel will play his choice of the Mozart Fantasia in C-Minor, K475, or the Liszt Hungarian Dance Number 5...."

Cheers, Bertrand, and welcome to Washington DC - we're lucky to have you here.

Rocks.

Cryptic, yet telling. It takes balls to charge thirty bucks for chicken. Poulet de Bresse, peut-être?

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Made my first visit to 2941 last night with a dear friend from London. If I were to give a grade based on my meal alone, it would be an A-, but taking into account my companion's meal I have to take that down to a B. (To be fair, she would rate her meal higher than I would.)

We arrived for our 8:30 reservations at about 8:10, and were asked to wait in the bar. Two glasses of mediocre champagne set us back $36!

We were seated pretty promptly at 8:30, and we were fortunate to have a really great server, Diane.

I believe our amuse was skate with a pickled radish. London was concerned it would taste fishy..it didn't, but the radish was so strong that's pretty much all you tasted. It reminded me of the pickled ginger you have with sushi.

I began my meal with "WINTER ENDIVE SALAD, Cabrales bleu cheese, walnuts, mustard vinaigrette 16". I must say this salad was really terrific. :mellow: In addition to the mentioned ingredients, it also contained small round balls of apples that had been poached in red wine (perhaps port) and spices. London started her meal with the "CAULIFLOWER VELOUTÉ

langoustine, Romanesco cauliflower, chervil 14". She enjoyed this, I thought the soup tasted too strongly of the fish stock from which it was made. As a second course, we split an appetizer sized portion of "HAND MADE POTATO GNOCCHI *

pancetta, fresh black truffle, parmesan cheese 18/32" I've heard this described on this board as being too soft, this really did dissolve on your tongue. We both loved it, but I agree it's sort of a stretch to call it gnocchi.

My entree was wonderful, "BAY SCALLOPS, citrus, celery root purée, parsley 32". The three scallops were quite large, nicely carmelized but definitely not overcooked. The celery root puree was a little on the sweet side, and I loved it with the scallops. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough of it on the plate. The citrus was in the form of a strange slightly gelled gastrique. It might have done better with the scallops if the celery root puree wasn't also on the same plate. I just avoided it. It certainly didn't add anything to the dish. London chose the "CHICKEN BREAST “facon coq au vin”

bacon, Yukon gold potato, savoy cabbage 30". I know, I can hear Don groaning...and you're right. The chicken was quite moist, but the strong smoked flavor detracted from it. The plate was sacued with a dark brown truffle infused gravy. This was the best part of the dish. When the dish was set down we were told the chicken was on a bed of "fois gras sausage". Now, both our eyes lit up at that, but this sausage was inedible. It was thin slices of something that looked and tasted like particle board. (Dry fois..really :) ) I can't imagine the chef allowing something this horrid leave the kitchen.

For dessert we shared a "DARK CHOCOLATE PALET D’OR, cacao nougatine, crème fraîche". This was very rich, quite good. The fraiche had a hint of lemon and was a nice complement.

The total meal with two glasses of wine and a generous tip came to $188. Actually, for the quality and service, I thought that was reasonable. I've certainly paid more for less in DC.

Our server was really great, and most of the evening we were surrounded by a well trained staff, but there were a few that were so bad, they really stood out in contrast. There was a small shelf cut into the half wall behind me that one of the bus boys decided worked well as a place to stock extra glassware. So all night I was crowded by people picking up and putting down glasses. Come on..there are better places to put glassware than behind a patron sitting at a small deuce!

We were one of the last half-dozen or so tables that evening. When we went, there was NO ONE at the hostess stand. No one to get our coats, no one to ask if our meal was all right. Finally after 5 minutes, someone walked over to take coat check tickets for the several groups of people that were now waiting to leave. And although there was a stack of bagged loaves sitting on the hostess stand, no one actually offered us the bread. There was another couple leaving at the same time, we actually discussed if we were supposed to take a loaf as we understood that to be a customary take-home gift. We had this conversation in front of the woman who had brought us our coats, and she said nothing. We all felt odd just taking a loaf, so at least three tables of guests left empty-handed.

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NQD and I finally made it back to 2941 (we had several meals there with Krinn in the kitchen). We went with the tasting menu, skipped the wine pairing (six two-ounce pours for $70!).

Amuse: Cold soup, some kind of melon, I forget what exactly. Delicious, perfectly executed. Accompanied by one of the better oysters I've had in a while.

First three items on the menu were described by our server as "three-bite" appetizers. Sorry, my mouth's not that big. Tuna carpaccio was up first. Not being a fan of either seafood or raw protein (with exceptions, such as the aforementioned oyster), I can't comment on the quality of the tuna. The herbs scattered across it added some delightful flavors. Personally, I thought it would have benefitted from a drop or two of oil and some sea salt, but again, I don't normally eat the stuff and don't know if that would please or horrify those who do.

John Dory was the next dish, with fiddleheads and mushrooms (don't remember what kind, exactly). Again, I'm not qualified to comment on the fish itself, but the accompanying flavors were fine.

Seared foie gras was, well, foie gras. Always good. Not the best I've ever had, but very well executed and quite tasty.

The first "main" plate was duck breast in consomme with noodles. Delicious. The duck breast was cooked through, with nothing to scare off those who don't like red in their meat, but still moist, tender, juicy, and wonderful. I'd love to know how it was done, since I've never managed to produce a duck breast quite like that. My guess would be sous vide with a quick sear. The consomme and noodles were also very good. One issue: the duck required a knife and fork, the consomme a spoon. A three-utensil dish, served in a smallish bowl, made for an awkward eating experience.

Second "main" was milk-fed piglet, with bits of asparagus and other veggies (hey, there was pig on the plate, I wasn't paying too much attention). Very tasty, nicely crisp but delicate skin, bacony-flavor. Good pig.

Pre-dessert was a carrot sorbet. Very nice.

Dessert was rhubarb and ... well, again my memory fails me, and I didn't keep the menu or copy down the description. Lots of different flavors and textures in this one. This could easily have been a misstep, if it had been scattered around a plate the way Porcupine described earlier in this thread. Fortunately, it was all somewhat layered (offset) in a deep bowl (or glass, or something), so that each bite had a slightly different combination of tastes and textures, without making us work for it. Well conceived and executed, and quite good. I'm not sure that either of us would order it again, but we were both happy to have had it, if that makes any sense.

Petit fours were good; beignets with a hint of citrus were delicious.

Service was very good; our server, Farhad, was knowledgeable and helpful, pacing was good (and Farhad did ask partway through the meal if we were happy with the pacing), and all of the various people bringing and removing plates, describing dishes, filling water, etc. (at least five different people were involved) seemed competent, efficient and happy to be there. The manager, Rachid Lakroune, came by after the meal and gave us a quick tour of the kitchen, and showed off the chef's table (seats up to eight), in a small alcove right off the kitchen, with a great view of everything.

OK, good and bad news: Everything seemed quite well-executed. There's good, solid technique in that kitchen. Nothing to complain about, except that three-utensil issue with the duck. However, it all seemed conservative, or perhaps restrained is a better word. I kept waiting for the wow moment, and didn't find it. There's a spark missing. That spark could take many forms. Maybe a bit more creativity; these dishes were all good, but we've seen it all before. Or maybe not. With Krinn in the kitchen, we've had some meals at 2941 that were no more original, but brought a bit of what NQD described as "rustic warmth" to the table, and crossed the line from very good to memorable.

The overall impression is of a restaurant trying to build its audience; from a half-full room (OK, it was a Wednesday), to Farhad asking if we wanted to be added to their email list for special event announcements, to Rachid showing off the chef's table (but not pushing), to various minor comments made or overheard throughout the night. The menu as a whole and the dishes individually seemed to reflect that. I think Chef Chemel is being cautious, perhaps too much so. The question we were left with is this: Does he have the ability to unleash that missing spark, once he's reached his comfort level? Or is solid technique and a well-trained staff the best he can offer? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

As we were driving home, we were talking about getting a few people together, reserving the chef's table, and asking him to forget about playing it safe and swing for the fences. Anybody interested?

Oh, yeah. The bread. Not quite up to Mel Krinn's best efforts, but very good. We took a loaf home; it went well this morning with the last of Jake's ham.

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Just got back from a rather disappointing evening at 2941. A significant part of the problem was our server David, but overall the food was not first rate.

When my wife ordered her food, she was very specific about not being able to eat anything with leafy greens. This limitation is a result of a life threatening deep vein thrombosis incident discovered (ironically) nine year ago today.

The amuse-bouche was set on the table with no explanation from the bus person. We had to summon David to tell us what it was - diced pineapple with some seasonings. Not a very impressive start!

My wife's first course arrived - supposedly salmon rillette on a bed of cucumber slices. But the cucumber slices were missing - apparently considered leafy greens! Not very good communication between the waiter and the kitchen.

Then my wife's main course arrived. It is described on the menu as "Grilled Lamb Loin,

eggplant, Kalamata olives, cherry peppers." But half the plate was a salad of leafy greens(!) , with no sign of either olives or cherry peppers, and two tiny slices of eggplant. Either the waiter had no idea of the composition of the plate or he just forgot to warn us that half of the dish was a leafy green salad. So my wife could eat only half of her main; she said that the lamb was well cooked and tasty.

We asked our waiter to ask the manager to come to our table to at a minimum suggest that the menu description be an accurate representation of the dish. He did not do that, although he said he would. Finally, the manager, Rachid, came by to ask if everything was satisfactory, and we were able to register our complaints. To his credit, he did comp my wife's plate.

There were four of us. Our guests were my sister-in-law and her husband, both experienced and rather demanding eaters used to upscale places. We had suggested 2941 based on our experiences when Jonathan Krimm was running the kitchen and the front of the house worked smoothly.

My brother in law found his halibut rather tasteless, and my sister-in-law enjoyed her duck breast and her first course of asparagus. I have the risotto paella, which was quite good, and the saddle of rabbit with morels, which was ok but skimpy on the morels.

When the mains arrived, David was nowhere to be seen, so I got up to retrieve and pour our second bottle of wine. That brought him to the table quickly.

As I said at the start, overall a disappointing experience. The space remains lovely, but the poor service we experienced and the less-than-stellar food will not bring us back soon. Too bad.

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NQD and I finally made it back to 2941 (we had several meals there with Krinn in the kitchen). We went with the tasting menu, skipped the wine pairing (six two-ounce pours for $70!).

....

The first "main" plate was duck breast in consomme with noodles. Delicious. The duck breast was cooked through, with nothing to scare off those who don't like red in their meat, but still moist, tender, juicy, and wonderful. I'd love to know how it was done, since I've never managed to produce a duck breast quite like that. My guess would be sous vide with a quick sear. The consomme and noodles were also very good. One issue: the duck required a knife and fork, the consomme a spoon. A three-utensil dish, served in a smallish bowl, made for an awkward eating experience.

Glad you had a good experience with us. The duck was not cooked sous-vide. Slowly roasted with the breast bone on to keep the breast moist throughout cooking. Just slowly rendered and basted in it's own fat. The tea smoked duck was a good dish and it will come around from time to time. Chef Chemel definitely has the ability to unleash the spark and it is definitely coming. We are still coming out of the transitional period and in the process of bringing Bertrand's cuisine to the area. It's a new area with different tastes and such from NYC. We are all excited to bring you his vision and cusine and you can definetly expect great things to come from 2941. I've been cooking at the restaurant for 4 years and fans of the restaurant need not worry, it is definitely in good and capable hands. We look forward for cooking for you in the near future. Thanks again for dining with us.

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Went there last night for dinner, seduced by the $25 off e-mail they sent out. We haven't been for dinner in about a year and I last ate there for lunch in April. The prix fixe is now $75 for a 3 course dinner. If this place is charging CityZen prices, it better execute at CityZen level but it didn't. The menu was also uninspiring.

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We recently went to 2941 and walked away disappointed. The fixed pricing makes for an expensive night out for food and service that is just not at that level. 2941, IMO, has always suffer service issues and it appears little has changed. As mentioned by others if I am going to spend this type of $$ I am far better off at Citronelle for a few $$ more. We dropped $300 per couple (with tax and tip) for fair sevice, ok food, a decent bottle of wine and very small portions. The place was pretty empty (Thursday night) and given the value proposition currently offered may not survive the current expense account crushing financial downturn we are dealing with. It is unlikely I will return....

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My wife and I went to 2941 Saturday night for an anniversary dinner and had a great experience. Full disclosure my wife has done some work with the graphic artist for 2941 and so I believe our experience was slightly elevated but only in the number of courses and the tour of the kitchen. From what I could tell all around us received the same gracious service.

I (don't want to speak for the wife :lol: ) don't consider myself on par with many of the posters here in terms of pallette but to me 2941 was one of the best meals we've had in awhile and I would put it close to (but not quite on par with) the Tasting Room at Eve. Granted they are very different experiences but I think the quality of the food and the service was that good. We were served by a team but I only got the name of our waiter, Farhat. He was very professional and friendly, had great recommendations and helped make the night very special. Thank you Farhat.

We both had the 3 course Prix Fixe menu that with the extras sent out by the kitchen ended up being six courses. We each ordered a glass of champagne - she had the Philippe Gonet Brut Rose and I had the Deutz Brut. I enjoy champagnes and sparkling wines but know very little about champagne so the Deutz was at the recommendation of our waiter and it was phenomenal. Before our apps arrived we had an amuse bouche that was three small bites. My memory of their exact compositions is a little hazy-sorry. They were a yellow beet salad (nicely dressed but still allowed the earthiness of the beet to take center stage), a tartare (can't remember the fish but the taste was very good - meaty), and a fried risotto ball that was as delicious as it was simple - I wish my risotto came out that well.

I started with the duck terrine and my wife had the butternut squash soup. I enjoy duck a lot but have never had a duck terrine before - I plan to make it as regular a part of my life as I can. I had just finished reading "The Soul of a Chef" by Michael Ruhlman and the first section of the book talks about terrine's enough that I was craving one. The duck terrine had a fantastic duck flavor with a hint of smoke and the consistency/mouthfeel was perfect. The muscat gelee and the huckleberries were a great accompianment. I had a spoonful of the soup and it was the very essence of the squash - just wonderful.

After this came out another complimentary course of ghocchi in a cream sauce. This was some of the lightest ghocchi I've had - practically melted away to nothing in your mouth and the cream sauce managed to be rich without being heavy at all. I would've ordered this as a main if available.

For my main course I had the beef short rib with mole. Not too many places I know of in the area do moles and the only other decent one I've had was at Guajillo a few years ago. This mole was wonderful - rich, full of depth, right amount of cumin and you could just taste the unsweetened chocolate at the very end. The short rib itself was cooked perfectly - could pull it apart with a fork, the fat and connective tissues that perfect degree of melted. It was a very generous portion and I could only finish about half. My wife had the ribeye which, while cooked perfectly, was a little plain compared to my short rib and the rest of the courses. But still very good.

Dessert for me was the Guayaquil Chocolate Moelleux and my wife got the Frozen Tanzanie Chocolate Truffle. Both of these desserts were outstanding. At this point (after two healthy glasses of wine and halfway through the Grenache Noir - Mas de Amiel, Maury, France 2006 I ordered with dessert my taste memory is fuzzy at best. I do remember enjoying it tremendously - especially the port wine-pear sorbet. It made a nice counter to the rich chocolate.

And finally John Leinhardt, the very gracious Director of Operations, gave us a tour of the kitchen, which we really enjoyed. We were especially appreciative that Chef Chemel took time to come off the line and greet us. Thanks to all at 2941 for a wonderful anniversary experience. We will be back.

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Every time I come back to this restaurant, I am struck anew by the ridiculously beautiful setting. The waterfalls, the soaring wall windows, the brightly soothing decor...we went on Wednesday, and it wasn't even half full, which makes me a little nervous, even though I know that destination dining in VA during this economic climate in the middle of the week isn't going to pushing ahead at full steam. I had the short ribs, which is everything dcpolicywonk says above - a generous portion of fork-tender beef, bathed in a sauce that screams "RICH! DARK!" whenever it touches the tongue. A lovely seared foie gras with vanilla and pear accents, and a fantastic bread service (get a side of sea salt and drizzle over their rich and soft, but undersalted tub of butter). I would not, however, recommend the apple tatin, unless you are looking for apple butterscotch candy to end the night. The chestnut souffle, though, is airy, nutty perfection.

We had gracious, attentive service, and a nice chat with the Chef. A wonderful early birthday dinner!!!!

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I had a really nice birthday dinner at 2941 this evening (me and the missus.) Starters: asparagus and spring garlic risotto (her), spaghetti with morels (me). Mains: roasted duck breast w/bok choy and radishes (her), seared halibut in lemon butter sabayon (me), split a coffee mille feuille and they brought us a chocolate cake with a candle in it. Everything was very nice (I hope to lift the lemon sabayon trick) and service was very gracious without any hint of rushing.

The architecture is everything they say it is - truly, a stunner. The manager was kind enough to let us peek backstage, Chef Chemel threw us a wave and a smile, and they handed us a baguette on the way out. We'll go back - maybe we'll save it for when we can sit in the beautiful Chef's table hidden in a nook in the kitchen.

I nearly forgot: glass of Culley pinot with the duck, Talbott chardonnay with the fish. It worked for me. :rolleyes:

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BE NOT AFRAID of their banquet menu. The choices - beef, chicken, scallops - may sound ordinary, but the preparations are seasonally appropriate, beautifully plated, and delicious to boot. We have people still calling us randomly, weeks later, to rave about the food at our event. We were originally prepared to fight for a menu more representative of their daily offerings since our party was on the small side (and, the chef said that it was a possibility), but once we sampled from the set list we knew that everything would be just fine. There were also a light, fresh pea soup, springy salad, and an absurdly decadent triple chocolate cake (though, in retrospect, I should have held firm against using fondant over the buttercream icing). For hors d'oerves, we had hamachi and steak tartares, mini burgers, tiny tomato tatins, eggplant "caviar" in cone crisps, and crab cakes. All were whimsically presented and very well received by our guests.

The setting is gorgeous, the staff is flawlessly cheerful and helpful, and the food is wonderful. We couldn't have hoped for a better party experience!!!

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The prix fixe is now $75 for a 3 course dinner.

The prix fixe is now a mere $58 for a 4 course dinner and $23 for a 3 course lunch. I have not been lately, but since I am currently in that building for work, I thought I would post this deal and see if anyone wants to check it out or have a recent report. They are open for Thanksgiving and have a 3 course, $65 prix fixe with a $25 children's menu option.
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WW and I lunched here last Tuesday. I wanted to love the place, and it is quite a beautiful setting and space, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

Our waiter was initially attentive and very helpful, checking with the kitchen about adjustments to menu items to accommodate my gluten intolerance. However, he did not bring our food to the table himself, and the people who did could not answer questions about my dishes. He did return to the table a couple of times to provide further clarification. But after taking my coffee order just before desserts were served, he never came to our table again. I would have liked to have known what sorbets I was eating. I did my best to guess.

I started with a "salad" of Belgian endive, spiced pecans, and a soft cheese, with slices of pear on the bottom. I'm not sure where the chef was going with this presentation, but it was neither attractive nor easy to eat. It was a plate of separate elements that wanted to go together but just didn't. A dressing might have helped a little but there was none. WW said his mushroom veloute was very good, but not quite as good as those coming out of the kitchen at Restaurant Eve.

My entree was pretty enough: a rolled filet of fluke resting in the center of a bowl of pink foam, under which lay a cauliflower puree. I think there were pistachios under the fish (my notes aren't helpful here). The rolled filet was roasted, and crispy brown on top. Had that crispy top been skin, all would be well, but it was fish flesh, and therefore dried out and tough. It lacked any discernible seasoning. I wasn't able to taste WW's braised short rib over a "risotto" of farro and quinoa, so had to take his word that it was bland.

WW did enjoy his eggnog Napoleon. My four scoops of sorbets (best guess is two pear and one each of mango/banana and hybiscus/lychee) were OK. The presence of ice crystals in the sorbets was not a good sign. Unfortunately there was nothing else of a sweet nature that was safe for me to enjoy.

This restaurant is barely 15 minutes from our house, but it's not a destination to which we are eager to return.

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We have recently had two lunches there. Both were very good, with some dishes better than others, but the service & quality of the food was better than at any other restaurant within half an hour of our house. We're also going to dinner there next week with friends & are going to try to hit it for lunch at least once a month.

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Did you check the 2941 thread? Granted, there hasn't been a ton of updating recently, but it might give you some starting points...

Yes. Emphatically yes to 2941. It took DC Restaurant Week to drag us out there in 01/10. An el cheapo lunch it could have been from the bill, but, unlike some others we tried in the District during Restaurant Week, 2941 didn't cap costs by going heavy on the carbs, treating thrilled diners like bottom-feeders or Filene's sale shoppers w/coupons. Gorgeous minimalist wintry setting with soaring windows, a velvety butternut squash soup that was exquisite, perfectly cooked fish and a delicious dessert in which crumbled poppy seed shortbread was the surprising and witty keynote. Yes, the chef's sensibility tracks directly back to Daniel Boulud, and yes, the sommelier's recommendations were excellent--even for just a glass. Our best of 5 tried during that week.

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I had a wonderful late, light dinner last night at 2941. For a Monday night, they had a good crowd, and I'm happy to report that the menu seems less expensive than I remember, and the wine list is getting better (after going through a post- Caterina Abbruzzetti and Kathy Morgan slump). The Dozen Vegetables and Herbs Salad ($12) with crispy potato, sugar snap peas, and saffron shallot confit stole the show, featuring many vegetables grown right outside in 2941's own garden, dressed perfectly, and taken over the top by three thin slices of crispy potato doing duty as crouton, but with ten times the flavor and elegance. I met Ron, a super-friendly and knowledgeable bartender, for the first time. As much as I liked the Old Guard behind the bar here, we've taken a step up in every way. What I had last night was good enough to make me want to come back, and soon.

Cheers,

Rocks

The wine list - especially by the bottle - has worked its way back up into form, and next time, I'm coming here with the intent of plucking off a full bottle of something sub-$50 - if you know what you're doing, there's plenty to be discovered; if you don't, there's wine director Matthew Carroll, who impressed me during our brief encounter.

Cheers,

Rocks

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