The Grill Room (Rosewood Hotel), 31st and K Street in Georgetown - The Departure of Chef Frank Ruta and Pastry Chef Aggie Chin

[darkstar965]

Just prior to my dinner at the Grill Room last week, I read what DanielK, a poster who I enjoy and tend to agree with, had to say about his experience. ...

5 dishes between us and while we wouldn't say any of them were not good and certainly well executed, I don't think we had enough to justify the price tag (and we didn't even have wine). This would have been a great meal at the prices we were used to at Palena, but is maybe a bit too big of a pill for us to swallow when considering the now fantastic number of dining options we have in DC. I can certainly see us coming back at some point, but maybe early Fall for a nice meal on the patio and a fully settled kitchen churning out the spot-on food that they are capable of.

Being a huge fan of Chef Ruta it kills me to write anything less than glowing, but I've been back to the Grill Room several times now and I'm chiming in to agree with a large bulk of what DPop and DanielK have said.

...

All in all, I've left happy but not euphoric from my meals at the Grill Room. For the price tag that accompanies the meals, that's not a good thing. While everything's been good, I've found it moving farther and farther away from the level of what Chef Ruta was putting out at Palena. Inconsistency in the cooking and service are probably to blame, but it's unfortunately making me more and more hesistant to go back.

Just wanted to chime in here to thank DanielK (again), DPop and Thomas P for their reviews. To me, they represent the best qualities of the content on this site. Well supported and wonderfully written reactions, whatever bottom line. Well-supported opinions are truly wonderful things.

As a huge Chef Ruta bull who wrote glowingly about my only visit thus far to the Grill Room, these more recent reports are very helpful and allow me pause and take stock. My next visit here will be lunch, brunch or bar to minimize the risk since totally agree, at the price level, there isn't much room for course or dishes that are just fine or ok.

My only other thought is to wonder if we (me very much included) might have slightly misplaced expectations in terms of future path? I'm honestly not sure but obvious that the Chef is an immense talent. We all know that. But, also obvious he doesn't have total control here as he did in Cleveland Park. He's no doubt operating under some pricing, sourcing, staffing and other constraints here that we can't fully know. These might mean higher staff turnover than at Palena and thus more service miscues or kitchen inconsistency. They may mean higher margin demands, less tolerance for especially time-intensive dishes like a three-day brined chicken or it could mean more tired chefs and cooks covering all possible meals of the day. It may well be the Capella's owners aren't targeting the local Palena fans because the out-of-town hotel guests will gladly pay higher prices for something different that what we might. Not sure and the coming months will make this more clear. As I've posted once or twice before, I'm both thrilled that we can get Chef Ruta's cooking somewhere but also pine for the day when he may again operate under his own roof.

[Pool Boy]

Being a huge fan of Chef Ruta it kills me to write anything less than glowing, but I've been back to the Grill Room several times now and I'm chiming in to agree with a large bulk of what DPop and DanielK have said. The Restaurant Week Lunch was by far the best and most consistent meal I've had there, and my return trips have been consistently good with sprinkles of greatness. I've noticed inconsistency in the service as well - sometimes the service is spot on, other times I've had servers making awkward conversation and had problems like others have mentioned with my water not being filled up, noticing the rest of the dining room with empty water glasses too (and also witnessed a knocked over glass that the server kind of cleaned but someone else had to follow up because there was still water on the table). I'm really not sure what to expect now from one trip to the next, but I've never left unhappy, just not as happy as I'd hoped at times. Everyone is always very pleasant, though, regardless of whether or not the service was great. As to what I've thought about the dishes I've had so far:

Starting bread - The first time they set a basket of bread in front of me I was really sad that they switched away from the small fresh loaves of bread from before. That sadness didn't last long. It looked like there were some slices of the previous bread, which I tried first. Still a lovely crust and a wonderful crumb. Next was some multigrain wheat bread that was also good. Then I had the biscuits - wow. These were so fluffy and moist and buttery and delicious I could have gorged myself on a basket of them and died immediately of coronary heart failure. The cornbread was last, which was some of the finest cornbread I've had at a restaurant, probably behind only Jacques-Imo's in New Orleans - a little sweet but not too sweet and perfectly moist with just the right texture. Unfortunately, it's been inconsistent on return trips (either that or my judgement is inconsistent). I've found the biscuit to range from the perfectly made bliss to pretty good but a little dry, and the cornbread to range from wonderful to pretty good but a little bland.

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Yukon Gold Potato amuse-bouche - This was a delightful and delicious bite, all of the flavors worked well and I was sad I wasn't at a table with people who hate fish so I could steal theirs.

Rabbit en Porchetta - At first I was a little disappointed, but as I kept tasting it the flavors kept sneaking up on me, and by the end the bites were positively singing. The bits of pickled vegetables were delightful, as was the perfect little slice of endive on the side. This was an excellent dish.

Oxtail Consomme from the tasting menu - This was a tasty soup, but I guess I was expecting the delicacy of the consomme I had (the one time I tried it) at Palena. Like DPop, I found it disappointing, although maybe that's just from the bar having been set so high before. The vegetables, mushrooms, and beef I thought were all a bit chunky and not nearly as tender as I expected. On a side note, they really need to switch to new spoons. The ones they're using are long and narrow and TERRIBLE for eating soup. It's like you're pouring things into your mouth with an ice scoop, and it's damn near impossible to get to the broth at the bottom of the bowl.

Stuffed Veal Breast with Quail Egg - I had a similar experience as with the Rabbit en Porchetta, where at first I was okay with it but by the end it was wonderful. And, like the endive with the rabbit, the asparagus that accompanied it was absolutely perfect.

Gnocchi - I have to admit that I was never huge on the gnocchi at Palena, and while I enjoyed it this time more than before, DPop pretty much nailed my thoughts on it. The gnocchi itself was perfectly cooked and ridiculously soft and velvety. The flavors were wonderful when I found them, but they were so subdued that most of the time I was left with that same feeling of blandness. I found myself savoring the small amount of broth at the bottom of the bowl to liven up the bites. The dish also left my mouth as soon as I finished it, which is unusual for a Frank Ruta dish for me. Typically, even if I was ho hum about a dish while eating it, the flavors linger around for a long time afterwards in the most wonderful way possible. I do think, though, that if you loved the gnocchi at Palena, this will not disappoint.

Goose Egg Ravioli - Holy crap this was good. The ravioli were amazing, and the pork belly was insane. If I had any criticism, it would be that the pork belly was so tender it bordered on being spongy, but this dish has been the highlight of my trips so far.

Roasted Chicken - After a perfect, amazing rendition of the roasted chicken during restaurant week, I came back and ordered it again. While it was still a delicious, flavorful, juicy chicken, it was probably the driest I've ever had from Chef Ruta. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't dry, but it didn't quite have the same moistness, succulence, and tenderness I've gotten used to. It was still just as flavorful and the skin was still perfection, but I wasn't sure any more about shelling out $28 for it. I've also noticed that I hear a lot of conflicting things about the brining: I've heard at least 3 days to brine, and I've had servers at Grill room tell me that the chicken is brined for at least 1 day, and this last time I was told at least 12 hours. In my experience with brining, 12 hours (or even a day) is not nearly long enough for a 3 lb bird to reach the proper level of salinity by normal techniques, but I have no idea if what they're saying is accurate.

Angus Beef Oxtails Vaccinara - It took me a little while to figure out how to get the meat off the oxtails gracefully. Once again, on my first bite I was very so so about this dish, but as I kept eating it kept getting better and better until it I was really loving it by then end. My first impressions were that the beef was cooked too far, a bit bland, and the tomatoes weren't incorporated very well into the stew. Wrong on all counts, this was a wonderful dish. The asparagus (white, in this dish) was, again, perfectly cooked and the egg added a great thickness and flavor. I wasn't sure about the pine nuts, though.

Just Say 'Ah' - I'm not a big dessert person, but I enjoyed this. The fennel sorbet was lovely, and the dish had a very earthy quality I loved.

Baci Sbagliati - I enjoyed this one as well, the mousse was velvety and delicious. I was sad I had finished my coffee before it came out, they would have been lovely together.

Parting trio - Chef Aggie sends out a trio of desserts to end the meal, a wonderful little macaroon, some of the most delicious caramel I've had the pleasure of eating, and... well, I don't know what it technically is because I'm a culinary idiot, but some sort of fruity, rich, delicious, red block of gel.

All in all, I've left happy but not euphoric from my meals at the Grill Room. For the price tag that accompanies the meals, that's not a good thing. While everything's been good, I've found it moving farther and farther away from the level of what Chef Ruta was putting out at Palena. Inconsistency in the cooking and service are probably to blame, but it's unfortunately making me more and more hesistant to go back.

Very thorough review. I appreciate it.

I think the service bits are frustrating. And fixing things as simple as spoons and other silverware are a no-brainer if you ask me. Refilling water in glasses is a basic service task.

While some of your comments point to inconsistency, others point to you not just liking your experience (food-wise) but loving it. So I am a little confused.  But then you also make mention at least once about the cost of a dish. Is the issue really about the price, or the dish or both?

It's been a few weeks, but I am not sure if they have solved their staffing issues in the kitchen. I wonder if that is part of the consistency issue. This part will take time or the right hire for sure. I hope.

[Thomas P]

Very thorough review. I appreciate it.

I think the service bits are frustrating. And fixing things as simple as spoons and other silverware are a no-brainer if you ask me. Refilling water in glasses is a basic service task.

While some of your comments point to inconsistency, others point to you not just liking your experience (food-wise) but loving it. So I am a little confused.  But then you also make mention at least once about the cost of a dish. Is the issue really about the price, or the dish or both?

It's been a few weeks, but I am not sure if they have solved their staffing issues in the kitchen. I wonder if that is part of the consistency issue. This part will take time or the right hire for sure. I hope.

I've thought all of the dishes have been good, a few have been excellent, but only one so far has been truly memorable for me, being the ravioli. I'm saying good things about the food because, well, it is good. It just hasn't been wowing me like I'm used to from Chef Ruta. My meals so far have pretty much been 1 or 2 dishes I've really liked but not been floored by, 1 or 2 dishes that have been good yet somehow disappointing, and a nice dessert. My second meal there, which was the Restaurant Week lunch, had almost all of my wow moments, from the salad to the chicken to the black eyed pea soup. To be honest, and again it kills me to say this because I love Chef Ruta, I can go to several other places in the city right now to get more consistent meals with more memorable dishes than any of my experiences so far aside from RW lunch.

With regards to the price mention, that was in reference to the chicken. I would tell anybody any day of the week that Ruta's chicken is worth it, from $8 to $30. But the chicken I had that night was just a really good roast chicken, not a sublime roast chicken. If it was the same as I had before at Palena or during RW, the price would be not be an issue. But I have a hard time gambling $28 on a dish that might be the chicken of old or might just be pretty good.

My only other thought is to wonder if we (me very much included) might have slightly misplaced expectations in terms of future path? I'm honestly not sure but obvious that the Chef is an immense talent. We all know that. But, also obvious he doesn't have total control here as he did in Cleveland Park. He's no doubt operating under some pricing, sourcing, staffing and other constraints here that we can't fully know. These might mean higher staff turnover than at Palena and thus more service miscues or kitchen inconsistency. They may mean higher margin demands, less tolerance for especially time-intensive dishes like a three-day brined chicken or it could mean more tired chefs and cooks covering all possible meals of the day. It may well be the Capella's owners aren't targeting the local Palena fans because the out-of-town hotel guests will gladly pay higher prices for something different that what we might. Not sure and the coming months will make this more clear. As I've posted once or twice before, I'm both thrilled that we can get Chef Ruta's cooking somewhere but also pine for the day when he may again operate under his own roof.

I've been wondering the exact same things. It's a shame, because I think during Bread Feast he didn't have the kitchen to be able to do what he's capable of, and at Grill Room it still feels to me like he's having to work under constraints that really limit what he can do. I don't know if that's actually the case, and I will keep making trips back in hopes that my last few experiences were anomalies.

[darkstar965]

...

I've been wondering the exact same things. It's a shame, because I think during Bread Feast he didn't have the kitchen to be able to do what he's capable of, and at Grill Room it still feels to me like he's having to work under constraints that really limit what he can do. I don't know if that's actually the case, and I will keep making trips back in hopes that my last few experiences were anomalies.

Bread Feast is a great point of reference. I'm guessing all of us who did that went in with different expectation since it was obvious it was a different kind of experience from Palena without a full kitchen, a fixed menu, the need to incorporate several BreadFurst offerings, etc. And, at that point, the $90 (or thereabouts..can't recall exactly) we paid pp wasn't offensive since it was just such a thrill to have access to his cooking after quite awhile had passed since Palena was shuttered.

Expectations now are a different matter given the nature of the Capella Hotel, it's pricing and our assumptions about the staff they'd be able to attract, the equipment in which they'd likely invest and the rest.  And, again, I'm totally in agreement with others that at the prices for dinner, it really has to be pretty flawless and memorable.  The thing is, those reasonable expectations may be off if the owners have a different plan.

In terms of the possible constraints at The Grill Room, I'm guessing at least some, if not most, are in play but unlikely we'll get any confirmation on that.  To a good degree, this site and the trusted voices on it like yours, Daniel's, Porcupine's, PoolBoy's, JoeH's, DPop's, Escoffier's and others can help us all mitigate risk...or at least allocated dining-out dollars better based on whatever patterns we perceive and believe. Speaking only for myself, I'd planned to try a lunch or bar visit soon but might have ended up going for dinner again.  Now, won't do the 2nd dinner until a lunch or bar visit and then take stock.

[Pool Boy]

One thing I wonder about is if Frank has any say over front of the house and support staff hires or just the kitchen.

As an aside, I think we all have high expectations of the place given Frank's history and pedigree. That being said, he's 3 months in to this new adventure. I am clueless as to what space he has to work with, what tools (we do know, for example, that there is no wood burning oven anymore, right?) he has there and also what constraints there might be. Further, I think part of the curve ball here is that this is not just a place that is open for dinner (like Palena and Cafe were - mostly), but also lunch, breakfast and room service, too. That has got to be a challenge to manage and to the hotel, arguably more important given the rates they charge their guests. Imagine changing jobs similar to whatever industry and role you are accustomed to and being asked to more or less triple your workload.

While these reports are of some concern for all, I think it'll just take some time for kinks to work out. And I still want to go get a burger at the bar soon. I don't even know what is on the bar menu.

[Rhone1998]

Some observations from three recent meals at The Grill Room (lunch, dinner, and brunch)...

 

The service ranged from fine (lunch at the Rye Bar, where, by the way, the full restaurant lunch menu is available) to pretty poor (brunch) to nearly comically inept (dinner).  It was 45 minutes from when we sat down at the table for dinner to when the first bite of food - the amuse - arrived (with bread following a moment later).  Our wine glasses were not refilled once throughout the meal.  We didn't experience the champagne trolly, but I think it was random chance, or maybe because we'd ordered cocktails (which themselves took maybe 20 minutes to arrive).  We repeatedly had to ask for coffee refills at brunch, and across both meals pacing was crazy slow.  Generally the staff we encountered in the dining room were friendly, chit-chatty in some cases, but inattentive to details like describing dishes or observing what each table needed and the pace they were looking to have their meal.

 

Food was generally much better, with just a couple of misses in my opinion.

 

For lunch, I just ordered the burger and nothing else.  The beef was very flavorful, enhanced by a pretty bold cheddar broiled right into the underside of the bun.  But I thought the patty was too thin for the size of the bun, and it came with barely any pink despite my request of medium rare. Excellent pickles and very good thin-cut fries came with it.

 

Dinner was much more successful.  Awesome bread basket, particularly the sourdough and the cornbread.  Beef consume from the tasting menu, a shared plate of gnocchi, lamb with artichokes, and a cheese plate, accompanied by red Burgundy, made a damn fine meal. The consume and gnocchi have already been described extensively.  I will say I loved how the fava beans and those tiny little mushrooms I can never remember the name of played so nicely against the gnocchi, in terms of both flavor and texture.  The lamb itself was pretty boring but the artichokes and the sauce on that plate were nearly worth the price by themselves.  There was a nice variety of 6 or so interesting cheeses on the cheese plate, accompanied by honeycomb, fig preserves, and fruit & nut bread.  I wish they had come with a written list.

 

I also got a chance to try a small bite of the dover sole appetizer and the halibut entree, both of which were delicious.  In particular, I loved the almost earthy complexity that the shellfish sauce on the sole brought.  

 

Across all meals and most dishes, one thing that struck me is that the vegetable accompaniments were often the most tasty, interesting components on each plate.   I'd love to try to put together a vegetarian meal here one day.

 

Service aside, I think The Grill Room is probably suffering from an unfair comparison some folks are making with Palena, the reputation of which, I might suggest, grows more and more inflated since its closure.  Palena was never a perfect restaurant, but over time we tend to remember the unique, amazing things about it and forget the imperfections.  The Grill Room will never be able to compete with Palena's ghost.  

 

[bookluvingbabe]

Service at lunch today was beyond indifferent.  I ended up in tears in my car when it was over because it wasn't easy to clear my schedule or juggle the budget and I didn't even get dessert because my server kept disappearing for 10-15 minutes at a time.  (And yes, I brought the issues to a manager's attention.)  I was truly stunned because I have had spot on service at the Rye Bar on multiple occasions.

The food was good, though pricy.  The burger was a bit over done.  The fries were nothing special.  The gnocchi  was lovely and perfect.

But I can't imagine going back.  It isn't just the ghost of Palena.  As a stand alone experience this was cold and depressing.

Edited to add: the cheese on the burger today was the old "Palena Burger" cheese rather than cheddar.

[DonRocks]

I ended up in tears in my car when it was over because it wasn't easy to clear my schedule or juggle the budget and I didn't even get dessert because my server kept disappearing for 10-15 minutes at a time.  (And yes, I brought the issues to a manager's attention.)

Perspective, bookluvingbabe, perspective - at the end of the day, it's just a business; not a luxury resort where you're pampered and fawned over. This is definitely not something worth vesting so much into that you could end up in tears.

If this was the Inn at Little Washington, and you had just dropped $400 and were sitting out in the parking lot staring down a two-hour drive home, then yes, I could see the tears, but not at a business hotel. I'm a little worried that Frank has been romanticized so much that he'll never live up to expectations at a venue such as this, where he most likely has limited control over things.

[bookluvingbabe]

Don, I don't disagree.  But I didn't need it to be perfect.  I just needed to not be invisible.

I don't think my expectations were too high because it was Frank Ruta in the kitchen. They may have been too high because of my previous experiences at the Rye Bar.

And sometimes in the middle of a crappy day, week, month, year, life, you just lose it over something that might ordinarily be inconsequential but in the moment tips you over the edge.

Sigh...

[Pool Boy]

Despite the service and other issues reported recently, I just made reservations for a bit in to the future back in the dining room. This despite my desire to get to the bar for the burger.

[darkstar965]

Despite the service and other issues reported recently, I just made reservations for a bit in to the future back in the dining room. This despite my desire to get to the bar for the burger.

You're a brave man. Okay, not really given your strong and obvious bias.

Sincerely,

It takes one to know one

[darkstar965]

Don, I don't disagree.  But I didn't need it to be perfect.  I just needed to not be invisible.

I don't think my expectations were too high because it was Frank Ruta in the kitchen. They may have been too high because of my previous experiences at the Rye Bar.

And sometimes in the middle of a crappy day, week, month, year, life, you just lose it over something that might ordinarily be inconsequential but in the moment tips you over the edge.

Sigh...

How did the manager respond to you? I agree that's just pretty unacceptable given the prices of everything. I don't think it has anything to do with Chef Ruta but a crazily high-end hotel just can't have that kind of incompetence in service.

To me, the substance of the managerial response would mean a lot.  Just a nod and half-hearted apology...no bueno.  Sincerity and maybe something compensatory...different story.

[bookluvingbabe]

How did the manager respond to you? I agree that's just pretty unacceptable given the prices of everything. I don't think it has anything to do with Chef Ruta but a crazily high-end hotel just can't have that kind of incompetence in service.

To me, the substance of the managerial response would mean a lot.  Just a nod and half-hearted apology...no bueno.  Sincerity and maybe something compensatory...different story.

Deer in the headlights look, nod, half-hearted apology.

(Edited to add--over spring break we went to the Original Pancake House. My young dining companion was out of water and my server was MIA.  I caught the eye of the manager and alerted her.  She apologized but never brought him any additional water.  Maybe I just have a little black rain cloud over my head.)

[darkstar965]

Deer in the headlights look, nod, half-hearted apology.   

What I feared. I love Frank Ruta but, that aside, have to diverge from Don here. What you experienced is seriously no bueno.  Hope someone there is reading this thread.  Too many fans with shaken confidence lately.

[Lori Gardner]

This restaurant is coming off my to do list until I read some better things on this board.  I trust the opinions here.

[darkstar965]

... I'm a little worried that Frank has been romanticized so much that he'll never live up to expectations at a venue such as this, where he most likely has limited control over things.

Having been a huge fan of Chef Ruta (and now Aggie too) and Palena for so long, the string of recent reports is especially concerning.

I just don't think the issue here is that he has been "romanticized" so much as Palena may have been. Rhone1998 is closest to it for me, speculating that "The Grill Room will never be able to compete with Palena's ghost."

We know Frank Ruta has been an exceptional chef for a very long time here. That's no different today imho. Most also know that Palena was a wonderful and consistent restaurant for most of its long run, maybe wavering a bit just in the last year as the business began to struggle.

So, this is an entirely different situation. Chef Ruta at the Grill Room is an employee of the Capella Hotel. The kitchen he nominally helms is on the hook for breakfast, lunch, dinner...and room service...7 days a week. I personally think the service issues are every bit the responsibility of the Capella and, to the degree any pattern is emerging, those are inexcusable.

Dinners are a different issue...or when Chef Ruta is clearly in the kitchen. I don't know when his day(s) off are but not likely they'd include Friday and Saturday, so those might be safer nights for the full dinner experience for those still inclined. I'm guessing that there has been some struggle to even staff up a kitchen with that scope and scale to ensure consistency. I'm not sure about off-peak times for the simpler but typically-amazing chicken, burger, etc but more reports there will help. None of us fully understand what authority Chef Ruta has but it's surely less than it was at Palena.

We have to have different expectations but the Capella also needs to get its act together if it wants to build any kind of local and loyal clientele.

And, I'll say again...I pine for the day when Chef Ruta again hangs out his own shingle, hopefully for a smaller restaurant along the lines of what he did for years so successfully in Cleveland Park.

[Rhone1998]

For what it's worth, Ruta was in the kitchen for my lunch (Friday starting around 12:30) and dinner (Saturday 7:00 reservations, dining room 1/2-2/3 full when we got there), not sure about brunch.

[DonRocks]

Don, I don't disagree.  But I didn't need it to be perfect.  I just needed to not be invisible.

I don't think my expectations were too high because it was Frank Ruta in the kitchen. They may have been too high because of my previous experiences at the Rye Bar.

And sometimes in the middle of a crappy day, week, month, year, life, you just lose it over something that might ordinarily be inconsequential but in the moment tips you over the edge.

Sigh...

Just looking out for the (total) well-being of one of our most beloved members ...

In terms of Frank being romanticized, or not, picture two people standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon - one at the South Rim; the other at the North Rim - and both writing down descriptions of what they see. The descriptions will be different, but both people are still describing the same thing.

[Pool Boy]

You're a brave man. Okay, not really given your strong and obvious bias.

Sincerely,

It takes one to know one

Not really. The food is great, and we had good service when we were there in early March. Palena's service was never perfect, but (as long as Kelli was there) they always ultimately took care of you in the end. At least for me (note - I think my split was 70/30 dining room/cafe).

Having been a huge fan of Chef Ruta (and now Aggie too) and Palena for so long, the string of recent reports is especially concerning.

I just don't think the issue here is that he has been "romanticized" so much as Palena may have been. Rhone1998 is closest to it for me, speculating that "The Grill Room will never be able to compete with Palena's ghost."

We know Frank Ruta has been an exceptional chef for a very long time here. That's no different today imho. Most also know that Palena was a wonderful and consistent restaurant for most of its long run, maybe wavering a bit just in the last year as the business began to struggle.

So, this is an entirely different situation. Chef Ruta at the Grill Room is an employee of the Capella Hotel. The kitchen he nominally helms is on the hook for breakfast, lunch, dinner...and room service...7 days a week. I personally think the service issues are every bit the responsibility of the Capella and, to the degree any pattern is emerging, those are inexcusable.

Dinners are a different issue...or when Chef Ruta is clearly in the kitchen. I don't know when his day(s) off are but not likely they'd include Friday and Saturday, so those might be safer nights for the full dinner experience for those still inclined. I'm guessing that there has been some struggle to even staff up a kitchen with that scope and scale to ensure consistency. I'm not sure about off-peak times for the simpler but typically-amazing chicken, burger, etc but more reports there will help. None of us fully understand what authority Chef Ruta has but it's surely less than it was at Palena.

We have to have different expectations but the Capella also needs to get its act together if it wants to build any kind of local and loyal clientele.

And, I'll say again...I pine for the day when Chef Ruta again hangs out his own shingle, hopefully for a smaller restaurant along the lines of what he did for years so successfully in Cleveland Park.

I think the only wavering at Palena in the last year was due to the departure of Kelli, but that's just me.

I am not sure who controls the FOH duties at The Grill Room. Is it the Hotel? Is it Frank? I do not think we really know. I suspect it is the hotel. And if it is, they need to own up to this and work at fixing it. One service issue popping up on a thread here is one thing, but multiple times is clearly a concern. I hope he has a chance at more control soon, if he does not have it now. But my one experience there so far was good.  Anyway, I agree if the hotel wants to build a loyal (and rabid) following of the restaurant, they need to step up the service (but in a relaxed way).

Lastly, I also think folks are expecting a lot in what, in essence, is a reboot of a restaurant, complicated by hotel ownership. Maybe I am more forgiving though. Well, looking forward to seeing things evolve here. I am just happy to still be able to eat his food and enjoy the experience.

PS: And I still need to get the burger, too. Been way, way too long since I had one of his.

[darkstar965]

Not really. The food is great, and we had good service when we were there in early March. Palena's service was never perfect, but (as long as Kelli was there) they always ultimately took care of you in the end. At least for me (note - I think my split was 70/30 dining room/cafe).

I think the only wavering at Palena in the last year was due to the departure of Kelli, but that's just me.

I am not sure who controls the FOH duties at The Grill Room. Is it the Hotel? Is it Frank? I do not think we really know. I suspect it is the hotel. And if it is, they need to own up to this and work at fixing it. One service issue popping up on a thread here is one thing, but multiple times is clearly a concern. I hope he has a chance at more control soon, if he does not have it now. But my one experience there so far was good.  Anyway, I agree if the hotel wants to build a loyal (and rabid) following of the restaurant, they need to step up the service (but in a relaxed way).

Lastly, I also think folks are expecting a lot in what, in essence, is a reboot of a restaurant, complicated by hotel ownership. Maybe I am more forgiving though. Well, looking forward to seeing things evolve here. I am just happy to still be able to eat his food and enjoy the experience.

PS: And I still need to get the burger, too. Been way, way too long since I had one of his.

Largely agree and no point hashing out Palena's last year. You and I are clearly two of the strongest Frank Ruta bulls on this board. My split there, just for reference, was probably opposite of yours, so 70/30 in favor of the cafe.  Because the cafe more than doubled its footprint, staffing became more challenging and they lost several great servers in the final year along with Kelli.

Also not certain who controls the Grill Room FOH but strongly suspect it isn't the Chef.  Grill Room, to me, isn't so much a "reboot of a restaurant" as it is a new act by one of our area's very best chefs in a very different context where his control is likely much more limited.  Like you, we loved our one visit for dinner a month or so ago, as I posted upthread.  But, those not happy with their experience here are not one-offs and highly experienced diners.  Same page there as you with "...they need to own up to this and work on fixing it."  Precisely.

[Tweaked]

3 stars (Sietsema)

[darkstar965]

3 stars (Sietsema)

Interesting. TS clearly a fan but didn't mention service beyond the wine pairings. Hopefully they get that on a more consistent track to realize the GM's ambition.

""We don't want to be thought of as a typical hotel restaurant," general manager Alex Obertop said in June."

This review will increase the interest significantly.

[mdt]

Interesting. TS clearly a fan but didn't mention service beyond the wine pairings. Hopefully they get that on a more consistent track to realize the GM's ambition.

""We don't want to be thought of as a typical hotel restaurant," general manager Alex Obertop said in June."

This review will increase the interest significantly.

Does anyone really think he was not recognized?

[Barbara]

Does anyone really think he was not recognized?

That was my first thought in yesterday's WaPo chat with TS. Someone wrote in to describe disappointing meals there, and TS replied that it wasn't his experience. Makes you wonder.

[Pat]

That was my first thought in yesterday's WaPo chat with TS. Someone wrote in to describe disappointing meals there, and TS replied that it wasn't his experience. Makes you wonder.

I thought that as well, and my second thought was: "If they're having the service lapses that some people have been describing, what is going to happen when they get slammed with a lot of guests after a glowing review comes out in The Post?"

[dinwiddie]

I'm looking forward to TJ's (Pool Boy) experience on his next visit.  As a result of reading what has been said here about the service, i decided not to make a reservation for my birthday in May and will be going to Proof instead (Couldn't get in to Komi). 

[Pool Boy]

Yeah I am not too worried. I am tempted to 'proposed meal' it next time, but then I so love to pick and choose as well.  I'll report back in a month or so. If I go get a burger before that I'll let ya know!

[darkstar965]

Does anyone really think he was not recognized?

Not here.

[Thomas P]

The other night I swung by to try the fry plate at the bar because I noticed it came with fried lemon slices. After seeing others talk about them, I realized they were a staple at Palena that I had somehow missed, and my first and only encounters with them were at lunch and dinner during the Grill Room's Restaurant Week where I thought they were amazing. The ones during RW delighted and befuddled me - uniformly thinly sliced with a delicate citrus flavor and fried to a perfect crispness. I suspected they were blanched (a few times) to tone down the flavor and had some magic faerie wand waved over them with a special incantation to make them so lovely. The ones the other night were a far cry from those, and unfortunately I didn't really care for them. The lemony citrus flavor was there full blast, I don't think anything was done other than slicing, breading and frying the lemons. The slices were of pretty uneven thickness too, which I thought was a surprising lack of attention to detail from a Ruta helmed kitchen.

I'm not going to give up, though. I'm determined to make it back here with a more positive report, damn it.

[Pool Boy]

The other night I swung by to try the fry plate at the bar because I noticed it came with fried lemon slices. After seeing others talk about them, I realized they were a staple at Palena that I had somehow missed, and my first and only encounters with them were at lunch and dinner during the Grill Room's Restaurant Week where I thought they were amazing. The ones during RW delighted and befuddled me - uniformly thinly sliced with a delicate citrus flavor and fried to a perfect crispness. I suspected they were blanched (a few times) to tone down the flavor and had some magic faerie wand waved over them with a special incantation to make them so lovely. The ones the other night were a far cry from those, and unfortunately I didn't really care for them. The lemony citrus flavor was there full blast, I don't think anything was done other than slicing, breading and frying the lemons. The slices were of pretty uneven thickness too, which I thought was a surprising lack of attention to detail from a Ruta helmed kitchen.

I'm not going to give up, though. I'm determined to make it back here with a more positive report, damn it.

He is now 5 months in. My guess is that staffing, scheduling, managing and pressing the boundaries with management for more control will evolve of the next 7 more months and things will settle in. It must be a lot harder than breaking in a new pair of shoes, after all.

I wished I could make it there for lunch (impossible unless I take the day off). But looking forward to trying the bar over summer finally for burgers for a midweek experience. Been too busy at work to make even that work,.

Has anyone tried the 'proposed meal' (aka tasting menu) option at dinner yet?

As a side note, if you go to the Capella Hotel's website for this location and look under dining, it now lists 'The Grill Room featuring Frank Ruta'

[Pool Boy]

Went last night.......too much to type to do it justice at this moment. I will provide a full and detailed account later today, but suffice it to say - wow.

Everything was great. A few asides that others may latch on to as issues, but I was not complaining. It was a great 3+ hour meal to celebrate my 22nd anniversary with my wife. More soon, with pictures.

[dinwiddie]

Thanks for the detailed report TJ.  I will have to find a reason to go now.  Corkage is much better than paying the $40 at Proof. Although it sounds like it would be unwise to try to dine there and make a late show at Blue's Alley, I might be too stuffed to make it to the music, even if I finished the meal in time.

[Pool Boy]

I have been derailed in getting my actual detailed report done. Soon, promise!

[dinwiddie]

I have been derailed in getting my actual detailed report done. Soon, promise!

Probably too dear for the Cru, but when will we be getting together?

[Pool Boy]

OK, here we go. The Grill Room Round #2. Went last in early March, so it's been almost two months. Given the comments since then on this thread, I was wondering if should be at least mildly concerned going in here. I thought "˜No. Frank's got this.' And boy was I right.

I won't bother with some of the destination details like I did in my last report. However, I can point out that the guys doing the valet are great, and, on a very busy night, walked out and stopped traffic for us so we could pull out and leave safely. Nice. Separately, the Hotel Front Desk was empty when we walked in, but I did not mind, we knew where we were going. The bar was busy when we got there and even more busy when we left. Our visit was a Saturday night from 8:30 to about 11:45.

The Welcome

Met by a host and she explained, when we asked about outside tables, they were full up. So, instead of waiting, we opted to dine inside and we were seated immediately, a two top closer to the entrance than before and near the door people use to go to/from the outside. Fortunately, this seating placement was not a bother with the door and all.  Next time, I hope we get seated farther to the back (if not outside) as I like the view from the back of the space better. That's just me though. This time, I opted for my normal attire for almost all the time "“ very nice Hawaiian shirt, nice jeans and sandals. I was curious if it'd be a problem (smart casual is what their site/OT say), but not to worry "“ I was fine. There was a large table seated near the front by us that was in the process of leaving. They were pretty loud, but things settled down to a good hum after that.

The Service

Service was improved overall, and I really did not have some of the problems others have reported in the last two months. It should be noted, both of my trips are to the dining room, not the bar, and both trips on Saturday nights. No problems with water service at all (the two folks that did so were nice and fun to chat with as the meal continued). We had a great waiter (somewhere between mid 40s and mid 50s my guess). When we asked if we could order a certain course from the Proposed Meal menu, he said "˜Of course!' Sweet!  As our cocktails were winding down, we brought the 2004 Amarone (Zyme) to put on the table. A gentleman walked up and was asking us if we wanted to decant it, we said no, so he opened and poured for us (more on him later). Keith, the sommelier was not on duty that evening, but there was another gentleman (Sean?) who came by later to pour "“ he was cordial. We opted to share one course from the proposed meal, then order two appetizers each, a main and a dessert. When we got the proposed meal course, they plated it on two plates and I am pretty sure we both got full course experiences. So great.  The pacing between 2^nd and 3^rd (or maybe it was 3^rd and 4^th) course was off (took a while), but other than that, pacing was just right. No worries for me, we were there for the evening and experience.

Minor nits about service "“ 1) We did not get a cocktail menu when seated (had to ask for it) "“ they should just include this as a part of their wine list if you ask me. Or just offer it. 2) We got delivered a second thing of bread by accident, but the waiter quickly realizer her mistake in seconds, apologized and removed it. 3) When one of us got a course requiring a spoon, someone came by and placed the spoon with the wrong person. That waiter also realized the mistake in seconds and then recovered and fixed in about 3 seconds before the courses dropped. And the aforementioned pacing between a pair of courses. All of these are pretty darn minor, but I am including them here for full disclosure. 

Cocktails

By the by, their cocktails menu is loaded with rye based drinks, but I assume they can make any drink you want. I like ordereing from their own cocktails menu (like most places) because I like to try different cocktails, and if a place is thoughtful to put a good list together, hopefully it is good. We knew this list was good from our last time here. I had something involving egg whites that was deliciously refreshing and earthy at the same time. My wife had a cocktail involving rye and gin (among some other minor things) and this was so good! I wished I had ordered that one, and yet my drink was great too. The prices are expensive for these cocktails, but worth it to ease in to a nice long meal. 

The Food

As explained earlier, we opted for 5 courses. First course was a shared course from the proposed meal menu. Then we each had two appetizers, a main, and dessert. We actually got a cheese course, and a glass of Auslese (more on that later), and a small sweets plate to finish.  We were both full, but not exploding. It is just too damn hard to narrow down what you want to try here!  The reason we went for the courses that we did were, not that what the proposed meal menu was bad or not enticing, but that there was so much good stuff on the regular menu that distracted us! Plus we could try more this way.

Oxtail Terrine "˜Vaccinara' (with reggiano cheese mousse and celery salad)

Arguably the dish of the night (see the Halibut below "“ it was a photo finish). Wow, just wow. Imagine taking all that was most excellent about the Table of Unending Happiness (or whatever it was called at Palena Café "“ all beef dinner) actual oxtail Vaccinara and then making a terrine out of it. Serve it at room temperature. This"¦.THIS is what I am talking about. Playful interpretation rooted deeply in the familiar and simple flavors, but raised to a level where the flavors wash over you as you catch your breath. Take a bite, stop, sit back and experience it. Tremendous pairing with the Amarone that we brought, by the way. (Vaccinara is normally a sauce or soup of oxtail, celery, carrots, aromatic herbs, onions, garlic, prosciutto, pancetta, bay leaves, cloves, even cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper.)

2004 Zyme Amarone

Yukon Gold Potato and Nettle Gnocchi

With fava beans, Shimeji mushrooms, fonduta and reggiano. Really delectable and good. The nettle gnocchi added a nice earthiness, too.

Brodetto

OK, I have had Frank's brodetto before, in that brief period where they did lunch at the enlarged Palena Café back in the day. It was great then, it is even better now. What the guy can do with broths, soups, and sauces is the stuff of legend. This iteration did not disappoint, nay, but raised me to a new level of consciousness. Bouchot mussels, gulf shrimp and I think the bit of fish was arctic char. The little crostini and schmears of a great little mustard, too, and the kiss of the smoke and grill on the bread was enveloping and heady. Those are also fennel fronds in the mix, too. Frank and staff know how to do fish and all seafood right, and this was just great. The best part of the dish was the dredging of crostini in that broth and devouring it like a greedy cat getting a sardine and fending it off from interlopers with guttural tones. Order this now.

Sheep's Milk Ricotta and Northern Neck Spinach Ravioli

Sheep's milk ricotta and northern neck spinach ravioli, with bits of lightly smoked pork belly, raisins plumped in Sambuca and draped in (a lot of) shaved Italian truffle. I think there were tiny peas in this as well. Yeah, you could say it was good. Really, really, really good. I mean, the gnocchi was nothing to sneeze at either, but this was better.

Stuffed Breast of Pennsylvania Spring Lamb

Stuffed breast of lamb served just warm and glazed with spring vegetables and served with a soft cooked egg, asparagus and greens dressed lightly with balsamico. The breast I am pretty sure was stuffed, at least in part, with the odd bits, most clearly articulated by tongue. There was a building pepperiness throughout the slice that was warming and pleasing and never obnoxious. But really the stars of this dish are the vegetables. After you have tasted Frank's food over many years, you understand how much he loves to experiment with textures and placing various combinations of the plated dish on your fork to get what the dish is really, really about. I mean, all of the components are great, but put together is when you have yet another 'Aha!'  moment. Nailing vegetables just right for service have to be one of the hardest things to do in my opinion.

Elysian Fields Spring Lamb

The thing is, the menu only mentions the lamb, piquillo peppers, the artichokes and broccoli. No mention of the exquisite globes of gently roasted/sauteed onions or that glorious shellac of a sauce underpinning everything. This was another wow sauce. The lamb itself was perfect - exactly nailing the execution.

Nova Scotia Halibut

Pan roasted halibut with Meyer lemon, razor clams, baby bok choy and creamy morel mushrooms. The mushrooms added to the meatiness of the dish, but there was also a hint of cinnamon(?) in there which paired sublimely with the 2004 Zyme Amarone we brought to drink. And peas! The best bites were where you had a combination of these elements. And I know I am going to sound like a broken record, but the sauce, the sauce, the sauce! Truly spectacular. One of the best things I have had "“ ever.

Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam

Somewhere in here, they brought us this course gratis. The cheese is great, and was a nice room temp, maybe sliiiiightly warmer (note to self, in general, you have been eating your cheese to cold!). With a fig and onion jam, a walnut raisin tuille and a smidge of greenery rounded out this cheese course (it was on the proposed meal menu, it turns out). I think they brought this to us because we were drinking a spectacular Zyme 2004 Amarone (they paired it with a 2008 Bussola in their suggested wine pairings on that menu). It was another great pairing.

Just Say "˜Ah'

Green apple and fennel sorbet, gingered apples, golden raisins (were they hiding?) and indeed coconut curry meringues per the web menu (but it possibly could have evolved!).  Lots of great textures. Sweet but not too sweet. Playful, beautiful and a perfect finish. Aggie's having fun with this, it is obvious.

Pretty in Pink

Rhubarb, pistachio cake, Greek yogurt panna cotta, pistachio ice cream and rhubarb sorbet. To me, this was the better dessert for overall flavor. The other one was gorgeous and tasty, but this hit me just right. Again sweet but not too sweet, and lots of fun with textures and allowing for playing with combinations of components. This was great. Aggie's taking a page from Frank's playbook with the texture thing and making it all her own.

At the end we got some little macaroons and caramels (the caramels seemed slightly more exotic than normal but we could not place it). Mmmmm. Somewhere in the mix they brought us a taste of a great little Auslese (gratis) top cap it off.

Then, The Unexpected Happened

So, we had a really good meal. So, earlier in the evening, we noticed they had a group in the private dining room. A bit later we saw Frank emerge (wow!) and go in that room (it turns out it was Pierre Rovani and family)! So we continued our conversation, having a good time and he comes by our table. So nice. I know he hates coming out to the dining room, but it was nice to see him and chat for a moment. We were joking we were there for our schappszall anniversary (schnappszall refers to a noted event anniversary where the numbers are double, like 11, 22, 33, etc where it means everything was double because you drank too much schnapps!), and he in return relayed a funny story of one of his mentors from his WH days. What a hoot!

So after THAT, we also met who I think might be either the new GM, or an additional GM-ish for the restaurant. I hope he doesn't smack me for forgetting his name (Scott?), but we chatted and he asked how we knew Frank, so it was nice to meet a new addition to the team. He explained he'd only been there a month (I think he came over from Neighborhood Restaurant Group?), but was so happy to be there. After the Frank story, then another (management type) gent came up to introduce himself (Christian) as he understood I might also speak a bit of German (he's from Heidelberg). He's also the one (I think) who poured us the Auslese later.

 Final Thoughts

• The food is great. Just great. Standouts are the Oxtail terrine, the halibut and the brodetto, and there were no duds from what we tried. I'd say the weakest dish, if I had to pick one, was the gnocchi, but it was delicious! I mean, the absolutely horrible thing about all of this is how much on the menu we did not get to try. There was a new Dover Sole appetizer involving bacon bread pudding. A pappardelle with two cheeks. And a Red Snapper dish that sounded amazing. But alas we only had two stomachs between us.
• I think the service was even better than last time (even before it seemed like we got extra attention after the Frank swing-by). I think they are listening to the feedback here and adapting.
• I am happy to report the vibe of the room seemed more laid back as well, which is as it should be for a Frank and Aggie place. Less formality, fewer men in jackets and just easier. I even saw another Hawaiian shirt (that I wanted) on a dude walking out.
• They may still call this "˜The Grill Room', but they should call it Frank's Place. He'd never go for that so maybe mash up Frank and Aggie. Fraggle Rock. No. Fraggie Rock! HAHA. The only remnant on the menu of it being a grill room is a small section at the bottom right of the menu  where you could get a pork chop, tuna or a rib eye. I think Frank would consider himself in his new digs as still being in transition, but I am happy to report it seems to be shedding the old skin of Before to expose the new skin of Now at a greater pace.

And yet"¦.I still need to get to the Bar with my wife for a Chicken and Burger night.

While I admit, I have a long history of Frank Ruta's cooking, and I may be viewing it all with rose colored glasses, I think it is worth a look. No need for me to gush - just go.

[MarkS]

What was the cost of this great meal?  How was the stemware and what was the cockage charge?

[Pool Boy]

This particular meal ran us, all in, about $300. Corkage is $25 (they comped us on this for this meal - so we upped our tipping). Stemware is fantastic (highest end Schott Zwiesels).  Again, this covered two cocktails, 3 appetizer courses, a main, a dessert (and also a gratis cheese course, and a gratis taste of an Auslese) each for two people, plus tax and tip. Ditching the cocktails, and reducing the courses to an app, a main and a dessert would slim that bill way down.  The proposed meal they have is 6 courses for $125, just FYI.

[Pool Boy]

Congrats to Aggie for the RAMMY win. And congrats to all of the other RAMMY winners (and nominees). It's great to live in an area with so many great food options.

 

[Pool Boy]

A WSJ write-up about Frank Ruta's tips on dinner parties - linky

[Pool Boy]

If you all have not read this great little piece, you should. Great read.

[Pool Boy]

Went to The Rye Bar yesterday, after a Smithsonian Associates thing involving a documentary and then Q&A/interview with Norton Juster, author of 'The Phantom Tollbooth', for a quick bite.

The cocktails were again very good. The seating is pretty luxe in the bar, but the tables are really at too low of a level to dine in, even though that is what we did. It is just awkward.  Service was good, but it was only 6 or so on a Sunday.  Went for the burger as their menu seems radically brief in the bar. Later we asked if the chicken or the other burgers were available, and the server mentioned the burger menu is available in the dining room? I am not sure I was entirely successful in making myself clear, so maybe there was a disconnect. She never mentioned anything about the chicken either, and I did not press. I'll call sometime to find out what is on what menu and when (bar versus dining room, lunch versus dinner, etc).

Burger was great - really beefy and delicious. My wife's was perfectly medium rare throughout. Mine was close, one side was more medium, but the rest was proper medium rare. The buns stand up to the abuse of juices runing from the burger.  Fries were fine, but not on the same plane as the burger,  Opted to get cheeses to finish up and they had some nice choices. Delicious.

An expensive dinner due to 2 cocktails and 3 glasses of wine between us, but still quite enjoyable and a really great, simple, utterly beefy burger.

I'll have to call to find out how I can get my hands on the mortadella burger though.

[Pool Boy]

Seven months in and this is our third trip to Frank Ruta and Aggie Chin's new digs at The Grill Room (please, please when will they change the name?) - this time the excuse was my birthday, but we're in midsummer now, and it's a favorite time of the year to eat their food. So, here we go.

Always good service on the approach to the hotel, the staff there made sure I could turn around to face the correct way for valet and then we were off and inside - the Rye Bar already pretty busy. The dining room was already quite busy at 8:30, and they opted to keep the central panel of the long wall of glass open to allow all ease of transition for service and the comings and goings of diners (and they kept the AC on as well, as there was still a bit of heat left from the day). Seated immediately, we got cocktails ordered and reviewed the new and much expanded wine list (in its own book now, loosely arranged in ABC sections and by region, ABC referring to both Anything But Chardonnay and Anything But Cabernet). Some exceptional wines are getting on that list, with prices to match. But after commenting there was a 1997 Dal Forno Recioto on the list (an end of dinner wine) for $450, the sommelier mentioned they are using a system so they could offer glasses by the ounce even. Did not partake at this time, but good to know. We opted to pop a 2007 Bussola Amarone and pay the (now higher priced, at $50, yikes) corkage fee - but also noted they had the 2008 on the menu, too. According to the staff, they mentioned that Frank is just about set on his staff finally (maybe 80% of the way there now I think they said) - I think this makes him happy and it shows in the menu too.

Drinks (the Imperfect Martini and the Grain and Gold were great as usual as we perused the menus. Decided to go for 3 appetizers, a main and a dessert each. We were stuffed at the end for sure, but it is so, so hard to narrow down what to choose. Not only because you know it is going to all be good, but also because the menu, just like the wine list, has expanded. 6 cold appetizers, 6 hot appetizers, 4 mains, 4 'from the grill' options, and a proposed menu of 6 courses, and I think 7 desserts. Since you can currently order 4 of the 6 proposed menu offerings (and if you grovel and beg, might be able to get one or both of the other two) there are 2 more appetizers and 2 more mains to throw in to the mix. So yeah, I am happy at the measured expansion, but it makes the decision on what to select so much more arduous!  [Also of note - they added in its own section the option to get 50 grams of Russian Golden Ossetra caviar with dauphines, chips, creme fraiche, onion and egg - for $250]

Before I get to the food, I should mention we had good service throughout the night - pacing of food was good, water glasses always full, bread and butter options there at the ready, appropriate check ins on how we were doing. All good. Also, I should mention that most of the two tops they have changed sirection on along the main glass wall - instead of narrow and long making the distance far between the two diners, they are now horizontal and wide - offering the same tableau of space, but easier for conversation if now less legroom for leggy people (the back wall of two tops is still situated long and skinny, so if you have long legs or prefer the old way, now you have options.

The food

Preamble - I enjoyed both trips here earlier in the year. I enjoyed a good burger in the bar. But this, this meal was exceptional. Here we go.

Summer Bean Salad - This salad has, in previous forms, made it to the dining room at Palena, but this has been updated and made more amazing. Zesty greens, soft cooked egg with a mortar crushed dressing of almonds and truffles. The beans are amazing, but this was next an exceptional salad and a great way to start off the meal. Really, really good. It would be very, very hard not to order this again.

Heirloom Tomato 'Tartar' - This was on the proposed menu section and they mentioned it would be unavailable to order, but I groveled to see if any were still left and they obliged. A skinned and hollowed out heirloom tomato, stuffed with caponata, topped with an egg yolk and accompanied by pickled mushrooms and greenery and one truly amazing olive oil. It was so sweet and fresh, like summer candy. The caponata was delicious, the yolk providing richness and depth while the mushrooms and greens provided a counterpoint to the sweetness. Truly an amazing dish. What a treat - this is one of the times of year I really, really enjoy trying Frank and Aggie food. Order this if you can.

Swiss Chard Ravioli - With sweet corn, chanterelles and shaved parmagiano reggiano cheese. Pasta here is always great. Raviolis in particular. Impossibly think pasta with the perfect amount of filling, expertly cooked, and nailing the seasoning every time. This was a bit of summer in a bowl. Tremendous.

Lancaster County Rabbit and Montgomery County Chanterelle Mushroom Terrine - Deviating from beef and cheek terrine that was also on the menu, which took great fortitude on my part, I went here. Black trumpet mushroom veloute served as the schmear to slide everything through, with greens and flageolet beans.  I love his terrines and pates, and this one being of rabbit made it even more enticing to me. While my wife thought there was a bit too much gelee/aspic for her liking, I loved it. But honestly, as always, the accoutrements here stole the show that was this dish. The greens that came along with were wonderful and well dressed, but if you look at the picture, there at about the one o'clock position, under the skirt of the tablecloth of lettuces were hiding a clutch of gorgeous flageolet beans that, when paired with a bit of truffle and terrine was just legendary. A spectacular and playful dish for the thought behind this combination. Is it my favorite Frank terrine? No, but it was delicious and wonderful in the ways described above.

Hand Cut Squid Ink and Lobster Roe Pasta - Hand cut squid ink and lobster roe pasta with Florida rock shrimp, Rhode Island skate wing, Calabrian chilies, parsley and lemon toasted bread crumbs. I really cannot say enough good things about this dish. Amazing. Truly. Perfectly toothsome and of the sea with great seasoning. The shrimp were cooked precisely to being done. Perfection in a dish.


Fresh Greek Sardines - Two Preparations - In a flaky pastry tart and 'en Saor' Sweet and sour Venetian style marinade made from Prosecco, pine nuts and raisins. Wow. I love en Saor makings from Frank and this was no disappointment. The slippery velvetiness of the underlying onions along with the greens provided highlights to the structure of this part of the delicious dish.

But the clear star, nay, just about to go supernova star, of this dish was the sardine in the pastry. Some kind of crema underlaid and held the sardine in place to harmonize the crispiness of the pastry and the warm and fishy goodnes of the sardine perfectly. Rich, but in balance and glorious. I could eat a whole sheet pan of the pastry sardine. So good.

Wild Alaskan King Salmon - Slow roasted (not poached, duh!) with a soft black trumpet mushroom and pistachio crust accompanied by honey glazed eggplant, kohlrabi and sauce bearnaise. Delicious. Really salmony salmon. The crust was more of a delicious marking emblazoning the fish. Really good dish and delicious. This dish was more subtle and paled in comparison to some of the other dishes though.


Marinated and Pan Roasted Guinea Hen Breast - A ragout emincee of the thigh ('coq au vin' styled) with chanterelle mushrooms, lardons and carrots. Man alive this was so, so good! I thought I would like the thigh part of this dish the best because I am a sucker for rich and unctious food. The thigh was great, but the breast. Wow. The harmony of the breast, the carrots and the chanterelles was amazing. the thigh and the lardons did a great job, providing the unknown framework and undertone to the music of the dish much like a bass guitar does in a rock band. I wish I could make this dish appear in front of me right now so I can eat it all over again. Order this.

The Wine - We brought a 2007 Bussola Amarone and paid the corkage. Great stemware and a great wine. They have the 2008 on their list at the moment, too.


Thyme for Somethingorother - I cannot find this on their online menu, as you know it keeps changing. But it involves little bits of lemon thyme crunchy things (like a macaroon almost), with dollops of lemon crema, blueberries (maybe others?) and the most blueberry tasting ice cream I have ever tasted in my entire life. I wished I had ordered tea to go with this instead of coffee. My favorite of the three desserts in its simplicity.

Remember the Campfire (or something) - Toasted marshmallow ice cream with chocolate cake, graham cracker crumbles and milk chocolate-peanut butter fudgy stuff. Think of the hybrid cross of a smore and a peanut butter cup, upscaled. Delicious.

'Thin Mint' Updated (or something) - We got this thrown in. Get a little of everything on your fork and eat it and you get a Girl Scout Thin Mint in an extreme upscale version. Delicious and fun.

[no picture]
Sweets Plate Updated - Caramels, puffs, macaroons, lollipops, chocolate coconut bark and a lot more. We brought home most of it.

With dessert, we both ordered some decaf coffee. I have to say, the richness of the coffee and crema were quite good, but the overwhelming bitterness of the coffee was unfortunate. Even with cream and <gasp!> sugar, it could not be made acceptable. A pity!

Overall, just an exceptiuonal meal. The venue, chairs and staff all provide the backdrop to just amazing food. Impossible to pick a single course of the night. I loved it all, but maybe more so than others, the bean salad, the heirloom tomato, the hand cut pasta, the guinea hen and the Lemon Thyme dessert - but honestly there were great bits to all of the dishes, and very often the less obvious thing on your plate was the star of the show.

If you have been waiting to come back and try this place based on some earlier in the year service missteps, and perhaps not the perfection you hoped for and desired. Wait no more and just go.

[side note - There are a lot of folks that hit up Palena of the past, mainly in the Cafe section, that loved it for that, and often did not make it to the dining room much or at all. It's hard to tell the folks that preferred that part of Palena what to do as this new incarnation of Frank and Aggie is more Palena Dining Room then Palena Cafe, though there are elements of each around you on the current menu. There is the Rye Bar, in its unfortunately low dining tables (and the bar itself), where you can get precious little food, but you can get at least one of the burgers. There is the lunch menu, too, which I have not tried. Does it scratch the itch of a Palena Cafe dinner? Maybe, but maybe not really is more accurate. But, while the prices are steeper here at the Grill Room then of Palena of old, the food is really, really excellent.]
 

[Marty L.]

Thanks for that remarkable account, Pool Boy.  Sounds wonderful, and it's great that Frank Ruta is working his magic again.  I fear, however, that this is the sort of dinner that can be enjoyed only by those who . . . well, those who can afford to stay at the Capella Hotel.  What was the total cost, exclusive of tax and tip (but including the corkage)?  

[Pool Boy]

Thanks for that remarkable account, Pool Boy.  Sounds wonderful, and it's great that Frank Ruta is working his magic again.  I fear, however, that this is the sort of dinner that can be enjoyed only by those who . . . well, those who can afford to stay at the Capella Hotel.  What was the total cost, exclusive of tax and tip (but including the corkage)?  

Sorry I thought I had answered this already, but perhaps forgot to hit the post button.  6 appetizers, 2 mains, 3 desserts, a sweets plate, two cocktails and the corkage fee (but not including tax and tip) came in around $280 to $290. I believe. Expensive yes. And not something everyone can do very often for sure. But I am a food nerd and this is what I spend money on.

It is certainly possible to go for a three course meal there, plus a $50 or less bottle of wine for $150 to $200 plus tax and tip. Still not cheap, but more manageable.

[Pool Boy]

Had a great meal here with friends last night. I'll get to the pictures and comments when I have more time, but this place is firing on all cylinders.

The autumn radish salad with octopus was delightful and the octopus to flavorful and so tender and it smelled so good.

The Northern Neck bean salad was as amazing as always (we asked and got it off the proposed meal menu, so do ask!). Just a great, great salad where it truly sings when you have a bit of everything on your fork.

The was a ravioli with, I think, broccolini and other goodies inside. Served with house made chorizo, and clams and more. Course of the night. Utterly amazing.

Papparadelle with duck leg and gizzard ragu. Excellent dish....the pasta providing the structure, the ragu striking the perfect balance of being rich and tasty without doing so in a heavy handed way. I could eat plate after plate of this.

Pollack with bacon, potato confit and a bunch of greens and veg. So good. Fish was prepared perfectly. The bacon and smoke from it provided extra meatiness to this dish.

Duck with purple sweet potato, plums and juniper sauce sounds good, and is really actually a simple dish when you get down to it. But here it is all about nailing each component, especially the cook on the duck and esPECIALLY the sauce. Wow.

'The Chocolate Dessert' was decadent without being obnoxious and actually seemed light.  The What's Up Doc carrot focused dessert was even better IMHO, they even included carrot pate de fruit. A real triumph. The delicateness of the dish and the presentation were amazing, but the dish tasted even better than it looked. Later the cookies/sweets plate appeared. OOFAH!

We bought a bottle of the 2009 Domaine Albert Grivault Meursault off of the list to start (great!) and opened two bottles we brought along - a 2002 Volnay (cannot remember the producer) and a 2008 Bressler Cabernet. All three wines were exceptionally good. We lucked out! Coffee service was good, though I think it'd be nice to have small pots brought out in case anyone wanted a warm up. We also got a taste of an Auslese that one of the sommelier folks poured up and wanted us to try. It was tasty, but not in the same league as what we'd had earlier in the night. Nice touch though. It should also be noted that we were comped the corkage fees (not sure why, maybe because we bought off the list, or more likely just because Frank is awesome).

It was interesting being seated this time at the far back wall of the dining room, as this seemed to be where they had groups of 4 or more in the past I'd noticed. Different perspective on things. The service was great. It probably helps that this is our fourth tim there in 6 months and that the staff seem to know we're fans of Frank, Aggie and their teams. There was one period where I thought pacing might have been a little slow, but honestly I did not care, we were having a great time with our friends. Add to this that the place was PACKED. It was busy-ish when we got there (bar too), but then it was full up shortly after we got seated at 7:45. As tables left, they were still seating new tables at 10:15. It was still quite full when we left after 11:30.

And I still do not understand why Sietsema does not give this place 4 stars.

My only wonton longing issue so far, is not having seen one of Frank's hauntingly good consommes on the menu. I am sure it has made an appearance this year, we just have never been there when it's been on the menu is all. I'd love to see him have fun with making a shrimp boudain again in some form, too. Probably a royal pain in the butt to make, but man alive the food memory of that is strong in my brain.

[DonRocks]

It probably helps that this is our fourth tim there in 6 months and that the staff seem to know we're fans of Frank, Aggie and their teams. 

Elli Benchimnol is doing the wine program.

[Pool Boy]

Elli Benchimnol is doing the wine program.

Has Keith already departed?

[DonRocks]

Has Keith already departed?

Maybe not.

Elli and Keith are good friends. I heard from Elli (Terry Theise is coming into town, and she needed his email), and she said, "When are you coming in to see me at The Grill Room?" (I was supposed to go on Friday, but I have to take my visitors to the airport, so Terry abandoned me!) Anyway, I took that to mean that she was there - but that doesn't mean Keith isn't, and it doesn't necessarily mean she is - they could be easily working in tandem. It's also quite possible Elli is working the bar whereas Keith is in charge of the wine program.

At this point, you all know as much or more than I do!

[DonRocks]

Chestnuts and Oyster Mushrooms

 

Elli Benchimnol is doing the wine program.

Has Keith already departed?

Maybe not.

Elli and Keith are good friends. I heard from Elli (Terry Theise is coming into town, and she needed his email), and she said, "When are you coming in to see me at The Grill Room?" (I was supposed to go on Friday, but I have to take my visitors to the airport, so Terry abandoned me!) Anyway, I took that to mean that she was there - but that doesn't mean Keith isn't, and it doesn't necessarily mean she is - they could be easily working in tandem. It's also quite possible Elli is working the bar whereas Keith is in charge of the wine program.

At this point, you all know as much or more than I do!

Keith is running the wine program, Elli is running the cocktails program.

I stopped into The Grill Room last night, and in keeping with my New Year's Resolution which will probably last another day or so, had the bartender make me a Non-Alcoholic Cocktail ($8) with ginger and citrus - I was asked if I wanted it neat or on the rocks, and said "however they want to make it" (rocks) - it was really good, and I ordered a second one.

A bread basket arrived with what might (or might not) be Panorama bread, sliced, with good, creamy, salted butter - just right, and with a crunchy crust and mie that did its job in swiping up every drop of sauce in the dishes.

Robert Wiedmaier may want to come here and try the Boudin Blanc ($20), exceptionally wicked because it came with chestnut ravioli, (locally foraged) oyster mushrooms, and celery. It was a phenomenal, treble-spiced Boudin Blanc, but made even greater and balanced by the bass tones of the ravioli, which were not only stuffed with chestnuts, but also had chestnut flour - they were dark brown in color - and the oyster mushrooms were just out of this world. This is the type of dish that you wish you could have about ten of during your Christmas engorgement; as it was, it was amply sized but oh my *goodness* what a tease. Why did it have to end?

Because there was more coming. The Florida Red Snapper ($36) was slow-cooked with bay and cardamom, also with locally foraged oyster mushrooms (getting these in your back yard, Frank?), chrysanthemum leaves, and pickled ginger. Served in a fairly deep bowl (as all Grill Room's dishes seem to be - Frank is a "brodo guy," and a self-proclaimed "bread-swabber" - the sauces here are by no means excessive, but there's generally a couple swipes-worth left at the end of the dish, and it's a crime against humanity to let it go to waste). A lot of people might see this dish as expensive for the quantity you get - it's a medium-large piece of fish, but by no means a feast - but the quality was so high that it justifies the price, especially when combined with everything else in the package: the atmosphere, the service, etc. The fish was delicious, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't order it for the oyster mushrooms in order to make a themed meal. I also feel like I now know - really, know - what Florida Red Snapper is supposed to be like, both in taste and texture.

I'd had a couple slices of the bread, a few bites with butter, a few bites with sauce, so I was pleasantly full at this point, but you can't come here and not order one of Aggie Chin's desserts (refer to the "crime against humanity" thing up above) - we *must* support such a high level of talent, and so I did when I ordered the "Mont Blanc" ($12 (all desserts are $12)), which I assume is named as such because it's "part-French, part-Swiss, part-Italian" (the tunnel underneath Mont Blanc leads from Italy to France, but it's only about 20 km away from Switzerland, and the dessert in its classic form (here, the <<aux marrons>> version) also resembles the snow-capped mountain itself - the highest mountain in the Alps). This is a small, arranged plate of chestnut parfait, chestnut chocolate cream (are you starting to pick up on the title of this post?), milk chocolate ice cream (Switzerland), and chestnut hazelnut cake. Although this dish has been modernized visually, it still clings to its classic roots, right down to the "spaghetti strands" of puréed chestnut on top.

And we can't forget the mignardises that came at the end: a chocolate lollipop, a pear financier, blood orange mimosa páte de fruit, a grapefruit-champagne macaron, and the legendary caramel.

Uncertain of the specific criteria the Michelin inspectors in France must check off (they absolutely have a laundry list), I can only guess, but I can safely say that in terms of atmosphere, service, wines, and food, The Grill Room easily merits a Michelin star.

[DonRocks]

"Oh, my *God*!"

Earlier in the day, I had told my young dining companion that I wanted to take him to a super-deluxe, special meal to celebrate his first semester in college. He said, "What about Corduroy?" (we'd just been to the bar on Christmas Eve), and I replied, "Something even more fancy - it's been a long time."

So he cobbled together whatever he could from his suitcase, and we drove down to Georgetown on an empty Sunday, late afternoon, and pulled up only a block away from the Capella Hotel. As we walked into the lobby, I saw Matt look around, and as we passed The Rye Bar, I heard him say, under his breath, "Oh, my *God*!" - he had never really been into a five-star hotel before, and he felt like he had been thrust into The Twilight Zone. We walked up to the host stand, and were seated at a two-top near the patio, where the heated torches were burning - at this hour, we were the only people in the restaurant.

Our server asked us if we wanted still or sparking (both come in a carafe, and both are gratis), and we told him we'd both like a non-alcoholic cocktail, whatever they felt like making. We both got very similar drinks to the one I'd enjoyed the night before - with ginger and citrus being the primary flavors. The prior evening, mine came in a highball glass on the rocks; this time, they came in a cocktail glass with one of those giant, fancy ice cubes you sometimes see (I love these things, and think they make a definite difference in the quality of the drink - they may sound incredibly pretentious, but they really do work).

I urged Matt to get the Boudin Blanc ($20, see the previous post for details of the dish), which he did at my entreaty, and he loved it. I only got a couple bites, but the dish seemed very similar to what it was the night before - I didn't get any oyster mushrooms, but Matt said they were in there. He, too, thought the chestnut ravioli were outrageous - these ravioli are so good that a legitimate, evil perv-fantasy would be to take a bath in them, eating your bathwater as you lie there.

I got all sentimental about Palena and ordered the Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi ($17) with Honshimeji mushrooms, wild rice, sweet potato, and fonduta. I *loved* this gnocchi for several reasons, not the least of which is that there was so much of it. It seemed a bit denser that what I'd use to enjoy at Palena, but not in a clumsy way at all; just a style choice, and with the mushrooms? This was a killer gnocchi that should be on everyone's bucket list. It was just so elegant, while at the same time being so, so satisfying.

For the mains, Matt ordered the New Zealand Venison Loin and Pipe Dreams Pork Belly Duo ($32) with stewed hominy, Honey Crisp apples, and roasted kale buds. This was a busy dish (in a good way) whose ingredients were like turning the pages of a book you just can't put down - every bite found something new and interesting to ponder; unfortunately, by the time it got to me, the lion's share had been consumed, and I got mostly scraps, but enough to see what this was all about - the pork belly was *extremely* fatty, which acted as an offsetting force to the deeply charred, lean, venison, and it was possibly the most complex dish being offered on this evening (from a diner's point of view) - it was the only one with co-stars, and the somewhat unique ingredients made this a dish you almost need to order twice in order to really appreciate.

I kept it simple and ordered one of the items off the "From Our Grill" section: a Thick Cut Berkshire Hog Chop ($36). All the grilled items are served with oven-roasted potatoes, Fall vegetables, spiced red onions, and with a warm, anchovy, balsamico vinaigrette. As advertised, this was a *thick* cut of pork - I'd say over an inch thick in parts, and what's interesting is that just from a taste perspective, the saucing bore a strong resemblance to the teriyaki sauce I had the other evening at Hula Girl. This was arguably a more Hawaiian dish than what I'd had in Shirlington last week, and I have no doubt this was intentional.

Oh! The bread plate! This time it came with focaccia-like slices, but also some sweet cornbread and, most importantly, some of the best biscuits I'd ever eaten. Matt took one bite of his biscuit and made an audible hum; I had my first bite maybe five minutes later and made a similar sound. They were buttery, flaky, cubical, correctly seasoned, and awesome. So much so that we asked for an extra order to help us through our main course. However, entirely due to the biscuits, I ended up with some pork to take home (with which they generously added two *more* biscuits). Somewhere in the middle of all the fun, I had a second non-alcoholic cocktail - perhaps because I was recognized as having been there the night before, and perhaps because I was fine-dining with a teenager, our beverages were not on the bill.

We were stuffed, but dessert was mandatory - not just one to split like we usually do, but one each: We were *dining* this evening, and we could not have ordered two more diametrically opposite desserts, both equally great.

Daily Dose of Vitamin C ($12) was something of a cold citrus soup (or, at least it turned into one). Made with Meyer lemon sorbet, candied kumquats, yogurt snow, black pepper meringues, and champagne sabayon, it gave off the illusion of being a bowlful of health. Not decadent at all, but wonderfully refreshing after the hog chop, my only regret is that it was physically impossible to get every last drop of this without a finger swipe, and that can't be done here (although I did pick up the venison and gnaw on the bone).

The Chocolate Dessert ($12) is a composed plate (they're actually all composed plates) with a rarely (if ever) seen Manjari torte, cashew blondie, passion fruit caramel (isn't this sounding good?), caramelized white chocolate crema, and coffee ice cream. It doesn't really sound all that chocolatey, but it was, and other than the temperature (it seems like most desserts here are small, collections of items served at room temperature or slightly below), was vastly different than the citrusy bowl of delight which sat across the table from it.

I wanted to surprise Matt with the mignardises, and they were slightly different on this evening - we both bit into our páte de fruit, on this evening shaped to look like a giant nonpareil (remember those things you used to buy at a movie theater?), and immediately looked at each other and started smiling, the Pop Rocks exploding inside of our heads as we just shook our heads in awe.

This visit was a mere formality - The Grill Room is raised to Bold. Once again, I stress that this is a Michelin one-star dining experience, and can safely say that The Grill Room is one of the very greatest restaurants in the Washington, DC area.