Table, 9th and N Street in Shaw - Chef Akhtar Nawab (Nominally?) Replaces Patrick Robinson - Closed Feb 14, 2017

[turbogrrl]

Walked by last night to what looked like a fully kitted-out restaurant in a cute space; was told it will be opening next week.

http://tabledc.com/about/

http://www.popville.com/2012/10/new-restaurant-from-chef-frederik-de-pue-table-coming-to-shaw-looking-to-open-nov-3rd/

[darkstar965]

Table is open. Walked by earlier this week on the way to another place (warning, warning! long post to follow ) and briefly chatted with a couple coming out who really liked it and made a comment about it being fine food at "better prices than [the place nearby to which we were headed]"

Has anyone yet been?

[hapatite]

I went on Saturday (16th) for a late Valentine's dinner.

I was really worried because they open at 5pm and they don't take reservations. In this past, this has not gone well (Toki Underground, Little Serow). I don't know if it was the cold or the holiday weekend, but we arrived at around 5:15 and snagged one of the beloved chef's tables.

The chefs' tables stick out of the actual counter the chefs are using to prepare dinner. This means a change in lighting when heat lamps are moved, front row seats to what dishes are being ordered, and maybe even some conversation. I did think it was a bit awkward to be sitting at back-less stools for dinner, and the counter/table is too low to be eating at comfortably for too long.

The food was amazing. Complex, but not complicated. Casual, yet special-feeling. I really do feel like this garage-turned-restaurant is a little secret that I don't want to tell anyone about.

First course: Stuffed Squid; Snails

The squid oozed with flavor and was chewy yet palatable.

The snails were set on an earthy rectangle of spinach mousse/gel cake. I've had bad snails that are chewy or greasy, but these were perfect little pops of flavor. The tiny crusts of bread made it fun to make mini snail sandwiches.

Second course: Scallops; Pork Belly & Clams

The scallops were placed on a green sauce of parsley & sunchoke creams. They were small and sweet, with shaved leeks on top. A few of mine had some grit in them, but it's not like the kitchen knew. The pork belly was a bit inconsistently cooked. I like my pork belly to be easy to chew and not fatty. Some pieces were cooked wonderfully, with a sweet crispy sear on top, others were inedible (@merc340 gladly ate these pieces). The clams were also a bit chewy and the broth was very salty. Since there wasn't much broth, it was alright. It would have tasted great with their airy, crunchy bread.

Bread: On demand only. It is not offered unless you ask. It is full of craters and a bit doughy tasting inside, but the crust & the lemon-pepper/pepper/salt olive oil it comes with is worth it.

Dessert: Apple crostata with honey gelato and white truffle oil. We were sitting next to the "dessert person" and she recommended this dessert to us. I saw all the desserts were pre-made and was worried that re-heating them to order would dry them out, but the mini apple pie-like parcel came out wonderfully hot and flaky. I liked the lean towards savory with the white truffle oil, but some might not.

Service was good - there are no cocktails, only wine.

[darkstar965]

I went on Saturday (16th) for a late Valentine's dinner. ...

How was the pricing/value? And, thanks for the report! I've been curious after noticing it two weeks ago on the way to R24.

[hapatite]

The pricing is great! They give you a lot of food for the price ($13 for snails/squid I think) - appetizers but big portions. Most expensive entree was the veal I think for $24. Dessert was ~$7. I was surprised how cheap it was. My boyfriend paid for Table and I paid for our brunch to Volt because I thought Volt would be cheaper. Table was $100 after tip, Volt was $100 pre-tip & tax is lower there.

We can't wait to go back, which would never be the case for an expensive restaurant! I feel like you can make it affordable or splurge out. Pretty close in price to Green Pig Bistro I think.

[Ericandblueboy]

What kind of pork belly isn't fatty?

[darkstar965]

What kind of pork belly isn't fatty?

Maybe I'm not representing discojing's thoughts on this accurately but, inasmuch as I thought I got what she'd written and think about pork belly similarly:

I like my pork belly to be easy to chew and not fatty.

....I'm guessing the answer to your question is pretty simple. While sure definitionally fatty, that'll vary some by dish and by place. Some pork belly can be nearly all fat with other examples less so. The latter, with more more meat, has more chew.

[sheldman]

The pricing is great! They give you a lot of food for the price ($13 for snails/squid I think) - appetizers but big portions. Most expensive entree was the veal I think for $24. Dessert was ~$7. I was surprised how cheap it was. My boyfriend paid for Table and I paid for our brunch to Volt because I thought Volt would be cheaper. Table was $100 after tip, Volt was $100 pre-tip & tax is lower there.

We can't wait to go back, which would never be the case for an expensive restaurant! I feel like you can make it affordable or splurge out. Pretty close in price to Green Pig Bistro I think.

I am less high on the value than discojing. Appetizers, around the $13 mark, are reasonably sized but not large. Veal at $24 must have been the most expensive entree *that discojing's party ordered*; others are up to $38. The catfish that I had, at $24 I believe, was a tiny portion. It was certainly well cooked, but could not have been more than four ounces of catfish and a handful of baby veggies. The $38 whole fish was a reasonable size for a person to eat, but not cheap at that price.

With a party of four, we shared four apps, each person then had a second course ("entree" for most, including me) and then shared three desserts. When I got home, I was still very hungry and ate leftover pizza.

I do realize that you can't discern the "right" price for a restaurant dish by adding up the cost of ingredients for that particular dish and multiplying by the magic number. The prices have to cover all the costs of the business, and then some. I get that. But by the same token, this ought to mean that it is possible to give me enough to eat (especially catfish!), if charging not-inexpensive prices.

I had a lovely time overall and will go back, despite these qualms about price/satiety ratio and despite (editing to add: intermittently) slow service.

[lotus125]

I've been twice. The place has potential. The space is lovely -- especially if you like a Dwell-style, modernist room (light wood, white marble tops, plants growing on the wall). Service has uniformly been great. They have a good, reasonably-priced wine list. I wish there were cocktails (I heard somewhere that they are limited in the liquor license they can get on account of neighbors' experiences with prior occupants of that space). The food is simple but often a bit interesting. I really enjoyed the frogs legs in pad thai sauce on my first visit, but it was not on the menu when I returned. The mushroom appetizer and snails appetizer are both very good. I've had several good (but simple) fishes there. The only real disappointment was a vegetarian pasta: the sauce bordered on bland. I look forward to watching Table develop (and to the chef's forthcoming restaurant in the Penn Quarter).

[hapatite]

Ah, I stand corrected. @merc340 says there was a steak dish that was pretty expensive, so that would probably match up to @sheldman's account. To be honest, we don't eat as much as most people - we usually share dishes when we go out to eat, or at least share an appetizer. We were both very satisfied with the price to portion ratio on the dishes we ordered and weren't hungry later, though I could see how others could be.

Like other restaurants (Zaytinya comes to mind) - you can come out of this restaurant with a reasonable check or something $$$,

[Mark Dedrick]

We ate at Table for the first time on Saturday evening. Overall we had a very good experience, although there were some definite service mishaps. The primary one was that when we showed up for our 7:30 reservation there was no table for us. Apparently they've been making the switch from a pen and paper reservations system to an electronic one, and as a result they overbooked the place. We ended up getting seated about 30 minutes late, and I would say that the staff only did an ok job with how this was handled.

The food was good to very good, promising, but not great. The highlights were probably the stuffed squid and the clams portion of the pork belly and clams. The pork belly was good, but I agree with discojing on the pork belly, it wasn't my favorite preparation.

I'll go back, there was enough promise to be encouraged about this restaurant going forward.

[monsterriffs]

I finally made it here last night after an aborted attempt several months ago, and I'm glad I finally made it because I think this is actually a very nice space for larger-party dinners.

The food was quite good, but not everything was a hit. Thankfully, I got to sample a wide cross-section of the menu because my dining companions and I decided to share our first and second courses. From the first courses, the stuffed squid and scallops ceviche were highlights to me, as was the charcuterie plate (I particularly enjoyed the camembert and american prosciutto). I'd say the combination of the swiss chard pesto and prosciutto really made that squid a star dish. From the second courses, the escargot ravioli was possibly the best thing I had all night, with a very strong earthy and meaty flavor to the filling. I also quite enjoyed the preparation of the veal's liver and a bit of the porchetta my friend ordered. The halibut I ordered was good, albeit a bit dry at times, and I didn't care for the arctic char.

The only qualm with the service I had was the pacing between our first and second plates. Admittedly we did order our mains after our first course had arrived, and it was a Saturday night. Still, it felt like we were waiting quite a while between courses.

The explosion of neighborhood restaurants such as Table is one of, if not THE strongest counterpoints to the Furstenberg polemic. Maybe he doesn't feel comfortable venturing to Shaw, but for every Table that opens, the more DC's status as a "rising star" culinary city is cemented.

[lekkerwijn]

So Table takes reservations now and at 8:45 last night despite DC generally feeling like a ghost town the place was packed and it was really difficult to find a parking spot.  I can see why the place is getting good reviews and how it made the semi-finals for Bon Apetit's list of Best New Restaurants.  I can also see why it didn't make the final cut.

They took us right up to the roof which is a lovely outdoor space.  Service was attentive and helpful. They were out of a few things on the menu- Macedonian wine, Halibut, and the Guinea Hen. But our waiter offered thoughtful alternatives.  All the food coming out of the kitchen was gorgeous.  But the pacing was off- we waited 30 minutes for our first course and then another 45 for our entrees.  By then the place was nearly empty and when we ordered dessert it came out really quickly. The waitstaff was apologetic and kept our wine glasses full (on the house), brought out bread while we waited for the first course, and then between the first course and main a lovely piece of cheese and accompaniments.

That said, when we finally got the food it was pretty great.  First course husband had the green gazpacho with soft shell crab.  I had the scallop ceviche.  Both were good, the ceviche was a little better in my opinion. Green gazpacho was a little bland.  Main course he had the arctic char- came out impeccably cooked, really crispy skin.  Delicious. I had the escargot ravioli.  If you didn't know what a snail tasted like you might thing the earthiness and texture is from mushrooms. We both loved it.  Dessert we got the ricotta donuts at the recommendation of our waiter- he said of all the desserts it was the best for two people to share.  He was right- you get a plate of about 6 of them piping hot out of the fryer.  Not super sweet or doughy.

No question, we'll go back.

[Cook In / Dine Out]

I wrote about Table on my blog this week. I like what Discojing said above about the food: "complex, but not complicated." The appetizers and entrees that arrived were fairly simple: proteins with vegetable sides and lovely arrangements without much adornment. The food at Table doesn't seek to surprise like so many restaurants. Just to delight and satisfy. We enjoyed everything we ordered. I would love to go back in the winter, by which time I'm sure the menu will be completely different.

The service needed a little work. We got traded back and forth throughout the night between two servers, which seemed a little odd and perhaps accounted for the fact that after our plates were delivered no one came back to check on us. Like a couple of the posters above, I was surprised the menu didn't include cocktails. Would seem like a perfect fit for a place like this to offer a few selections made with ingredients as fresh as what goes into the food.

[turbogrrl]

Went to Table this week. Made a reservation on OpenTable, but when we arrived the only seating available was in the sunken picnic-bench area on the upstairs deck; if we wanted a table we were going to have to wait for "a while".  Picnic bench seating can be hard on anyone with joint issues, fyi.

Service was erratic.  We were left to peruse the menus for 15 minutes; only when the waiter came back to take our orders did we find out that they were out of everything I'd *wanted* to order. (Mozzarella app, Guinea Hen, and something else which was my runner-up.) I asked if anything on the menu had dill, since I've been burned a couple times where it wasn't marked on the menu; the waiter took the menu out of my hand and read the ingredient list of each item, aloud. Um, yes, I *can* read. When asked about the preparation of a dish, he once again proceeded to just recite the menu. Someone needs to remind them that being a human interface to the menu requires *additional* information that isn't on the menu, or else it's just the dining equivalent of reading the powerpoint presentation verbatim.

They forgot to bring bread out until after appetizers were done. (Someone asked what the small plates were for. "Oh, did you want bread?" Yes, if bread is a thing, we'd like it.)  The pacing was erratic, with long waits between courses.

The scallops were fantastic. The tomatoes were good. The bread, when it came, was a terribly bland waste of calories"” but the olive oil it came with was wonderful. The duck confit was delicious, the porchetta was ok. The desserts were really good but I've completely forgotten what they were because by that time I was tired and a bit cranky. It should have been a great meal, but instead it was really uneven.

[LauraB]

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday) we went to the matinee performance at the National Theater of If/Then which let out shortly before 5:00.  Walking back, we veered toward Table and arrived around 5:20.  We were the first guests to be seated and during the time that we were there, only one other couple came in.  It could have been the early hour or the fact that it was a holiday weekend when much of the city seemed deserted.  In any event, we had a delightful experience at Table and would be pleased to return.

The décor is spare, featuring blond wood tables, very Scandinavian, a look we very much like.  There is one very long wooden banquette on the left wall with a number of 2- and 4-top tables.  There is one round table near the entrance which would hold maybe 6.  The banquette faces the long kitchen which is completely open to the dining room.  There are 2 high-top tables jutting out from the kitchen, each accommodating just 2 diners, where one could have a close-up view of the chefs at work.  We were told that there is a second floor with 4 tables, but we didn't see it.  And, of course, they do have the roof space for warmer weather.

There is no bar.  If cocktails are important, this is not your place.  They serve wine and beer only.  (I understand that that is due to the restricted liquor license they were granted for the location.)

Unlike previous posters, we were served bread without asking, soon after being seated.  However, like previous posters, we found the bread to be fairly pedestrian, but the olive oil is really excellent -- a nice sharp bite to it.  The menu we were given was completely different from the dishes described above, owing to the fact that the menu changes frequently in accordance with the season and availability.  The menu was very appropriate for autumn for the most part.

For appetizers I had the Fluke Sashimi ($13).  I thought this was a well-sized portion.  The fluke was very thinly sliced, and was dressed with a soy and yuzu preparation. I found the soy to be a bit overwhelming, but I still enjoyed it.  Mr.B had the Rabbit Roulade ($14) and he loved it.  I didn't get a bite and I don't have a copy of the menu, so can't describe it beyond 'delicious' and a generous portion.  I think a diner could do very well here just ordering appetizers.  There were several on the menu that really appealed, including a mushroom risotto.  For entrees, Mr.B ordered the Pork Tenderloin which was served with seasonal vegetables.  I did get a few bites of this and the pork was incredible -- I can't identify what the seasoning was, but it was the best pork tenderloin I've ever tasted.  The menu listed a Veal dish at market price and I inquired about it.  Our server, Anna, told me that it was $34 and that they only had one serving left.  I ordered it and a few minutes later I was informed that it was a Veal Tenderloin and it was actually $36.  I decided to stick with my choice and I'm glad I did -- the veal was cooked medium rare and it was really tender and succulent, served with crispy sautéed greens and roasted white and sweet potatoes.

We ordered 2 wines by the glass, a white Sancerre ($12) and a red Bourgogne ($13).  The pours were average and the wines were average.  We did not order dessert.  The service was great -- Anna was very personable and our water glasses were refilled in a timely fashion and plates cleared appropriately.  Since we were one of only 2 tables at the time, this may not be representative of service when the restaurant is packed.

We would be happy to return to Table anytime.

[eatruneat]

I've been trying to make a dinner reservation here for an upcoming Saturday evening. After coming up empty I plugged in a few weekday dates as well and the only times that come up are 5pm and 9pm so it looks like Table has stopped taking reservations for any time after 5pm and before 9pm. The lack of reservations -- that is essentially what the change is doing -- won't be prohibitive in my dropping by on a weekday (it's been pretty easy for me to get a table even at 8pm or so the times I've dropped by last minute) but I likely won't be dining here on weekends.

[lekkerwijn]

I've been trying to make a dinner reservation here for an upcoming Saturday evening. After coming up empty I plugged in a few weekday dates as well and the only times that come up are 5pm and 9pm so it looks like Table has stopped taking reservations for any time after 5pm and before 9pm. The lack of reservations -- that is essentially what the change is doing -- won't be prohibitive in my dropping by on a weekday (it's been pretty easy for me to get a table even at 8pm or so the times I've dropped by last minute) but I likely won't be dining here on weekends.

Really? That must be a recent change. I have a dinner reservation for tomorrow night at 8:30 pm that I made on Opentable a few weeks ago when they announced Restaurant Week.

[eatruneat]

Really? That must be a recent change. I have a dinner reservation for tomorrow night at 8:30 pm that I made on Opentable a few weeks ago when they announced Restaurant Week. 

I think the restaurant may have just stopped doing reservations through Open Table. I just looked on Open Table and get this message: "Please accept our apologies on behalf of Table. Online reservations are not available on this date at this restaurant." And when I searched for the next available date, Open Table said there is no availability within the next 15 days. However the website directs you to call or e-mail the restaurant.

I understand the reasons why a restaurant (especially one that is on the smaller side) chooses not to go through Open Table. I'm just glad they are still taking reservations.

[eatruneat]

I had a great meal at Table the other week. My boyfriend and I sat at one of the two tops perpendicular to the kitchen as the table we had reserved was still occupied. Table just switched to a Spring menu which our server, Joe, was very enthusiastic about. Highlights of the dinner include the burrata salad, tiger prawns and foie gras poele, and the squab. Although we are not really dessert people, I couldn't resist the lemon curd which turned out to be fantastic. The chef also sent out an order of the ricotta fritters which we polished off despite being very full.

Our last meal at Table was sort of a service disaster so we weren't in a rush to get back to Table. I am glad we found our way back. When this restaurant is on, it is my favorite date night place in the neighborhood.

[LauraB]

Eater is reporting that Frederick de Pue is no longer the Chef at Table, being replaced by Chef de Cuisine Patrick Robinson.  I don't know how to interpret this -- I was under the impression that de Pue was the owner as well as the Chef.  This article makes it sound more like he was fired.  At any rate, it's been a tough year for de Pue, having had to close Menu/MBK not long ago.

We loved our experience at Table last year.

[dinoue]

Had a very nice dinner for Restaurant Week tonight.

Appetizers:

Escargot - several plump snails on top of spinach, but the highlight, especially for our son was the parmesan flan. Add in the crunchiness of the croutons and it was well balanced with texture and flavors. A very nice preparation different from the usual straight snails in garlic butter.

Pork belly with lentils - This was for the kids and both loved the lentils as well as the pork belly.Didn't get to eat more than a bite of this.

Beet and Persimmon carpaccio - Wife had this and she really liked it. I'm not a big fan of beets, but this was pretty nice.

Overall, the takeaway on the appetizers was balance. Just the right amount of differing contrasting and complementary flavors that all came together in a cohesive dish.

Entrees:

Pasta bolognese - Definitely for the kids. Very generous serving of bolognese so that there was even too much bolognese to go with the pasta.Not sure the wild boar aspect added to the flavor so much. Could have just as easily been beef to me.

Venison stew - Here, the venison did add flavor and it was cooked until very tender. I am not a fan of sweet potatoes, but the puree went really well with the stew. I think the one thing I wish it had more of was the braised cabbage.

Grilled octopus - The octopus was so tender. I thought of the scene in Jiro Dreams of Sushi when they are massaging the octopus to tenderize it.

Entrees were more marked by the simplicity and really focusing on primary flavors of the main ingredients, or at least for the venison and octopus. Really wish the bolognese had some more meatiness to it which I would have expected from the wild boar.

Cheeses:

Got an assortment of cheeses on an impulse since our son liked the cheese so much in the escargot app. There were six cheeses so we got all six. Felt a little ripped off on the price for these since 5 cheeses cost $15 and 3 cost $12 so they charged us for two sets of three or $30 for the six cheeses when I was expecting it would be more like $18 or $20. Guess I should have just gotten the 5 and left one off. The cheeses themselves were a nice variety of hard vs soft and included one blue. Also got some saucisson since our daughter wanted salami.

Dessert:

Got all three desserts and all were good.

Chocolate mousse included a leaf of some sort which unfortunately I couldn't really taste. The gingerbread it was served on top of was a nice pairing and the kids ate all the pomegranates so can't comment on that component.

The pear ginger cheesecake was a little dense and the crust base was a little too hard so it was actually kind of difficult to break up.

Pineapple upside down cake was probably the best of the three with a very light cake texture with the pineapple crust on top.

Overall, this was a very nice meal and the proximity to the kitchen was great for the kids to watch the food being prepared. I was impressed when they called to confirm our reservation and inquired about the kids ages so the kitchen could be prepared for making special meals for them if necessary. Also our son was late waking from his nap, so we were running late for our reservation time which they let us adjust without any problem. Definitely a place we will be going back to.

[DonRocks]

"Chef Frederick De Pue Sued For Allegedly Misusing Funds And For Taking Alcohol From Restaurant" by Jessica Sidman on washingtoncitypaper.com

[darkstar965]

"Chef Frederick De Pue Sued For Allegedly Misusing Funds And For Taking Alcohol From Restaurant" by Jessica Sidman on washingtoncitypaper.com

Wow. Made it to Table only twice. The most recent a dinner in 2013 which sticks in my memory due to generally excellent food and because David Hagedorn was at the next table with his fiancée at the time, which made the dinner even more memorable.

Of course not right to conclude anything based only on the filing of a suit. But, these kinds of struggles are way too common in the restaurant biz. Can't say for Chef de Pue but wish more restauranteurs would partner with business people (aside from any investors) versus just assuming they have the business operations covered. Marketing, HR, finance, sourcing and strategy are disciplines as serious and challenging as complex menu execution/cooking.

[eatruneat]

I snagged two tickets to Table's family meal tomorrow at 5pm. I bought a pair of tickets without realizing that my boyfriend and most of my friends would not be able to join me at such an early start time. I though this is something someone in this community would like to attend. If anyone here is willing and able to join me tomorrow evening, please let me know via PM/DM. Thanks!

[Kev29]

Post, Emily Heil: Chef Frederik De Pue, former partners settle lawsuits

[eatruneat]

Although our last meal at Table was fantastic, MichaelBDC (formerly known as "the boyfriend" from previous posts) and I hadn't stopped by in over a year. Between the spotty service and the chef change, we were in no rush to put Table in our rotation. However, a wonderful experience at the Family Meal in March and recent good reviews put the restaurant back on our radar and we finally pulled the trigger this past Thursday. MichaelBDC knew a few people who worked at Table so we were treated very very well by the GM, Chris, unnecessarily so. Overall, we had a wonderful meal and are happy we decided to revisit a good neighborhood spot.

Below is a rundown of what we ate/devoured. We also had two generous glasses of wine each and left happy as clams. Due to the restaurant and Chris' generosity we ended up with entirely too much food between the two of us, but we were so glad we had a chance to try a lot of Table's offerings.

Pate en Croute -- We had decided not to order any cheese/charcuterie, but Chris brought out a serving for us to share anyway. The pate was delightfully bright and served with cubes of cherry gelatin on top. The pastry was buttery, flaky, and very good. The pate was served with pickled garlic, whole grain mustard, and frisee. We both really really liked this dish.

Gazpacho -- Cool and smooth, with diced cucumbers for some texture. Although I am not a fan of cucumbers, I happily ate every last drop of the soup.

Spring Salad -- Another good simple salad. As much as I dislike cucumbers, I love mushrooms and couldn't get enough of the warm morels.

Guinea Hen -- I had a bite of MichaelBDC's guinea hen and really really enjoyed it. The skin nice and crisp and the meat was tender.

Spring Lamb Leg -- This was my favorite dish of the evening. The lamb was cooked a perfect medium rare and came out juicy and tender. This came with a sweet puree (apricot?) on top, which paired well with the lamb. A crispy potato cake and a sunchoke were also well cooked added some interesting elements to the dish. I would happily order this dish again tonight if I could.

Sorbet/Ice Cream -- We split two scoops of ice cream, a raspberry yuzu for him and hazelnut (I think) for me. Both were a perfect end to the evening...or so we thought.

Ricotta Beignets -- Chris also brought out an order of the ricotta beignets. I had two and asked for the rest to be boxed up for me to take home. I really enjoyed the two I had and the leftovers as an inappropriate breakfast.

The kitchen is doing some great work right now and once again, I am happy to have another solid restaurant in the neighborhood. We can never have enough!

[eatruneat]

From the Washington City Paper: Patrick Robinson is out, Akhtar Nawab from NYC is the new chef

[DonRocks]

From the Washington City Paper: Patrick Robinson is out, Akhtar Nawab from NYC is the new chef

This sounds funny: "Erika Kauder, the restaurant's Director of Market and Sales, says Robinson's departure had nothing to do with the owners suing each other. "

[farmer john]

Patrick has an infant at home and he and his family have purchased a house in Virginia- he will be working again shortly at a spot closer to home. No ill will in this departure which is nice as Patrick/Table were some of the first to be receptive to my entry into the DC restaurant market.

On another note- Table is continuing their family meals this Thursday evening at 5 and have invited one of their vendors (me) to attend.

[lotus125]

Any recent visits to Table?  I'm curious about how the new chef is doing.

[ylkim30]

I went there yesterday for Restaurant Week. It was surprisingly good, and the chef clearly put a lot of effort and thought into the Restaurant Week menu. The tilefish I ordered was a little heavy on the salt, but it was cooked perfectly. The mussels on toast with curried aioli was really delicious. This meal totally blew away my RW meal at Fiola. If he's putting this much effort into RW, I'm sure the regular menu must be strong as well.

[DonRocks]

This meal totally blew away my RW meal at Fiola.

This is saying something.

[ylkim30]

I definitely don't want to disparage Fiola, or even suggest regular Table is better than regular Fiola (I'm not in a position to say, not having tried either's regular menus). I just think Fiola kind of mailed it in for Restaurant Week. For $35, I think I got my money's worth. If I had paid normal Fiola prices, though...

[Josh]

I saw on the twitters that Nawab was doing a "tandoori steakhouse" pop up in NYC with the Lucky Peach/Momofuku crew. Is he out at Table?

[DonRocks]

I saw on the twitters that Nawab was doing a "tandoori steakhouse" pop up in NYC with the Lucky Peach/Momofuku crew. Is he out at Table?

Nawab was appointed "Executive Chef" (not "Chef de Cuisine") in June. Nowhere that I can find on Table's website mentions his, or anybody else's name, as Chef.

This, in-and-of-itself, means nothing, but until Table positively confirms that he's running the kitchen every night, people are free to make whatever conjectures they wish.

[malokd]

We went there for dinner two weeks ago.  They have a very open kitchen, and he was nowhere to be seen. Overall food was unimpressive.  Had a tilefish crudo with a pickled artichoke/onion dressing with tangerine leaves---could not taste the fish at all.  The roasted cauliflower with currants and capers was good.  There was a toast dish with rock shrimp on top with a curry mayo,--ok but heavy on the curry mayo.  Ravioli with rock shrimp and poss fava bean puree was probably the best dish.  We also had a pasta with smoked ricotta and root veggies--there was one veg that was inedibly bitter( radish possibly?) that threw off the dish.  Had high hopes having eaten at places he has cooked while I lived in NYC, but was overall a disappointing experience.  On a positive note the service was excellent.

[Ericandblueboy]

Anyone been here recently?  If so, any thoughts? 

On 8/22/2016 at 4:23 PM, cucas87 said:

Has anyone been to TableDC? Looks interesting and a little like the old Rupperts which I still miss.  http://tabledc.com/

The restaurant name is just "Table."  There's already a thread.

---

[Merged. DR]

[DonRocks]

Table is closing after service Wed, Feb 15th - I heard that it was the 14th, but OpenTable shows availability on the 15th (but not after).

The owner gave the staff one week's notice last Tuesday, which is better than in some situations I've heard, but not optimal.

If it was my money? I would not go here on Valentine's Day, but if you're determined to stick it out, good luck. They're not advertising any special menus on their website, at least none that I could find.

If any employees need help finding work, please get in touch with me.

If any employers need employees from Table, please get in touch with me.

I'm happy to be a middleman in this situation without charge.

Here's what comes up when trying to book a table for two on Sat, Feb 25th. Note that when I tried booking a table for 3 (or 5), they had several time slots available on Valentine's Day. 

[MichaelBDC]

So long, Table.  @eatruneat and I had one our first and most memorable dates there.  Thank you for the memory.  I hope the staff all land on their feet.