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


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Had dinner last night with one of our visiting farm owners at the kitchen table at 2941. The four of us had brought eight or nine wines (allowed in private rooms in VA), and Chef Krinn tasted each one before sending out a dish against it. It was a brilliant meal in a setting that perfectly balances the voyeuristic and practical.

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From 2941's newsletter which was distributed today - Caterina has a very good palate and an excellent knowledge of food as a companion to wine.

Chef Krinn Introduces our Chef Sommelier Caterina Abbruzzetti and the 2941 Wine Program

I would like to take the opportunity to talk a little bit about the wine at 2941. We've worked very hard the past few months to create a new wine program that we hope you all will enjoy.

First and foremost, it is with great pride that I formally introduce you to our Chef Sommelier Caterina Abbruzzetti. The 2941 wine program and wine list are created and maintained by Caterina with my culinary philosophy in mind. Both of us agree that food and wine are intended not only to complement each other, but to inspire one another and elevate the whole dining experience. The selection and interaction of both food and wine are an essential part of enjoying your dining experience at 2941.

Caterina officially joined our team in September of last year and has more than ten years experience in some of the world's most celebrated restaurants. Most recently she served as Assistant Sommelier at Michel Richard's Citronelle in DC under Chef Sommelier Mark Slater. Her resume includes intense training at a long list of famous restaurants from The French Laundry to Charlie Trotter's in the U.S. and experience at Le Gavroche, (London). She also worked locally as an assistant wine sales consultant at Addy Bassin’s MacArthur Fine Wine Shop.

Caterina is driven to maintain a fun and creative wine list that caters to every guests taste and budget. She works closely with me at finding the perfect pairing of wine and food and she elevates the dining experience at 2941 by offering first class wine service and selection. If you are dining at 2941, don’t forget to include Caterina in your evening, she is enthusiastic when asked for wine recommendations and is well versed in wines from throughout the world.

  

About the 2941 Wine Program

The 2941 wine program is designed to entice the novice, delight the adventurous and reward the connoisseur.

Our wine list now offers over 3,000 wines and 450 different labels to choose from. Our cellar includes exclusive, rare vintages from France, America, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, just to name a few. In addition to great producer names, breadth and vintage depth, there are classic wines from practically every wine producing country in the world with a very unique selection of wine varietals.

Our Chef Sommelier’s specialty is offering Reserve Wine or Wine Pairings. She offers thoughtful, fulfilling wine accompaniments to compliment any 2941 menu including Chef's Tasting, Menu Spontané, Dessert, or Wine and Cheese selections. She is also always glad to simply suggest the perfect glass of wine to unwind with. If you want to try something new, have a special request, or rare vintage that you might like to include with your meal, she will expertly assist you in making the appropriate arrangements.

Have a question about wine? Just ask our Sommelier:

Caterina.Abbruzzetti@2941.com

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I enjoyed hearing Chef Jonathon Krinn's presentation at the Folklife Festival recently at which he demonstrated cooking salmon in the oven at only 250 degrees(a revelation). When I saw on the restaurant's web site that Chef Krinn was giving a class on "School of Fish" last night, my husband and I decided to attend. The class started at 6:30, cost $90/pp, food and wine included, and was held in the kitchen space of Cafe 2941 upstairs from the main restaurant. They had tables set up in a "U" facing the demonstration area, set for dinner and including baskets of the chef's father's wonderful bread. I'd say there were about 24 people in the class. We were served a light and tasty seafood cobb salad (with shrimp, lump crab & scallops) - and wine was poured - while the chef started his demonstrations.

He began by portioning a beautiful piece of center cut bluefin tuna, which was then marinated and later grilled. He also demonstrated steaming clams, both poaching and grilling lobsters, sauteing scallops and baking salmon. All of these had accompanying sauces or garnishes and we were served ample tastes of everything. This all took about 3 hours and then we had strawberry pound cake and tiny pastries for dessert and followed Chef Krinn down to see the main kitchen (amazing!); and were sent off with a baguette and cotton candy. I thought it was a great experience. It was a pleasure to watch the chef work and be able to chat with him and ask questions as he went along. He's very engaging and happy to share recipes and cooking tips - and everything we ate was wonderful. :P

There are more classes coming up. Check the website.

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On a whim, had an impromptu dinner at 2941's bar on Friday night. I practically live around the corner, but have never gone in to explore...

High points:

The ambiance - the jellies hanging from the ceiling are spectacular and the wall of windows added flare as the sun set in a very pink sky. I was surprised to see a man in shorts sipping a cocktail, but then again I wasn't dressed to the nines either.

Bread basket - YUM! You won't find a better, fresher bread plate anywhere...and served with soft butter. Perfection.

Steak Tartare - we received a very decent portion of tartare which had pieces of chopped pepper incorporated in the mix. Eaten alone the tartare was flavorful and smooth, but when paired with a bite of the buttered toast, quail yolk and housemade ketchup...simply heaven on a fork.

Grilled Asparagus & Tempura Blossoms - this dish was easily the star of the night. White and green asparagus were served with a lemon, thyme, saffron hollandaise. I think I could have eaten two portions and gone to bed fully satisfied!

Not so high points:

Crab Cakes - huge pieces of juicy, flavorful jumbo lump crab served on a beautiful glass plate, but I tend to like my crab cakes cooked (fried, pan seared, baked...not too picky really). Much to my disappointment, this dish resembled a beautiful, light cold crab salad or dip. Not exactly what I was looking for as my main that night.

Bar Service - One bartender for the entire bar AND the dining room? No wonder the man was sweating! Even though the full menu is available in the bar, I don't believe you get nearly the same dining experience you would at other comparable restaurants' bars.

All in all, a lovely whim for a Friday night excursion. I'd love to experience the full impact though - next time I'm dressing up and sitting at a real table.

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I finally made it out to 2941 last week, not once but twice as it turned out, once for lunch and once for a private party. Wow...an impressive created space, with clear appeal to the powerbroker crowd, marred only by the curiously mundane ceiling tiles in the ceiling's oval oculus.

Lunchtime service was efficient and elegant, possibly the best I've had in this town, better even than Taberna del Alabardero. I'm told it's probably even better than dinner service, as the staff are more relaxed.

Alas, I missed the last of the lion, so instead I chose the warm spring asparagus and morel mushrooms with toasted spelt and Dijon vinaigrette, a crisp bundle of white and green asparagus tied neatly with a scallion top, just warmed and so perfectly seasonal. One of my companions chose the pork shu mai which, while tasty, were smallish and unremarkable. And of course, there are Mal Krinn's wonderful breads, which might now be the best anywhere in the area. For mains I chose the roasted duck breast with sautéed foie gras because while I respect my arteries, they are slave to my whims. Somehow, the mild sweetness of the saffron caramelized apples still managed to balance out the richness of the meats, and in any case the long squash could also do the job with its pleasing change of texture. The ever-delightful Gubeen chose the jumbo lump crabcake for her lunch, apparently no longer purely crabmeat but now incorporating a modest amount of filler. I found it somewhat less sweet than the lump backfin beauties that River Falls used to serve, but packing an absolutely intense aroma of large jimmies. It had a well-developed sear, I guess unlike Mel's experience last fall.

Despite my love for Tahitian vanilla, the Creamsicle left me nonplussed; a bit too much orange in proportion to the ice cream, and the juice was a tad bitter or oxidized.

There's a nice little one-page summary at the reception stand describing the artwork that decorates the main dining room and hallway, including the huge and organic chandeliers. Also curiously there's a "pre-theater" menu, although I'm hard-pressed to think of any theaters in the area, except for the Lee-Hi Multiplex :)

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!

I'm going to be dining at 2941 next week, and I'm wondering if there's some way I can interpret this comment to my advantage in ordering. There's no one I'd rather be guided by than Rocks, but so far I'm having a little trouble being guided by this.

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Jlock and I had an absolutely amazing meal at 2941 last night! From the moment we walked in (at about 8:30) to the moment we stumbled out (a little before midnight), we were delighted with new and exciting flavors.

We arrived a few minutes early and ran into who else but Don sitting at the bar. I think my dad and stepmother may have been surprised to walk in and see us standing in the bar eating someone else's soup, but it was just so good! It was an avocado soup, with basil and some sort of flavored oil that I couldn't identify (tomato? chili?). Splendid. Don later commented the the cute little softshell that accompanied the soup was also amazing, which comports with my later tasting of a different softshell preparation....

After pretending to look at the menu for a few minutes (like we didn't know what we wanted, ha!), my family decided to get the seven course tasting menu with the wine pairings. It was an excellent choice! Not a single course was off.

The amuse was a florida shrimp with apricot and rolled duck. Aaghh, I can't remember exactly, and I don't have this written down, oh well, suffice to say, it was an excellent start to the meal.

The first course was chilled red and yellow bell pepper soups with shiso pesto and lemon verbena glaze. Served in one bowl, the two soups had very distinctive flavors that were good both when eaten singly or slurped together. The yellow pepper soup had a flavor of pure bell pepper, whereas the red pepper soup was accented by chipotle.

The soups were paired with a Pinot Gris - Chehalem, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2005. All of the pairings were perfect, but my comments won't really do them justice so I will simply list them, but this one was particularly impressive. I should note, however, that Kathryn Morgan's presentation of each of the pairings was extremely informative, peppered with stories about the history of the vineyards and wines. The pairings may not have been cheap, but well worth it both for the quality of the pairings themselves and for her presentation of them.

The second course was a quinoa crusted chesapeake softshell crab with jicama, watermelon and heirloom tomatoes. A small guy with a very light crust and no grease whatsoever, it was the best softshell I have had this year. The diced fruit lightened and freshened it perfectly. It was served with a Verdejo - Angel Rodrigue, Martinsancho, Rueda, Spain 2004.

The third course was the sauteed tasmanian black bass with lily bulb, wild scallions, bok choy, and yuzu kosho vinaigrette. Spot on, with a little spice, but after eating the hake that followed, I can't remember the details of this one. Too bad, because it was good! It was served with Reisling Kabinett- Weingut Selbach Oster, Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Mosel, Germany 2003.

The fourth course was the Smoked Hake and Seared La Belle Farms Foie Gras with sweet corn, summer truffles, and chanterelle mushrooms. I can not say enough about the hake!!!!!!!! Nor can I do it justice by going on and on. It was amazing. After we each tried the first bite, the table went silent with awe. Anyone who has had the misfortune of having to eat at a restauarant near my family will know that this is the highest - and rarest - compliment we can give. Chef Jonathan mentioned later that he will likely be putting it on his regular menu. Let's hope he does!

The hake was served with a Chamolle-Musigny 1er Cru- Domaine Taupenot-Merme, Le Combe d'Orveau, Burgundy, France 2001.

The fifth course was the herb roasted Colorado lamb chop with a fricasee of white asparagus, morels, ramps, and herb gnocci. It made me want to move to Colorado. Luckily, the restaurant was fairly empty by this point, and the others that were there were more of a scene than we, because the lamb (and accompanying wine) was our turning point. We couldn't keep up the decorum game anymore. After a failed attempt on my part to hold the really cool knife that it came with, resulting in my chop almost landing on the floor (nice catch, Jlock), we all used our hands to suck every last morsel of tender meat of the bone. The chop was served with the Saint Julien - La Croix de Beaucaillou, Bordeaux, France 2000.

The sixth course, a stand-out, was the grilled Canadian caribou with parsnip, carmelized mirepoix and Maldon pepper cherry sauce. I don't think I have ever had caribou before, but I will have it again, hopefully at 2941. It was outstanding, tender with just a slightly gamey texture. Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for JLock, I tend not to be able to eat much red meat when I am full. So, I only had about half of my portion, and gave the rest to him. As much as I love him, I really wish I had refused his request and stuffed the rest in my pocket to eat later. I want more!!!!!

The caribou was served with a Syrah - Dutton Goldfield, Cherry Ridge Vineyard, Russian River Valley, California, 2002.

Next came the palate cleanser: a chilled strawberry soup with bits of pineapple and coriander with a dollop of lemon buttermilk sherbert sitting in the center. It was fruit-sweet, not sugar sweet, and perfectly balanced.

The seventh course was the bittersweet chocolate tart with bittersweet chocolate ice cream. Served with the Vin Santo - Isole e Olena, Tuscany, Italy 1998, it was the perfect end to the perfect meal.

But, we weren't done yet. I guess my step-mother must have mentioned that it was my father's birthday because out came an orange creamsicle, a nice take on an old humor truck favorite.

Then came the warm macaroons and pina colada cotton candy, which I devoured while telling stories of the time I spent traveling with a carnival (best told after several glasses of wine).

An outstanding meal!

And, best of all, we were sent home with a baguette. I am off to Cowgirl Creamery to find something to serve with it...

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I received a coupon in the mail from 2941, it is a gift certificate for $25 off lunch or dinner, provided you have a party of 2 or more and order at least two entrees. Applicable to food only, expires 3/31/07.

PM me if interested and I will drop in the mail.

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A special celebration deserves a special dinner at a special restaurant. And 2941 did not disappoint.

We started with an amuse of roasted pepper soup and a bite of crab salad. I am normally not a big fan of bell peppers, but that soup had me wishing for another sip. Or two. Or three. From there we got a taste of the house-cured wild salmon with osetra caviar and kaffir lime/chive crème fraiche, topped by a rice tuile. A perfect combination of smooth creaminess, acidity, saltiness and salmony goodness.

Next, I had the “Love Letters” – pasta handkerchiefs filled with mascarpone and topped with white truffle foam. There were three on my plate. I think I could have eaten 3 dozen (at least, hmm... 4 dozen?). The name is not an exaggeration, they are pure warmth and comfort.

My main was sautéed watercress spaetzle with turnips and glazed carrots and taro root “risotto” with mushrooms. While my dining companions were thrilled with their adeptly prepared fish, venison and lamb (rwtye declared it the best lamb he’s ever had in the US), I was amazed at Chef Krinn’s scope as evidenced by my meatless entrée. The spaetlze was a burst of nearly spring-like greenness and the “risotto” was pure winter coziness. Served side by side in little matching Staub La Cocottes, they made a completely statisfying and balanced dish.

But not that I didn't have room for dessert... special for that night – a butterscotch custard with a demerara sugar cake and rum-raisin ice cream. The custard was simply perfect. I also had a good portion of the carrot cake which was made even more delicious by the addition of honey (something I’ll have to remember the next time I make carrot cake at home).

Overall, a wonderful evening. Attentive service, great food and exemplary company. :P And don't forget about the fantastic and abundant bread!

Lastly, I simply do not have enough praise for 2941’s sommelier, Kathryn Morgan. Not only did she steer us to a great bottle of champagne to start our celebration. But helped find an inspired wine (a Barbera d'Alba) that went with the table’s array of firsts and mains, and oh-so-patiently, sincerely and knowledgeably answered all our crazy (and numerous) questions.

My only regret of the evening – it had been over a year since we last ate at 2941. A mistake I do not intend to repeat. :D

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But helped find an inspired wine (a Barbera d'Alba) that went with the table’s array of firsts and mains, and oh-so-patiently, sincerely and knowledgeably answered all our crazy (and numerous) questions.
I believe we tried the same wine last night, and while I thoroughly enjoyed my champagne, I have to say that the wine was the surprise hit and paired very well with our fish courses.

I'd never been to 2941, but last night's romantic and pampering experience certainly made an impression! The ambience, both indoor and outdoor, is stunning, and the service was exquisite. The champagne cart is gorgeous! I covet it!

The chef definitely knows his food for the masses. We were bowled over by the fish dishes and the array of breads. My dining companion, a bona fide breadaholic, was in carb heaven. We tried the Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare and Seared Hamachi, which are flawlessly fresh fish pieces accented by avocado, green apple, and pickled chanterelles, as well as the Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass and a red snapper preparation that was doused with lobster bits and a sauce reduction that improbably and deliciously included valhrona chocolate. The snapper was supremely rich, as were the accompanying lobstered potatoes, but the sea bass was surprisingly light for such a heavy fish. The sea bass' coriander-lemon verbena consommé sauce tasted earthy and complex, yet light and almost of springtime, with peppers and jicama providing contrasting flavor and crunch. The chocolate bread had even me (the bread-avoider) licking my fingers and the bacon bread has actual chunks of bacon baked right in...need I say more? Wait, I can - warm butter!

It was a lovely evening and my commemorative baguette is almost gone, so I guess we'll just have to go back soon.

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I believe we tried the same wine last night, and while I thoroughly enjoyed my champagne, I have to say that the wine was the surprise hit and paired very well with our fish courses.

I'm sure it was the same wine, specifically Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba 2004. I've always considered most Barberas to be amazing matches for most fish dishes, and I'm very glad you (both) enjoyed it. Please introduce yourself the next time you're at 2941, I would love to say hi!

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I'm sure it was the same wine, specifically Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba 2004. I've always considered most Barberas to be amazing matches for most fish dishes, and I'm very glad you (both) enjoyed it. Please introduce yourself the next time you're at 2941, I would love to say hi!

This is one of the all time stunning wines from Italy for its price! SUperb wine, as Kathy says, with fish. The same producer also makes what I consider to be the single finest Barolo... Monfortino Riserva. THe 99 is one of the great vintages around but its way big time expensive!

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Tonight I had the honor of again joining the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs for a dinner, this time at 2941. First I should say that Jill “the Beaming New Mom” Erber looked fabulous, just a few weeks after become a mother.

We started with an Amuse of Salisfy Truffle Soup, matched with an A. R. Valdespino Solera 1842 Sherry. The soup had a nice salsify flavor, and surprisingly not over-powered by the black truffle that was shaved into it. When I ate this soup, I thought that the texture was a bit thin for the flavors presented. The very rare sherry that we were treated to did a wonderful job helping this soup along. The sherry was quite powerful, and was more reminiscent of a fine Cognac than a fortified wine.

Our second course was a Carrot Ginger Portage, topped with cream fresh and olive oil. This was served with a Henriques & Henriques, Verdelho Madeira, Solera 1898. After taking a look at this soup, I understood why the first course was kept thin. This lived-up to the name portage, and was thick, creamy, and velveteen. I am a dedicated carrot hater, I have never liked them, and I would never dream of ordering a carrot soup, but after this, I would have to thing that my carrot hatred might be unfounded and silly. The soup on its own was one of the best dishes I have had in the last several months, but a spoonful of the soup after a sip of the Madeira was one of the best dishes I have ever had. The wine brought together the earthiness of the carrot with the cookie like presentation of the ginger, this was just sublime.

The soup was followed by a Marinated Salmon with a Truffled soy bean and ginger sauce. This was served with a 2002 Rochioli Winery Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. This was my least favorite dish. The texture of the salmon was too my liking, but the first bite was like taking a turn at a salt lick. Chef Krinn said later that he thought that the salmon had been over cured, and I would agree with him. Once you got below the outer layers of the fish it tasted quite good, and the accompanying soybean puree was delicious, I just could not get past that overly salty exterior. This Rochioli might make me reconsider my general dislike of California Pinot Noirs, it was rather Burgundian in style, and would be welcome at my dinner table any night, if like the previous two wines it were not so damned hard to get.

The next course was a sautéed squab breast with a parsley crust served with a port sauce. The wine that accompanied this dish was a 1999 Baron de Ley Rotary International, Rioja Reserva (all of the bottles were imported as a benefit to Rotary International, and have their emblem on the label). I would like to nominate squab to the trite food list. I have had squab prepared very well, and it was done so tonight, just no matter how hard I try, I just cannot get excited about it. And this includes the perfectly prepared example of a squab steak at Citronelle. The wine was outstanding; it was a style of Rioja, that closer to a Bordeaux in than either the traditional Rioja, or the overly ripe that are so prevalent these days.

The final savory course was called Decadent Beef Duo. Well, it was half decadent. The first part of the duo was Chef Krinn’s braised short ribs, and they lived-up to my expectations. They were moist and succulent and were further enhanced by the reduced cooking liquid. However, the second part of this duo was not what I would call decadent. It was a seared piece of prime sirloin. It was not that the meat was not delicious, it was, and it just didn’t quite fit with the short ribs. The texture, the temperature, and the flavor were all wrong as a partner to the finely braised meat. On its own it would have been wonderful, but I just didn’t think that it matched well. The wine with this course was a 1982 Chateau Figeac from Saint Emillion. It was rich and complex wine with a silken body; the fruit has become subtle, and given way to subtle spice. I was quite delighted to have to the opportunity to drink this wine and it was a perfect match for the beef.

We finished our meal with a study in chocolate and hazelnut. We were served a plate with a torte with hazelnut cream filling topped with dark chocolate, hazelnut-chocolate mouse, and hazelnut and milk chocolate ice cream. The torte was a bit over-powered by the chocolate topping, causing it to loose the hazelnut flavors. The mousse was very subtle, but this was really all about the texture, the creaminess of this dish is what the mouth desires, especially after a heavy meal, it was a true joy just to have this grace your tongue. But the best portion of the dish was the ice-cream. It was on the lean side, but the absence of fat (more than made up for by the mousse) let the hazelnuts shine. This was severed with a Campbell's Muscat, if you like them really sweet you will like this, and by sweet, I mean a reduced version of an ice wine or Barsac, just not something that calls to me.

Tonight’s dinner was a delight, not my favorite meal at 2941, but certainly memorable (especially the carrot soup). The meal was split between the innovative and the traditional, but if I want something truly innovative 2941 is not the restaurant that I would choose for that. The meal was not perfect, but for the most part it was executed well.

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The Vineyard

Special Bulletin

Wine Dinner Friday 2/16/2007

2941 Restaurant Koi Room

Two Hands 2005 Vintage Premier

The 'two hands' are Michael Twelftree and Richard Mintz who formed the company in 1999 with the clear objective of making the best possible Shiraz based wines from prized Shiraz producing regions within Australia.

Michael Twelftree, initially from a construction background, spent a number of years exporting Australian wine to USA and Asia. Richard Mintz, a chartered accountant, was formerly CEO of one of Australia's leading cooperages in the Barossa Valley, South Australia. With Twelftree’s contacts and wine savvy approach and Mintz’s management skills and business acumen, the two old friends decided to make some wine together.

In 2000 they started with just 17 tonnes of fruit from the McLaren Vale and Padthaway wine regions. From the beginning the wines were very well received at home and abroad with a healthy stream of reviews, culminating in 2004 with Robert M. Parker pronouncing Two Hands as “the finest negociant operation south of the equator”.

About 2941:

Chef Jonathan Krinn opened 2941 in the Fall of 2002. In its first three years, this modern French American restaurant has established itself as a top dining destination as demonstrated by a Zagat rating of 27 and a 3 1/2 star rating from Washingtonian Magazine.

“The 2005 vintage of Two Hands is the finest across the board for them. They all possess gorgeous amounts of well balanced fruit buttressed with judicious use of fine grained oak adding to their great structure, they will drink well now and all have great aging potential.” J.A. 1/27/07

The price per person is $165.00 Payable to The Vineyard. Please call (703) 288-2970, ask for Allen Murphey or Jim Arseneault for reservations or return by e mail to info@thevineyardva.com or fax (see below). Please include credit card or check with reservation. Seating is very limited. Special pricing for the wines will be offered to attendees.

Name: ________________________________________________ Date: ____/____/2006

Buyer Signature: ___________________________________Phone______________

Credit Card #:______________________________________Exp._______________

1420 Chain Bridge Road McLean, VA. 22101 Ph. (703) 288-2970 Fax (703) 288-2971

The menu:

Wine Dinner Friday 2/16/2007

The Vineyard & 2941 Restaurant Present

Two Hands 2005 Vintage Premier

Wine Dinner

Butlered Hors d’ Oeuvres

Peking Duck confit Spring Rolls with plum sauce

Parmesan and Niçoise Olive Fritters with aged parmesan and Niçoise olives

First Course

Caramelized New England Scallop

Truffled taro root and baby leeks

Two Hands Wolf Riesling 2004

Second Course

Milbrook Venison Persillade

Creamed parsley, fresh black truffles and ruby port reduction

Two Hands Brave Faces Shiraz-Grenache Barossa Valley 2005

Two Hands Angel’s Share Shiraz McLarenVale 2005

Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz Barossa Valley 2005

Main Course

Seared Prime Beef Loin and Braised Beef Cheeks

Celery root puree and wild mushrooms

Two Hands Harry & Edward’s Garden Shiraz Langhorne Creek 2005

Two Hands Max’s Garden Shiraz Heathcote 2005

Two Hands Lily’s Garden Shiraz McLarenVale 2005

Two Hands Sophie’s Garden Shiraz Padthaway 2005

Two Hands Bella’s Garden Shiraz Barossa Valley 2005

Dessert

Caramelized Pineapple Upside Down Cake

coconut tapioca and lemongrass, pineapple passion fruit sorbet

Two Hands Brilliant Disguise Muscato Barossa Valley 2006

Coffee & 2941 Cotton Candy

7:00 PM $165.00 per person

Reservations (703)288-2970 Allen or Jim

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out of curiosity- does anyone know how crowded the bar gets around 5:30-6? Some co-workers and the president of my company all wanted to go out somewhere nice and I thought this might be a good place if not a touch far from us, but I love this place.

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2941 was actually more packed than I thought it would be- by 7 PM virtually every stool at the bar was taken- but not uncomfortably tight in there. We ended up eating there- I had the tartare and the short ribs, my friend had the red snapper and started with the love letters. As always Krinn is doing incredible stuff.

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Love Letters: a dish of thin pasta squares folded over mascarpone, in a rich sauce with thinly sliced asparagus and morels. Outrageously priced at $23 for an appetizer-sized portion at lunch, but very, very tasty. Possibly the best thing I've tasted this spring.

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Another delicious lunch. Apologies for the clumsy descriptions, but I gotta scribble this down fast and get back to work ;) 2941's lunch special (website needs updating) now consists of any three choices from a good-sized list for something under $30, or two choices in the low $20 range. No, it's not a Lickety-Split, but it strikes me as quite a deal considering the kitchen and the full-on service.

An excellent blue crab soup (not Maryland-style!) containing a gold mine of lump backfin lurking under a sheen of consommé and basil olive oil. Despite the billing, I didn't see any remaining evidence of the Smithfield ham component, nor did I really miss it.

The cap-of-ribeye beef (a cut better known to some as RTC's "callette") served with fiddleheads, shallots and a streak of buttery pureed potato, is deliciously tender and beefy but probably reached medium-rare under a broiler, without any real char, as 2941 still lacks a proper grill. Honestly, I still prefer Landrum's take on this cut, but this presentation was more French(?) in character.

There are now five flavors of ice cream made in-house (Tahitian vanilla, caramel, butter pecan, strawberry and chocolate), and conveniently the ice cream dessert option is now five small scoops of your choice. All very good, but I Really Liked the butter pecan.

Mal Krinn has been branching out into some nifty variations on his basic loaf. Included in our basket were slices loaded with pignoli, rosemary bread, pieces of an addictive chocolate-and-dried-cherry bread, and a couple other types.

Finally, there's an eye-catching new sculpture outside, installed about a month ago, a 15+' bronze homage to Isaac Newton by Salvador Dalí.

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An excellent blue crab soup (not Maryland-style!) containing a gold mine of lump backfin lurking under a sheen of consommé and basil olive oil. Despite the billing, I didn't see any remaining evidence of the Smithfield ham component, nor did I really miss it.

I had the tasty crab soup this weekend, and the one I had contained little cubes of ham. Also there were cubes of potato, lumps of crab, and corn - with some kernels still stuck together from when they were cut from the cob.

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was lucky enough to attend a wedding in the private room there. wonderful stuff. I'll have to post the whole menu when i get a chance. the service was exceptional, plates all placed at the same time instead of 1/2 the table waiting for their plates to arrive. all the little things were done very well and a bowl of cotton candy on each table at the end is a great way to end any good meal! ;)

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was lucky enough to attend a wedding in the private room there. wonderful stuff. I'll have to post the whole menu when i get a chance. the service was exceptional, plates all placed at the same time instead of 1/2 the table waiting for their plates to arrive. all the little things were done very well and a bowl of cotton candy on each table at the end is a great way to end any good meal! ;)

Hmmmm, I wonder whose wedding it was.

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We had another wonderful meal at 2941 tonight. While all the fish dishes looked oh-so-tempting, my heart still belongs to the Love Letters (currently served with chanterelles). And just when I thought it could not get any better, along came the Banana Croustillant (banana fritters with a passion fruit citrus custard). Warm. Crispy. Fritters. B) The best restaurant dessert I've had in recent memory and alone worth the trip.

(P.S. CF & GT -- same waiter! :angry: )

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We had another wonderful meal at 2941 tonight. While all the fish dishes looked oh-so-tempting, my heart still belongs to the Love Letters (currently served with chanterelles). And just when I thought it could not get any better, along came the Banana Croustillant (banana fritters with a passion fruit citrus custard). Warm. Crispy. Fritters. :o The best restaurant dessert I've had in recent memory and alone worth the trip.

(P.S. CF & GT -- same waiter! B) )

Had an amazing lunch at 2941 today, by myself. Just a little reading and great food!!! Jonathan is an amazing chef, and always seems to amaze. I have been there several times over the years, and each time it just gets better!! Had the 3 course prix fixe menu,

Heirloom Tomato salad (oh so fresh)

Short Rib on hose made pasta (shere lushous devinity)

Banana Crostilliant (awesome!!)

all along side a Boureal-Dorleans Vouvray Demi Sec 1965 (WOWOWOWOOWW!!!!!!) nice buy Kathy, this is an amazing wine, an i got to take it home, since of course i couldnt finish it at lunch, but even now it has gotten more interesting. Will be going back very soon to see the greatness of Kathy Morgan's little hidden gems, and Jons taste extraveganzas

:P:angry:

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Had an amazing lunch at 2941 today...

Short Rib ... pasta (shere lushous devinity)

Do you mean "sheer, luscious, divinity" or is this another inside joke that I don't get?

Incidentally, there is a spell check on here. Look to the upper right where the ABC with check mark logo is.

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My wife and I will be hitting up 2941 for our big One Year Anniversary.

Anyone have any ideas for special requests to make the evening more romantic? A certain table to request, perhaps? Anything else?

the tables along the lake side windows , where they are long ways rather than beside are amazing at sunset. preorder a half bottle of KRUG MV as well :blink:

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Another food flash from Tom Sietsema

Wrong.

I wouldn't even care about this, except I know for a fact that a substantive quote of mine was recently edited out of an article in the Washington Post Food Section. The reason? 'Because he's competition.' And then they proceeded to quote someone from the Wall Street Journal instead.

Competition? Well that would certainly explain the two-year absence of any mention of this website coming from them (this despite free-flowing discussion about them, and regular links to their articles and reviews, which we will continue to provide in the name of responsible journalism).

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

One thing Tom failed to mention in his "Food Flash" is who the ultimate chef will be, although he does mention that it will set off guessing games among area "chowhounds."

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

And if there was a way to get Scott Bryan to stay down here? Washington, DC would arguably become the hottest food city in the United States. Don't bet on it, however.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Competition? Well that would certainly explain the two-year absence of any mention of this website coming from them (this despite free-flowing discussion about them, and regular links to their articles and reviews, which we will continue to provide in the name of responsible journalism).

Should be interesting to see what happens. Some pretty big shoes to fill at 2941.

Why are you surprised about the competition thing? You do write for WETA and that provides a venue to get information out. Like it or not, this site and that are linked.

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Should be interesting to see what happens. Some pretty big shoes to fill at 2941.

Why are you surprised about the competition thing? You do write for WETA and that provides a venue to get information out. Like it or not, this site and that are linked.

Having eaten at Veritas about ten times since it opened, I can say without equivocation that Scott Bryan can fill just about anyone's shoes on the planet. He's that good. It will be a treat, if only for a few months, but how I wish he was gonna be downtown. As for the permanent replacement - Cafe Boulud has not been the same since Andrew Carmellini left. My last 2 meals there have been good, but not mind blowing, as they often were under Carmellini's watch.

Fun stuff.

Don, you should look upon that perceived slight as a huge compliment.

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

Ahem, may I say that he would certainly be a HOT addition to the DC area dining community? Sign him up for the calendar. :blink:

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Should be interesting to see what happens. Some pretty big shoes to fill at 2941.

Why are you surprised about the competition thing? You do write for WETA and that provides a venue to get information out. Like it or not, this site and that are linked.

And for some reason, the Washingtonian has a "thing" against the Post...every issue is a new reason to slam them for something. I just don't see the two as competition myself. What about your stint there?

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They have been doing Post Watch for many years. It's not new.

No, I didn't mean the Post Watch was new, just that every issue there appears to be a new reason to slam the Post. I've been reading it for many years myself. I just never got the animosity. To bring this back to topic (although probably should be a different thread?) Might the departing Chefs be found in the space recently vacated by Colvin Run Tavern?

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Might the departing Chefs be found in the space recently vacated by Colvin Run Tavern?

This is a good question, and I thought of the same thing. I don't know the answer, but I was told the restaurant was being built "from the ground up," so take that for whatever it's worth.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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