Jump to content

Mirabelle, Modern American at 16th and I Street Downtown - Chef Keith Bombaugh and GM Jennifer Knowles


Recommended Posts

Once I get my sciatica under control and can comfortably work in my office again, I selflessly volunteer to go by Mirabelle for lunch one day and have what is sure to be an extremely tasty meal for myself, to put my money where my mouth is.

Not ordering the ham sandwich, though. ^_^

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dinner a week ago at Mirabelle was such a let down that it made me wonder whether I would still love Palena if I could go back in time and eat there today. Is my memory of my first time in the cafe, at the bar, eating a hamburger, the old fry plate with lemons, and Ann Amernick's platonic ideal of a brownie sundae, a meal which to this day remains a favorite, simply an experience I wouldn't enjoy today?

Putting aside some issues with oversalting, nothing was all that tasty at Mirabelle. We ate 1 tasting menu, and a few first courses. Best part of the meal was the cheese course. The spring soup with buckwheat tempura walleye pike that Pool Boy enjoyed was gross during our visit. One note bitterness with stale curry flavors.

The lobster plate had an interesting texture, neither raw nor fully cooked, and quite chewy.

o-2.jpg.760fe6e88f203b90a335184ed6273fdb.jpg

The cured trout that started the tasting menu was bland, forgettable, ho-hum, and worsened with an over salty potato bite. o-6.jpg.604a936aa80ea82b9744a500812a55f0.jpg

A salmon and white asparagus plate was also bland and boring. 

o-5.jpg.dfa4ee083758d927abdb9a6783c137f0.jpg

The john dory with sauce americaine was the best dish on the tasting menu yet nothing special.

o-4.jpg.70271ebd081f7cae6a71433cd68511fe.jpg

The lamb shoulder was too salty and plated with pretty vegetables that were pretty flavorless.

o-3.jpg.1eb00f7e8e5b33712cc179c4f190111b.jpg

The souffle to finish the meal was fine as in passable, decent, ok.

o.jpg.415d90acf47eafa52f067bdc72d9102b.jpg

Ruta and Chin were in the house so not entirely sure what to make of such a lackluster meal. 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, peasoup said:

Ruta and Chin were in the house so not entirely sure what to make of such a lackluster meal. 

Maybe your palate has moved to the point where you want more done with the food than simple ingredients presented simply?

(I'm talking about Ruta, not Chin.)

To be honest, both the pictures and your descriptions of them look and sound wonderful *to me at this point in my life* - that doesn't mean they work with you, or that I'm right and you're wrong. Believe me, I appreciate what I think you're searching for as well; it's just that I've had it done poorly *so many times* that I often yearn for simplicity.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, peasoup said:

 

Putting aside some issues with oversalting, nothing was all that tasty at Mirabelle. We ate 1 tasting menu, and a few first courses. Best part of the meal was the cheese course. The spring soup with buckwheat tempura walleye pike that Pool Boy enjoyed was gross during our visit. One note bitterness with stale curry flavors.

I found the seasoning throughout our dinner was spot on. While I am surprised about your comment about the spring soup, it is possible that the dish evolved from your experience to our experience. Curious, did you happen to mention to your server that you thought the dish was gross (thus providing the team the opportunity to correct the situation)?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Maybe your palate has moved to the point where you want more done with the food than simple ingredients presented simply?

(I'm talking about Ruta, not Chin.)

To be honest, both the pictures and your descriptions of them look and sound wonderful *to me at this point in my life* - that doesn't mean they work with you, or that I'm right and you're wrong. Believe me, I appreciate what I think you're searching for as well; it's just that I've had it done poorly *so many times* that I often yearn for simplicity.

Actually, over the years my palate has moved more towards preferring good ingredients cooked or prepared in a way that highlights their innate flavors. But even a long time ago Palena quite impressed with: ground beef, cheese, toasted bun; fried potatoes and lemon; chocolate, flour, egg, baked.

And I agree, the dishes at Mirabelle looked nice (except for the "spring soup" which looked like an algae bloom). 

They just did not taste very good!

Bad nights can happen, sure. But I also think an underdone, chewy lobster, multiple over-salted items, and a permeating blandness make for a highly disappointing dinner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

I found the seasoning throughout our dinner was spot on. While I am surprised about your comment about the spring soup, it is possible that the dish evolved from your experience to our experience. Curious, did you happen to mention to your server that you thought the dish was gross (thus providing the team the opportunity to correct the situation)?

The server said the kitchen purees whatever leaves they have in that day for the soup. So entirely possible we ate different pureed leaves.

And yes, we mentioned our dislike of the soup. We weren't charged for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, peasoup said:

The server said the kitchen purees whatever leaves they have in that day for the soup. So entirely possible we ate different pureed leaves.

And yes, we mentioned our dislike of the soup. We weren't charged for it.

It sounds like that was the case. The dish was perhaps not the most impressive looking, but as stated, I thought it was a very good dish. Not as good as the consomme for sure, but a very good dish. Well, as with all new restaurant opening, I would imagine things can often be less than perfect. Perhaps you'll consider trying Mirabelle at another time in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, peasoup said:

Actually, over the years my palate has moved more towards preferring good ingredients cooked or prepared in a way that highlights their innate flavors. But even a long time ago Palena quite impressed with: ground beef, cheese, toasted bun; fried potatoes and lemon; chocolate, flour, egg, baked.

And I agree, the dishes at Mirabelle looked nice (except for the "spring soup" which looked like an algae bloom). 

They just did not taste very good!

Bad nights can happen, sure. But I also think an underdone, chewy lobster, multiple over-salted items, and a permeating blandness make for a highly disappointing dinner.

You absolutely come across as someone who knows what they're talking about. I believe you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DaveO said:

If you haven't seen this a thoughtful perspective on dining on at Mirabelle by Mark Furstenberg.  He and Frank Ruta are friends and you might recall that after Palena closed Ruta cooked for a short while at BreadFurst

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch ...
Becky Beck and the Krystal Lunch ...

Let's all trek, and go visit Flunch.

1) If it weren't for turborgrrl's Mar 27, 2017 post about the Jambon Beurre, with price and picture, would anyone in Washington, DC even know this sandwich exists right now?

2) If it weren't for porcupine's Apr 7, 2017 post with the opening menu, I wouldn't be able to say that Mirabelle is no more expensive than Restaurant Eve, Fiola, or any of numerous other high-end restaurants in the area - of course, people are free to judge for themselves:

Screenshot 2017-04-18 at 8.16.18 PM.png
Screenshot 2017-04-18 at 8.17.00 PM.pngScreenshot 2017-04-18 at 8.17.09 PM.png
Screenshot 2017-04-18 at 8.19.37 PM.pngScreenshot 2017-04-18 at 8.19.46 PM.png

Paying $26 for a Jambon Beurre stuffed with seemingly 10 ounces of homemade ham, on a homemade baguette with homemade butter (that's according to Frank Ruta's ex-sous chef) - wow - what must people have thought when they were paying $32 for a lobster burger at Central in 2008? Does anyone remember seeing that giant lobster tank at Central? Because I've been racking my brain trying to remember where it was, and I just can't. There's no way that lobster was frozen, is there? Nah ... not at that price.

3) If it weren't for my Mar 28, 2017 post linking Mirabelle's Jambon Beurre with Bread Furst's, I wonder if any inspiration would have come to write an essay about said sad sandwich. Oh, yes, yes - the Post wrote about it on April 4th, I'm sorry.

My bad. Oh God I really *am* sorry: That phrase was so basic, even twenty years ago - Chai Latte at Starbucks, anyone?

And Susan Friedland, good on you for that picture - I would have never known you were the mastermind behind it.

By the way, there's a $45 Dover Sole at La Chaumière right now. Who knows? Maybe somebody will write about it. 

On second thought ... what do I know?

Seriously, what do I know?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, DaveO said:

If you haven't seen this a thoughtful perspective on dining on at Mirabelle by Mark Furstenberg.

And . . . wow.  I'm genuinely unsure of whether this post is supposed to be a defense or a slam or just assorted musings.  Somehow I managed to feel slightly offended on behalf of both the people who are excited to dine at Mirabelle and the "young people" whose preferred style of dining this is not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, jca76 said:

And . . . wow.  I'm genuinely unsure of whether this post is supposed to be a defense or a slam or just assorted musings.  Somehow I managed to feel slightly offended on behalf of both the people who are excited to dine at Mirabelle and the "young people" whose preferred style of dining this is not.

I'd strongly suggest they were just simply musings. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/18/2017 at 8:11 PM, DonRocks said:

Paying $26 for a Jambon Beurre stuffed with seemingly 10 ounces of homemade ham, on a homemade baguette with homemade butter (that's according to Frank Ruta's ex-sous chef) - wow - what must people have thought when they were paying $32 for a lobster burger at Central in 2008? Does anyone remember seeing that giant lobster tank at Central? Because I've been racking my brain trying to remember where it was, and I just can't. There's no way that lobster was frozen, is there? Nah ... not at that price.

The butter at our dinner was truly amazing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/18/2017 at 8:11 PM, DonRocks said:

 wow - what must people have thought when they were paying $32 for a lobster burger at Central in 2008?

By the way, there's a $45 Dover Sole at La Chaumière right now. Who knows? Maybe somebody will write about it. 

But lobster and dover sole are top-shelf products that people have been conditioned to paying top dollar for.

$26 for a ham sandwich is simply a different mindset.

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, mtureck said:

But lobster and dover sole are top-shelf products that people have been conditioned to paying top dollar for.

$26 for a ham sandwich is simply a different mindset.

For real Dover sole, you are paying for the airfreight on top of the fish. Not sure you always get what you pay for when you order it. Fish in restaurants and stores is, I hear, the most frequently mislabeled food item. Having fished for decades, I can attest that this happens. Not sure whether it happens at the wholesale or retail level.  Living in the DC area, I never got the lobster thing. Maryland blue crab put lobster to shame in my mind. Then my friend, Jon Mathieson (formerly of 2941 and Inox, now head chef for the Redskins), prepared butter poached lobster for me! Wow! Most people over cook lobster, both professionals and amateurs.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just finished a second dinner here....reminded me much more of Palena, right down to the busted bathroom ceiling.

Consomme with foie, beef tartare with razor clams, duck pate, tete de porc, and roasted turbot all tasty, flavorful, and very good.

The matcha and rhubarb dessert very good. Baba was kind of ruined by a large pour of raw rum at the table....but if you like alcoholic heat in your dessert than you'd love this.

Besides the baba, my only nit to pick: $35 corkage, and the stems are Rona?

Can't explain the difference between tonight's food and the last time!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, peasoup said:

Just finished a second dinner here....reminded me much more of Palena, right down to the busted bathroom ceiling.

Consomme with foie, beef tartare with razor clams, duck pate, tete de porc, and roasted turbot all tasty, flavorful, and very good.

The matcha and rhubarb dessert very good. Baba was kind of ruined by a large pour of raw rum at the table....but if you like alcoholic heat in your dessert than you'd love this.

Besides the baba, my only nit to pick: $35 corkage, and the stems are Rona?

Can't explain the difference between tonight's food and the last time!

I would imagine, anyplace that is new takes time to establish a rhythm.  As for the stems, I could not read the tag when I was there. $35 is not great, but it is not horrible either, with many places hitting $50/bottle locally. That said, as much as I like their list, I'll be taking advantage of some cellared bits I have to bring there in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a reservation for tomorrow night (made before the WaPo piece came out, thankfully).  I couldn't find anything on the menu about the 'proposed menu'.  Anyone have additional details?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, zgast said:

I have a reservation for tomorrow night (made before the WaPo piece came out, thankfully).  I couldn't find anything on the menu about the 'proposed menu'.  Anyone have additional details?

I know you cannot beg, grovel, or bribe your way to a la carte any of the items on tha proposed meal menu (yet).

Here's what was on the list when we went a few weeks ago - 
 

  1. House Smoked Tasmanian Sea Trout with Dauphine potato, lemon creme fraiche, and smoked trout roe
  2. tart of warm white asparagus with ora king salmon, toasted seeds and green almond oil
  3. Wild caught john dory 'Dieppoise'with bouchot mussel royale, sauce Americainem and Kennet Square Mushrooms
  4. Stuffed breast and confit shoulder of Shenandoah Spring Lamb with spring nettle and mint emulsion, baby leeks and carrots
  5. cheese from the cart
  6. snickeresque souffle with dark milk chocolate souffle, peanut butter caramel sauce, candied peanuts and vanilla nougat glace.

I cannot speak for any of them as we ordered off of the regular menu. And, as you  probably know, what's on the menu will likely change with great frequency.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Pool Boy said:

I know you cannot beg, grovel, or bribe your way to a la carte any of the items on tha proposed meal menu (yet).

Here's what was on the list when we went a few weeks ago - 
 

  1. House Smoked Tasmanian Sea Trout with Dauphine potato, lemon creme fraiche, and smoked trout roe
  2. tart of warm white asparagus with ora king salmon, toasted seeds and green almond oil
  3. Wild caught john dory 'Dieppoise'with bouchot mussel royale, sauce Americainem and Kennet Square Mushrooms
  4. Stuffed breast and confit shoulder of Shenandoah Spring Lamb with spring nettle and mint emulsion, baby leeks and carrots
  5. cheese from the cart
  6. snickeresque souffle with dark milk chocolate souffle, peanut butter caramel sauce, candied peanuts and vanilla nougat glace.

I cannot speak for any of them as we ordered off of the regular menu. And, as you  probably know, what's on the menu will likely change with great frequency.

Thanks!  Sounds so tempting.  Hoping the white asparagus shuffles off the menu.  As cool as it may be to grow asparagus in the dark, I've just never warmed to the stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

went for lunch. didn't take pics, sorry.

i had the Tasmanian Sea Trout ($17) to start. i'm a sucker for raw or smoked fish, and this was no exception. the blood orange complimented the smoked fish perfectly. my dining companion has a decadent-looking chicken and foie gras boudin blanc ($18) and he praised it highly.

i moved on to the famous Belleburger ($28), which i was asked if i wanted it "wet or dry." it was explained that it's a french onion soup inspired burger and "wet" basically included onion soup on top. i chose wet. it was absolutely delicious. it was also absurdly messy. i cut it into little pizza-sized wedges to save some sort of dignity. but it was delicious -- the only other "french onion soup" like burger i have had was at Minetta Tavern in NYC, and i'd take this one in a second. dining companion had the lamb salad ($27). he said it was very good. there was a large amount of lamb on it -- it could have easily been rearranged as a lamb entree (particularly at lunch) with a large side salad and no one would have noticed. too full of onion broth and lamb to continue to dessert. excited for summer intern season, this is easily going to replace BLT as my go-to lunch with summer interns!

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had my evening at Mirabelle last week.  In summary, it was a wonderful evening with great service and truly delicious food.  My only complaint is that without hailing the bread plate a couple extra times, my and my dining companion would have left hungry - after eating our way through the tasting menu.  I totally get the quality over quantity concept, but this was a tad too far.  Just a couple extra bites in the early dishes and I wouldn't have raised it at all.  Still, I left very happy with the meal, but offer this only as a caveat to those thinking they need to skip lunch before the tasting menu.

Here were the dishes (no photos, sorry):

Tasmanian Sea Trout - You're hearing about this dish a lot because it's really great.  A slice of the trout was wrapped around greens and creme fraiche with a fried dauphine potato side topped with more of the creme fraiche.  Both were excellent bites.  The latter made me want to order the fried goodness from Palena Cafe just one more time.

Tart w/ White Asparagus - This was a bit of a deconstructed dish as the asparagus was separate and between layers of the separately baked tart. I'm not a huge fan of white asparagus, but really liked the dish.  What made it standout was the green almond oil on the bottom. Bottle that stuff - I'm a buyer.

Turbot - This was presented with two fried mussels, Sauce Americaine, mushrooms and a sauce/custard in an egg.  To be honest, I started the dish was just ok until I figured out that one needs to use the contents of the egg with the rest of the dish, which raised it to a whole different level.  What was it? Who knows - it was green and delectable.  Also to note - the Burgundy that was paired with this course was really wonderful. If there was one wine to go back to, I would choose this one.  Saint-Aubin 1er cru, 2011 for reference.

Duck Breast - Was served with a nettle and mint emulsion, pickled green strawberries, and glazed vegetables.  The most substantial plate of the evening and another winning dish. 

Willoughby Cheese Course - Twas cheese, gooey, stinky cheese.  Heaven.

Snickeresque Souffle - A semifreddo roll accompanying a dark chocolate souffle onto which a peanut butter caramel sauce was poured.  You're not going for subtle with Snickers as your model, but this dish was really great, in my view.  Really enjoyed the desert fortified wine they poured with this one as well - was a Grenache from the southwest of France that drank like a port (which they were shooting for, but will only feature wines with French grapes). This course also featured what made the service so wonderful throughout our dinner.  We lingered a bit too long on the cheese course and noticed two waiters walking past our table carrying deserts - an odd fact since based on our placement they really only could have been coming to our table.  The lead waiter had noticed that a few dishes hadn't been cleared, silently led her partner past our table, informed the hostess who sent over runners to the table to clear, then continued their loop back to the table as soon as it was clear.  Probably a mistake on their end to have come out before the table was clear, but the level of training implicit in the way they handled it was impressive.  At almost any other table in the restaurant I'm certain it would have gone entirely unnoticed.

We finished with some of the usual candies - all enjoyed at our table.

A great meal for us.  Would definitely go back, although I might opt for an appetizer and entree rather than the tasting menu next time.  The foie gras in consomme, in particular, is calling out to me to try.

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, zgast said:

Had my evening at Mirabelle last week.  In summary, it was a wonderful evening with great service and truly delicious food.  My only complaint is that without hailing the bread plate a couple extra times, my and my dining companion would have left hungry - after eating our way through the tasting menu.  I totally get the quality over quantity concept, but this was a tad too far.  Just a couple extra bites in the early dishes and I wouldn't have raised it at all.  Still, I left very happy with the meal, but offer this only as a caveat to those thinking they need to skip lunch before the tasting menu.

Here were the dishes (no photos, sorry):

Tasmanian Sea Trout - You're hearing about this dish a lot because it's really great.  A slice of the trout was wrapped around greens and creme fraiche with a fried dauphine potato side topped with more of the creme fraiche.  Both were excellent bites.  The latter made me want to order the fried goodness from Palena Cafe just one more time.

Tart w/ White Asparagus - This was a bit of a deconstructed dish as the asparagus was separate and between layers of the separately baked tart. I'm not a huge fan of white asparagus, but really liked the dish.  What made it standout was the green almond oil on the bottom. Bottle that stuff - I'm a buyer.

Turbot - This was presented with two fried mussels, Sauce Americaine, mushrooms and a sauce/custard in an egg.  To be honest, I started the dish was just ok until I figured out that one needs to use the contents of the egg with the rest of the dish, which raised it to a whole different level.  What was it? Who knows - it was green and delectable.  Also to note - the Burgundy that was paired with this course was really wonderful. If there was one wine to go back to, I would choose this one.  Saint-Aubin 1er cru, 2011 for reference.

Duck Breast - Was served with a nettle and mint emulsion, pickled green strawberries, and glazed vegetables.  The most substantial plate of the evening and another winning dish. 

Willoughby Cheese Course - Twas cheese, gooey, stinky cheese.  Heaven.

Snickeresque Souffle - A semifreddo roll accompanying a dark chocolate souffle onto which a peanut butter caramel sauce was poured.  You're not going for subtle with Snickers as your model, but this dish was really great, in my view.  Really enjoyed the desert fortified wine they poured with this one as well - was a Grenache from the southwest of France that drank like a port (which they were shooting for, but will only feature wines with French grapes). This course also featured what made the service so wonderful throughout our dinner.  We lingered a bit too long on the cheese course and noticed two waiters walking past our table carrying deserts - an odd fact since based on our placement they really only could have been coming to our table.  The lead waiter had noticed that a few dishes hadn't been cleared, silently led her partner past our table, informed the hostess who sent over runners to the table to clear, then continued their loop back to the table as soon as it was clear.  Probably a mistake on their end to have come out before the table was clear, but the level of training implicit in the way they handled it was impressive.  At almost any other table in the restaurant I'm certain it would have gone entirely unnoticed.

We finished with some of the usual candies - all enjoyed at our table.

A great meal for us.  Would definitely go back, although I might opt for an appetizer and entree rather than the tasting menu next time.  The foie gras in consomme, in particular, is calling out to me to try.

IMHO, the 'easter egg' to Frank's food is that, while all of the components are typically excellent and delicious, the assembly of some or ideally all component parts of the dish on a fork is what makes things he does truly exceptional.

Oh and order that consomme. Next time I am seriously considering ordering a double portion.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mirabelle is not a type of place I would typically go to, but after reading this reviews, I figured I'd give it a try.

We ate at the bar, and it was really a beautiful place. I had called the day before, and talked to a lovely woman named Brenda who said to call on the day of to remind her to hold a high top for us when we were on our way. They had a hightop for us, but at the time we got there (6:20ish), it wasn't all that busy, but may be worthwhile to call ahead. 

For starters we had the tartare (well, she had this, I don't eat beef) that came with a poached egg (I think they poach it in a mushroom broth) and razor clams. She said it was awesome. I had some of the egg and the razor clam. Delish. So pretty to look at. I got the lobster, and it was simply cooked with a fennel foam. I enjoyed this a lot. I thought the texture of the lobster was great, not chewy. 

I think if you sit at the bar, you don't get bread service unless you request it. Request it! The butter and bread are fan-freaking-tastic.

So, this is interesting... the tartare is $18 and is quite a portion - in fact, since we didn't share it, she got a bit full. So, we asked the server (who was new, and very attentive) should we get a full entree or split one? He said the lamb was fantastic and definitely split it if we were eating dessert. It was lamb saddle and came with delicious spring vegetables. Again, as the other dishes, plated very pretty. But, it was very small. I think less overall meat than the tartare, but it was $36. 

We shared a strawberry tart and a chocolate something or other that were beautiful to look at it, and tasty to eat. 

With 2 cocktails each, we spent under $200 with tax and tip, which isn't bad, but I was a little hungry afterwards. 

I'd go back, but it's overall too fancy for a guy like me. I like places with waiters/waitresses that have tattoos, wear t-shirts and say "stoked" a lot. 

 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/16/2017 at 8:51 AM, Simul Parikh said:

Mirabelle is not a type of place I would typically go to, but after reading this reviews, I figured I'd give it a try.

We ate at the bar, and it was really a beautiful place. I had called the day before, and talked to a lovely woman named Brenda who said to call on the day of to remind her to hold a high top for us when we were on our way. They had a hightop for us, but at the time we got there (6:20ish), it wasn't all that busy, but may be worthwhile to call ahead. 

For starters we had the tartare (well, she had this, I don't eat beef) that came with a poached egg (I think they poach it in a mushroom broth) and razor clams. She said it was awesome. I had some of the egg and the razor clam. Delish. So pretty to look at. I got the lobster, and it was simply cooked with a fennel foam. I enjoyed this a lot. I thought the texture of the lobster was great, not chewy. 

I think if you sit at the bar, you don't get bread service unless you request it. Request it! The butter and bread are fan-freaking-tastic.

So, this is interesting... the tartare is $18 and is quite a portion - in fact, since we didn't share it, she got a bit full. So, we asked the server (who was new, and very attentive) should we get a full entree or split one? He said the lamb was fantastic and definitely split it if we were eating dessert. It was lamb saddle and came with delicious spring vegetables. Again, as the other dishes, plated very pretty. But, it was very small. I think less overall meat than the tartare, but it was $36. 

We shared a strawberry tart and a chocolate something or other that were beautiful to look at it, and tasty to eat. 

With 2 cocktails each, we spent under $200 with tax and tip, which isn't bad, but I was a little hungry afterwards. 

I'd go back, but it's overall too fancy for a guy like me. I like places with waiters/waitresses that have tattoos, wear t-shirts and say "stoked" a lot. 

Nice.  It's not too fancy of a place if you ask me. I go in jeans and an Hawaiian shirt. Great service, fantastic food, normal, personable staff (that probably many have tattoos, and are probably wearing undershirts too, but probably do not say stoked while on duty) is fine with me. The seating all around is magnificent.

We went again with friends to the Peay Wine dinner there recently. A little tight, a little noisy, but food was great and a great time. Notes to follow.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

We went again with friends to the Peay Wine dinner there recently. A little tight, a little noisy, but food was great and a great time. Notes to follow.

I was there for the Peay dinner as well.  My first time at Mirabelle and unfair to judge based on a group dinner/set menu like that, but definitely interesting enough to make me want to go back soon. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, jpbloom said:

I was there for the Peay dinner as well.  My first time at Mirabelle and unfair to judge based on a group dinner/set menu like that, but definitely interesting enough to make me want to go back soon. 

Yeah I can only imagine how hard it is to get that right for what, 25-30 people at once?  We were on the right hand table as you walked in to the private dining room. The 2009 Pommarium Pinot Noir was the piece de resistance on the wine front.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr. BLB and I went for lunch for our anniversary last week.  It is a lovely space and the food was amazing.  In fact, I think the only negatives I can say are that it isn't Palena (price point, menu variety and warmth of service) and Aggie, while terrific, isn't Ann Amernick. (Which may be another way of saying that it just isn't Palena...)

We split the gnocchi to start.  It was perfect. I wanted to lick the bowl.  It was that moment when I realized we had not received bread and I didn't see our server to ask if it was possible to get bread to wipe up the last drops of the sauce. 

I had the Belleburger, dry.  It isn't quite the Palena burger but it is lovely and tasty and almost as good.  Mr. BLB had the Bavette.  Which was good but not as good as the burger. (It is a universal truth after 13 years of marriage, 17 years together and 20 years of knowing each other--I always order better than he does...)

For dessert I had the Chocolate Concorde and he the assortment of confections, which was the only true disappointment as none of them were satisfying or on the same plane as the rest of the meal.

We are plotting a return over the summer while BL-almost 5th grader is away at camp.  It is too expensive to go more often and that makes me a little sad.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, bookluvingbabe said:

Aggie, while terrific, isn't Ann Amernick. (Which may be another way of saying that it just isn't Palena...)

Do you really think this is a "negative," or just something different? Ann is a baker - no more, no less - and Aggie is a pastry chef, more of a creator of composed dessert plates.

I don't know that I've ever had a dessert by Aggie or by Ann Specker (Kinship) that didn't have a crescent of ice cream in it, and I mean this quite literally, although I'm having trouble remembering Aggie's work at Palena (certainly, there was the cookie plate at the end).

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Do you really think this is a "negative," or just something different? Ann is a baker - no more, no less - and Aggie is a pastry chef, more of a creator of composed dessert plates.

I don't know that I've ever had a dessert by Aggie or by Ann Specker (Kinship) that didn't have a crescent of ice cream in it, and I mean this quite literally, although I'm having trouble remembering Aggie's work at Palena (certainly, there was the cookie plate at the end).

I have. A Spot of Tea by Aggie was one of the singular best desserts I have had in my entire life. No ice cream.

As for Ann versus Aggie - why choose? I like them both for different reasons. Overall, I think I prefer Aggie's end results, but Ann's caramels are better than Aggie's, but geez, we're splitting hairs for sure.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I don't know that I've ever had a dessert by Aggie or by Ann Specker (Kinship) that didn't have a crescent of ice cream in it, and I mean this quite literally, although I'm having trouble remembering Aggie's work at Palena (certainly, there was the cookie plate at the end).

the one time I ate at Palena, I had a lemon thyme posset for dessert.  No ice cream.  And It's been a couple of years and I still yearn for another bite of it.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 out of these 5 dishes were huge winners.  The quail and poussin (just a young chicken) were super tender, the raviolis were superb (pasta texture and the sweetness of the filling), the foie gras was magnificent, the terrine full of flavor, and the boudin light and airy (although not quite as airy as Marcel's).  What happened to the last dish?  I found the texture of the fish to be mushy.  It was obviously sous vided because the fish was cooked yet not really flaky or firm.  Other dishes were sous vided to much better effect so I'm not against sous vide, just not a good way to prepare fish.

SWEET PEA RAVIOLI - Beaver Creek quail confit and egg, lardons

ALL OF THE RABBIT IN A TERRINE - Mushroom gelée, tarragon dijonnaise, minus 8 verjus vinaigrette

IMG_0574 (2).JPG

FOIE GRAS POACHED IN CONSOMMÉ - Chrysanthemum, spring radish and onion buds

IMG_0575 (2).JPG

ROAST POUSSIN BREAST AND BOUDIN OF THE LEG - Arrowhead spinach, glazed spring onions, juniper sauce

ATLANTIC BLACK SEA BASS AND GULF SHRIMP - Porcini and button mushrooms, favas and their shoots, sauce meurette

IMG_0576 (2).JPG

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

It was obviously sous vided because the fish was cooked yet not really flaky or firm.  

Doubtful.  More than most likely slowly cooked stove-top in a stainless steel pan with not too hot olive oil.  Black bass that is not overcooked is neither flaky or firm.  I don't think Frank has ever cooked fish SV and probably is not going to start now.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went to Mirabelle for the first time on Saturday (7/15), and we look forward to another visit.

The space is lovely, and the service was excellent. The wine list offers a broad range of choices, including bottles priced at less than $40. We ordered a red—Domaine de Bel Air, Cabernet Franc, ‘La Fosse Aux Loups’ at $40—and a white—Chinon 2011 and Bernard Defaix, Aligoté, Bourgogne Aligoté NV at $26— to accompany our meal.

Others before me have mentioned the rabbit terrine, but I will, too. It was excellent—possibly one of the best dishes of the evening. So many terrines and pates are bland. Not this one! It was nicely seasoned and spiced, and was accompanied by a mustard and a green salad that added punches of flavor and acid that complimented the terrine. Nuggets of rabbit, mushroom, and foie gras delighted us in turns.

Beef tartare had a nice, beefy flavor and was enhanced by its dressing. We enjoyed every bite, and this is now my favorite tartare of the ones I’ve tried.

Foie gras poached in consommé was a new preparation for us, and we loved every single luxurious spoonful!

All in all, the appetizers we tried were delicious, special, and ones we’d order again and again.

I ordered the Angus strip loin, which was accompanied by Dauphin potatoes and beef tongue. The tongue was not a dominant flavor in the potatoes, rather it seemed to provide depth and richness to the crispy potato cake. My husband had the veal “Oskar” with lump crabmeat. He seemed to enjoy it, although he felt the sauce/preparation kind of drowned out the flavor of the crab. That’s more a stylistic criticism than a quality criticism.

Our overall impression of the food was extremely positive. Flavors were balanced. This is not quick or easy food to make. Terrines and consommés take time and care and skill to make. The ingredients used are very high quality. Someone upthread commented on the butter, and my husband did say that it was the best butter he’s ever tasted.

I can’t speak to the issue of the ham sandwich, as we were there for dinner, and I wouldn’t be able to try it anyway. But my husband and I both felt that the prices for dinner were competitive with other restaurants in the same category. I never had a Palena burger or the roast chicken. We dined at Palena several times, only once in the front room and even then we ordered from the back-room menu, which we always loved. I understand that some people miss that front-room neighborhood place from Cleveland Park, but it wasn’t a sustainable business model there, and it probably wouldn’t be here on 16th Street by the White House. This is a different restaurant, in a different area—not really a neighborhood. It is a place where “power players” will go, and they will get a good meal for their dollars.

Many years ago, when we first moved to the area, we read about Jean-Louis at the Watergate, and knew it was a very special place, but it seemed too expensive and we never went. To this day I regret not saving up the money for that special dinner. I don’t know if Frank Ruta compares favorably to Jean-Louis Palladin, but I think that a dinner at Mirabelle is well worth saving up for, if it is beyond one’s normal dining budget.

I have celiac disease, and I ate here safely. My choices were limited, but what I could eat (listed above) was wonderful! Everyone connected to our service was aware of the issue and took great care to ensure my safety. As always, YMMV.

Angus Strip Loin:

Mirabelle Angus strip loin.jpg

Veal Oskar:

Mirabelle veal oskar.jpg

Tartare:

Mirabelle tartare.jpg

Foie Gras:

Mirabelle foie gras.jpg

Terrine:

Mirabelle terrine.jpg

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, hopsing said:

Megan McArdle identifies some of the reasons people aren't flocking to Mirabelle, but she neglects the two most important:  location and, especially, formality-bordering-on-stuffiness--both of which are largely responsible for the prices (which she does mention).  It was obviously designed for an expense-account, business crowd. Which, along with the prices, keeps the crowds away.  And that's a shame, of course, because she's right: there's no one better than Frank Ruta.

(FWIW, I've only been once, two months ago, and thought the food was, not surprisingly, wonderful; but since then I haven't thought once of returning, largely for the reasons stated above.  By contrast, I *always* yearned to go to Palena (the "front room" cafe before expansion, especially), though the food was no better there.)

Case in point:  Komi.  Virtually everything McArdle writes is equally true about Komi, and Johnny Monis. Except that it is even more expensive. Yet it is booked every night.  It's not very hard to see the differences that are the cause of the disparity.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting ... I'm more cost conscious when dining, much more than regular posters... but, in my experience, Mirabelle just didn't get that level. You go to normal steak houses that charge this much.. and ...The Fiolas. Metier/Kinship. Convivial. Le Diplomate. Omekase at Sushi Taro. Izakaya Seki. P&P. As mentioned above, Komi. Many more... I'm not even a huge fan of Mirabelle's cuisine, but hammering on them for price seems a little odd. It was expensive. As dining in DC tends to be. Nothing over the top... 

EDIT: Just read Megan's article. She's right. They do high end, standard food well. Maybe perfectly? Idk... I see enough $2.75 oysters and $45 steaks and $38 fish and $13 Brussel sprouts that aren't amazing that I really don't think price is keeping people away. 1789, Marcels, Fiola/Casa Lucca, and many more are the same price. It's stuffy, that's what keeps me from making it something I want to go to soon. But, wouldn't deny its great, and a reasonable value compared to much of non-Asian DC...

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Simul Parikh said:

Interesting ... I'm more cost conscious when dining, much more than regular posters... but, in my experience, Mirabelle just didn't get that level. You go to normal steak houses that charge this much.. and ...The Fiolas. Metier/Kinship. Convivial. Le Diplomate. Omekase at Sushi Taro. Izakaya Seki. P&P. As mentioned above, Komi. Many more... I'm not even a huge fan of Mirabelle's cuisine, but hammering on them for price seems a little odd. It was expensive. As dining in DC tends to be. Nothing over the top... 

I agree.  Mirabelle would be slightly less pricey with a different address, and if it were trying to attract a different clientele.  But Komi and P&P are much pricier.  That's why I suggested its lack of (relative) popularity is mostly a function of location and, especially, formality/stuffiness, real and perceived, more so than the factors McArdle identifies.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Marty L. said:

I agree.  Mirabelle would be slightly less pricey with a different address, and if it were trying to attract a different clientele.  But Komi and P&P are much pricier.  That's why I suggested its lack of (relative) popularity is mostly a function of location and, especially, formality/stuffiness, real and perceived, more so than the factors McArdle identifies.

Totally agree with this concept.  I loved Palena precisely because I could go 1X/month with the whole family, then 2x/year for the back room.  More formal places get my business, but only 1 or 2 times per year.  Who wants to go out in a suit all the time, even for good food?  Maybe it's because I'm a Gen X'er, but I'd rather spend most of my time at places that let me relax.  And I say all this having really, really enjoyed my meal at Mirabelle.  I'm definitely going back - later this year.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, zgast said:

Totally agree with this concept.  I loved Palena precisely because I could go 1X/month with the whole family, then 2x/year for the back room.  More formal places get my business, but only 1 or 2 times per year.  Who wants to go out in a suit all the time, even for good food?  Maybe it's because I'm a Gen X'er, but I'd rather spend most of my time at places that let me relax.  And I say all this having really, really enjoyed my meal at Mirabelle.  I'm definitely going back - later this year.

I wear jeans and a nice Hawaiian shirt every time I go to Mirabelle (and the Grill Room before that, and Palena (front cafe, back dining room, outside, bar, etc). I never feel out of place or uncomfortable.

We always have great service there. We always have a great time and sometimes I think it it is possibly because, from anyone's viewpoint, we're so obviously enjoying the experience.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just ate here for the first time (a farewell lunch from my law firm job) and probably the last time (since it was a farewell lunch from my law firm job).  It was good!  I had the consommé and the cod.  The  consommé was lovely, like a very refined phở broth.  The cod was nicely cooked and the clam and mussel broth it came in was flavorful and surprisingly bright.  All in all quite enjoyable.  Very nice job by them.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When my wife asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday ending with a zero, I advised her that I preferred to put our focus on our trip next year to Scotland (big anniversary year for us). However, it sat rattling around my head what we might be able to do to mark the occasion.

I thought maybe we could do 24 hours of the food of Frank Ruta and Aggie Chin.  Unfortunately, they have not yet launched breakfast, so we could not accomplish this goal completely. But we came pretty darn close - lunch, dinner and goodie bag from them to take with us to indulge in today.

It was such an amazing experience, and I promise to post full details of everything soon, with pictures and more. But please folks, this is the place you NEED to get to when you have a big, indulgent meal (at the very least!). Lunch is more affordable (but still expensive and indulgent). Dinner is more manageable on the cost front if you limit courses and/or beverages, too. But when you really want a great experience, a relaxing environment, and really want to indulge and stop your life for a while to slow down and be present - come here.

As a teaser, we had at least 8 dishes we tried at lunch, and at least 11 dishes at dinner. Plus we got to not only indulge in a great wine off of their list, but tried several more as half glass accompaniments to specific courses. We also partook of I think 4 spirits selections from their brandy, armagnac, cognac, etc cart at the front of the restaurant - including a selection from 1975 and also 1964. Such an adventure.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK so here goes. The day ahead of us was largely driven by the excuse to celebrate a birthday with a zero in it for me, while we really plan an celebrating it in Scotland next year. This year, we still marked the occasion by indulging in not one but two meals at Mirabelle, the current place Chefs Frank Ruta and Aggie Chin call home. The idea was actually hatched when both of them were at The Grill Room in Georgetown as that restaurant was in a hotel and we though 'Man, wouldn't it be amazing to have 24 hours of their food?!'Of course, they shifted away from The Grill Room to open Mirabelle instead. Foiled!  That said, we had a great lunch and, quite a few hours later, had dinner there as well. It was indulgent, sure, expensive, yes, but also a great way for my wife and I to spend a day where we needed to do nothing but take time out and enjoy each others company (a rare treat given a switch in occupation for me early this year having me work longer and commute farther than I'd done in a number of years). To really extend the experience, we stayed at a nearby hotel.

Lunch was up first, our first time trying lunch here at Mirabelle. Our reservation was at noon, and it was a little light in the dining room but this evolved over the next few hours as the tables filled up and diners came and went. The mix was mostly business folks, but also a good number of folks that were clearly there not for work. Love the space and seating as expressed before and our assigned wait staff member, Mario, took good care of us throughout the lunch and dinner as well.

After horse trading with my wife over dishes, we continued to do so after hearing of two additions to the menu - a variation of a summer bean salad that we've experienced before and an heirloom tomato salad. This altered our approach but not my drive to try the lunch version of the consomme. True, we knew dinner was on the horizon, but I also knew I wanted what I wanted and figured I would try to keep the rest of the meal 'lighter' (haha!). But the real surprise was getting to see both chefs come out to the table and say hi. So nice to chat with them both and so nice of them to do something like this as I am pretty sure they both prefer to stay behind the scenes and out of the spotlight as it were.

Anyway, we accidentally kicked things off with some lovely Champagne and then caviar and accoutrements - holy crap the accoutrements alone were amazing. The blinis were great, but the potato chips and then especially the piped, fried potato rings were magnificent. The caviar was wonderful and also came delivered with egg and very lightly whipped sour cream. Mmmmm.

Caviar and Accoutrements 36361029636_8db8f949ed_k.jpg

Next up were the salads. Here's the very simply presented but exquisite selection of many heirloom tomato varieties dressed with olive oil, salt, balsamico and greens. The elongated yellow one at the 7 o'clock position on the plate was my favorite (so sweet - like candy), but they were all so damn good.

Heirloom Tomato Salad 35597944973_3264ff7196_k.jpg

The summer bean salad highlights these lovely light yellow beans, but are given a tremendous supporting cast of a coddled egg, truffles, tiny (peeled) heirloom cherry tomatoes and delicious greens.

Summer Bean Salad 36009180430_cf93273d06_k.jpg

Next I had the lunch version of the consomme with little bits of braised veal and then veal tongue along with other tasty tidbits. But, as always, the star of the show is the glassy clear broth that is loaded with layer after layer of flavor. I hope to die in a vat of this slurping it all up in to my own oblivion. Well, maybe not, but you get the idea.
Consomme with Veal Tongue 36009191040_4fb5cc7a4e_k.jpg

Next came the mains. First up is the Berlingot of Summer Corn, with With Maine lobster, chanterelles and chorizo oil. What a wonderful way to sneak in a little bit of pasta in to great, great dish. One at first would think the chorizo oil would overwhelm the dish, but it was not so at all. Someone was very careful about not letting that happen. The dish was completely in balance and so damn good.

Berlingot of summer corn with lobster 36009190350_6a20f6d83d_k.jpg

I had the Navarin of Block Island Cod, with Mussel and clam broth, confit new potatoes and sweet garlic, brandade. I know, more sauce bordering on soup, but how could I not order this? Besides, remember I was trying to stay 'lighter' for lunch saving room for richer dishes later in to the evening.  Anyway, mixing the brandade in to the broth made an already delicious broth revelatory.

The Cod

I totally forgot to take pictures of the dessert, but we went for the Butterscotch Crémeux (Served with whipped vanilla crème fraiche and sea salt) and the Paris Washington (Choux pastry filled with caramelized peanut cream and milk chocolate served with chocolate sauce). Both were delicious, but the Cremeux was the better of the two by a slim margin. Never overly sweet and almost always having fun with textures or delivering perfection of the singular chosen texture depending on what is best.

We were sated and bid our hosts a brief goodbye. We worked off some of the indulgence with a walk around the area before retiring to our hotel before we returned later that evening for a great dinner.

DINNER! Hoo-boy so good.

We were well taken care of for the evening by Mario, Jaren, Jennifer and others of the staff - leaving us to enjoy ourselves and never getting in the way of our conversation and enjoyment of the evening. We opted to try some cocktails - The Stark and Embrasse de la Terre. Both were delicious and a great way to start things off. After considering the proposed meal of the evening, we still opted to order our own selections from the rest of the menu (very hard decision!). After that horse trading with my wife was over, we chatted with Jaren and, knowing we were going to splurge on an excellent bottle of wine to mark the occasion, he confirmed our wine list selection would work well with the bulk of our menu selections (it was a 1998 Chateau de Beaucastel Chanteauneuf du Papes). We snuck in a few other wines for the early courses (a tremendous Chenin Blanc for my wife and a wonderful Riesling for me - please note - they are happy to sell  you half glasses of wine - just ask!) as well. Here we go!

Before we got anything we actually ordered, extras came out from the kitchen - the Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho (from the proposed meal menu) - lavender scented Ora King Salmon in the middle with grated horseradish. The gazpacho was excellent but that salmon was perfection. The combination of the two parts at the same time. Yeah. Forgot to take a picture. Oops!

Next up was what appeared to be compressed melons of at least two varieties with great seasoning, alongside some lobster, greens some nice olive oil and a couple very small edible flowers. Very nice, but, in a day of great food, one of the overall weaker dishes (but, people, I am splitting hairs as usual).

Melons and Lobster

My wife started with the Oysters. Normally, I would not order oysters at anywhere Frank Ruta is cheffing (because I look for the stuff that difficult if not impossible to try to make at home!), but he had fun with this preparation methinks and I am glad my wife ordered this and shared a slurp with me. These oysters were prepped in shell with toasted brown rice tea, served with a small pumpernickel canape and a small bowl of yuzu vinaigrette was there for you to top off the oysters with. Alone, the oysters were great, but adding the yuzu was like a light bulb going off in your head. So good! And the Chenin Blanc my wife had with it was super.

Oysters View #1
Oysters View #2

Opposite the oysters, I had the Soft Shell Crab dish. Buckwheat Fried Eastern Shore Soft Shell Crab with curry vinaigrette and toasted coconut. Split baby corn, house pickled sweet peppers of a variety I could not place, and of course more wonderful greens, herbs and other magic tidbits. This dish was quite, quite fine and worked very well with the Riesling that Jaren suggested I try. Great pairing.

Soft Shell Crabs

Next, my wife had the Veloute of Locally Foraged Chanterelles and Pennsylvania Zucchini (with herb blossoms, small variety tomatoes and pickled chanterelles). Brought to the table composed with all of the elements, the veloute was poured at the table. My wife (and I) loves mushrooms and this was a great way to marry that with some elements of summer. A great dish. And it worked really well with the CdP.

Veloute of Chanterelles

I opted for the Áll Parts of the Rabbit and Foie Gras in a Terrine' dish (with mushroom gelee, tarragon dijonnaise and minus 8 verjus vinaigrette). I love rabbit. I love parts. I love terrines. This was PERFECTION. That is a house tarragon mustard/aioli there front and center. Plus some heirloom carrots and a pair of delicious yellow beans playing supporting actors to the perfectly dressed salad greens. SO.DAMN.GOOD.

Rabbit Terrine

My wife went for the Braised Veal Shoulder Óskar', next (braised Veal Shoulder Óskar' with Crabmeat gratin, chanterelle mushrooms, peas). It sounds sort of like it should not work, but it so does. How to make a braise in summer feel light and vibrant. Lots of other unmentioned veg in there as you can see. Really, really good and worked very well with the wine.

Braised Veal Óskar'

But this entree, what I had next, blew me away. The Roast Guinea Hen Breast and Boudin of the Leg (with summer chard, glazed carrots and onions, and juniper sauce) was good just in the letters and words already. It, at first, reminded me of something I had earlier in the year here when they did it with chicken, but this dish was a number of rungs above that prior effort for sure. Wow, just wow.  To me, this was the course of the night. Wonderful vegetables and a flavor packed slightly sticky sauce underpinned the whole dish. The breast was perfectly cooked, tender, well seasoned, juicy and with a 'more-ish' flavor.

But the star of this dish was the absolutely mindblowing boudin. Anyone that has had time with Chef Ruta's food knows he loves house making lots of what hits the plate, and this boudin is no exception. Part Guinea Hen leg, part foie gras and part magic, the boudin was as light as air (so delicate, so full of flavor!), full of Guinea henniness and yet reminded me of something almost Alsatian because a well made weisswurst in Germany can be a quite fine thing as well. This took the idea of a boudin, took the, IMHO, Germanic inspiration of a weisswurst, the presence of an excellent Guinea hen and made a thing designed to just blow you away.

Guinea Hen

To provide us a pause and a bit of relief as we headed towards dessert, out came another unexpected dish from the kitchen (also from the proposed meal menu I think), the Sour Cherry Sorbet with yogurt lime espuma, gin cucumber gelée, mint. Delicious and a nice was to transition away from dinner towards dessert.

Sour Cherry Sorbet

My wife opted for the Mirabeller 'Sachertorte'(with chocolate mousse, plum preserves, eau de vie cream, and cocoa sponge cake). A nice play on the traditional dish and delicious - And not too sweet at all! Mmmmmmmm! My wife was able to try two sips of other drinks along with this as well as after this dish. I think one may have been an eau de vie (I am probably wrong!), but the other, I am pretty sure, is the Thunevin- Calvet, Grenache, Vin Doux Naturel Maury, Roussillon, France, 1975 - which was a triumph, not just with the dessert (pairing well with the chocolate) but on its own. My wife was pretty much in heaven.

Mirabelle 'Sachertorte'

I opted for the Blueberry Vacherin' (with blueberry sorbet, lemon thyme sorbet, crispy (blueberry!) meringue, lemon curd and blueberry compote). Just lovely with such good flavors playing off each other so well.

After dinner, I tried a couple of sips from their Armagnac list (they have a cart of all of the wonderful Armagnacs, Brandys, Cognacs and Cavadoses (Calvodi?) at the front of the restaurant near the host desk) after chatting with Jaren about options originally thinking I was going to go for a cognac. Boy am I glad  I tried these Armagnacs. So good. The Vintage 1964 Marquis de Puysegur was quite, quite good (and older than me!), the 1990 Bas Armagnac Francis Darroze "Domaine de Bertruc"was really excellent (and better to my tastes). A wild little ride with these for sure.

Somewhere in there, too, there were the caramels and other goodies that Aggie sends out - always a pleasure and always good and delicious!

I think we left right after the other last table departed, a bit before midnight. A great night. We took a stroll around the block before taking a turn to the hotel, only to find one of the staff (the guy with an excellent tie, pocket square and even better shirt - I cannot remember his name, argh!) leaving the lobby, seeing us, and handed us a bag of goodies to take with us, too. What a surprise! We dug in to the goodies the next morning- macarons, caramels, house made peach preserves (well, that is not opened yet - saving that for breakfast tomorrow!), some of their great produce as well - cherries, peaches, figs and more.

It was a great way to spend a day celebrating. I think everyone should try that Guinea Hen dish - especially that boudin. Simply amazing.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...