[JLK]

Who has the scoop? From the look of the dining room, with lots of fancy-yet-monochromatic chairs placed around tables, it looks like it's not far from opening.

I can't recall the name...starts with V, I believe. Located around 14th and Church.

[brian]

Viridian, from the owners of Perry's.

I predict it will be LOUD.

[cjsadler]

There was a Weekly Dish bit about it in May. "Food that is easy to eat"

"FOOD AND FRIENDS: Saied Azali , the owner of Perry's (1811 Columbia Road NW; 202-234-6218) in Adams Morgan is joining forces with two longtime pals -- developer Giorgio Furioso and chef Sidra Forman -- to open a restaurant in Logan Circle that will combine the trio's love of design, food and community. They're calling their project Viridian (1515 14th St. NW) and plan to offer simple, seasonal food in a high-ceilinged dining room that will be dressed up with modern art. Forman, the pastry chef at the late Ruppert's restaurant in Washington, will be in charge of the menu. "I want ease," she says. "Food that is easy to eat and food that is good for you." Her daily changing lineup will feature "a meat, a fish, a chicken" and "a bunch of side dishes," she explains, so diners can create a meal of their own and also feel as comfortable ordering a full, three-course meal as they would "grabbing a soup and salad."

The business partners are creating their restaurant -- a one-time car showroom just steps from Studio Theatre -- from scratch, which has meant delaying its launch until fall. But many of the important details already are either in place or mapped out. Let's hope at least one idea catches on elsewhere: Azali says he plans to donate the best table at Viridian to charity, turning over its dinner proceeds to local good causes."

[LoganCircle]

They were looking for line cooks as recently as 5 days ago.

The photograph-adorned, all-white interior is inviting but--with a large number of tables placed fairly close to one another--looks like it has the potential to get a little cramped.

I wonder if this will turn into a destination restaurant or a neighborhood one.

This post has been edited by LoganCircle: 02 November 2005 - 02:33 PM

[oliveDC]

I can't wait to see how Viridian turns out. They hired their chef from the Reef apparently (Rebecca Byrnes). Doesn't Sidra Forman also do flower designing? Will she be a consulting chef like at Perry's?

[jm chen]

This is fairly OT but my credit union is in the process of renaming itself Veridian. I will have cognitive dissonance about Viridian for a while as a result.

[Stretch]

jm chen, on Nov 2 2005, 05:02 PM, said:

I will have cognitive dissonance about Viridian for a while as a result.

That, and the fact that it sounds like a new wonder drug for genital herpes.

[LoganCircle]

The front of the house looks to be in order. The window coverings are drawn, the tables are set.

Anyone know anything more?

[JLK]

They hope to open as soon as next week. The hold-up? Permits.

This post has been edited by JLK: 07 November 2005 - 12:18 PM

[Al Dente]

oliveDC, on Nov 2 2005, 05:08 PM, said:

Doesn't Sidra Forman also do flower designing?

Yes, she does. She did my wife's bouquet for our wedding (as well as a ton of other gorgeous decorative touches). I believe her shop is in Cady's Alley in Georgetown.

I'm checking to see if I can get some info on the opening from her, or perhaps see if she'll chime in herself.

[JLK]

I spoke with Sidra yesterday which is where I got the info re: waiting for permits.

[Al Dente]

Got an e-mail from Sidra:

Quote

We hope to be open by the weekend...permitting has delayed us a bit.

We have a great group of people working together on this project-  Rebecca Byrnes is the chef, Derrick Bullock is the general manager, Kenan Forman will be selecting the wines, two excited and supportive owners, lots of fantastic front and back of the house people.

We love our location- myself and many of the other employees live in the neighborhood.  We hope to be first and foremost a neighborhood restaurant.  Our food will be simple and seasonal.  The idea is to gather the best ingredients possible and to present them in a straight forward manner and let them speak for themselves.  There is meat fish and chicken on the menu but we are extremely vegetarian friendly and a vegan will have lots of choices available to them.  We will be serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  We are cooking and baking everything in house.  We have searched out the best produce, coffee...that we could find.

As for the name-  Viridian refers to a green colored pigment.  We chose the name because of the window frames of the restaurant are painted green and the idea of green living in general...organic farming, living and eating harmoniously with the environment.

The space was designed by David Knight.  The goal was to crate a comfortable and functional space while maintaining the raw beauty of the room.

What else ?  I am glad to share any information that I have!

[Meaghan]

Looks like it's open (Daily Candy).

[LoganCircle]

Viridian's menu on Friday, November 11th:

This post has been edited by LoganCircle: 13 November 2005 - 04:58 PM

[jm chen]

Composition of meat-and-sides menu? Interesting.

Hank in the reflection? Priceless.

It looks like you're trying to escape the Matrix.

[Meaghan]

LoganCircle, on Nov 11 2005, 04:04 PM, said:

As of Friday afternoon, November 11th:
attachment

Is that a cell phone cam? Keep that thing handy!

[jaimetown]

Supposed to be open for dinner tonight (first opening to the public).

[JLK]

Early reports?

[hillvalley]

You can't find it. I spent 1/2 an hour pissing people off Saturday night by slowly driving up and down 14th st. looking for this place. We called 411 and they didn't have a listing. We called a few people who should know, got good hints, and still couldn't find the place.

Either they have lousy lighting and signage in front of the restaurant or they aren't open yet.

[Meaghan]

It's dark and a little too pretty for anything on 14th Street. It looks, in my opinion, like it could be a showroom for luxury living (so, might be easy to bypass). Right next to Studio Theater by Whole Foods.

[brian]

I was in for a drink last night. It's got gauzy curtains across the front windows and doesn't have much of a glow to it. The interior is nice, but looks a lot like a high-end clothing boutique. The space and the menu feel very sophisticated in a way that's unlike most of the new crop of DC restaurants. I think it's going to be slammed seven nights a week.

[JLK]

brian, on Nov 14 2005, 04:09 PM, said:

The space and the menu feel very sophisticated in a way that's unlike most of the new crop of DC restaurants.

I'm curious to know what you mean by this. What places are you comparing Viridian to?

[brian]

JLK, on Nov 14 2005, 04:28 PM, said:

I'm curious to know what you mean by this.  What places are you comparing Viridian to?

Compared to the clubbiness of Zengo, the corporate feel of Acadiana, the casual space of Notti Bianche, or the food court feel of Sette Bello, Viridian has a level of polish in presentation and a focus that I haven't seen outside NY or SF. It's dead simple, and it's executed in a way that sets it apart from the other one-page menu restaurants in the city.

This post has been edited by brian: 14 November 2005 - 04:47 PM

[Meaghan]

brian, on Nov 14 2005, 04:47 PM, said:

Compared to the clubbiness of Zengo, the corporate feel of Acadiana, the casual space of Notti Bianche, or the food court feel of Sette Bello, Viridian has a level of polish in presentation and a focus that I haven't seen outside NY or SF. It's dead simple, and it's executed in a way that sets it apart from the other one-page menu restaurants in the city.

You said that about IndeBlu too.

[brian]

I have never called anything about Indebleu simple! I can't even navigate their drink menu.

[kventura]

Has anyone been recently? Have reservations for tomorrow night...

[DonRocks]

kventura, on Nov 18 2005, 02:37 PM, said:

Has anyone been recently? Have reservations for tomorrow night...

Recently as opposed to...?

[jdl]

Went last night. Interesting place, worthy of a return trip. Just don't go expecting layers of flavor; they really strive for (and achieve) simplicity and flavor purity.

Lots of restaurants purport to do simple, unfussy food; Viridian manages to make some of these places seem like Charlie Trotter's. A side dish of Brussels sprouts, for instance, is quickly roasted with ginger that's pickled in house. And that's it -- the entiretry of the preparation. It's delicious, but the sprouts maybe should've been quartered - some of them took a few too many chews to put away, IMO.

The shiitake mushroom and chard soup is fresh shiitakes (which also needed to be cut into halves, at the very least) and chopped chard in a mushroom-vegetable broth that's gently spiked with some sort of nori-like Japanese vegetable whose exact name I can't recall. Nothing complex about it, but if you like the fragrance and flavor of shiitake mushrooms, then this dish will speak to you.

A squash tart? Pureed kubota squash served in a crushed cornmeal crust from North Carolina and topped with a black-walnut puree and some sort of microgreens. The server said there were carmelized onions in the dish somewhere, but they weren't apparent upon eating the thing.

Oven-roasted organic free-range chicken is served pretty much unadulterated and, you know ... tastes like chicken. They seem to have a good source, though, as the chicken itself was above-average.

And so on.

A couple of odds and ends:

* The bread (including one with a salty crust) are not served with butter. (In fact, there's no a drop of dairy to be found anywhere on the menu.) Instead, it came with two purees: Pumpkin, and white bean. The pumpkin was basically flavorless; the white bean was somewhat more successful.

* The wine list is 15 or 16 selections in its entirety. And I'm thinking that they're all European, though I'm not positive, as I didn't really study the list. Everything is available by the glass.

* They'd only been open for one week when we arrived last night, but you wouldn't have known it. Service was spot-on, and our waiter was incredibly knowledgable about the menu, the sources for various items, the photos on the wall (all of various DC artists), etc. [The servers, btw, are generally very friendly here, and they're also in relatively casual uniforms, which I liked.] Nothing funky coming out of the kitchen, either. Everything was well-presented at served at proper temperature. That's a very, very good sign, indeed.

* Love the space itself, which has already been talked about here. Simple sophistication.

* Dunno how desserts are, since we had to rush off to a concert.

This post has been edited by jdl: 19 November 2005 - 08:24 PM

[kventura]

kventura, on Nov 18 2005, 02:37 PM, said:

Has anyone been recently? Have reservations for tomorrow night...

Sorry, I meant, has anyone else been yet? And thanks for the response, jdl. I actually cancelled my reservation b/c it's too cold for me to trek down there. Some other time.

[JLK]

So... no cheese plate?

[jdl]

You know, for some reason, I'm thinking that I did see a cheese plate on the dessert menu. But that can't be right, unless I misunderstood what the server said about a dairy-free menu. Maybe I was hallucinating after eating all those (magic) shitake mushrooms.

[mdecharlus]

Five of us had dinner at Viridan last night, and we all found it excellent. It appeals to diners who cares less about gimmicks than about fresh, high-quality, unfussy food. The restaurant calls itself "vegan friendly"; apart from several selections of appetizers and entrees, the food (including desserts) is made without any meat, fish, or dairy (butter, milk or eggs). On last night's menu, the non-vegan dishes were an appetizer of chicken liver terrine and an appetizer of a lambchop, and entrees of chicken, skirt steak and rockfish, each simply prepared to bring out their essence. (our table enjoyed both the chicken and the steak.) The only milk-based items were a dessert cheese and milk for coffee. The menu is divided into appetizers, entrees, and sides. Skipping the meats may be best, given how wonderful the other dishes are (including a squash tart entree). Highlights include the green lentils (perfectly cooked with some kind of mustard and wonderfully crunch) and brussel sprouts with pickled ginger: both dishes appealed even to those of us who are brussel-sprouts and lentil haters. The roasted mushrooms with thyme were flavorful if a tad oily. Only the beet salad with horseradish was bland. The desserts were all fabulous - one of our guests said that his carrot cake with coconut "ice cream" (made of soy milk) was the best dessert he'd ever had. The wines, and food, were extremely well-priced. The space is minimalist yet warm.

[giant shrimp]

there was an invisible crowd on a slow sunday night at viridian a little before curtain time at the neighboring studio theatre, so the hostess seemed a bit aggressive when she asked if we had a reservation. as we were escorted around the perimeter of the two-thirds-empty dining room to its furthest corner, assumingly to accommodate the imminent crush of diners who knew when and where they were going, we felt a little bit like drifters but were happy to be in such an inviting spot after zigzagging our way from chinatown and noticing such changes in the landscape as the absence of transvestites from the park on mass. ave. before you get to morrison-clark inn and discouragingly expensive condos sprouting all over the place like mushrooms. but it is still probably possible to get murdered, or at least mugged, while delving into the area west of the new convention center on a dark and lonely night, we theorized.

viridian is a swank, high-ceilinged, spacious box with a few oversized retromodern light fixtures, sueded walls, polished cement floors, muted earth tones and an extensive collection of local photographs. it's easy on the eyes, votives flickering on the tables, the lighting somewhat hazy without the smoke that would surely have permeated the fabulous jazzy club the restaurant's designers have resurrected from their imagination. the service, however, is casual and the menu built on cooking that's good for you.

as we were getting adjusted, we noticed that my wife was sitting under the back of the bald head of washington color school stripe artist gene davis, a personal reminder from the past we would have missed entirely had we not been banished from the heart of the room. she met him once when he sold us a drawing of two silhouettes of himself, a trough and an ink pot that had been coupled with a drawing by our young son of himself using his long arms to keep the world around him from toppling. it was the man telling the child to relax, pretty much: we're all going to die anyway, so we might as well use our mortality as a creative source. the artist generously forgave the last two monthly installments on the purchase. he lived close to friendship heights in a bright blue house i am sure some of the neighbors must have thought loud. in the photograph, one of the few color shots on the restaurant wall, gene davis is wearing a pale blue shirt, which is about as intense as the decor here gets.

if gene davis had eaten his meals at a place like viridian, where butter and cream have been banished, would he have saved himself from a fatal heart attack? the waiter righteously explains the principle upon which the night's recipes are unbendingly founded when i inquire if the cauliflower soup has cream. it does not. it is nothing but itself, pureed, and some salt and pepper. fortunately, the restaurant's concern for the health of its customers does not stop the showpiece bar from pouring strong libations that get to the point directly.

the menus are attached to thick cardboard, and held in place by the horizontal and vertical interesection of black rubber bands, sort of a colorblind riff on mondrian. there is a top-heavy recitation of appetizers, opening with soups, then vegetables, a green salad and ending with items that could be ordered as small entrees, such as mussels and a lamb chop. there were only four entrees -- rockfish, chicken, buffalo and a squash walnut tart, $14 each, followed by a list of side accompaniments, $5 a pop.

the realization that there may be a downside to removing two of the most useful culinary staples from the premises arrives with the bread basket. the bread is okay, a bit cakey in texture, its softish crust specked with black and white sesame. the pulverized squash spread that comes with it, unfortunately, is not okay, wet and wan, an unfortunate puddle. there are few among us, i would wager, who can remember the taste of our mother's milk, unless we were reluctantly weaned. the earliest explosion on my palate that i can remember came from a warmed jar of squash, and viridian's version is an insult to that memory. tapenade-ish olives are a better dip. the best solution to this problem, however, comes from the french: bake such good bread that you don't need to slather anything on it. this bread is not there yet.

a small bowl of the essence of cauliflower needs something as well; it is not a disaster, but middling. it is hard to believe that the starchiness, almost pastiness that emanates is inherent in the cauliflower. the flavor of cauliflower comes into and out of focus, and in some spoonfuls is almost lost. maybe not butter and cream, but here is a vegetable crying out for something; as prepared here, it makes a less than compelling argument for eating right. why have it at all? on the other side of the table, a bowl of small mussels is not bad, and its scallion broth is the best thing to come along so far to make the bread disappear.

the two pieces of roasted chicken au jus are tender and good. the squash tart is an interesting enticement to carnivores that will at least half-way win them over, and the doctors these days are absolutely raving about walnuts. however, it is at this point in the meal that we realize that the service, while friendly and decent, is not entirely attentive, so i head to the bar to request a glass of rose and another of rolin hautes cotes de beaune burgundy, 2000. it's no big deal to me. it's better to get up and ask for what you want rather than sitting there stewing, but it does result, my wife observes, in a flurry of semaphore between the bar and the floor, and the waiter is there only seconds after i return to the table curious about what i was doing, and eventually stops over to ask if we -- the least trustworthy of his charges -- need any more bread. there are roughly a dozen wines on the menu, reds outnumbering whites by two-to-one, and all are available by the glass or the bottle. there are three sparkling wines. as for the sides, brussel sprout halves with pickeled ginger are good, but hardly the best in town. roast potatoes with garlic are equally good.

orange pistachio cake is a bit overwhelmed by cranberry compote and it's hard to taste the two prime ingredients. (the differences between bread and cake seem to blur in this kitchen.) a faux cream helps sweeten the assemblage, and two skinny isosceles triangles of ginger snap are used to provide an architectural dimension and taste okay enough that i am willing to concede they are not just there for decoration. the chocolate cake is mounded with chocolate sorbet, and my wife must have really liked the dessert because she was gobbling it up faster than it could melt. "ice cream" on the menu is made available through the miracle of soy milk. (i have read opinions that soy is over-rated in the health department, and that whey is where it's at.)

(back to the walls, not a saucer's throw away, we also eventually noticed a color photo of the artistic clark brothers on a baseball field snapped more than two decades ago. when we were first married, my wife worked briefly at a sewing remnant shop on connecticut near st. matthew's with the wife of mark clark, and this was the first time we had seen either of them in years. an elderly woman with a turban used to frequent the store but was rarely, if ever, able to decide upon a purchase. she had 12 toes. it turned out that she lived in our building, was from transylvania and had problems tossing things out, which resulted in two fires. i was told that she gathered pigeon eggs from her balcony, but she has taken her recipe to the old folks home, or the grave.)

there were at least one dozen empty tables for two in prime locations in the restaurant when we departed, roughly the same as when we had entered. this was the source of friction for several other parties who came in after us, according to my wife. most of their requests to be seated at better tables were accommodated, though one was not, and they were not happy. for us, hugging the back wall worked out fine.

this is a phenomenal restaurant in some respects and a temptation to mix dining with theatre-going in the same night, which new york times drama critic walter kerr once argued, fairly convincingly, is really too much of a good thing. i don't think that the kitchen is a mess. at this very early stage, this is a promising opertation. however, it is a bit ironic that the best things we found on the menu were the closest to breaking out of the healthy food mold. we most likely will return to check out the second act. dinner for two (from two lavish spenders): $130.

This post has been edited by giant shrimp: 28 November 2005 - 06:24 PM

[Monica Bhide]

Are they open for lunch? I cant seem to open the link to their website.

[LoganCircle]

Monica Bhide, on Nov 30 2005, 10:19 PM, said:

Are they open for lunch? I cant seem to open the link to their website.

Not yet.

[LoganCircle]

Viridian's packing them in.

I made my third unscheduled trip to the restaurant last night and still haven't scored a table. There was one unoccupied position at the bar, but it was the seat farthest to the right and the two patrons sitting beside it had left little space for another diner.

They are now on Opentable and I figured this morning that I would be able to make a reservation for a two-top sometime between 6:30 and 9:30 tonight. Wrong again. Nothing available between 5:30 and 10:15.

I hope they're busy because they're good, not just because they're new. The clientele definitely seemed older and straighter than at the other places in the neighborhood.

[JLK]

I dined at Viridian last night. Before I get into discussing the experience, I'm curious to know what the group thinks about a few things.

First, do you think the restaurant has any responsibility to announce that the cooking is vegan (other than the obvious dishes such as chicken or fish)?

Second, do you think the restaurateurs will stick with this concept?

My two cents: I went in knowing about the concept and gave my guest the heads up. I was very curious to hear how it would be handled (e.g., described on the menu or mentioned by the host), but the reality was that we were never told. For some dishes, it was a non-issue, but the desserts were a vegan nightmare.

This post has been edited by JLK: 05 December 2005 - 01:09 PM

[mdt]

JLK, on Dec 5 2005, 01:08 PM, said:

First, do you think the restaurant has any responsibility to announce that the cooking is vegan (other than the obvious dishes such as chicken or fish)?

Second, do you think the restaurateurs will stick with this concept?

This is the vegan friendly restaurant correct? I guess if not mentioned on the menu then asking the server should provide the answers you need. I do not think that they have the responsibility to announce it. That said, you would think they would want it to be easy for the customer to get this information.

If they get the business, they will stick with the concept.

[DC in DC]

JLK, on Dec 5 2005, 01:08 PM, said:

My two cents:  I went in knowing about the concept and gave my guest the heads up.  I was very curious to hear how it would be handled (e.g., described on the menu or mentioned by the host), but the reality was that we were never told.  For some dishes, it was a non-issue, but the desserts were a vegan nightmare.

We also dined there Sat night and I loved it. Given that the restaurant also serves meat, I'm not sure it's really a vegan place. My husband had a mushroom soup and I had the chicken liver dish. I thought the chicken livers were great, two very generous servings accompanied with slightly crunchy bread and a raddish salad. (I couldn't help thinking of the puny duck (?) liver dish I had a Bucks, which was either the same price or more, but at least half the size).
For entrees, my husband had the rockfish, and he really enjoyed the simple preparation. I had the squash tart, which was a very interesting combination of squash, mushrooms, and greens (sprouts?) on top. I loved it-- it was rich and flavorful, without being heavy. We shared the potatoes with mustard and spinach (I thought too much mustard, so my husband happily finished it off) and mushrooms with thyme or rosemary (I thought these were OK; I'd probably order something else when I return).
Bread: Neither of us was a fan of the white bean spread, but liked the pesto. Had a nice kick to it.

Dessert: We had the orange pistachio cake with cranberry compote and almond "ice cream." I am not a fan of cranberries or pistachios so I can't fairly comment on that; however, I did like the "ice cream."

I loved the decor, which gave off a hip and elegant vibe; yet, the place had a nice casual and neighborhood feel, with a young girl (one of the owner's daughters?) showing us to our table and handing us menus. We also appreciated the acoustic tiles that really allowed us to hear each other at the table.

Overall, I thought the prices were extremely reasonable and I will definitely return. (Total for 2, including wine, tax & tip: $94).

This post has been edited by DC in DC: 05 December 2005 - 05:54 PM

[EdSz]

We also dined there on Saturday night, late, after seeing "Cuttin' Up" at Arena. (I just love Open Table for finding late-serving restaurants.) Had the chicken livers, mussels, steak, lamb, mashed potatoes and mushrooms. All were very good. Did not miss the dairy at all. I did find a small stone in the mushrooms, mentioned it to the server who comped it. It's hard to belive such well prepared food at such reasonable prices.

-Ed

[JLK]

We had the apple tart (the absence of butter was painfully obvious in both the fruit and the disc pretending to be a crust) and a chocolate cake (that, as far as I can tell, wasn't really chocolate).

On the other hand, I loved the breads and thought the spreads (two to choose from: white bean and pumpkin) were really good.

[DC in DC]

JLK, on Dec 5 2005, 05:06 PM, said:

We had the apple tart (the absence of butter was painfully obvious in both the fruit and the disc pretending to be a crust) and a chocolate cake (that, as far as I can tell, wasn't really chocolate).

On the other hand, I loved the breads and thought the spreads (two to choose from: white bean and pumpkin) were really good.

My husband was also kind of wary of the non-dairy element in the desserts and tried to steer us to something that would work. Since I was totally full, I deferred to him. I was tempted by the chocolate cake, but it seems like we chose wisely.

[jdl]

JLK, on Dec 5 2005, 05:06 PM, said:

On the other hand, I loved the breads and thought the spreads (two to choose from: white bean and pumpkin) were really good.

When I went there, a week after Viridian had opened, the pumpkin spread was kinda flavorless vis-a-vis the white-bean spread. Did it actually make an impression when you tried it?

I really liked that salt-crust bread they served.

[JLK]

That's why I feel like some disclosure somewhere would be appropriate. I knew with some degree of certainty that it wouldn't be chocolate as most of the world defines chocolate, and yet there was no comment.

DC in DC, on Dec 5 2005, 05:56 PM, said:

My husband was also kind of wary of the non-dairy element in the desserts and tried to steer us to something that would work.  Since I was totally full, I deferred to him.  I was tempted by the chocolate cake, but it seems like we chose wisely.

[JLK]

I remembered your comment when sampling the spreads, but was pleasantly surprised. The pumpkin had even a little tangy, IMO. The white bean spread was brought to life when I added a dash of salt.

jdl, on Dec 5 2005, 06:01 PM, said:

When I went there, a week after Viridian had opened, the pumpkin spread was kinda flavorless vis-a-vis the white-bean spread. Did it actually make an impression when you tried it?

I really liked that salt-crust bread they served.

[DC in DC]

JLK, on Dec 5 2005, 06:09 PM, said:

That's why I feel like some disclosure somewhere would be appropriate.  I knew with some degree of certainty that it wouldn't be chocolate as most of the world defines chocolate, and yet there was no comment.

I see what you mean, but given how good the rest of the meal was, I thought they would have figured out a way to make good vegan desserts (or not serve them at all). I'm only a novice baker, but I'm guessing this is an impossibility for some items (though our orange pistachio cake was good and I didn't notice the lack of dairy).

[JLK]

We had "ice cream" on both desserts that fell apart. It was more like a sorbet, but not good sorbet.

[DCJono]

Made my first visit last night. Overall, I found it to be very hit and miss. They seem to want to be a casual restaurant, but the design of the space is much more formal/chic. Very sterile (almost like a bank lobby) and no holiday decorations (no judgment, just an observation). It's a big open space surrounded with b&w photographs: when empty it was pretty depressing, but as the large hall filled up, became much more interesting. Never got *too* loud - just lively and fun. Good vibe.
The amuse of Jerusalem artichoke soup with truffle oil was pleasant, but not very deep. Although it smelled of truffles, it honestly didn't taste like much of anything.
Tried a ginger-flavored squash soup that was perfect for such a cold night. The server said it was the first night on the menu. Everyone is doing squash soup it seems these days, and this stood up to others very well. The chard and shitake soup was a disappointment. A basic broth with a few bits of mushroom and long, thin slices of chard at the bottom. Was not special in any way, shape or form and the long tangles of chard were very difficult to eat. No complexity to the broth at all.
My companion and I then shared the roasted chicken which was fantastic. A half chicken cut into two quarters, sitting in a broth. Very straight-forward and delicious. Only the rich sweetness of the chicken and just lovely.
We ordered three sides to go with it:
Mashed potatoes - brought potatoes to new depths of boredom and blandness
quinoa and pomegranate - served cold and very nice... different, but discovering new grains is fun
roasted brussel sprouts with pickled ginger - fantastic
We had a tough time finding a dessert to share. Nothing sounded very good and - although a server very shyly tried to warn us away from it - tried the apple crisp. We should have caught her hint as it was awful and came with a surprise scoop of coconut sorbet on top (my partner hates coconut). It went back and was replaced by a wedge of cheese (I don't remember what it was!) with crisped walnut bread and sliced pears. Again, simple and very good. I should have read this thread about the desserts beforehand.
Service was friendly and very knowledgeable of the sometimes exotic menu. The kitchen was a little slow for my tastes; nearly two hours for our three courses, but we weren't in a hurry to head back outside.
To sum up, I'm looking forward to returning - even with several menu missteps. The things that were good were so good that it's worth trying to dodge the lapses. Prices were very reasonable.
I just don't get what the vision for the place is - a sleek, stark dining room filled with well-dressed people isn't exactly the friendly neighborhood restaurant that it sounds like they're trying to be (and some people have mentioned). The sometimes vegan menu and dessert list disasters don't really really fit with either sleek or neighborhood. So I walked out a bit confused, but enjoyed the adventure and I definitely have plans to return and explore the menu further - for better or for worse.

[JLK]

DCJono, a lot of your post had me nodding in agreement. My dining companion also made the bank comment. The space is large and somewhat high ceilinged. I liked some of the photography, however there was a shot of woman looking (seemingly) straight at me with an intensity that occasionally unnerving.

You're right - the mushroom and chard soup could not be described as complex; it's just the most basic broth. Didn't do much for me. I wouldn't be surprised, though, to hear vegetarians rave about it.

My entree was the buffalo/bison strip (I forget how it was described on the menu, which is not available online) that was served with a balsamic reduction. Great piece of meat, prepared to medium as I requested. I probably should have gone with medium rare given that buffalo is so lean, but my mistake did not result in a tough steak. It was very tasty.

My companion had (I think, again, lack of menu) the rockfish which he loved. Together we shared an extravaganza of side dishes, most of them really delicious. We also thought the quinoa was interesting and tasty. Pomegranate adds a tart note that we enjoyed. Like the quinoa, lentils are served cold, more like a salad than, say, an Indian preparation of lentils. Still, we liked it (me more so than my friend).

The side dish winner, though, were the roasted potatoes with mustard. Really delicious IMO.

One parting note: Viridian, if you're driving by, can be hard to spot even if you're looking for it. The only sign is carved in stone over the door and the big windows that previously allowed a clear view of the dining room are now covered with not-quite-sheer white curtains. Go armed with the address so you're not driving around in circles like I was.

[Al Dente]

We dropped in at Viridian last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. An amuse of rich cauliflower soup started us off on the right foot, and we loved the bread served with white bean dip and caramelized onions. The focaccia was especially good with its crisp buttery exterior.

We started with a chicken liver terrine which was served with a hearty brown bread. For entrees, we had the half chicken and braised lamb shank. This chicken isn’t about the crisped skin as you’d find at Palena, though it is lightly crisp, it was more about bringing out the full simple flavor of the chicken. The lamb was a straightforward presentation of perfectly tender meat sitting in a plate of jus, with a few tourned root vegetables. When I was finished I wanted to drink the sauce that remained. We had three sides with our entrée: a deliciously meaty plate of roasted mushrooms, roasted potatoes with spinach and mustard, and some spicy bok choy that really woke up those taste buds. A carrot cake with plenty of nuts and raisins finished the night for us.

The food is a lot like the space—simple yet elegant. The a la carte menu provides you with a lot of options and it’s certainly good bang for the buck. The whole dinner plus a couple of glasses of wine came out to just over $100 including tax and tip. They’re sourcing their ingredients from eco-friendly farms—perhaps David Lankford would find a new client here. I think the service could be a little more polished, but overall Viridian is a great addition to the DC food scene.