[Tom Power]

After seven and a half long years Corduroy is leaving the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. Our last day at 1201 K Street will be January 31 and we will reopen at 1122 9th Street NW Washington DC in early March. The restaurant week promotion will be extended through January 26th and then there will be a big fire sale.
January 27-31 will be liquid liquidation time. The menu will shrink to almost nothing over these days while the deals on wine, beer and spirits will be fantastic. Bring your friends and help drink me out of the Four Points.

[New Foodie]

I'll be there for lunch on the 22nd and I can't wait!

[Scott Johnston]

hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 27th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 28th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 29th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 30th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 31st is brewing........
hmmm sounds like rehab on the 1st is brewing........

[DanielK]

Already have my dinner reservation for the 31st booked. Thanks, OpenTable!

[Mark Slater]

DanielK, on Jan 7 2008, 11:01 AM, said:

Already have my dinner reservation for the 31st booked. Thanks, OpenTable!

You may be stuck drinking iced tea with dinner.

[brettashley01]

Scott Johnston, on Jan 7 2008, 10:10 AM, said:

hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 27th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 28th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 29th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 30th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 31st is brewing........
hmmm sounds like rehab on the 1st is brewing........

Sounds like a potential DR Blowout Happy Hour???

[Scott Johnston]

So do I, with 7 yo daughter in tow
While Tom may think he will have little left, he still is running the inhouse food service, so I may be munching on Hamburgers and fries(poor me!)

DanielK, on Jan 7 2008, 12:01 PM, said:

Already have my dinner reservation for the 31st booked. Thanks, OpenTable!

[ctay122]

ctay122, on Jan 3 2008, 07:44 PM, said:

I have a 7:30 reservation on Wed the 16th for RW week that we can't use (someone graciously gave me their reservation for Tues).

If anyone is interested in taking it, please PM me. Made on Open Table.com

I have given the reservation away, thank you.

[Halloween]

Scott Johnston, on Jan 7 2008, 10:10 AM, said:

hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 27th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 28th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 29th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 30th is brewing........
hmmm sounds like a Happy Hour on the 31st is brewing........
hmmm sounds like rehab on the 1st is brewing........

Oh, the stories we'll have to tell about the five-day happy hour. Count me in!

[Meaghan]

Tom Power, on Jan 7 2008, 02:21 AM, said:

After seven and a half long years Corduroy is leaving the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. Our last day at 1201 K Street will be January 31 and we will reopen at 1122 9th Street NW Washington DC in early March. The restaurant week promotion will be extended through January 26th and then there will be a big fire sale.
January 27-31 will be liquid liquidation time. The menu will shrink to almost nothing over these days while the deals on wine, beer and spirits will be fantastic. Bring your friends and help drink me out of the Four Points.

Okay, but I am bringing some folks from Local 1234, Wine Guzzlers and Drunkards Professional Union. Okay?? Okay! We'll be working overtime.

[dirtymartini]

Save a Hermitage Blanc for me!

[zoramargolis]

We don't usually go out during Restaurant Week, but we were invited to join some old Chowhound pals at Corduroy last night. It was great-- basically the regular menu, with a few small upcharges. Instead of duck confit salad, last night it was made with chicken confit and a poached duck egg for a $3 upcharge. Lots of choices--I had parsnip soup, braised pork belly with savoy cabbage, and dessert--$30.08 period. Jonathan had the confit salad and sea scallops ($3 upcharge) and dessert--$36.08. The service was great, from DR.com's own Kittycat . The table of 5 shared two bottles of La Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Confiance @ $40 and we had coffee, and so it added up some more, but I thought it was a very good meal, and a good deal. It was crowded, but the staff and kitchen completely took it in stride. The guy who invited us is a thrifty fellow, and he told us that he always goes to Corduroy and no place else for Restaurant Week.

[jparrott]

zoramargolis, on Jan 16 2008, 07:17 PM, said:

two bottles of La Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Confiance @ $40

That is a sick, sick, sick value.

[FoodRockzMan]

I had my first meal at Corduroy on Tuesday night and this morning wrote a full, rave review on my blog, FoodRockz. My dining companion and I together had the oysters and carpaccio of lobster as starters, the tuna and pork belly as main courses (I was practically licking the bowl of the pork belly!) and the kit kats and creme brulee as our desserts. Everything was excellent, including the service. Thank you Chef Power and the Corduroy crew. I'll do my best to help drink you out of your current location later this month, and will be in line to check out your new digs in March. Cheers!

[lackadaisi]

Even during restaurant week, Corduroy manages to serve perfect food and amazing wine, indulging a couple and their baby for several hours as they escape cabin fever. With both a full restaurant week dining room and a crowd of SPG families, not a thing faltered. Most impressive was that, even after the meal was done, we still felt welcome in the bar/lounge area to have yet another bottle of wine, making it a wonderful evening for us!

I will miss the ability to use the lounge area outside the restaurant to feed our baby, but I greatly look forward to the babysitter-worthy dinners to come.

(Violet is looking forward to the liquid liquidation; hope to see many of you there!)

[New Foodie]

I never get tired of Corduroy...and after my lunch there today I wish I had gone more often when it was only a couple of blocks from my office. Alas.

Went with 3 co-workers today for lunch (2 of whom had never been before) and we all left very happy. I started with the Potato Leek Soup (fantastic soup by Chef Power as always...and especially comforting on a cold and windy day such as this one) but got to try a bite of my co-worker's "Ron Jeremy" Spring Rolls. This was the first time I'd tasted what I believe was Rissa's mother's recipe (?) and it was all I hoped it would be.

I was tempted by the Proscuitto Pizza for my main course but was steered by our wonderful waiter (I believe his name was Peter) to the Tuna Nicoise Salad instead ("The pizza is good," he said, "but this is Restaurant Week, so you should try something better and more special!"). I was certainly not disappointed in my huge serving of peppered tuna seared and served rare alongside lightly dressed greens with onions (hold the olives) and topped with a poached quail egg. Delicious. The two plates of crispy bass ordered by my co-workers were all but licked clean when they were removed and the fries I stole of the plate of steak and fries were crispy and wonderfully seasoned.

In my two and a half years of visiting Corduroy sporadically, I hadn't ordered the kit kat bars since my very first trip in August 2006 (in fact, the trip that brought me to DR.com). This was obviously a mistake because I had forgotten how amazing they are! Definitely the dessert to order. Although once again, the almond bread pudding, vanilla creme brulee and white chocolate tart with caremelized banana were completely devoured by my tablemates.

Home run by Corduroy as always, and we'll try to return the week of the 27th to help clean out the wine and liquor stockpile

[zoramargolis]

New Foodie, on Jan 22 2008, 04:20 PM, said:

but got to try a bite of my co-worker's "Ron Jeremy" Spring Rolls. This was the first time I'd tasted what I believe was Rissa's mother's recipe (?) and it was all I hoped it would be.

Wait a minute. Rissa's mother knows Ron Jeremy? Wow.

[bettyjoan]

Wow, how is it possible that I've lived in DC for 3 years and yet NEVER set foot in Corduroy until last night? Based on last night's spectacular meal, I am kicking myself for not eating there sooner and more frequently.

I will definitely look forward to seeing the new digs--the current space is pretty bland. However, that is where my complaints end. The service was wonderful, and it was obvious that our waiter respects Chef Power and enjoys working for/with him. Our server even said that Restaurant Week had been great, which elicited a surprised reaction from my dining companion (she's been to far too many restaurants whose staffs openly despise the promotion, I suppose).

For starters, I opted for the oysters on the half shell (a $3 upcharge). The apple-shallot mignonette sauce added just the right amount of acidity and flavor, and it still let the great briny taste of the oysters (which happened to be of the Island Creek variety) shine through. My gal pal had the parsnip soup, which had some chervil oil and a wonderful creamy texture. I believe she used the crusty bread to sop up every last morsel!

The main courses were truly outstanding, and probably our favorite part of the meal. I had the boneless lamb, cooked rare, with garlic creamed spinach. I am not usually a lamb fan, but the server highly recommended it, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The meat was tender and flavorful and prepared absolutely perfectly. The creamed spinach was probably the best I've ever had--in most versions, all you can taste is the cream and/or the cheese, but Chef Power's rendition had a wonderful spinach flavor and a lovely garlic punch. When I commented to the server about how tasty it was, he said, "The chef really knows how to use seasonings and make different flavors come through." To say the least! My friend ordered the beef cheeks "osso bucco" style, and oh my gosh, it was delicious. To say that it was tender and flavorful would be the grossest of understatements. The meat was served atop a bed of white beans (can't remember what variety) and with a small pile of thin string beans. Needless to say, the bread was once again required to soak up all of the wonderful sauces from our quickly-emptied plates.

My girlfriend wanted to skip dessert, but I convinced her to order one anyway so that I could sample two. We opted for the hazelnut bars and the chocolate tart with caramelized bananas. The former was obviously a riff on Michel Richard's "kit kat" bar, and my friend really enjoyed it--though, to be honest, I liked the version I had at Central better (Corduroy's version seemed much more dense). The latter was a tart of white chocolate that actually reminded me of a custard; it was served with chocolate ice cream and the bananas, and it was really really good. Once again, plates cleaned.

I can't believe that, after splitting the check down the middle (I had a glass of sauvignon blanc and my friend had a pilsner) and adding a large tip, my tab was still only $50. Corduroy is an incredible Restaurant Week value, and I can't wait to sample more of Chef Power's creations once he settles into his new location. Bravo!

[Halloween]

Get thee to Corduroy. The deals are outrageous! I'm not sure how i'm going to make it through this week!

[Sundae in the Park]

bettyjoan, on Jan 23 2008, 11:19 AM, said:

The main courses were truly outstanding, and probably our favorite part of the meal. I had the boneless lamb, cooked rare, with garlic creamed spinach. I am not usually a lamb fan, but the server highly recommended it, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The meat was tender and flavorful and prepared absolutely perfectly. The creamed spinach was probably the best I've ever had--in most versions, all you can taste is the cream and/or the cheese, but Chef Power's rendition had a wonderful spinach flavor and a lovely garlic punch. When I commented to the server about how tasty it was, he said, "The chef really knows how to use seasonings and make different flavors come through." To say the least!

YES! I loved the lamb and spinach I had on Saturday. Our dinner at Corduroy was the one bright spot in an extremely trying day, and we were able to relax and thoroughly enjoy the blissful perfection of our meal. Oysters, beet salad, scallops, hazelnut bars, and creme brulee - all wonderful, with extremely friendly and efficient service! I hope the move goes smoothly and they will be able to reopen in the new location soon!!!

[DPop]

Getting $135 worth of wine that was generously priced originally for $90 always makes for a good time. The service, as Tom mentioned in the other thread, was a bit slow last night due to lack of staff, but John took good care of us.

PS The wine, especially some of the nicer bottles like the Shafer Hillside Select and the Opus One, are great deals the higher the price they are, but the best deal on the menu might be the Hendrick's at $3. I would be tempted to just have that and celeriac soup if I went back this week and get drunk as hell for under $30.

[DonRocks]

It's going to be Family Meal at the bar Wednesday and Thursday, after which Corduroy in the Sheraton Four Points will shut its doors forever.

Pupusa ($6) <---- GET THIS!

2002 Cristom Pinot Noir "Marjorie Vineyard" ($50)

A meaningful combination, enjoyed this evening in a restaurant that reminded me more of Brasserie Beck than Corduroy - it was packed, hopping, and LOUD!

In this electric, convivial atmosphere, I began thinking I might have been the only person here with a touch of sadness - the next time I dine here, it will be at "District Grill," owned by the same folks that own Continental Modern Pool Lounge in Rosslyn and Bedrock Billiards in Adams Morgan (no, they're not going to have pool tables). I'm going to miss this space as Corduroy very much.

It was nice seeing everyone here one last time!

Cheers,
Rocks.

[Pool Boy]

DPop, on Jan 29 2008, 09:25 AM, said:

Getting $135 worth of wine that was generously priced originally for $90 always makes for a good time. The service, as Tom mentioned in the other thread, was a bit slow last night due to lack of staff, but John took good care of us.

PS The wine, especially some of the nicer bottles like the Shafer Hillside Select and the Opus One, are great deals the higher the price they are, but the best deal on the menu might be the Hendrick's at $3. I would be tempted to just have that and celeriac soup if I went back this week and get drunk as hell for under $30.

The 96 was drinking well last night. But the white and red Burgs we had outshone it, I kid you not.

[dinwiddie]

Pool Boy, on Jan 30 2008, 09:43 AM, said:

The 96 was drinking well last night. But the white and red Burgs we had outshone it, I kid you not.

All three bottles that Pool Boy, jamietowne and I had last night were fantastic. However, my personal favorite was the the 96 Shafer Hillside Select. I must admit however, the 99 Clos des Lambrays was absolutely fantastic.

[jaimetown]

It was a very tasty meal indeed. The wines were great, and it was great to have the scallops again (which was a great match with the Meursault).

The wine list is rapidly dwindling (we got the last Lambrays), but there are still a lot of gems to be had.

Chef Tom, it's been a lot of fun at your current location - looking forward to dining at your new digs!

[squidsdc]

Sooo glad I was able to skip out for lunch on Monday for a farewell meal as there is no way I could've made it on any other day. Had a salad, the Flat Iron, and a very nice glass of wine. (Too long ago for me to remember exactly what it was, but it was very smooth--I think it was Austrian) And since I was going all-out, I decided to get a dessert--I hoped to have the Corduroy version of the Kit Kat but they were out. I did order the chocolate tart with carmelized bananas, but unfortunately it came sans bananas. (but was still tasty--it is chocolate, afterall )

It was only myself and one other in the bar and it was a nice, calm beginning to the work week. As well as a leaving me with a subdued, but delicious, memory of what once was while looking forward with anticipation to what will be. Thank you.

[lackadaisi]

Corduroy kicks ass! The pupusas and bengali kabobs are the bomb.

[Pool Boy]

jaimetown, on Jan 30 2008, 03:21 PM, said:

It was a very tasty meal indeed. The wines were great, and it was great to have the scallops again (which was a great match with the Meursault).

The wine list is rapidly dwindling (we got the last Lambrays), but there are still a lot of gems to be had.

Chef Tom, it's been a lot of fun at your current location - looking forward to dining at your new digs!

I dream of those scallops. I have even tried recreating them at home, to half-decent results.

I am still smacking myself in the head when the two of you popped over to say hi to Tom. I should have joined you, but didn't want to impose....doh Looking forward to the new digs, Tom!

[brettashley01]

Fun fun times at the bar last night, following a v. good dinner of the tuna- love that pepper crust!

[Meaghan]

I have one more chance to whim...
Anything good left to drink on the clearance rack?

[jparrott]

I'll be there tonight, as early as I can get away from Chantilly.

[Scott Johnston]

Anyone have an active phone number for Corduroy? The 202-589-0699 number goes to a Verizon voicemail hell.

[jparrott]

877-DRINK-UP

[RissaP]

Meaghan, on Jan 31 2008, 09:36 AM, said:

I have one more chance to whim...
Anything good left to drink on the clearance rack?

You have got to have the farewell send off drink, Smurf Piss.

It was a bittersweet moment when I visited Corduroy a couple of nights ago. Luckily I caught the old gang there that night, Chef Tom Power, Scott, Ferhat, Katt, and Pichan. An added bonus was seeing Halloween, lackadaisi, Eric--thanks for remembering the good times with me! I was immediately warmly greeted with that blue tequila drink. Then I had to fight for that 1 bottle of beer left, but unfortunately an SPG beat me to it! I couldn’t resist having the Corduroy burger (for the last time in that space) lovingly cooked for me by dear sweet Paul who never cease to take care of me; he knows just how I like it, MR with the right amount of toppings and crispy fries. Thank you Paul for always making sure to feed me! By the way zoramargolis, I do wish to honor Ron Jeremy someday!

Despite the “airport lounge” cliché, thank you for having me sit at the bar for one last time being in the second level of the Sheraton Four Points Hotel! I couldn’t help but reminisce the times from day 1. I was one of the uncertain applicants who interviewed with Chef Tom Power at his Starbuck’s office in Wisconsin Ave. On my way out by the door, I took a last glance at the dining room. I had to tease Scott, “Did you do the final sweep of room service trays in the hallway?”

It was good to see the staff I miss. Good or bad, it didn’t matter. We all did it and survived! Thank you for the memories! Cheers and good luck in your new space coming soon.

I know what your Corduroy opening drink will be! See you later!

[plusone]

RissaP, on Jan 31 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

You have got to have the farewell send off drink, Smurf Piss.

Smurf piss can do damage to your work day...

Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!

Erik Ox's plus one

[Meaghan]

RissaP, on Jan 31 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

You have got to have the farewell send off drink, Smurf Piss.

Mmmmm, can't wait! Sounds like something that would go great with goat cheese.

[MBK]

Meaghan, on Jan 31 2008, 04:45 PM, said:

Mmmmm, can't wait! Sounds like something that would go great with goat cheese.

Regardless of what you drink, you may want to consider not planning any important meetings for tomorrow.

Just speaking from experience...

[alan7147]

MBK, on Jan 31 2008, 04:47 PM, said:

Regardless of what you drink, you may want to consider not planning any important meetings for tomorrow.

Just speaking from experience...

Funny you should say that, I was there Tuesday night and was pretty sloshed. Woke up with a pretty bad hangover, but had one of my most productive meetings ever. I felt like Max McGee in Super Bowl I.

ETA: It was Monday, I must have been really hammered

[Erik Ox]

RissaP, on Jan 31 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

Luckily I caught the old gang there that night, Chef Tom Power, Scott, Ferhat, Katt, and Pichan. An added bonus was seeing Halloween, lackadaisi, Eric--thanks for remembering the good times with me! I was immediately warmly greeted with that blue tequila drink. Then I had to fight for that 1 bottle of beer left, but unfortunately an SPG beat me to it!

Not only did those folks drink the last beer in the joint, they also kicked the last bottle of the Cristom Pinot Noir that Don recommended upthread.

[Joe Riley]

*UPDATE* Looks like April 10th is the new target date for Corduroy at 9th & L St.

Oh, and I have free parking for the rest of my life at Corduroy, and I have the stamp on my hand to prove it.

[Heather]

Will the new location have valet parking? I hear the parking over there is just awful.

I kid. The old airplane lounge will be sorely missed. Good luck with the opening, Chef Power. We look forward to seeing your new digs.

[lackadaisi]

What a bittersweet event!

In so many ways, I am so happy for Corduroy for getting its new digs and making the final step to protect its well-deserved place among DC's finest restaurants. But I will miss the Four Points location dearly. It is absolutely amazing that the venerable chef was able to grow such an outstanding restaurant and such a dedicated following in the windowless, second-floor lounge of a non-elite hotel. But with endurance, love and incredibly good food and drink, it thrived and grew dear to many. I will always cherish the memories of our own Cheers, where at any time I could stumble in and be assured a great experience, with interesting conversation. Between the staff that I feel so close to now and the great many of the people on this board, I have met so many wonderful people at Corduroy, and I hope that those friendships carry through, in new and improved (and maybe more adult) form, in the new location.

Thank you so much to everyone that has made my experiences at Corduroy so memorable. I hope to see you all in the new location shortly.

(And, on behalf of the Grimm Reapers - aka the Rowdy Table Gone Wild - thank you for indulging us in our farewell celebration. Sorry if we were a bit out of control.)

[Meaghan]

Thank you everybody at Corduroy for a good many years at “the airport.” Believe it or not, I have a real soft spot for airport bars now. You may think I’m joking, but I’m really not. The bar at the airport represents good transitions in life, one trip at a time. If you’re lucky, you’re with your honey, about to catch a plane to someplace unbelievable, or maybe you just need a break from the hustle and bustle of your routine, and you’re heading home to family and friends.

Anyway, that’s my little Corduroy analogy.

I will say that it was great to see some faces I haven’t seen in a while and will miss over the next few months. Ordering wine last night was like betting on horses in a heat with very low-stakes (I mean, if the Powerful Tom picked the wine in the first place, how much can you really lose?). Sure, my first choice was all gone, but the second and third choices could easily be better considering the odds. I only wish I had ventured to make my last meal at Corduroy breakfast. The Spanish omelet and a bloody mary or two would have been a famous way to end the Corduroy Four Points reign.

Apparently, I understayed my welcome. I was fielding calls around 11 p.m., a mere three hours after my departure, almost succumbing to the pleas to return.
I came back in spirit, but in reality I had an affair with my pillow and made it to my important meetings this morning (a very early one at the gym with my trainer. Go meeee!)

Chef, I hope the little note I left you on the cocktail napkin made it your way.

And to Halloween, who I would argue is one of Corduroy’s best customers, and a great friend of mine. I thought you’d like this picture. I am getting you this book.

Powering On,

Meaghan

[Scott Johnston]

hmmm.....
I have a craving for Tom Power's Belly...
http://www.washingto...bites/3445.html

maybe this will help the wait!

[mdt]

Scott Johnston, on Feb 21 2008, 06:13 PM, said:

hmmm.....
I have a craving for Tom Power's Belly...
http://www.washingto...bites/3445.html

maybe this will help the wait!

And I have a big slab of belly in my freezer!

[legant]

Any word on an opening date? I need my Tom Power fix!

[LoganCircle]

legant, on Mar 12 2008, 09:45 AM, said:

Any word on an opening date? I need my Tom Power fix!

The exterior of the place looks more polished already, but expect delays..

[DPop]

legant, on Mar 12 2008, 09:45 AM, said:

Any word on an opening date? I need my Tom Power fix!

I talked to the supervisor of the project site yesterday and he told me that they would be finished around mid-to-late April, so with your usual construction delays along with giving the Corduroy staff a week or so to settle in, I suspect that your first trip back to Corduroy will have to wait until early-to-mid May.

[porcupine]

DPop, on Mar 13 2008, 08:47 AM, said:

they would be finished around mid-to-late April, so with your usual construction delays <snip> wait until early-to-mid May.

...2009

[Owen]

DCist today noted, "Corduroy has reopened in its new Shaw location on 9th Street NW." [Free Ride]
Corduroy's answering machine still says they'll be opening in "early April." Is there any news, or did DCist simply jump the gun?

-Owen