[mdt]

From a recent Citronelle email...

starting in April join us on the CITRONELLE TERRACE for the 'flavor' of dining outdoors in Paris, featuring brick archways and windows that look down into the bright and elegant main dining room.
Light fare menu and desserts are being served in addition to the full wine list.
Menu prices: $10. - $44. Wines by the glass: $7. - $18. Bottles of wine: $25 - $2200. no reservations

No menu given in the email or on the website. Gotta love that $$ range on the wine. I can only imagine what Mark has in the cellar.

[Mark Slater]

mdt, on Apr 20 2005, 10:33 PM, said:

From a recent Citronelle email...

Menu prices:  $10. - $44. Wines by the glass: $7. - $18.  Bottles of wine: $25 - $2200. no reservations

No menu given in the email or on the website.  Gotta love that $$ range on the wine. I can only imagine what Mark has in the cellar.

It should say : Bottles of wine: $25-$5,000. I got some new stuff .

[Mark Slater]

FYI all: The terrace at Citronelle opened last night. Alas, no lobster burgers.

[shogun]

Mark Slater, on Apr 21 2005, 11:22 AM, said:

FYI all: The terrace at Citronelle opened last night. Alas, no lobster burgers.

As in no lobster burgers on the terrace, or no lobster burgers anymore at all?

(At least until next year, presumably)

[mdt]

Are they going to post a menu online?

[Mark Slater]

mdt, on Apr 21 2005, 11:36 AM, said:

Are they going to post a menu online?

Terrace menu is the same as the bar. Unfortunately, the website is not up to date.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I went for lobster burgers last friday evening. No lobster burgers. Had the tuna burger instead, not a bad substitute. Same preperation as the lobster version, just a brunoise of fresh tuna lightly browned. Same tomato, potato crisp, brioche bun, etc.

[Tweaked]

Mushroom Cigars from the Citronelle bar menu

[crackers]

and a Campari Champagne cocktail to go with it.

This post has been edited by crackers: 28 August 2005 - 01:51 PM

[Mark Slater]

Lobster burgers are coming back

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Mark Slater, on Jun 10 2006, 12:30 PM, said:

Lobster burgers are coming back

When do they arrive?

[Mark Slater]

Tonight!

[DonRocks]

Tonight I sat outside on the terrace, and had ...

... ready for this?

Fried Chicken!

In what is almost surely a test-dish for the upcoming Central by Michel Richard - cubes of chicken breaded into balls, fried, and served with a homemade dijon mayonnaise dipping sauce. De-liciosamentissimo, and only $14.

And The Colonel himself was sitting outside, too.

Cheers,
Rocks.

[mdt]

DonRocks, on Jun 14 2006, 08:15 PM, said:

Tonight I sat outside on the terrace, and had ...

... ready for this?

Fried Chicken!

In what is almost surely a test-dish for the upcoming Central by Michel Richard - cubes of chicken breaded into balls, fried, and served with a homemade dijon mayonnaise dipping sauce. De-liciosamentissimo, and only $14.

And The Colonel himself was sitting outside, too.

Cheers,
Rocks.

I think I know where HH should be on Friday. Anything else interesting on the menu?

[TinDC]

A friend of mine who dined at Citronelle last weekend said that she spotted some delicous-looking bowls of french fries going past her into the lounge area. Can anyone confirm if these are regularly on the lounge menu because they sound like a fabulous accompaniment to the lobster burger.

[Waitman]

DonRocks, on Jun 14 2006, 08:15 PM, said:

Tonight I sat outside on the terrace, and had ...

... ready for this?

Fried Chicken!

In what is almost surely a test-dish for the upcoming Central by Michel Richard - cubes of chicken breaded into balls, fried, and served with a homemade dijon mayonnaise dipping sauce. De-liciosamentissimo, and only $14.

And The Colonel himself was sitting outside, too.

Cheers,
Rocks.

Yes, he was experimenting with those during a cooking demonstration I attended, and they are for the cookbook. Not bad, but in this case the sommelier's choice outshined the chef's, as I recall.

[Mark Slater]

TinDC, on Jun 14 2006, 08:29 PM, said:

A friend of mine who dined at Citronelle last weekend said that she spotted some delicous-looking bowls of french fries going past her into the lounge area. Can anyone confirm if these are regularly on the lounge menu because they sound like a fabulous accompaniment to the lobster burger.

Fries are on the menu now, too.

[mtpleasanteater]

What entrees are on the current menu?

[JPW]

Mark Slater, on Jun 15 2006, 10:28 AM, said:

Fries are on the menu now, too.

Fries and rose bubbly. mmmmmmmmm...

[MBK]

So it's a lovely evening when my friends and I step out of a movie in Georgetown around 9 o'clock last night, and we begin the age-old "dinner debate". These are somewhat new friends, and don't yet know of my food obsession, so I begin by listening ... "It's a beautiful night," says one. "Let's go get drinks and appetizers on the waterfront." My heart sinks. But in the spirit of not imposing my will on all, I quietly agree. We make our way through the throngs of revelers, including a number of prom groups, me silently cursing my decision to be deferential tonight. But apparently the gods are smiling on me because, shock of shocks , there is an hour wait at the fine waterside dining establishment selected by my friend. "An hour," says my other friend. "That's ridiculous. Let's go to plan B. Isn't Citronelle not too far? And don't they have a bar menu?"

And there was joy in Mudville.

After a delicious cosmopolitan with drunken raspberries that made for a drunken MBK, I found myself relaxed from my harried day at work and even more harried few minutes on the waterfront. Friendly service steered us to the Cobia with Crab Risotto and Saffron Potato Puree and the Chateaubriand with Wild Mushrooms, Porcini Flavored Diced Yukon Gold Potatoes, and a Syrah Sauce. And neither disappointed. What a beautiful way to begin the weekend, and try one of DC's finest dining establishments on a whim!

[crackers]

MBK, on Jun 17 2006, 08:17 AM, said:

What a beautiful way to begin the weekend, and try one of DC's finest dining establishments on a whim!

The sorrel vichyssoise on last night's lounge menu was superb. A small pyramid of tiny cubes of vegetables and gelee's in subtly varying shades of green, with fairy wings of dark red translucent beet chips looking ready to flutter it all up and out of the bowl, then grounded by a rich bright tang of chilled soup - ideal for a warm almost-summer evening.

And when the usual cast of Senators and other vip's cascaded past us and down into the restaurant, the lounge was the ideal place to sit and grab a burger. Lobster burger. Big chunks piled in with multiple layers of flavors and ingredients all working together to highlight pure lobster richness. I am so glad it's back on the menu. Along with the fries. And the fried chicken with a killer dipping sauce. Oh, the house-made tonic with quinine is also worth a try - it pairs well with an overindulged GI system.

Thank you Mark for helping with the selections and managing to squeak in some time with us.

[DonRocks]

crackers, on Jun 17 2006, 10:18 AM, said:

it pairs well with an overindulged GI system.

As does their after-dinner coffee drink - they call it GI Joe.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

And that bottle of 10-year old Sancerre currently is at the top of the list for the best wine I'll have had in 2006. Quite unlike any white wine I've ever had.

[crazeegirl]

Sunday early evening at the terrace encapsulated a perfect early summer evening...

drops of sweat from the stroll along the river
intermittent breeze...
straw hats....
sancerre...
sorrel vichyssoise...
lobster burgers...
and
giggles.

life can't get better than this.

monday doesn't feel too bad, knowing, in 6 days, my sunday at the terrace will be back.

[shogun]

Mark Slater, on Jun 10 2006, 12:30 PM, said:

Lobster burgers are coming back

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken.
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!

[Barbara]

shogun, on Jun 19 2006, 01:34 PM, said:

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken.
Himmlische, dein Heiligtum!

For those of you with no time to Google

[porcupine]

crazeegirl, on Jun 19 2006, 01:26 PM, said:

sancerre...
sorrel vichyssoise...
lobster burgers...

That's exactly what I had for dinner Friday. Along with the orange souffle, which you should try if you haven't. Can't beat that lobster burger.

[Hannah]

DonRocks, on Jun 14 2006, 08:15 PM, said:

In what is almost surely a test-dish for the upcoming Central by Michel Richard - cubes of chicken breaded into balls, fried, and served with a homemade dijon mayonnaise dipping sauce. De-liciosamentissimo, and only $14.

We got confirmation on Saturday evening: the chicken, along with various other dishes that will be popping up on the lounge menu in coming months, and the particularly lovely fries, will be on the menu at Central, and the words "signature dish" were mentioned in connection with the chicken.

Something else worth asking for: the Manhattan made with maple-cinnamon-clove syrup - it was apparently an experiment, so it's not on the drinks menu at the moment, but it sure ought to be.

[youngfood]

Glad to see so many other Rockweilians hit up the underrated Citronelle Lounge recently. We had a great Saturday evening there. I was shocked that there were both seats indoors and out on the terrace during prime time on this lovely, not-yet-sweltering evening.

The lobster burger was, of course, delicious. Mark was kind enough to recommend the dry Grand Cru Riesling as a pairing for it, which I second.

Some other not previously posted about yummies:
the mojito is classic and excellent (reminds me of Danny's explanation about how to make the perfect Mojito - simple, high quality ingredients, lots of serious muddling and shaking);
the tuna burger is very nearly as good as the lobster burger - and similarly rich;
the apple four ways is a delightful dessert and includes a great ice cream, and a spicy cream-topped shot of some sort of cider; and
they are in the process of adding an after dinner rum from the West Indies to the menu that tastes as much like a fine, complex cognac as it does rum.

[DCJono]

Can we back up a bit?
I've only been to Citronelle in the winter. What exactly is the Terrace? Is it that tiny area near the door? How many tables are there? Or am I missing something completely.*

Second question - is there still smoking allowed in the lounge? Last time I was there (last fall maybe?) it was a bit too smokey for me.

* I called a few weeks ago to ask this question and I think I managed to thoroughly confuse the woman who answered the phone. She didn't even know the name of the restuarant anymore by the time I got done with her

[Mark Slater]

DCJono, on Jun 20 2006, 12:50 PM, said:

Can we back up a bit?
I've only been to Citronelle in the winter. What exactly is the Terrace? Is it that tiny area near the door? How many tables are there? Or am I missing something completely.*

Second question - is there still smoking allowed in the lounge? Last time I was there (last fall maybe?) it was a bit too smokey for me.

* I called a few weeks ago to ask this question and I think I managed to thoroughly confuse the woman who answered the phone. She didn't even know the name of the restuarant anymore by the time I got done with her

HI Jon,
The terrace is outside the lounge on 30th Street. 6 tables.

[DCJono]

Mark Slater, on Jun 20 2006, 12:59 PM, said:

HI Jon,
The terrace is outside the lounge on 30th Street. 6 tables.

Aha! Didn't even know there was a 30th St side! I've always gone in on 29th St. Learn something new every day. Thanks, Mark. I'll pay y'all a visit soon.

[DLB]

My wife and I ate here last night and it was excellent! This was our introduction to Citornelle and we left very satisfied. We order the mushroom cigars, the ginger sauce really made these even more wonderful, I was not expecting them to be so large and tasty. I had, what might have been the best fish dish I have had so far this year. The salmon with crab rissotto and saffron potato puree was downright excellent. My wife had the lobster burger which she liked very much. We washed it all down with a bottle of very good 2004 Loire, SANCERRE.

The desserts at Citornelle are excellent, I will we stopping by on those nights that I am craving a good dessert. I had the orange souffle and my wife ordered the apple tasting, at $10 a piece this was very good a deal for desserts, considering there were four components to each dessert. Bottom Line, my wife is demanding that she be taken down stairs for her 30th birthday next month.

[lackadaisi]

Best fries ever!!! Service and wine amazing, as always.

[bookluvingbabe]

What time does the Lounge start serving food? I could easily add a few errands to my planned Georgetown expedition if it meant hanging around for a nice respite in the Lounge.

[Pete]

bookluvingbabe, on Dec 21 2006, 09:21 AM, said:

What time does the Lounge start serving food? I could easily add a few errands to my planned Georgetown expedition if it meant hanging around for a nice respite in the Lounge.

Dinner service starts at 6pm, so I would assume that holds true for the lounge as well.

[Jlock]

Stopped by the Lounge and ordered the Roasted Peanut and Chestnut Soup last night. A subtle smooth "Virginia" peanut soup, with textural bits of duck confit and chopped chestnuts, and an underlying base of pureed foie gras. Amazing! Paired with a 20 year old port (thank's Mark!) I found myself with the perfect remedy for a cold, winter's evening...

[Pete]

Paula and I had a leisurely dinner in the lounge a few weeks ago. Paula's lobster burger was fantastic, with the flavor of lobster shining through. The fried chicken was amazing. After 2 bites, the first words out of my mouth were "this is f#%$ing awesome"! We weren't as taken with the french fries as others were. They were pretty good, very rich, but had a flavor that I couldn't identify (in addition to the garlic). Chocolate 3 Ways for me was its usual greatness, although the hazelnut bar had a layer of (I think) white chocolate on top. It was still darn good. Paula's pear napoleon was equally as good.

Service was really slow (our meal took almost 2 1/2 hours) with some minor hiccups. They randomly brought us someone else's check after we finished our entrees, we had to ask twice for dessert menus, and we had a waiter come take our order about five minutes after we had already ordered. Nevertheless, all of the waiters were extremely friendly, and am looking for any excuse I can come up with to go back.

[Spiral Stairs]

I'm drooling.

Tell me, what is the lounge like, table and chair-wise? Is it like the R. Eve bar? (I.e., a bar, and some loungy upholstered chairs and coffee tables.) Or are there regular table/chair combinations available? Also, do you have to wear a jacket in the lounge? My skin reacts very badly to jackets. I break out in urges to leave.

[goldenticket]

Spiral Stairs, on May 4 2007, 05:01 PM, said:

I'm drooling.

Tell me, what is the lounge like, table and chair-wise? Is it like the R. Eve bar? (I.e., a bar, and some loungy upholstered chairs and coffee tables.) Or are there regular table/chair combinations available? Also, do you have to wear a jacket in the lounge? My skin reacts very badly to jackets. I break out in urges to leave.

There is a bar as well as quite a few tables/chairs that look comfortable for eating (I don't find the non-barstool seating options in Eve's lounge very comfortable). I've only been once, so others (M. Slater??) might be better able to describe the setup. My +1 was jacketless, as was another gentleman. I think no jacket is fine for the lounge, though you might have people waiting to eat dinner in the restaurant that are more formally attired.

[Pete]

Spiral Stairs, on May 4 2007, 05:01 PM, said:

I'm drooling.

Tell me, what is the lounge like, table and chair-wise? Is it like the R. Eve bar? (I.e., a bar, and some loungy upholstered chairs and coffee tables.) Or are there regular table/chair combinations available? Also, do you have to wear a jacket in the lounge? My skin reacts very badly to jackets. I break out in urges to leave.

No loungy chairs/coffee tables. All are standard tables, chairs, and barstools. Most tables are 2-tops, with a couple of larger tables. The only people that seemed to be wearing jackets in the lounge were those who were dining in the restaurant. I wore dress pants and a button-down, but I even saw a few people in jeans.

[DonRocks]

Walking through the National Gallery this evening, I came across Renoir's Peaches on a Plate. It was almost closing time, and there was nobody to be seen, so I walked up to the painting and began licking it.

I felt a tap tap tap on my shoulder, and when I turned around, there was a guard standing there.

He looked at me, and said, "May I ask what in the name of Hell you think you're doing?"

I was caught off guard. "Do you know who Michel Richard is?"

"Yeah. So?"

"So this painting looks just like one of his dishes. It's every bit as beautiful!"

"Is that any reason to lick it?"

"I just wanted to check the palate."

"And?"

"It tastes pretty much the same, too."

He called me out, pointing his thumb toward the exit. "Do me a favor and go home."

"Now?"

"Now."

[marmotte]

I've been reading and lurking at DR for ages but finally registered so I can post.

One of the most delicious things I've eaten this year was the orange souffle with chocolate sauce at Central. But it tragically disappeared from their menu. I read somewhere here that it still may exist at the Lounge at Citronelle. Of course now I want to go there, possibly quite soon for my brother's birthday.

So if anyone has information about the Lounge, I'd appreciate it. (I thought there was a separate thread for it but now I can't find it.)

Does it take reservations? Opentable lists Citronelle but not the Lounge.

Is it outside or indoors? If it is outside, is there any covering like an umbrella/awnings?

Are they open on Sundays or Mondays?

Is there some choice of entrees and appetizers?

So men have to wear a jacket? (My brother is anti-jacket as a matter of principle!).

Do they do anything special for birthdays?

And most important, do they still have the wonderful orange chocolate souffle?

Also has anyone had the maple souffle with blood orange sorbet at Le Paradou? I love maple and blood oranges and have considered going there just for that dessert! How does it compare to the orange souffle at Central/Citronelle?

Thanks!

[Mark Slater]

marmotte, on Jun 30 2007, 04:11 PM, said:

I've been reading and lurking at DR for ages but finally registered so I can post.

One of the most delicious things I've eaten this year was the orange souffle with chocolate sauce at Central. But it tragically disappeared from their menu. I read somewhere here that it still may exist at the Lounge at Citronelle. Of course now I want to go there, possibly quite soon for my brother's birthday.

So if anyone has information about the Lounge, I'd appreciate it. (I thought there was a separate thread for it but now I can't find it.)

Does it take reservations? Opentable lists Citronelle but not the Lounge.

Is it outside or indoors? If it is outside, is there any covering like an umbrella/awnings?

Are they open on Sundays or Mondays?

Is there some choice of entrees and appetizers?

So men have to wear a jacket. (My brother is anti-jacket as a matter of principle!).

Do they do anything special for birthdays?

And most important, do they still have the wonderful orange chocolate souffle.

Also has anyone had the maple souffle with blood orange sorbet at Le paradou? I love maple and blood oranges and have considered going there just for that dessert!

Thanks!

No reservations in the lounge or terrace. Jackets are not required either place, only in the dining room. The orange soufflé with caramel sauce is available on the terrace or in the lounge plus the lounge menu as well, which includes appetizers and entrees. Citronelle is closed Sundays throughout the summer.

[JPW]

Nutty Buddy and I stopped by the lounge Friday night.
A glass of bubbly and a quite good mojito (made with champagne ) and we were good to go.
We began with two Citronelle signature dishes: the mushroom cigars and the tuna "nicoise". The mushroom cigars were very nice, but the tuna was the star. A nicoise salad reimagined as a napoleon, everyone should try this at least once. For entrees, we had the salmon which was just OK, fried chicken and fries. The golf ball sized chicken fritters were delightfully light and flavorful. But the real star was the fries. Fries such as you have never had before - fried in clarified butter. Mind boggling good. A couple of glasses of an excellent Sancerre and it was a great evening. The leftover chicken and fries were almost as good the next day for lunch.

Thanks to Mark and the rest of the Citronelle crew.

[DonRocks]

JPW, on Jul 15 2007, 01:05 PM, said:

A nicoise salad reimagined as a napoleon, everyone should try this at least once.

I think everyone has! It's been on the menu since day one, I believe.

[Heather]

DonRocks, on Jul 15 2007, 02:29 PM, said:

I think everyone has! It's been on the menu since day one, I believe.

Those of us with little kids don't get out much, Don.

Can you describe the nicoise as napoleon a little more? It sounds like something I'd like to make at home.

[JPW]

Heather, on Jul 15 2007, 02:53 PM, said:

Those of us with little kids don't get out much, Don.

Can you describe the nicoise as napoleon a little more? It sounds like something I'd like to make at home.

Memory a little foggy but I'm sure Herr Slater will correct my errors and sins of omission.
Cylinder about 3 inches across with layers of raw tuna about sliced to about 1/8th inch, then a wafer, then capers held in place by a wall of anchovy fillets, repeat and top with some small cubes of tomato gelee.

[Nutty Buddy]

JPW, on Jul 15 2007, 01:05 PM, said:

Nutty Buddy and I stopped by the lounge Friday night.
A glass of bubbly and a quite good mojito (made with champagne ) and we were good to go.
We began with two Citronelle signature dishes: the mushroom cigars and the tuna "nicoise". The mushroom cigars were very nice, but the tuna was the star. A nicoise salad reimagined as a napoleon, everyone should try this at least once. For entrees, we had the salmon which was just OK, fried chicken and fries. The golf ball sized chicken fritters were delightfully light and flavorful. But the real star was the fries. Fries such as you have never had before - fried in clarified butter. Mind boggling good. A couple of glasses of an excellent Sancerre and it was a great evening. The leftover chicken and fries were almost as good the next day for lunch.

Thanks to Mark and the rest of the Citronelle crew.

My favorites of the evening were the following in no particular order:
Mojito: There's an incredible burst of mint flavor in the first sip and the glass holds alot of it
Salad "Nicoise": the "hard boiled egg" was actually mozzarella with with something incredibly clever as the yolk which now escapes me. It engages all the sense and the mind, which is what I love best about his dishes.
Fried Chicken: just a brillant reimagining of the dish. I want the recipe so I can make it for my southern family.
And of course the dessert: The waiter said couples had come to blows when trying to share dessert. I say, who was sharing?! I had Pistachio Marjolaine. Perfect for a summer night. I did let JPW have a bite but I devoured the rest.

[Nutty Buddy]

Another incredible meal at the lounge. This being only my second visit I felt like I should try something new and opted for the softshell crabs. As others have already said: luscious! The tempura was delicate, light and crispy. Frying the crab in clarified butter didn't hurt of course! And the lump crab meat was delightfully moist. Just perfect. The crab was served with what I think I heard to be pasta, tiny jewel-like rectangular cubes made up of the most brillant colors. All served on top of the pulp from corn, no skin, so that it was creamy and smooth. Combined with a Sancerre, well, I was in heaven. My only problem that I wasn't eating fast enough and the crab cooled before I could eat all four. I'll just have to order it as an appetizer next time.

My friend ordered the fries. They weren't as amazing as I remembered before but that could be the crack effect: though you try and try you can never reach the intensity of the original high again.


The chef sent up an amuse bouche: a slice of salmon "sausage"--the texture was perfect and again, the signature trompe l'oeil that I love about this food.

Mark was wonderful. One of the servers waiting on us was green and Mark stepped in and very gracefully and unobtrusively assisted him. I can't wait to go again.