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The Inn At Little Washington - With 2001 National James Beard Award Winner Patrick O'Connell


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I think we all agree that part of what pulls extraordinary service away from the merely good is the ability to read the table. It's what I found particularly good about the service at Charlie Trotter's. Our server rapidly and accurately assessed our mood and what we wanted from the service that evening. She provided (what appeared to be) good service to the table next to ours, yet their needs definitely appeared different (e.g. more formal, less chatty). I certainly wasn't a regular at Trotters, so I think this *can* be accomplished at a restaurant where one is not a regular.

The service at Tony's (the restaurant in STL to which I alluded earlier) is very different. As noted by eating out, they don't match your mood at all--they're always very formal. But, it's quite professional and clearly better than what lackadasai, and others, described at the Inn.

Maybe this is splitting hairs, or maybe it's a matter of you say tomayto I say tomahto, but I don't think the service gaffes described here are a result of one size fits all service. At the prices they charge, one size fits all needs to be at a far higher level then what they're offering and I think that is not too high a bar to set.

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Aha. I missed the original news of the final O'Connell/Lynch split entirely. The September Post article appears to soft-peddle the forced sale aspect of the breakup; the Rappahannock Times was far less equivocal about O'Connell's desire to see the Inn sold as a going concern.

To wit:

According to court documents, O'Connell is asking that he be "appointed custodian to operate the business of the partnership in the ordinary course until a full hearing on dissolution can be held, that he be appointed receiver at such hearing, and that the court set a date for a bulk sale by the receiver of the assets of the partnership (as a going concern) at public auction."

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Some of our good friends have given us a VERY generous gift certificate to the Inn as a wedding gift. I understand from this thread that perhaps upscaling the dining experience is not worth the corresponding increase in cost, so we will likely have a "regular" meal there. However, does anyone have any insight into

a. What time of year is the best time to be out there? Our January is booked (our 5-year anniversary -- Eve, here we come!), but the rest of the year is open :lol:

b. Any room preferences?

c. Anything else we should take advantage of?

Although perhaps this would not have been our number 1 choice, we have both been interested in trying out the Inn for quite some time, and it was a wonderful surprise to receive this gift! We want to be sure to make the most of it and to be able to leave with smiles on our faces, thinking how nice it will be to share our wonderful experiences with our generous friends (i.e., not having to come up with various ways to thank them while withholding the truth...).

Thanks in advance for any help.

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c. Anything else we should take advantage of?

We loved the afternoon tea and the continental breakfast - tons of lemon curd and jams throughout. And, great service at both. The "free" breakfast is certainly a sufficient amount of food. Also, the gift shop across the street has a lot of interesting knick knacks that are actually priced quite reasonably - we bought tons of stocking stuffers there (helps that they give a nice credit to those staying at the Inn).

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b. Any room preferences?
If staying overnight, try to book "Junior Suite #2" which is in the main building. Some of the rooms in the large number of separate properties owned by the inn are nice, but I would describe them as 'upscale Grandma' -- lots of floral, chintz & doilies. The Jr Suite #2 is very luxurious but not too over-the-top.
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ready for an update for The Inn @ L.W. again.. looks to be a few months and no new news. seems that so far it has all been rather negative and dull. both times i went to The Inn, the experiences were great. More about your evening, and hw you are involved in it, and the company. Why do you have to ineract with the server, unless that is needed, or something you are into. making friends, or paying for them? every time i have been to an exaggeratedly priced restaurant, be it Trotter', Alinea, TRU, PEr Se, Laundry, White Barn, etc... i always take the tastng menu, but pick my own wines... pairings are fun, but are more than always built around a price cap in mind (of the establishment) and there to make money.. always more value doing half bottles, fill in glasses, and bottles. to really explore what, and why these places are GRAND AWARD winners, and have lists that are 60+pages long... there are always hidden gems. ask, and use the sommelier, voice your opinion, and voice your desires instantly. the only time that the wine pairing was worth while , was at Charlie Trotters, where they poured my favorite champagne to start (Billiot), and one of the best aussie's ever (Henschke Hill of Grace 94)... the staff is one of the most informed and educated, and attentive, only problem of the night (NO MUSIC WAS GOING ALL NIGHT).. the inn,, great old burgundys bought when they were cheap, though aggreed that the staffcan sometimes be a little rehearsed, but that is all in good training, and informed natures,, they should and can break script and wow you in the end.. try again,, ask for the wine directors little secrets

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ready for an update for The Inn @ L.W. again.. looks to be a few months and no new news. seems that so far it has all been rather negative and dull. both times i went to The Inn, the experiences were great. More about your evening, and hw you are involved in it, and the company. Why do you have to ineract with the server, unless that is needed, or something you are into. making friends, or paying for them? every time i have been to an exaggeratedly priced restaurant, be it Trotter', Alinea, TRU, PEr Se, Laundry, White Barn, etc... i always take the tastng menu, but pick my own wines... pairings are fun, but are more than always built around a price cap in mind (of the establishment) and there to make money.. always more value doing half bottles, fill in glasses, and bottles. to really explore what, and why these places are GRAND AWARD winners, and have lists that are 60+pages long... there are always hidden gems. ask, and use the sommelier, voice your opinion, and voice your desires instantly. the only time that the wine pairing was worth while , was at Charlie Trotters, where they poured my favorite champagne to start (Billiot), and one of the best aussie's ever (Henschke Hill of Grace 94)... the staff is one of the most informed and educated, and attentive, only problem of the night (NO MUSIC WAS GOING ALL NIGHT).. the inn,, great old burgundys bought when they were cheap, though aggreed that the staffcan sometimes be a little rehearsed, but that is all in good training, and informed natures,, they should and can break script and wow you in the end.. try again,, ask for the wine directors little secrets

I think my head just exploded.

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ready for an update for The Inn @ L.W. again.. looks to be a few months and no new news. seems that so far it has all been rather negative and dull. both times i went to The Inn, the experiences were great. More about your evening, and hw you are involved in it, and the company. Why do you have to ineract with the server, unless that is needed, or something you are into. making friends, or paying for them? every time i have been to an exaggeratedly priced restaurant, be it Trotter', Alinea, TRU, PEr Se, Laundry, White Barn, etc... i always take the tastng menu, but pick my own wines... pairings are fun, but are more than always built around a price cap in mind (of the establishment) and there to make money.. always more value doing half bottles, fill in glasses, and bottles. to really explore what, and why these places are GRAND AWARD winners, and have lists that are 60+pages long... there are always hidden gems. ask, and use the sommelier, voice your opinion, and voice your desires instantly. the only time that the wine pairing was worth while , was at Charlie Trotters, where they poured my favorite champagne to start (Billiot), and one of the best aussie's ever (Henschke Hill of Grace 94)... the staff is one of the most informed and educated, and attentive, only problem of the night (NO MUSIC WAS GOING ALL NIGHT).. the inn,, great old burgundys bought when they were cheap, though aggreed that the staffcan sometimes be a little rehearsed, but that is all in good training, and informed natures,, they should and can break script and wow you in the end.. try again,, ask for the wine directors little secrets
What exactly are you asking? Please, in as simple english as you can, I am not a smart man...
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We just returned from a weekend trip at the Inn at Little Washington. I'll post my thoughts here, and Tripewriter will post his own impressions, as we differed in a couple of ways. Our first impression was made by the Sysco truck pulling out from the Inn...sigh. The second impression was, um...was that the Inn? Drive past and turn around. I think that's the Inn...isn't it? Do you see a sign? Drive past and turn around. It's the only place with a bunch of people in uniforms standing out front...it must be the Inn. Drive past and turn around. We finally made it there, but I would have appreciated better signage than their lovely, understated, ivy-covered obelisk stating simply "The Inn." Anyway, upon arrival, we were swarmed. Perhaps it's because they watched us drive past so many times ;) After being stripped of everything but the essentials, on which I had a tight grip, we made it to the front desk and checked in. We started a tour and then got side-tracked by the free welcome cocktail :) Our room -- Room 7 -- was just lovely. Very high ceilings, comfortable bed, nice amount of space, three doors between the bedroom and the bathroom, and a balcony (big enough to sit and eat on) overlooking the relaxing yet vibrant courtyard. I haven't slept as well as I slept in that room in a long, long time. We had tea on the balcony before taking a nap before dinner (hey, best to be prepared, right? :)). Our reservations were at 8:30, but they let us know that they could accommodate us at any time. We had a drink in the lounge space before being seated at a table that was, coincidentally, right under our own balcony. We started with an apple-rutabega soup amuse, followed by four spoons -- a shrimp something, pear wrapped in prosciutto, beet-cranberry mousse, and I'm blanking on the fourth one. I started that meal with the crabcakes, followed by the scallop, and for my main, I had the rabbit. The crabcakes were more like deep-fried quinelles of crab mousse, which I think I would have liked if the flavor of the filling hadn't been completely overwhelmed by the taste of the coating. The sauces were fine, with only the traditional tartar sauce really exciting me. The scallop was lovely. Seared with a coating of truffle, plated on a cauliflower puree with a truffle (I believe) jus. Very nice. My rabbit was, unfortunately, tasteless :blink: For dessert, Tripewriter and I chose to split the 7 Deadly Sins -- a collection of desserts -- while he had a Glenmorangie madeira finish. Tasty, but nothing left me with a lasting memory. A lovely surprise was Michelle, the sommelier. She was charming and professional and brought us some wines that we knew and all wines that were delicious. All in all, however, the meal was, for me, ok. I wasn't at all convinced that we should return for a second attempt.

For breakfast the next morning, we just had the house breakfast, but served to our room. We had a selection of breads, a yogurt parfait, and tea or coffee. It was a nice way to start the day if nothing spectacular. We noted during afternoon tea that the foods were superior to those we had the previous day, and I started to look forward to that night's dinner.

That anticipation was richly rewarded! We had a duck consomme, which didn't really do it for me, and the same amuse bouche spoons, which were fine. I started with the lamb carpaccio and the scallop again, followed by the artichoke capelletti. The lamb was good, good, GOOD. Michelle really outdid herself with the wine pairing, and I was very happy :) The scallop, surprisingly, was good but not as great as the night before, but definitely not a disappointment. I had a different wine with it the second night than I did the first, and it was fascinating to see the new flavors in the dish that the new wine brought out. It was a pleasure. The pasta was fabulous. Michelle paired it with two wines -- a white and a red (sorry, the info is still in my suitcase) -- and savored every bite and every sip. We passed on dessert to order cheese from Faina, the cow -- my first time trying Constant Bliss, which certainly was, and Montgomery cheddar, which was the happiest cheddar I've ever had. Yum. We ended up getting dessert sent to our room about midnight. The kitchen baked us fresh salty oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies, and although the promised glass of milk was missing, there were enough of them -- and they were huge! -- that we have continued to savor them at home today :)

The final dining experience we had, after another lovely night's sleep, was breakfast this morning. I had the dill-salmon scrambled eggs with a potato rosti. Delicious and very rich. The "extra" eggs came in their own little saucepan, which I thought was a nice touch :)

We had a couple of complaints including smaller ones, like some snafus on the bill, which I'd recommend checking carefully, and larger ones, like the fact that the Inn allows smoking in the courtyard...directly under our balcony and window, so for much of Saturday afternoon, we had to keep the doors shut to keep the smell out :P But we also had a really relaxing, enjoyable weekend -- we're thinking this may become an annual birthday pilgrimage :)

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We just returned from a weekend trip at the Inn at Little Washington. . Michelle really outdid herself with the wine pairing, and I was very happy :P

Who will be the new face to take the place of the great Sabato, and his assistant Michelle? Guess it is the time of the year to be on the move? :blink:

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The following text message showed up on my cell phone at 10:06 PM this evening. Here it is, exactly as it arrived:

"Rumor that partick o connell is openining up in the hotel washington (whicH is being gutted and renovated by starwood) hav u heard this?"

Answer: No, I haven't, but it's a great little piece of gossip!

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The following text message showed up on my cell phone at 10:06 PM this evening. Here it is, exactly as it arrived:

"Rumor that partick o connell is openining up in the hotel washington (whicH is being gutted and renovated by starwood) hav u heard this?"

Answer: No, I haven't, but it's a great little piece of gossip!

My gut response is "Yeah, when pigs fly".

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My gut response is "Yeah, when pigs fly".

My response to your response: What is there left for him to do in Washington, VA? A regional contract with Sunrise Senior Living? Maybe, but it's long overdue for him to capitalize on his national recognition, and O'Connell is certainly well-qualified to cash in big. I'm not saying there's any truth to this rumor at all, but aside from that, how long can he possibly hold out? And given all the other big-name chefs cashing in on their fame (refer to, um, you-know-who), why on earth shoudn't he?

Cheers,

Rocks.

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My response to your response: What is there left for him to do in Washington, VA? A regional contract with Sunrise Senior Living? Maybe, but it's long overdue for him to capitalize on his national recognition, and O'Connell is certainly well-qualified to cash in big. I'm not saying there's any truth to this rumor at all, but aside from that, how long can he possibly hold out? And given all the other big-name chefs cashing in on their fame (refer to, um, you-know-who), why on earth shoudn't he?

Cheers,

Rocks.

I don't doubt that for a second. Hotel Washington seems like a strange venue because it has been off the radar over the years, plus, it's a union house. Everyone knows that incense, Gregorian chant, Dalmations and unions don't mix. Restaurant and terrace on the roof is kinda cool, though.

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Hotel Washington seems like a strange venue because it has been off the radar over the years, plus, it's a union house. Everyone knows that incense, Gregorian chant, Dalmations and unions don't mix. Restaurant and terrace on the roof is kinda cool, though.
But, once it becomes a W, it should be the talk of the town.
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I don't doubt that for a second. Hotel Washington seems like a strange venue because it has been off the radar over the years, plus, it's a union house. Everyone knows that incense, Gregorian chant, Dalmations and unions don't mix. Restaurant and terrace on the roof is kinda cool, though.
I doubt that the incense will cause many issues with the staff, though it might conflict with whatever that God awful fragrance is that I smell in each of the W's that I have stayed in. Hopefully they find someone decent to operate "the world class restaurant" and they don't emulate the W Union Square and saddle it with Olives.
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What would really be mind-boggling is a restaurant with a terrific view AND terrific food.

I'd imagine the W will put the restaurant on the ground floor - that rooftop space is far more valuble as a bar or suites than it is for dining. Even so, that view across the street to the Treasury isn't so shabby.

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I'd imagine the W will put the restaurant on the ground floor - that rooftop space is far more valuble as a bar or suites than it is for dining. Even so, that view across the street to the Treasury isn't so shabby.
I'm picturing it like the downtown LA standard: A restaurant on the first floor, and a super-cool bar on the roof with small dishes. That's what I am hoping for at least.
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In the past twenty minutes, I've received two messages from people I take seriously. Excerpts from each:

1. "I have a deep contact at Starwood and they are telling me that it is not true at all ...."

2. "I saw Patrick O'Connell walking around the Hotel Washington last week after lunch ...."

I'm such a cheap, petty whore sometimes.

It's the snow.

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But it's logical, Don. Without his life long partner, totally on his own and able to explore other partnerships, locations and considerations that might never have been entertained before it is logical. Anything is logical. Especially something literally in sight of the White House. Could there be a higher profile location in all of Washington, D. C.? In all of America?

No. And, for someone who is capable of equating, of positioning D. C. with any city anywhere on earth culinarily, why not go after the most high profile location of all: in sight of the White House? ...overlooking the White House!

If it is true we, and the city, all prosper. I wish him the absolute best of luck.

All is possible when one's relationship is no longer the focus, when one is trying to find a distraction, perhaps a HUGE distraction.

The real question is: will Washington, D. C. remain a second tier food city if Gordon Ramsay and Patrick O'Connell BOTH open major outposts in '08 within weeks of each other in the D. C. area? Could this, in fact, lure a few people BACK from Manhattan knowing that D. C. is now challenging for the epicenter of what before was avered to exist in North America but only in Manhattan.

Can Washington legitimately challenge New York if these rumors are true? Please note that we already have the Beard winning Michel Richard sitting contentedly in Georgetown with his best in America Citronelle. Others can only add to that, perhaps even underline it!

Perhaps, an exciting time to be a Washingtonian!

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The real question is: will Washington, D. C. remain a second tier food city if Gordon Ramsay and Patrick O'Connell BOTH open major outposts in '08 within weeks of each other in the D. C. area? Could this, in fact, lure a few people BACK from Manhattan knowing that D. C. is now challenging for the epicenter of what before was avered to exist in North America but only in Manhattan.

Best of luck to Patrick should he move downtown, but two new celeb-chef franchises isn't going to make DC a first-tier town any more than two new TGI Fridays franchises. Ramsay's priorities are reflected in the fact that he has as many tv shows on this side of the Atlantic as stars.

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Best of luck to Patrick should he move downtown, but two new celeb-chef franchises isn't going to make DC a first-tier town any more than two new TGI Fridays franchises. Ramsay's priorities are reflected in the fact that he has as many tv shows on this side of the Atlantic as stars.

I agree. What I think will help more is getting more up and coming talent to open great places. When folks start opening up their first place here, versus looking at us as viable spot for a 2nd, 3rd, ...nth place output, that will help make this city a place that can challenge the "first-tier" cities.

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DC will never be on par with New York with regards to the restaurant scene...THANKFULLY New York is it's own identity, just as Dc is.. Guess why I live here??? Because NY is a fun place to visit, but I prefer living with less attitude and nicer people. What is all this Tier stuff.. Some people are never satisfied with what they have. We have some excellent restaurants in DC and we should be very proud and happy. I am so tired of comparisons to NY, LA, Paris, ITALY....the location and people are what makes each of those places unique. That cannot be replicated, nor should it be..that is the reason for traveling and exploring. I welcome any Celebrity Chef that wants to open a place here, for it will allow many to try the food and the "celebrity" for lack of a better word of that individual and their tastes. Variety is the spice of life.

The sad fact is that most restaurants, whether driven by a Celebrity Chef or just a mom and pop, will not last longer than 5 years. It is just the nature of the beast and of the changes in peoples erratic eating fads and behavior. There seems to be such a fever to slam Wolfgang, or Ramsey, or whomever might open a restaurant that has a name. It is also a sad part of human nature to build someone up and then want to tear them down or comment on their downfall. So whether it's Ramsey, Rachel Ray, Emeril, or todays "hot" chef stop being jealous of their success and bashing them. If you think you can do it better, go for it. But they bring a buzz and OPTIONS, which one can decide for themselves if they like or not.

Eating TWO AMY"S Pizza is great...Looking out onto Wisconsin ave, or at the nailsalon acroos the street..not so great. Eating pizza in Naples watching that street scene....Priceless..BEACUASE IT IS OUT OF YOUR DAILY NORM.. Just think, right now there is someone in NY wishing a Bens Chili Bowl would open up...

You cant always get what you want..so be happy of what you do have access to and enjoy that. Travel more and experience that, and if your still not happy, go to CHINATOWN, HOP ON A DEATHBUS FOR $35 ONEWAY to NYC and stay there. that will be one less annoyance in my city: DC

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I am so tired of comparisons to NY, LA, Paris, ITALY
Indeed.

Apples and radiators comparisons since NY has, oh, I don't know... 13 million or so more people than the DC metro area, most of whom, if this board is any indication, crave burgers and pizza anyway. Restaurants that are financed by Messrs Ramsay and such and run by outsourced overshadowed chefs do little more than undermine local talent. These “Celebrities” should open establishments for their proteges without their namesake as a marketing caption. If the restaurant cannot survive on its own merrits, without the flashy name tag, then their pupils and tutelage aren't worth shit.

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Has anyone actually eaten at the Ramsay restaurant in NY? I went with a friend who is really into his TV shows and the meal was much better than I thought it would be and was certainly fairly priced. That is to say celebrity outpost or not the food was great, as is the food at the Robuchon place here. I would be happy to have either of those chefs open up in DC if I still lived here. Looking down the board Ducasse, Ramsay, Ripert et all opening in DC are VERY different than Rosa Mexicana or Zengo.

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Has anyone actually eaten at the Ramsay restaurant in NY? I went with a friend who is really into his TV shows and the meal was much better than I thought it would be and was certainly fairly priced.
We've dined at The London three times -- once in the dining room and twice in the bar area, now renamed 'Maze'. The food during all three visits was excellent. [sorry for being off-topic from the thread]
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"In 1978, the pair borrowed $5,000 and opened the Inn at Little Washington restaurant in a converted garage. (The first guest rooms were added in 1984.) On the menu: trout amandine, frog legs Nicoise, and a roast chicken with tarragon and green beans priced at $4.95. "The food was no different than what it is now," O'Connell says."

<Nodding head.>

Just kidding. ;)

Click.

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I used to live down there, (I'm up in Loudoun now) and I really miss Little Washington. As much as sometime I resented having to spend twenty minutes getting through the one stop sign in front of the Inn because I forgot it was was a weekend, I deeply appreciated looking at the astounding gardens and beautiful restorations. I really really loved when my friends, most of whom do have bath tubs, (but not all of them, so I can really see him asking this question! ;) ) got some kind of supplier relationship going with them. I loved having a relationship with a very very very very very junior minion who made me amazing bites of desserts. I loved the theater of the big window into the kitchen which, I admit, voyeur that I am, I sometimes lingered on dog walking duty. I loved looking at the gorgeous gorgeous ceiling in there that made friend Sam handcrafted. Well played, well played indeed.

PS. Need any lamb down there, Mr O'Connell? I have two bathtubs and a crick. :(:)

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"In 1978, the pair borrowed $5,000 and opened the Inn at Little Washington restaurant in a converted garage. (The first guest rooms were added in 1984.) On the menu: trout amandine, frog legs Nicoise, and a roast chicken with tarragon and green beans priced at $4.95. "The food was no different than what it is now," O'Connell says."

<Nodding head.>

Just kidding. ;)

Click.

Hmm. Good article, but it certainly doesn't make me want to hang out with O'Connell any time soon.

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Click.

Guests who pay to sit at the chef's table in the Inn kitchen are ushered in by the maitre d'. "As you may know, Patrick O'Connell has been called the pope of American haute cuisine," he intones, before throwing open a set of double doors. Gregorian chants float through the cathedral-ceilinged kitchen, and in front of them stands a man, dressed in ceremonial robes, swinging a thurible of smoking incense. As he steps aside, the guests glimpse O'Connell, standing erect, head down. Behind him a line of cooks stands motionless in black jackets and the Inn's trademark Dalmatian-spotted chef pants inspired by O'Connell's dogs. For a long moment, nobody moves. Then, O'Connell steps forward to greet the guests.

I had to go back and re-read this to make sure it wasn't a joke. Ceremonial robes and incense? Come on. It's a shame that something already as rarefied as haute cuisine should be made meretricious and pompous as well (and that's coming from an opera singer!).

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Click.

I had to go back and re-read this to make sure it wasn't a joke. Ceremonial robes and incense? Come on. It's a shame that something already as rarefied as haute cuisine should be made meretricious and pompous as well (and that's coming from an opera singer!).

Well, but the whole atmosphere of the Inn, from my paltry experience, is pretty showy. The whole thing is staged, from being met by 1000 uniformed employees when you first arrive to having the cheese selections on a cow cart with a mooing box. It's not like you're dining in the average DC restaurant...I think it would crack me up, and you definitely couldn't say it was boring! I'd say it's a little tongue-in-cheek and to not take it too seriously.

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Normally my husband posts about our meals. This time I thought I’d give it a shot. After years of talking about it, we finally got decided to go to the Inn at Little Washington to celebrate my husband's birthday. Since no one has posted about the Inn a few months, here is a more detailed description of our meal.

The Prelude: First came a small stack of thinly sliced brown bread with raisins and a poppy seed role. Without any explanation, my husband got only the small stack of sliced brown bread. His poppy seed roll arrived during the second course- they are much better when they are fresh from the oven. The brown bread with raisins was delicious. The presentation was unexpected and made for easy eating. The bread was served with room temperature butter (I hate it when places serve bread with cold butter). The amuse followed in the presentation that we had read about- a small plate with four spoons. The waiter explained that each spoon was meant to be eaten in a single bite. We got a cube of watermelon with balsamic and cilantro, a ball of melon with prosciutto, a tiny rockshrimp (can't remember with what), and a roasted pepper puree. The table next to us had two different items: the world's smallest stuffed baked potato and a beet mousse quennelle. There was clearly no good way to split the little spoons. It was irritating not to get to try everything. Next came a duck consomme. It was dark and rich and presented without spoons in little teacups.

First Course: I had the Melange of Spicy Big Eye Tuna. I could have eaten bowls of it. It was served with a Sake-Yuzu sorbet that was added to the bowl at the table and then melted over the tuna to form a cold broth. The tuna perfect and the dish had just the right amount of refreshing-heat and sweetness. My husband had the carpacchio of lamb. It was neat play on lamb and mint as it was served with a tabbouli salad. The portion was dauntingly large. The lamb was translucent, melted in your mouth and was not at all gamey.

Second Course: I had the hot and cold foie gras which was served with pickled cherries and a tiny buttered brioche toast. Both pieces were perfectly seasoned and cooked. The pickled cherries added a great contrast and the cold foie gras on the buttered brioche toast was rich and delicious. My husband had the soft shell crab tempura. It was served on a piece of compressed watermelon, which was an interesting touch. Again, perfectly cooked and the tempura batter was cripsy and light.

Main Course: I had the crispy sweetbreads with local peaches and chanterelles. The plate arrived with three large sweetbreads, lightly fried and in a rich brown sauce. The peaches were in tiny balls and were intensely peachy. All of this was served over a small amount of fresh tagliatelle. It was delicious. My husband had the tuna pretending to be filet mignon capped with seared duck foie gras. First of all, the serving was huge. The slice of foie gras was larger than the one on my second course. The combination of raw seared tuna steak and duck liver was pretty amazing. It was probably the best piece of tune either of us had ever eaten. It was a highlight of the meal.

Dessert: Before dessert we were presented with mini Stawberry-Passionfruit-Basil Bubble Teas in shot glasses with the traditional wide straw. The tapioca pearls were tiny and the flavor was fresh and intense. Not sure why we got them since they were on the tasting menu, but we were glad that we did. We loved them. For my actual dessert, I had the chocolate ménage a trois. The mini soufflé was overcooked and tough and the caramelized sugar on the crème brulee was cold. We both really loved the black forest mousse bomb, which was the best thing on the plate. My husband ordered the cheese for dessert and we got to experience Faira the Cow first hand. The fromager was very knowledgeable and put together a really interesting selection of cheeses. We were both impressed by his professionalism- he came to our table after being mocked by a rowdy table near us where, much to the shock and horror of her companions, one member of the party ordered cheese for dessert. This is when having well rehearsed service was an advantage-despite their hysterical laughter as he described all of the cheese, the gentleman pressed on as if the group was being attentive and polite.

The lobby and main dining room had large arrangements of Asiatic lilies and you could smell them through the whole restaurant. We were seated in a small glassed-in room off the parlor. The room was notably chilly, at least 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the restaurant. The direct garden view was great, but we missed out on the superior people watching and eavesdropping potential of the main dining room.

We both thought the service that they are so famous for was attentive, but not perfect. The pacing seemed off. One waiter was always hovering to clear plates making me feel rushed. The soufflé and crème brulee might have been better if I had eaten them immediately, but I wanted to wait to start until after my husband’s cheese had been served. We ordered two half bottles of wine and the second did not arrive until several minutes after the main course had been served. Clearly service with a smile and making customers happy is a big priority because at least three different times during our meal we heard one of the managers strongly chastising various staff members for not being sufficiently accommodating and friendly to guests. One other issue: there were mosquitoes in the restaurant. In addition to the little basket of mini goodies, I left with three bites on my arm.

After reading some of the posts we were nervous that that their food would be tired and lacking innovation. We didn’t go there looking for cutting edge molecular gastronomy and so we pleasantly surprised by menu items like the compressed watermelon and bubble tea. We were both impressed with the subtle way they showcased seasonal items. Our overall impression was that the food and service were excellent, just not perfect. The meal was expensive without seeming over-priced. We both agree that we're in no rush to go back unless someone else was paying for it, but we’d volunteer to drive.

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Going to the Inn this weekend for the first time. a few questions for the folks who have been there before.

1. Bottles, half-bottles, or pairings for the wine?

2. How many courses should we prepare for? Is this a Komi-like experience, or a more traditional 5 course?

3. Is there anywhere close by to stay, aside from the Inn itself?

Thanks.

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Going to the Inn this weekend for the first time. a few questions for the folks who have been there before.

1. Bottles, half-bottles, or pairings for the wine?

2. How many courses should we prepare for? Is this a Komi-like experience, or a more traditional 5 course?

3. Is there anywhere close by to stay, aside from the Inn itself?

Thanks.

More towards a traditional 5 course, at least when we went. What I remember most from our meal, and my advice to you, is that if you like cheese at all, make certain to get the cheese course. It really is something to be experienced. The cow cart (with moo noise and all) are over the top. The guy manning the cheese cart the evening we were there was quite possibly the most knowledgeable person I've met regarding cheese.

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Going to the Inn this weekend for the first time. a few questions for the folks who have been there before.

1. Bottles, half-bottles, or pairings for the wine?

2. How many courses should we prepare for? Is this a Komi-like experience, or a more traditional 5 course?

3. Is there anywhere close by to stay, aside from the Inn itself?

Thanks.

2. They have both traditional 5-course and tasting menu (I think 9 or 10 course) options.

3. There are several places to stay in Washington. We've twice stayed at Fairlea Farm B&B -- decent lodging, 10-minute walk to the Inn for dinner, wonderful breakfast: http://www.fairleafarm.com/. A google search should find you other places to stay nearby.

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1. Bottles, half-bottles, or pairings for the wine?

2. How many courses should we prepare for? Is this a Komi-like experience, or a more traditional 5 course?

The list is pretty extensive, lots of 1/2 bottles and you can do the pairings. We did two 1/2s, one red and one white, which worked out well.

5 courses traditional menu, though as mentioned there is a tasting menu which is longer. I also highly recommend the cheese course, probably the best cheese course i've had in the US.

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