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Corduroy, Fine Dining at the Convention Center - Chef Tom Power's Magnificent Cooking


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Another fab meal at the bar last night. Beet and baby carrot salad was refreshing and not too sweet.

Chef Power very kindly sent us all a bowl of the Red Snapper bisque last night between courses. It was very good, but the Vidalia soubise is still haunting my dreams.

Main dish was a half order of scallops with chantarelles rather than the morels listed on the menu. The chantarelles were good, but the earthy morels make a better contrast with the sweet creamy scallop. [raving fangirl] I cut one in half and spent some time admiring the perfectly-cookedness of it. :lol: I've had these twice in one week and still want more. [/raving fangirl]

Drank the white Burgundy whose name escapes me. Unfortunately there was no room for dessert.

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And I had the steak that Micheal Landrum says is great, he is right. A well aged wagyu beef sirloin strip that has been aged to perfection. I did not detect any of the "pork" like flavor described by others. I found it to have a somewhat "nutty" flavor. The turnip gratin and the sugar snap peas were excellent accompaniments.

And the white burgundy was an Olivier LaFlaive.

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I had the braised beef cheeks the other night after the event, and they were just beautiful. Rich and falling-apart tender. Big, too...I was too full for dessert! Probably would have gotten the strawberry tart, which I now realize I never mentioned when I was there the other week for happy hour. Corduroy has found some really, seriously good strawberries!

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Don't you love it when a friend from out of town calls looking for a restaurant recommendation...

Hey Tweaked I'm outside DC Coast, any good?

No, no, walk two blocks to Corduroy. You eating by yourself? I'll be right over.

Quick drive across town led to a rather decadent meal on the old expense account.

We chowed down on:

Red Snapper Bisque - lovely essense of fish, light wonderful soup

Soft Shell Crab served with greens, not sure what the sauce was...again delightful

The Ron Jeremy Spring Rolls - friend was loving these

Striped Bass (done in the style of the seared tuna) - I just love this presentation

Pineapple Sorbet, with a hazelnut(?) crisp and drizzled with rum from Venezula, the sorbet is amazing

Cherry Tart with vanilla ice cream, a great way to end dinner

Thanks Ferhat for taking care of us...my friend was very impressed!

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Had a wonderful dinner at Corduroy this past Thursday, thanks to Chef Power, Rissa and Ferhat. We started out with cocktails in the bar area and then made our way to the dining room for dinner.

I'd say the dining room was about half full primarily due to the fact that there was a retirement party of some sort going on. I had asked Ferhat if Chef Power could make the scallops tartare that I had been hearing so much about for my first course. He came back and informed me that the chef did not have all of the ingredients he needed to make this dish, but that he would do something similar. This sounded good to be so I chose that for my first course followed by the Wagyu strip steak. My girlfriend went for the red snapper bisque and a half order of the scallops over potato puree w/ morels for her main.

The scallops that were presented to me were delicious; it was much like a ceviche rather than a tartare. The red snapper bisque was also a hit as it was very flavorful without being overly heavy from too much cream (which I find is often the case with seafood bisques) A few minutes after we were finished with out first course, we received a pleasant surprise when a couple of plates of lobster salad appeared for us compliments of Tom Power. This was a very nice gesture that was most appreciated.

When I took my first bite of the steak, I thought holy s&!t that is a good piece of meat. I have to agree with Jacques about the Wagyu strip in that I did not detect any of the "pork" like flavor described by others, but did taste a somewhat "nutty" flavor (I would guess due to the aging). The turnip gratin and the sugar snap peas were excellent accompaniments. As for the scallops, they lived up to their pristine reputation and were deemed a success by my g/f. As I think Heather mentioned before, they were served with chanterelles instead of the stated morels. As for wine, we asked Ferhat to pair a glass with each of the courses and he did not disappoint.

Now that I am working only a few blocks away from here, I am going to have to head over more often to the bar with some buddies for drinks and those spring rolls.

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Well, I finally went to Corduroy last night and not surprisingly came away quite happy and content. My dining companion was running behind slightly so I started with a glass of the Cristom Pinot Gris from Oregon, which is a nice version of this wine, at the bar. Gotta love those Oregon Pinot Gris and Noirs.

Anyway, she eventually showed up, so we moved to the dining room. She started with the field green salad (I believe) with lemon dressing and said that it was quite good. I decided to go with the much discussed already Lobster Salad - it was in a word, "Wow." I am not big on anything that is mayonnaise based, but this was just a wonderful salad with chunks of lobster served with baby greens and a basil oil I believe. I had this with a 2002 french sauvignon blanc and it went quite well with the sweetness of the lobster balancing the acidity of the wine.

For her main course, she went with the lamb sirloin in red wine sauce with the side of goat cheese ravioli. As soon as I saw her lamb, I realized that it would be too rare for her and encouraged her to send it back - she refused and ate about half of the lamb and said that she really liked the flavor. As for the ravioli, she ate every bite (besides the one piece that I "borrowed") and absolutely loved it. And I would have to agree. For my main course, I had the scallops with potato puree and morels. Again, wow. As has been said by others, they were pan seared and probably the closest thing to perfection as far as scallops go that I have had. And I ate this while enjoying a White Burgundy.

We aren't all the big on desserts and were pleasantly full so we didn't order anything else. Overall, it was a nice re-introduction to the cooking of Tom Power (I had been to Old Anglers back when he was there) and have to ensure that so much time doesn't pass before enjoying his culinary talents again.

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For her main course, she went with the lamb sirloin in red wine sauce with the side of goat cheese ravioli. As soon as I saw her lamb, I realized that it would be too rare for her and encouraged her to send it back - she refused and ate about half of the lamb and said that she really liked the flavor. As for the ravioli, she ate every bite (besides the one piece that I "borrowed") and absolutely loved it. And I would have to agree. For my main course, I had the scallops with potato puree and morels. Again, wow. As has been said by others, they were pan seared and probably the closest thing to perfection as far as scallops go that I have had. And I ate this while enjoying a White Burgundy.


I am going to Corduroy tonight...can't wait to get taste of the lamb. Does the ravioli have a strong goat cheese flavor? I love all types of cheese except goat cheese.

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From my one bite (and that was all I was allowed;-), it was not strong at all. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised that the goat cheese was rather understated. I went back to eating my scallops and the potato puree with mushrooms and had no lingering strong cheese flavor.

Someone who has enjoyed that entire entree might want to weigh in, especially if I am incorrect before crazeegirl goes tonight.

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I agree, the ravioli flavor is not goaty at all, merely superrich and cheesy. I think I've ordered the lamb/ravioli every single time I've been to Corduroy except once, when I'd given up cheese for Lent. And I don't remember what I had that time.

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The raviolis are indeed very mild tasting. Especially when accompanied by the rich lamb. The contrast between the two flavors brings out the best in each -- the sharpness of the goat cheese helps keep the lamb from being too rich and the richness of the lamb softens some of the sharpness of the goat cheese.

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Was there last night...we did a six course tasting menu...it went like this.

Lobster Salad: All four of us never really liked lobster...Mr. Powers converted us to lobster lovers.

Vidalia Onion & Foie Gras Soup: I was glad it was served in an espresso cup. The sweetness of the vidalia soup and the richness from the cream(?) was great but...I don't know if I would have liked a whole bowl of it.

Softshell Crab: By far the best I have had so far this year.

Roasted Chicken(?) Duck (?)...probably chix: I didn't really care for it. I thought the meat was overdone...did enjoy the crispy skin though.

Seared Salmon: I am not a salmon fan. I ate the crispy skin and left the rest...it was cooked perfectly...moist in the center.

Braised Beef Cheeks (for some of us) and Grilled buffalo (for some): No offense to the chef but by the time the plates came...we were sooooo FULL that I think we all took a bite and left it. Yes, the beef cheeks were falling off and good...but a little too sweet...probably a personal preference...i like my meat raw and untainted!

Chocolate tart and Sorbet: The best sorbets next to those at Citronelle. YUM... The chocolate tart reminded me of my favorite warm chocolate cake at Rouge in Philly.

Generally, $55 (I think) per person is a great deal!! I wish the restaurant was in a better location!!

Next time...I will try the lamb...I was sort of disappointed that they ran out of scallops and lamb was not part of the tasting...I will have to make another trip in the near future.

Edited by crazeegirl
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Do you mean a better location as in not in a hotel?  A better location within the hotel?  Or do you mean not at 12th and K at all?

The hotel lobby had this 1~2 star hotel feel to it so you wonder if the restaurant will be serving sub par food as you walk into the restaurant. I think 12th and K is fine. Unless anyone bothers to walk there, it makes no difference if you are driving or taking a cab.

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The hotel lobby had this 1~2 star hotel feel to it so you wonder if the restaurant will be serving sub par food as you walk into the restaurant.  I think 12th and K is fine.  Unless anyone bothers to walk there, it makes no difference if you are driving or taking a cab.

I metro it there, and find it rather convenient. I kind of have the opposite view of the space in the hotel. I wonder whether those who eat there or even stay at the hotel have an understanding that they're at one of the best restaurants in the city.
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I metro it there, and find it rather convenient.  I kind of have the opposite view of the space in the hotel.  I wonder whether those who eat there or even stay at the hotel have an understanding that they're at one of the best restaurants in the city.

From my conversations with them, many of them do not. In fact, it seems as if some of them expect so little that it makes them not like the food. It is strange to see people's reactions when I discuss the restaurant's reputation.

Additionally, the crowd that stays in that hotel is a really interesting bunch. I have had many very interesting conversations with people that do not follow the standard DC or even DC-tourist format. I have ended up having long conversations with groups of postal carriers, groups of Kentucky professors, a bongo player in the country for the first time to play at the Carribean festival, a rap artist (not well known) from LA, and all sorts of other random business travelers. Because it does not attract the standard - in from NY - politicos, it makes it one of the best places that I know to spark up a conversation that makes you forget that you are in DC. And, there is great food.

I walk.

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From my conversations with them, many of them do not.  In fact, it seems as if some of them expect so little that it makes them not like the food.  It is strange to see people's reactions when I discuss the restaurant's reputation. 

The only time I've been to the bar there (sadly, I've never had the spring rolls), I was trying to convince someone who was staying there for a convention that he really should eat dinner there, that it was one of the best restaurants in the city. He seemed unimpressed.

I guess a Sheraton is not a place conventioneers expect to find great food. It's a shame that people stay there and don't know what they're missing.

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Braised Beef Cheeks (for some of us) and Grilled buffalo (for some): No offense to the chef but by the time the plates came...we were sooooo FULL that I think we all took a bite and left it.  Yes, the beef cheeks were falling off and good...but a little too sweet...probably a personal preference...i like my meat raw and untainted!

Hmm yum, raw beef cheeks, almost as sounds almost appetizing as a boiled shoe, and just as tender.

On Saturday, we went to celebrate my wife's well, 29th birthday (she would killing me if I admitted to how many times we have celebrate this same birthday). It was a spectacular meal, with only a few blemishes. Everyone had a different dish for appetizers and the entrée.

Appetizer:

Soft Shell Crabs: Perfectly sautéed on a bed of greens with a lovely vinaigrette. The softies were still wonderfully tender and cooked to perfection.

Snapper Bisque: The first taste was a bit over-powering, but soon showed itself to be a wonderful representation of the fish, with no residual fattiness.

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese: Perfectly cooked sweet beets served with a goat cheese sauce. The goat cheese and beets was a perfect match.

Micro-Green Salad: A salad of impeccably fresh mix of greens. These fetal greens were simply dressed and provided a great start to a meal.

Entrée:

Wagyu Sirloin with Rutabaga Pave: The sirloin was cooked flawlessly and served with a simple jus, with a side of a rutabaga pave that was able to change my mind from being a rutabaga hater.

Lamb Loin with Goat Cheese Ravioli: I am not sure where to start with this dish. The lamb was beautifully cooked, and simply dressed, however, the ravioli was so impressive that it is hard to remember mush else about this dish. They were delectably cooked with a mild goat cheese filling

Braised Beef Cheeks: Yes they were a bit sweet, but it helped to balanced out the gelatinous meat. I just wish that the beans it was served with were a little more done, I found that they were a bit too toothsome. This dish and the sirloin also had perfectly cooked wax beans served with it. It is so rare that a restaurant serves these verts.

Roasted Baby Chicken: The only part of this dish that I was able to try was one of the small legs. Good God, this little bit of meat was not on par with Palena's wonderful chicken, it lapped it. The meat was as tender, but packed with even more flavor. When the chicken was served it was topped with a friend something. I call it a something because no one at the table could quite figure out what it was. We were split on it being either potato or plantain. I believe that it was add to the dish for textural purposes, and not for flavor, well at least I am hopping that is why it was served with it.

Desert: These were a bit hit or miss

Trio of Ice Cream (Vanilla, Raspberry, and Lemon) - The vanilla, and raspberry were not flavored as well as I had hoped that they would be. The vanilla did not have much flavors of this delectable bean, and the raspberry was a bit too bitter. The lemon was a true stand out. Even though I did not like the flavor of two of the ice cream, the texture of all of them was impeccable.

Chocolate Torte with Caramelized Banana and Vanilla Ice Cream - The bittersweet chocolate torte was rich and matched perfectly with the bananas. Like with the previously desert, the vanilla ice cream was unremarkable.

Crème Brulee - The custard was well cooked and had a very nice texture. The vanilla shone through, unlike the ice cream.

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I had scallops again. Someone should make me order something else next time just so folks don't think I'm obsessed or something. :P They were, of course, perfectly cooked, sweet and creamy inside. An excellent match with Bourgogne Blanc I was drinking.

And a lovely heirloom tomato salad (thank you Chef Power) with basil oil. The first good tomatoes I've had this year. And beet salad and chocolate torte. That torte is excellent. Imagine the most intense chocolate custard ever and that's what it's like.

Edited by Heather
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Squished between a long week and a longer weekend, I was a little bit eager & early for the Friday HH.

An hour early, to be exact. The charming bartender and the lovely candle convention ladies were amusing one another by telling stories of a southern biker bar and vodka-fueled escapades across the country, and I drank a ludicrously cheap beer while waiting for the rest of the Foundation crew to arrive. It's a good place to self-medicate while hiding from the city for a little bit.

One shared goat cheese, a gazillion orders of spring rolls split down the tables, a half order of the world's most perfect scallops, one lovely tomato salad (courtesy of the beloved Mr. Powers), one peach sorbet, a stolen bite (or three) from Heather's chocolate torte, and a couple of fine, fine glasses of wine later, I happily rolled home. I can't think of another place in this city where you can eat so well without crimping your budget, especially if you're willing to share plates--$4 for spring rolls, $4 for the goat cheese, $12 for scallops, thanks to the chef for the tomatos, and I was a very happy camper again.

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Last Saturday, I had planned a dinner in the company of three people. This was no ordinary date night dinner.

Because instead of enjoying my food, my companion and a bit of footsie, my mission this time was to impress the hell out of two of them, a 60-something couple who had every reason in the world to scrutinize me. Enough said.

So, for that reason, I needed to pick a place that had to be many things at once. Classy. Non-threatening. Quality. Non-crowded. Non-tainted by The Trendy People. Soothing. In short, something that would paint me as a woman of style and sophistication yet not someone who's unbearably fabulous.

Corduroy hit home on all counts. Ferhat, Rissa and Chef Power all moved seamlessly to deliver a smooth, terrific, no-nonsense evening of great food and gracious service.

The Evening Star:

Lamb with mini goat cheese raviolis. This was a rare dish where the side shines as brightly as the centerpiece. My lamb was cooked perfectly medium rare in a simple sauce that gently enhanced its flavor yet did not interfere with the purity of taste. Goat cheese raviolis were simply fantastic in their homey, warm, comforting taste that had me mop up the plate clean. They also made it very difficult to keep my lovely, accommodating smile affixed firmly in place when I had to share a few forkfuls with Parties Who Needed to be Impressed. My longing gaze may have said it all.

Other highlights:

Beet and goat cheese salad. A dish that unfortunately has been picked up by many a clueless kitchen. I guess it sounds easy to make, but in my experience it's really easy to screw up, too. The Corduroy version was clean, flavorful and perfectly proportioned.

Chocolate sabayon. I believe this dish has been already gushed over, but I feel compelled to do it again, because of its beautiful texture and incredible intensity of flavor where chocolate, not sugar, was a star.

Fantastic service. Great wine recommendation, light hand, warmth, smoothness.

Thanks again to Tom, Rissa and Ferhat for a beautiful evening that earned me many reputation points on one of the few days when I really needed it.

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I'm a big fan of Corduroy. The food and the service have always been a treat. I usually go on a Friday or Saturday. I dropped in two or three weeks ago to have a drink and a bite to eat. It was a Tuesday or Wednesday night. The place was nearly empty. Maybe saw four tables used in the dining room during the 90 minutes I was there. The bar had one or two people (not including me and my companion) over most of that time. Now I know that mid-week, middle of summer can be rough, but it was VERY quiet. Eerie, depressing quiet. Food was fantastic, though.

Was this just an anomaly? I'm considering bringing a few friends to the bar for a small get-together next Wednesday, but I'm a bit afraid to find it so dead. I don't need to go someplace hoppin' - but somewhat living at least.

Thoughts from the midweekers on the crowd? I can't stop by tonight to check it out myself.

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I had a great meal with my husband and in-laws at Corduroy on Friday night. Of the three dinners on their visit (Firefly, Corduroy, R. Eve), it was declared the best restaurant by my MIL. That is, it was was declared the best despite her unhappiness over the chocolate ice cream she ordered. I liked the consistency, but everyone else thought it tasted like cold chocolate pudding :wub: She was looking for a way to email Tom Power to complain about the ice cream (she LOVES ice cream), but I said I would post something instead, since the website isn't up. It's hard for me to be adamant about it because I liked the bit of the ice cream I had, but everyone else complained about the texture. There you have it.

It was a great meal. My in-laws both had the scallops that came with the mashed potatoes. My MIL got the snapper (?) soup and the beet-goat cheese salad. My husband had the local tomato salad (wow!) and king salmon. I went with the lamb and goat cheese ravioli, with a softshell crab app. I loved my meal but thought the ravioli were different than before. They seemed stickier or something, but I still loved them.

And for dessert my MIL had the chocolate ice cream, which we all tried :P

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Took the parents to Corduroy on Saturday; a good time was had by all. I finally got to try both the Vidalia onion soubise and the scallops, either of which I'd order again in a second. The Sunnyside striploin, buffalo striploin and lamb were also well received, as were the pistachio bread pudding, sorbets, and ice cream.

I'm continually impressed by how wonderful all Corduroy's soups are. It doesn't seem to matter what's in season - whatever it is, Chef Power can turn it into souply goodness. We enjoyed the wine as well - Pegasus Bay riesling from New Zealand. Nice citrusy notes, perfect for a hot summer day. I wouldn't mind picking some up, but am not having any luck finding it so far - if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. (I've tried Calvert Woodley, Bassin's and Total with no luck.)

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My MIL got the snapper (?) soup and the beet-goat cheese salad.

The red snapper bisque is a lovely example of Chef Power's skill in the world of soup. The first spoon can be a little strong, but each subsequent taste is very mellow and smooth.

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The red snapper bisque is a lovely example of Chef Power's skill in the world of soup. The first spoon can be a little strong, but each subsequent taste is very mellow and smooth.

I had a spoonful of the soup and wished I'd ordered it. It had a pronounced flavor but didn't seem too strong. I had wanted to get the softshell crab while it was on the menu, though, so I went with that to start. I definitely want to go back and get the local tomato salad while it's still in season. If they have the snapper bisque then, I'd definitely like to order it for myself. There are too many good things on the menu! :wub::P

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We enjoyed the wine as well - Pegasus Bay riesling from New Zealand. Nice citrusy notes, perfect for a hot summer day. I wouldn't mind picking some up, but am not having any luck finding it so far - if anyone has any suggestions please let me know. (I've tried Calvert Woodley, Bassin's and Total with no luck.)

last RW, i went to corduroy and had a fantastic pinot noir (Foxen) that i haven't been able to find anywhere in d.c. so, glad to hear that i'm not the only one having problems tracking down stuff like this.
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