Charles Tsui

Sounds amazing! I sent in my email earlier today for a reservation for two and am looking forward to hearing back. With any luck, I'll see other board denizens there on the night.

Ditto--waiting to get confirmation of my reservation request. I don't usually drive into DC for dinner on a weekday, but this sounds like an event I'd regret missing!

I was really pleased with my dinner at Suna last night. This is the sort of restaurant that I've found and enjoyed in other cities like SF and NYC and it's always bothered me that DC could not, apparently, sustain a similar concept. The food is far more innovative and daring than what we can generally find around town. Yes, that means that some of the dishes are polarizing. My wife doesn't think that she'd want to return, but I think that Suna could become one of my favorites. Kudos to Chef Spero for not playing it safe! I do share others' concern that the tasting-only format and the non-mainstream menu will make the business side of things tough. I hope that there's no eventual need to "dumb things down" to make the restaurant more accessible.

Since I largely agree with what's already been written by other reviewers, I won't go into detail about the dishes. But I'd like to share some photos and some thoughts where I had a different take than my fellow diners.

Root Vegetables

Mackerel

I don't remember what the menu said, but like lotus125, I am pretty sure it was mackerel. I like mackerel sushi, so I found the dish OK. My wife disliked it (but she generally doesn't like mackerel).

Dashi Custard

This was great. I actually liked the firmer texture as I sometimes find chawanmushi too watery (particularly when it's steamed with watery ingredients like mushrooms).

Peekytoe Crab

This was an "ehhh..." dish. Fine, but I could've done without it. Can't put my finger on any flaws; maybe it was just a very mild crab flavor and I wanted more richness.

Guinea Hen

Great dish, with perfectly-cooked and seasoned meat, crispy skin. I did find the unadorned sunchoke ribbons to be a bit bland.

Pork Shoulder

Another great meat dish

Apple

Loved the texture and the malty taste.

Hazelnut

I think these were some of my favorite desserts of all time. Really knocked it out of the park.

In terms of food, if I drop the mackerel and crab dishes, I'd give this a "great" rating, particularly for the price. The beverage pairings were spot-on and I think the pours were quite generous for the split pairing option that we chose. Any more and I wouldn't have wanted to drive home!

As others have mentioned, service was exceptional. Each and every front-of-the-house person was knowledgeable, responsive, and acted like he/she was pleased to be there and pleased to have us as guests. The only other place where I've felt such genuine service was Eleven Madison Park.

The GM(?) is a rockstar -- anyone who spent 3 months doing a ramen tour of Japan is OK by me!

I didn't like seeing empty tables on a Saturday night. Sure, the place is pretty new, but other restaurants in town have been packed since opening night just because they were opened by a TV chef. The cooking at Suna isn't perfect, and not everyone is going to love every dish. But in a market seemingly built around a consensus on inoffensive, money-making dishes, shouldn't we reward a talented risk-taker who's clearly cooking what he wants to cook? There've got to be enough people who like to challenge their palates, appreciate beautiful plating, and admire the guts behind the concept enough to pack Suna every weekend, right?

Thanks to everyone who cooked for us and took care of us at Suna last night! I know I'll be back soon!

-Charles

I also have reservations for the 15th -- super excited! Congrats, Chef!

Yep, they even check the less-obvious packaging in your carry-ons. They shook my nalgene and styrofoam container and made me pour out the HKG fountain water and throw out the congee. They did invite me to return to the gate and eat my congee, though. My security guy did recognize the absurdity of this, and was apologetic but firm. It's a looooong flight and I felt bad badgering the flight attendants for drinks, but really didn't have any choice Also, the Phuket, Thailand and Penang, Malaysia airports are small are relatively foodless (well, they both have Burger King/McDonalds and coffee/donuts - it's strange to see asian Dunkin's!). Eat something before you get to the airport!! The Bangkok airport is beautiful - lots of touches (indoor pavillions, statues, and orchid gardens) to let you know you're still in Thailand. There is various Western and Asian food available - I had a DQ blizzard (you can get mango cones and green tea ice cream) and a bowl of pretty decent ramen while watching a Beyonce video. Our culture has a long reach.

Tortas Frontera in Terminal 1 at ORD was...fine, not really the burst of the flavor of the Americas that I was anticipating on my way back from Asia. I was going to get the cuban tortas until the sandwich maker told me that the smoked pork loin was "eh, like ham" and saw that it looked pretty wan. The chile-corm chowder didn't pack any punch, but the fresh guac from the guacamole bar was nice. I got mine dressed with bacon and sun dried tomatoes and it still tasted undersalted until I scooped it with the chips, which were more than salty enough to make up the difference.

I wonder if the no-post-security-liquids rule is just for flights to the US. I flew back from HKG last week (but, via LHR) -- walked straight on to the plane holding my 1L bottle of water. Speaking of LHR, the food options in T5 at Heathrow certainly looked more appetizing than what we get in the States: Pret A Manger, Itsu, Gordan Ramsay Plane Food, wagamama, etc. I wasn't even hungry during my layover, but definitely considered having another meal!

My wife and I were there too last night, and I think Nicole was also our server! Fantastic dinner and service, and thanks for your descriptions! They are much better than what I could write.

That was not my mama's old fashioned pecan pie last night but something unexpected and greatly satisfying. The texture was almost like a soufflé but the crust was fantastic. So was the crust for the pumpkin tart. In the future I would get anything here with a crust.

The artichoke with the scallops were very special. Served with a Pinot Noir that went very well with it. I don't believe I ever tasted such an artichoke dish. The shoat had a much richer flavor for us last night than the lamb, plus we enjoyed the way it was served with the wintergreens wrapping, almost like a piece of sushi in its presentation, with the CZ scrapple, and the sauce. By the time I got to the lamb, the last course before cheese and dessert, I would have been ready to surrender and give away state secrets if I had any! Worth it to go with the wine pairings.

This is a special occasion place for us, but we greatly look forward to the next one. We will be in good hands with them!

Small world! I'm glad that you had as enjoyable a time as we did!

I agree that the scallops + artichoke were great. It's tough to innovate with something as simple as seared scallops, but they created something really satisfying without obliterating the flavor of the seafood. The artichoke pudding was creamy and smooth without being too heavy.

Yes, I'm totally with you on ordering anything with a crust on the menu!

Two nights ago I had an amazing course at Fiola (I could see Fabio through the window); last night it was brandade at Palena (Frank was working the line). This paragraph just sealed the deal on where I'm having my Christmas Eve dinner (and I have no doubt whatsoever that Eric will be there).

Being alone for the holidays sucks, but it doesn't have to suck that much.

Sorry to hear that you weren't able to get your CityZen on, but I'm sure that you'll be back soon. It sounds like Marcel's really took care of you, which makes it even more imperative that I finally go and try it out.

Happy holidays to you!

My wife and I enjoyed an absolutely spectacular dinner at CityZen last night. This was our fourth meal here and undoubtedly the best. More importantly, it erased my lingering doubts about the kitchen's ability to send out étoile-worthy plates. The technique and execution behind every course that we've had at CityZen has always been flawless. But I'd finished my previous meals with a slight sense of disappointment: the food felt somewhat safe, lacking in challenging or revelatory elements. The menus appeared tailored to a DC clientele afraid to experiment. Not this time. Interesting and innovative flavor combinations were everywhere, but always in total balance. This was fun, pleasurable, and sophisticated food.

Many of the dishes tasted like they could have been served at The French Laundry. This isn't just a gratuitous observation given Eric Ziebold's pedigree, but an important realization for me. I enjoyed my favorite meal of all time at TFL and to know that such an experience could be re-created in DC truly makes me proud. Speaking of Chef Ziebold, he could be seen hard at work behind the pass for our late seating. He's also been there each time that we've dined at CityZen; not out making TV shows or selling books, just cranking out beautiful plates in the kitchen.

A few stand-out courses for me (I didn't get a copy of the menu, so I don't remember all of the details):

Musquée de Provence Pumpkin Tart

Foie gras and pumpkin ... who knew?! As much as I love a soft, seared slab of foie gras by itself, I'm more impressed by dishes that intelligently integrate it as a complementary ingredient. Here, flaky tart crust meets sweet pumpkin and creamy confit foie. The foie gras isn't a token luxury condiment, nor does it dominate the whole dish. It just makes something seemingly simple a lot better. Crazy-tasty and like nothing I've had before.

Maine Lobster Tail, Sea Urchin Broth

My wife ordered this ($15 supplement) as part of the four-course menu. I loved that the dish prominently featured the brininess of sea urchin. It wasn't just there to inflate the price, or to be hidden within a heavy sauce. It tasted of the sea, which is exactly how it should.

CityZen Pecan Pie

My all-time favorite dessert is the CityZen Dreamsicle from years ago. This pecan pie interpretation may well be my second-favorite and a continuation of the great house-named-dessert trend ("CityZen [anything]" dessert bound to be awesome!). I believe the "pie" part was described as being a chiboust. It had the lovely texture of undercooked cookie dough, but with a nice, crunchy base. Together with the muscovado sugar ice cream, it was quite incredible. The pre-dessert/palate cleanser sorbets were also great--Matthew Petersen's rising star reputation is very well deserved.

Complaints? Just some minor observations:

1. The busser who set the silverware for each course did so rather haphazardly. It's not a big deal, but at this level, I shouldn't be repeatedly seeing a knife half-tossed onto the table to land at an angle.

N.B. It was more than enough consolation that our captain for the night (Nicole) was brilliant: knowledgeable, personable, and professional. It was a joy to be under her care.

2. The two somewhat similar meat courses on the Chef's Tasting Menu didn't work that well for me. On the sample menu, the first dish is the Crispy Shoat Belly. But last night's menu featured the shoat loin. This came before the lamb ribeye. Both proteins were perfectly cooked and seasoned, but both cuts are relatively lean and mild. The shoat belly would probably have provided more differentiation from the lamb. Or maybe the shoat loin and the beef calotte that was on the a la carte menu. Don't get me wrong, both the shoat and the lamb were delicious, but I wanted a bit more textural contrast that may have come from the substitution of a different cut.

In my first post on this site, I talked about the down-scaling of 2941 and a particularly disappointing meal at Adour, wondering if top-notch, inventive cuisine could be found at a fine dining restaurant in DC. Well, I've found my answer and it's an uplifting one. CityZen delivers a dining experience that's right up there with the world's best. On a personal note, I proposed to my wife at the Mandarin Oriental 5 years ago and it's both fitting and pleasing that our favorite DC-area restaurant can be found there. We look forward to many more celebrations at CityZen, with great food, wine, and hospitality.

Thank you, Chef Ziebold and team, for working so hard to create the best restaurant in town. We can't afford this kind of dinner all the time, but the staff at CityZen seem to understand what's at stake: that a special meal should feel truly remarkable.

Hello!

After lurking for a few years, I've finally decided to become a member! I often find myself disagreeing with the assessments of DC's top food critics, and see Yelp reviews as consisting mostly of uninformed noise. But the community here always provides detailed, reasoned commentary on the best places to eat. I hope that I can contribute in kind.

Some of my area favorites:

CityZen

Rasika

2 Amy's

Mikaku (try their house-made udon!)

BlackSalt

Kaz Sushi Bistro

Cafe Atlantico (not America Eats Tavern)

Maria's (Hong Kong-style breakfasts)

Amma Vegetarian Kitchen (try the rava dosa)

Happy eating!

-Charles

This literally comes across as pathetic which is defined as "having the capability to move one into compassionate pity."

Just as the infamous, unannounced, tweet-review fiasco of Adour heralded the beginning of the recession and the general decline in restaurant journalism, this seems like the other extreme: a beautiful restaurant, grabbing the bull by the horns, and compromising their principles via questionable PR in order to pander to the press and unsuspecting dining public by dumbing themselves down, and shackling the talents of a chef such as Bertrand Chemel, perhaps hoping that nobody will notice the difference.

I'm sorry this is going to happen to you folks over at 2941. Since I haven't seen your financial books or business plan, I can't say it's a "huge mistake," but I'm pretty sure we can, at least for the time being, kiss Bertrand Chemel goodbye in terms of being a world-class chef. I hope I'm wrong, but I see nothing that would lead me to believe otherwise. If this is what's happening, I pray that our economy rebounds well enough so that restaurants such as the great 2941 (and make no mistake, it was great) regain their footing.

As it stands, we've lost many great restaurants over the past several years through marketing, false criticism, and attrition from the recession; gained only a tiny handful; and worse still, have witnessed upscale restaurants slide down the scale, not to rock bottom, but to an exit such as this. Is Chemel really motivated enough to take his French-influenced cooking, and dumb things down into plates which are "modern American with Mediterranean influences?" Does everyone hear how boring that sounds?

I hate that fine dining, though not dead, seems to be on the downswing, and the spiritual leader of this pathetic movement is the most destructive restaurant critic this area has ever known - not because he can't write, but simply because he doesn't understand "dining" as opposed to "eating." He doesn't get it, and he never will - so this era has fostered the ascension of blue-collar cuisine, for better or for worse, and in some cases, what's passed off as "Modern American" - in this instance, with Mediterranean influences; in other cases with regional American, Asian, or other influences. For him, these mixed-up, dress-down parties have been the best of times; for the experienced diner, they have been the worst of times.

Here's to a brighter future, for the great 2941, for the Washington, DC area as a whole, and certainly for the battered art of fine dining.

Cheers, and best of luck to Chef Chemel and 2941,

Rocks

Hi everyone,

Reading Don's response to the news about 2941's "re-invention" inspired me to register for an account so I could add to the discussion.

My meals at 2941, in its first years of operation, were a core part of my introduction to fine dining. Each lunch and dinner taught me something new about ingredients and techniques, and the corresponding enjoyment that they delivered. I also learned to appreciate the little details that made the whole experience an occasion: the wonderful bread program, the whimsical cotton candy at the end of the meal.

Like others who've posted here, my wife and I easily made the decision to hold our wedding reception at 2941. We wanted to make sure that the food and the setting would be memorable, and it was almost a foregone conclusion that we would pick this venue.

The progression culminated in my surprise 30th birthday dinner at the Chef's Table, with Jonathan Krinn sending out a tasting of flawless dishes. I did not know it then, but that would be his final month in the 2941 kitchen. I feel honored to have watched him work up-close, at his best and doing what he loved.

Since then, our meals there have been underwhelming. The menu has changed (perhaps, necessarily) to focus less on luxury and more on affordability. The service has slipped, and there's far less sense of occasion. At the same time, I have more actively pursued my love for great cooking and hospitality (a journey begun at 2941), having enjoyed incredible feasts at The French Laundry, Le Bernardin, Joel Robuchon, and others. Those more recent experiences remind me that great cuisine can be revelatory; that a single bite can transform one's view of food.

2941's "dumbing down" doesn't depress me only because of my fond memories for the restaurant. The transition seems symptomatic of the trend in the DC dining industry towards mainstream, inoffensive food. There is a pervasive belief that our palates don't like to be challenged and that unfamiliar dishes will not sell here. Last week, we dined at Adour for the first time. The space is beautiful, the service was polished, and the wine program is great. But the food actually made me angry. There were some mistakes in execution: under-seasoning, over-cooking. The real crime was the menu: everything looked and tasted "safe". The NYC Adour gets uni pasta, and we get braised shortribs.

I also lament the momentum away from fine dining. I feel like the luxury and the theater of a great restaurant performing at its peak is why we go out to celebrate special occasions, why we anticipate meals planned far in advance at destination eateries. "Democratizing" food across the board risks killing what was once special. But I understand that white tablecloths and crystal are expensive and that economic realities may drive restaurateurs to compromise their vision. So, my main frustration is still about the cooking.

Two of my favorite recent meals were at vegetarian restaurants with no tablecloths, informal service, and tasting menu prices below $100. Yet, Ubuntu in Napa and Kajitsu in NYC delivered innovative, tasty, and challenging food that had me considering each bite and thinking about the meals long after we'd returned home. It pains me to acknowledge that neither restaurant could ever exist in our local restaurant market. Why, in a metropolis of affluent, world-traveled citizens, is there so little culinary risk-taking?

I'm a newb on this forum, and I don't want to offend those of you who have presumably already considered this topic, and are far more familiar with the industry than I am. I also don't want to diminish the hard work of the people who do run terrific restaurants here (I have many favorites in the mid-range and low-end, my complaint is largely with the void at the top-end). I just want to believe that it's possible to have a world class restaurant in my town. That such a place would become a destination for others. If Bluestem can succeed in Kansas City, and Husk can make headlines from Charleston, why is the idea of culinary travel to DC so improbable?

Again, please correct me if you think that I'm uninformed or overly-pessimistic. There are many restaurants vying for the top reputation in the city that I haven't yet tried (including Komi). CityZen remains my favorite local fine dining restaurant (in fact, I'm strongly considering blowing our December dining budget with a meal there to help me forget my disappointment with Adour). They consistently deliver on the experience that their reputation promises. But I still get the sense that Eric Ziebold has to cook what he thinks his customer base wants. I would absolutely love to see him cook unfettered, like some of his fellow TFL alums: Grant Achatz, Rene Redzepi, etc. On that note, it saddens me to see Bertrand Chemel talking about value menus when Gavin Kaysen has made such a name for himself at Cafe Boulud.

Best of luck to everyone at 2941, past, present, and future!