Maestro, in the Tysons Corner Ritz-Carlton - Closed.

[deangold]

Sounds pretty amazing! Just a little surprising that at a great Italian restaurant, not a single Italian red was paired with your meal.

[DLB]

Headed to Maestro in a few weeks. Is the pig a new item? I don't recall it on the menu when we were there in October. it sounds really good.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

scallop tartare topped with champagne sabayon. This is another dish that is never the same twice and is always a delight. It has taken me a long time to truly appreciate scallops, and Fabio has allowed me to embrace raw scallops now as a favorite fish.

Ah ha, scallops tartare is becoming ubiquitious.

[ScotteeM]

Headed to Maestro in a few weeks. Is the pig a new item? I don't recall it on the menu when we were there in October. it sounds really good.

The menu changes frequently, depending on what fresh ingredients are available at the time. Suckling pig is something of a seasonal ingredient. Fabio eschews frozen products, except for some that are flash frozen in a few seconds. In general, he has contracts with local producers to grow certain meats especially for Maestro.

When we went on 6/17, the menu on the website did not have the suckling pig, nor most of the dishes we enjoyed. Now the website does include a few of them. Although the website menu for Maestro is updated more often than many similar websites, what is on the website is only an example, and may not accurately reflect the menu on any given day.

Some items, like the Scottish prawns (and Scottish Langostines) are not on the menu on a daily basis. Those are flown in and served the same day they arrive, due to their short shelf life. In fact, Fabio told those of us who attended his seafood cooking class that he usually receives Scottish Langostines on Wednesdays. They are on the menu Wednesday evening, and if they're not all sold at dinner, the staff finishes them off at midnight.

As I mentioned in my write-up, many things that look familiar on the menu may be so different from previous iterations that they're almost an entirely new dish. The Buffalo mozarella is a good example: it is paired with ingredients that vary according to season and availability. The Crudo or Mozaico also changes, even if the change is as subtle as a different type of lemon used.

[ScotteeM]

Sounds pretty amazing! Just a little surprising that at a great Italian restaurant, not a single Italian red was paired with your meal.

I take your point. My recollection is that I have been served some excellent Italian wines on several visits to Maestro.

Vincent seems troubled by serving us the same wines as we had on previous visits, so he does try to change them up, which challenges the limits of his by-the-glass list.

Don, it might be fun to have a chat with Vincent, if he were willing, about the challenges of selecting and maintaining a winelist in a restaurant where the menu changes so frequently, and about matching wine pairings to Fabio's dishes.

[Joe H]

My wife and I had our anniversary dinner at Maestro on Friday night. Excluding Joel Robuchon at the Mansion in Las Vegas which I have not yet been to (although I did visit Jamin in the mid '90's in Paris before he "retired"), I am convinced that Maestro is now America's best restaurant. As good as he was five years ago when we first visited he has grown demonstrably, easily the equal, perhaps now superior to Le Calandre and Dal Pescatore in Italy (each with three Michelin stars).

On Sunday evening I had dinner at Cafe Pasqual in Santa Fe. This is considered by many to be not only Santa Fe's best restaurant but also one of the very best in the Southwestern U. S. As much as I enjoyed it's very different style I could not help but feel Fabio and Maestro are just of another world.

I also believe that for all of those who rave about Per Se, Daniel, Le Bernardin and WD 50 in New York a visit to the D. C. suburbs might be a revelation!

And a shock that Maestro is here and not there....

[sunshine]

My husband and I went to Maestro for the first time to celebrate our anniversary this month, and it was superb. All the praise for it is well-deserved and not one bit hyperbole. I can unequivocably say that this is the best fine dining experience we've had in this area, and we've been to Inn at Little Washington, Cityzen and Palena's back room. (Not to detract from any of them. Maestro just took it up a notch.). Of the four different menus, we chose the Tasting Menu (Creazione) which is the Chef's best choices from the other menus. On Fridays, only the 5 or 7 course is available, and if one person chooses the Tasting Menu, everyone else must also. This was fine, though, because the Chef would mix it up so that both of us didn't have the same thing.

First, we started out with cocktails: Vodka martini with olive and twist for him, Bellini (with fresh peach juice) for me.

The meal began with an amuse of hamachi tartare with caper and chive blossom on a silver spoon followed by a test tube filled with green tomato gazpacho. After that, husband was served raw scallops in champagne sabayon in a glass (very rich because of the custardlike sauce), while I had a row of 5 hamachi pieces with lemon, chive blossom and sorrel sauce. (The combination of raw fish with tart lemon with the herby green sauce was amazing. Extremely refreshing.) Chopsticks (which actually looked like a giant tweezer) were provided to pick up each piece.

Second course was pasta: Husband had the cod ravioli with grilled calamari, another richly sauced dish. I had the perfect summer pasta of spaghetti in a fresh tomato, olive oil, chili and 5-basil sauce.

Third course: I had the grilled skate with sweet caramelized onion and strips of guinciale on top with a balsamic sauce. I don't even remember what my husband had because mine was so good. With the third course, I asked for a wine by the glass to be paired with it. Vincent, the sommelier, recommended a Rodney(?) Farrell Chardonnay from Sonoma which I was able to taste beforehand. It was a perfect complement to the third course.

Fourth course: Me: Lamb 3 cuts, 3 ways. My husband: the winner with the suckling pig belly mentioned earlier on this topic. Fantastic. For anyone who loves the pig, this is sublime.

Amuse: lychee panna cotta in a little espresso size cup.

Before dessert, the waiter brought out a surprise anniversary treat: a mini chocolate cake with ganache with a candle in it. He had us hold hands and blow out the candle together, then he split the cake and poured fresh cream on the cake to serve it. A very nice touch that endeared us even more to this place.

Dessert: Husband had chocolate chocolate chocolate, a trio of chocolate desserts which I did not try because I was so full, and because my dessert, the pistachio souffle with a spoonful of dark chocolate ice cream kicked ass. The server suggested that I put the scoop of ice cream into the souffle and eat it together, which I did. Yum,yum, yum.

After dessert: a tray of mini confections - chocolate bundt cake, and white chocolate guava truffles.

Service was efficient, non-obtrusive and very kind. Emanuele the manager is charming and has a great accent.

My only regret is that we didn't request a table by the kitchen. The kitchen is totally open and there are many tables from where one can watch Fabio Trabocchi in action. We were seated in a quiet but tucked away spot with no view of the kitchen. On the way out, I saw him standing there and was star-struck. I waved and thanked him for our wonderful experience. Husband thought I was flirting. Molto bene, Grazie.

[Jonathan]

not sittning by the kitchen this last time just gives you an excuse to go back again.

[ScotteeM]

In case anyone needs to know: Maestro is closed for dinner now through Sept. 11, reopening on Tuesday, September 12. Breakfast and Brunch service will continue as usual.

I hope they all have a wonderful vacation!

[wolverine]

Does anybody know how far in advance one generally needs to book a reservation at Maestro?

[ScotteeM]

Does anybody know how far in advance one generally needs to book a reservation at Maestro?

It depends on which day of the week and time, and what time of year. I've gotten last-minute reservations, same-day, for a weekday, and on a Friday for a Saturday, but I prefer an early time (5:30 or 6:00). They will undoubtedly be very busy the first weekend after their vacation.

It is possible to make reservations from their website, which uses Guestbridge. Of course, as with Open Table, if you come up with nothing for the date and time you want (assuming it's not during their vacation), call the restaurant directly, and you may be able to get a table.

Enjoy!

[Joe H]

Does anybody know how far in advance one generally needs to book a reservation at Maestro?

You should give serious consideration to asking for one of the two tables directly in front of the dining room. You will only be a few feet from where Fabio assembles the dishes and the rest of the dining room almost seems not to exist. It is very personal there. For a Friday or Saturday you should reserve at least six weeks or more in advance for these tables. They are EXTREMELY popular-many people ask for them. For a different table in the dining room on Friday or Saturday you should try at least three weeks in advance but as Scottee noted if you are willing to go very early you may have some luck a few days in advance.

Also, I would urge you to consider a seven course prix fixe which will end up around 11 or 12 courses and four + hours. This is the full, all out Maestro experience and is the one which for me challenges the best European three Michelin star restaurants. (Just as the Chef's Table does at Citronelle.) The five course is excellent (this will end up around 7 or 8) but for a true indulgence in excess turn it over to Fabio and plan on a serious diet for several weeks after! This is the dinner that I believe to be the equal of Le Calandre the Michelin three star considered by many to be the best in Italy.

Edited August 21, 2006 by Joe H

[LolaDC]

Hi, everyone. Just found out that Fabio Trabocchi will be holding a wine dinner/book signing at the National Press Club on Monday, October 16. I'm guessing tickets will sell out pretty quickly -- if you want more info, go to the Press Club website or shoot me a message.

[brr]

Wow, has anyone ever tried to get a gift certificate for someone at Maestro? Not the easiest or most customer friendly of processes.

First off they won't take your cc # over the phone due to 'security issues' but they will happily fax you a form where you can fill out your cc info and fax it back them....yeah, MUCH more secure

Second, there's a $15 'processing fee' associated with getting a gift cert. Now I know dinner at Maestro ain't cheap but this still seems a bit steep to me.

[Barbara]

Wow, has anyone ever tried to get a gift certificate for someone at Maestro? Not the easiest or most customer friendly of processes.

First off they won't take your cc # over the phone due to 'security issues' but they will happily fax you a form where you can fill out your cc info and fax it back them....yeah, MUCH more secure

Second, there's a $15 'processing fee' associated with getting a gift cert. Now I know dinner at Maestro ain't cheap but this still seems a bit steep to me.

I wasn't going to get into this, but . . . there was a time, a few years ago, when a certain family wanted to treat Dame Edna and myself to a nice meal--and, believe me, they had good reason to do so. They simply went to the most expensive restaurant (which was La Fourchette at that time) in our neighborhood and discussed things with the owners. We showed up, ordered whatever food and wine that we wanted, and left without dropping a dime. This can be done without getting into gift certificates or any of that other "promotional" stuff. I really HATE gift certificates, especially for restaurants.

[brr]

I wasn't going to get into this, but . . . This can be done without getting into gift certificates or any of that other "promotional" stuff. I really HATE gift certificates, especially for restaurants.

Um, ok, I'm glad your friends treated you to dinner but my specific circumstances are different....this is for people who I know are going to Maestro in the near future....I'd like a gift cert for them to take some of the sting out of the final bill....I'd also like to be able to order it over the phone without paying a $15 fee for the privelige of doing so.....

[Joe H]

My wife and I had a celebratory dinner this evening at Maestro. I realize that I may be accused of having a bias since I have raved about this restaurant almost from the day it opened. Almost four years ago to the day I posted this on Chowhound: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/166729?que...&user_name=

Maestro has grown, Fabio has matured.

I have been fortunate to have experienced a number of outstanding dinners over the years: Maestro is the equal of any restaurant I have ever been to anywhere. It is not just the best restaurant in the Washington area (sorry, Citronelle) but as good as any-anywhere. Maestro, today, is an extraordinary experience that one can experience without crossing an ocean or travelling to New York. For me, it is better than anything in New York.

I am convinced of this. It is THAT good. We are honored, we are fortunate to have this world class restaurant as part of our community. I also applaud Fabio for his vision and his creativity as well as his ability to maintain and "enforce" standards that are the benchmark for all American restaurants to aspire to. This is a great restaurant that all who follow this board should consider having at least one dinner at while it is available to us. This is not an implication of any change in its future; rather, right now Maestro and Fabio are on the top. I am merely suggesting taking advantage of this opportunity. One day later you might have to cross an ocean to experience this level of excellence. Today it is available to all on this board....remarkably in Tysons Corner.

[crazeegirl]

I have been fortunate to have experienced a number of outstanding dinners over the years: Maestro is the equal of any restaurant I have ever been to anywhere. It is not just the best restaurant in the Washington area (sorry, Citronelle) but as good as any-anywhere. Maestro, today, is an extraordinary experience that one can experience without crossing an ocean or travelling to New York. For me, it is better than anything in New York.

I hesitated posting about my recent birthday dinner at Maestro as it was so not the experience you would have at the best restaurant in DC. We had the 5 course tasting menu...each described to be a suprise. As we had one person at our table that had dietary restrictions--no raw food, we advised him of that fact and that otherwise we were all game. Each course was good, well executed but just ok...I usually remember my dishes pretty well and now as I type, couple dishes that come to mind that were served were:

mozarella with 5 types of dipping sauces (the sauces were pureed root vegetables which did nothing to pick up the favor of mozarella) and luke-warm potato soup

gnocchi with grilled calamari

pork tenderloin with beef cheeks

some other dish

desserts (cheese from the cheese cart and some type of sorbet)

For the restaurant folks out there, when you have a tasting menu and one person has dietary restrictions, do you modify the menu and serve the entire table the same course or just modify certain dishes per restrictions for that one person?

Food aside, I think what bothered the table most was the service. Not to be picky, but the bread was tossed on each of our bread plates w/o being asked if we wanted bread, the food came out so fast that we had to ask them two times to please slow it down, we had no explanation of what was being served, etc.

We opted for the wine tasting and the best part of it was that their pours were extremely generous. One pet peeve was that I like to know what I am served to drink and whether I am going to get another wine for the next course...after my first course which was paired with a riesling...thirsty me finished the wine and had no wine to drink when the second course was served. When my +1 prompted our waiter about the fact that the birthday girl is without anything to drink, he said, oh, you were supposed to drink the first wine with this course too. URRRGGHH!~~ Another funny fact...the person with the dietary restriction asked whether the bar could fix her a non-alcholic drink and the response was, there is juice, orange, tomato or cranberry!

I will not cross out Maestro from my list of restaurants, but I hope that this was an way off night.

[Camille-Beau]

...after my first course which was paired with a riesling...thirsty me finished the wine and had no wine to drink when the second course was served. When my +1 prompted our waiter about the fact that the birthday girl is without anything to drink, he said, oh, you were supposed to drink the first wine with this course too.

On our last visit, it turned out that Beau and I were expected to have the Riesling through the first four courses.

[cheezepowder]

Food aside, I think what bothered the table most was the service. Not to be picky, but the bread was tossed on each of our bread plates w/o being asked if we wanted bread, the food came out so fast that we had to ask them two times to please slow it down, we had no explanation of what was being served, etc.

We had dinner there a couple of weeks ago, and we both noticed that the pacing of our courses was fast (we had the five course menu, with dishes chosen off the menu.) We had an 8:30 reservation so I don't think it was because there was another reservation after us. That wasn't a big deal in our evening - we were happy with our service. We received reminders of what each dish was when it was served to us. We didn't get the wine pairing so can't comment on that.

[Fabio Trabocchi]

I hesitated posting about my recent birthday dinner at Maestro as it was so not the experience you would have at the best restaurant in DC. We had the 5 course tasting menu...each described to be a suprise. As we had one person at our table that had dietary restrictions--no raw food, we advised him of that fact and that otherwise we were all game. Each course was good, well executed but just ok...I usually remember my dishes pretty well and now as I type, couple dishes that come to mind that were served were:

mozarella with 5 types of dipping sauces (the sauces were pureed root vegetables which did nothing to pick up the favor of mozarella) and luke-warm potato soup

gnocchi with grilled calamari

pork tenderloin with beef cheeks

some other dish

desserts (cheese from the cheese cart and some type of sorbet)

For the restaurant folks out there, when you have a tasting menu and one person has dietary restrictions, do you modify the menu and serve the entire table the same course or just modify certain dishes per restrictions for that one person?

Food aside, I think what bothered the table most was the service. Not to be picky, but the bread was tossed on each of our bread plates w/o being asked if we wanted bread, the food came out so fast that we had to ask them two times to please slow it down, we had no explanation of what was being served, etc.

We opted for the wine tasting and the best part of it was that their pours were extremely generous. One pet peeve was that I like to know what I am served to drink and whether I am going to get another wine for the next course...after my first course which was paired with a riesling...thirsty me finished the wine and had no wine to drink when the second course was served. When my +1 prompted our waiter about the fact that the birthday girl is without anything to drink, he said, oh, you were supposed to drink the first wine with this course too. URRRGGHH!~~ Another funny fact...the person with the dietary restriction asked whether the bar could fix her a non-alcholic drink and the response was, there is juice, orange, tomato or cranberry!

I will not cross out Maestro from my list of restaurants, but I hope that this was an way off night.

I am very sorry you had a less than satisfactory experience. I would love to have you back at Maestro once again. Please let me know where I am able to contact you personally to discuss the above. Otherwise please feel free to reach me at 703-744-3928 or fabio.trabocchi@ritzcarlton.com.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Kind regards,

Fabio Trabocchi

Maestro Chef

[DPop]

Fabio, I have never had anything but an outstanding experience at your restaurant, I think it is the best restaurant in the DC area that no one seems to talk much about. I especially love your work with fish, it is unique and inspiring, amazing me each time I have had the pleasure of dining at Maestro.

I was shocked to read the above post you referenced, I cannot imagine anything but a wonderful experience at Maestro. I look forward to dining there again at some point soon!

[lackadaisi]

I had an absolutely wonderful meal at Maestro last night; even better than the fabulous one that I had the pleasure of enjoying soon after it opened. We chose the 5-course (which is actually closer to 10 courses), and every single dish was perfect! And the service was amazing as well.

They were able to work around several annoying dietary restrictions, and as two of the party had enjoyed the 5-course a couple weeks early, a new menu was created whereby none of the dishes were repeats of the earlier dinner. I particularly enjoyed the seared scallop with mushroom cap and diced porcini below. Also, the meal was packed with truffles!!! I was in heaven.

I find Fabio's textures to be wonderfully unique. Each soup and sauce, whether served under a protein or in a test tube, was perfectly smooth with controlled pieces of texture added, which showcased both the essence of the main ingredient and the contrast of another (such as luscious potato soup with little bits of truffles floating within).

On a side note, the table right in front of the kitchen is amazing! It gives a complete view of the bustle of activity only steps away. I highly recommend requesting it when making reservations.

(One question: Why were there so many empty tables?)

[DonRocks]

(One question: Why were there so many empty tables?)

Because there are so many empty wallets!

Seriously though, I suspect they have staggered seatings with part of the restaurant empty at any given time.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Wine Guy 23]

so i am going for the first time, and want it also to a memorable evening of course. of the menus, which is the better way to go.. i can stand a long evening for sure any gems on the wine list?

[Joe H]

Vincent is a superb sommelier-one of the best in America. I trust him. He has impeccable taste and genuine consideration for one's budget. For the dinner consider the seven course which will end up as 11 or 12 and three and one half to four hours. Other than requesting a risotto course and the lobster ravioli, we've always turned the dinner over to Fabio. Also, give serious consideration to one of the two tables directly in front of the open kitchen. After you go, please post your thoughts on here.

[Wine Guy 23]

Vincent is a superb sommelier-one of the best in America. I trust him. He has impeccable taste and genuine consideration for one's budget. For the dinner consider the seven course which will end up as 11 or 12 and three and one half to four hours. Other than requesting a risotto course and the lobster ravioli, we've always turned the dinner over to Fabio. Also, give serious consideration to one of the two tables directly in front of the open kitchen. After you go, please post your thoughts on here.

will do. thanks for the heads up.. i have been all over the city and others, but have not had the chance to go to Maestro bc of the Sunday/Monday closing. chhers

[brr]

so i am going for the first time, and want it also to a memorable evening of course. of the menus, which is the better way to go.. i can stand a long evening for sure any gems on the wine list?

When we went a few weeks ago, we had the chefs tasting. Everything was excellent including the aforementioned lobster ravioli and an amazing porcini mushroom risotto. There was also a great dish with salted cod croquettes and squid....

[Wine Guy 23]

When we went a few weeks ago, we had the chefs tasting. Everything was excellent including the aforementioned lobster ravioli and an amazing porcini mushroom risotto. There was also a great dish with salted cod croquettes and squid....

yes, we went on my birthday/ anniversary, and it was definitely in my top five dining expereiences.. have been around the US, to top places, and this sits with them.. Fabio cooked for us and catered to certain dietary needs, and it was terrific!!! thanks guys!! had some killer italian bottle too.. Oderro Barolo Cascina Riviera and Montevertrano Historia Taurasi 97.. killer.

a sure fure shot for a great evening.

[baczkowski]

A confluence of wonderful events (my new job, our impending one year anniversary, my wife's school making AYP) spurred us to take the plunge into our next "great restaurant" experience. Despite our day-before call for reservations, kind hosting and our willingness to accept a 6 PM reservation placed us in front of the well-orchestrated kitchen of Fabio Trabocchi, and what a well-executed performance it was!

Before we set foot into the restaurant, we had planned to tackle the more manageable five course option. The menu with which we were presented had several updates to its offerings differing from the web site and we were pleasantly surprised to learn of the opportunity to mix and match any five courses from three different menus: Tradition, Evolution, and Vegetarian. That means you can choose your five favorite of the more 25 dishes offered, not even including dessert. Unexpected and appreciated flexibility.

The vast amounts of food and my limited palate force me to simply list the unqualified highlights: lobster ravioli (unquestioned victor and worth the $10 upcharge), carpaccio, oil poached halibut, and every single one of the amazing complimentary courses that Joe H's posts warns/alerts us to: mozzarella/tampenade finger food (which hilariously fell into my wife's cleavage at the outset of our meal); Rocks's maniacally described combination of fried basil and zucchini blossom, strawberry filled with aged balsamic, and the test-tube filled with the potion-like tomato water; a lemoncello panicotta palate cleanser before my pistachio cream dessert; a creamy chocolate cake that was special b/c we had mentioned our anniversary; and the hot and cold dichotomy within the petifours pairing miniature molten chocolate cake with white chocolate covered balls of frozen citrus cream.

Everything we saw prepared on the counter in front of our table and continued leering at as it left that dynamic kitchen was breathtaking. The only change I would have made in my order would be to swap my very good hazelnut and osso bucco gravy enriched veal cutlet for the vibrantly red lamb chops, which I almost grabbed off the plate that walked by. If you get them, don't tell me how good they were. No need to deepen the buyer's remorse.

Table service was gracious, patient, and flawless, and food service was impeccably timed by Chef Trabocchi at the head of his kitchen (we enjoyed being able to watch him peak up at his overhead clock and hear him matter-of-factly call for our individual orders "in one minute" on his wireless microphone).

Not to take away from our wonderful experience in January at Citronelle, but our evening at Maestro was the best dining experience of our lives. Maybe this speaks to our preference of Italian food over French food, but if we won the lottery, we would choose to return to Maestro over Citronelle. If I was at all knowledgeable about wine, I would weigh in on which is the reigning titan of DC dining, but I will leave that for others to judge. Either way, though, you can't go wrong.

Pax,

Brian

[Joe H]

Wonderful report and a real pleasure to read. Thanks for sharing.

[pkoons]

I agree - great recent report, problem with reading these things is it makes me want to rush back. My past meals at Maestro have all been incredible for different reasons - whether it's nettle gnocchi or sturgeon with foie gras - two of my past favorites - I've maybe only had one or two dishes that weren't phenomenal (and even those dishes have been really good). I'm really looking forward to going on a Wednesday for the "Pure & Simple" menus. They've done meals based around asparagus & artichokes so far... I prefer a lot of variety in my meal but I'm sure if anyone could do a themed menu around a single ingredient, it would be Maestro. Has anybody been?

I most recently came here about 3 weeks ago with friends from work and really enjoyed the mozarella/asparagus preparation (with asparagus 3 ways - including ice cream!), lobster ravioli (one of my all-time favorite restaurant dishes), soft-shell crab (very nice preparation with lemon froth), and an incredibly light & airy marzipan souffle with toasted almond ice cream. The gratis white chocolate/citrus sorbet balls and incredibly rich chocolate cakes are incredibly addictive... After dinner drinks, especially scotches, are unbelievably well priced - Macallan 25 year for $36??? Didn't do wine pairings this time but the cabernet drinkers in my circle of friends were very pleased with the selection & service - unquestionably one of the best around. We put down a few bottles of the Shafer cab, a little heavy for what I ordered but still one of my favorites.

For my money it's the best in the DC area.

[ScotteeM]

Last night's dinner captured summer and put it on plates!

We started with a lovely "surprise" from Chef Trabocchi: A cup atop a tower containing a candle, in which lay two tempura-fried squash blossoms and a pool of fennel aioli for dipping. With it was a tiny plate of cherry tomato confit, a little square of Ivory Alaskan King Salmon crudo, a little glass of gazpacho, and a test tube of tomato water "to cleanse the palate." Wow! That was comforting and coolly refreshing, and left me in eager anticipation of the rest of the meal.

Fabio's take on the stuffed tomato was a peeled, seeded fresh tomato, filled with lump blue crab (was that a Chesapeake Bay type seasoning I detected in the creamy sauce?), placed open side down, like a dome, surrounded by a tomato coulis. This was no supermarket tomato--it really tasted like a tomato.

Next came a plancha seared Maine diver scallop, which served as a pedastal for a tiny potato blini that just covered it, atop which rested a piece of seared foie gras. The musto cotto pooled on the plate set off each of the elements nicely. I found the glass of Sauternes sorbet on the side a little too sweet, but WWMeade (who has yet to post here, despite my constant nagging) really liked the sorbet.

Another enjoyable appetizer was the steamed mussels, out of the shells, in a bowl with minced garlic scape (?), pane fritto crumbs, spicy chilies (not too much for my Scoville-impaired palate), and fresh oregano all in a broth, accompanied by a tube of fennel "cappuccino" that was poured over the dish. It was delicious, but would have been satisfying at about 2/3 the portion we were served. Even though I was afraid I'd get too full, I enjoyed it so much I couldn't stop eating it.

Another highlight was the hand-cut tagliatelle topped with slices of roasted squab breast, with a ragout (?) that included cut sweet corn and marjoram, and what we thought were pieces of morels.

The menu changes constantly--even daily--and items that seem to be the same on paper are often different in execution from the last time we had them. The crudo is a dish I could have over and over again, because I love it and because it's different depending on what's fresh that day. The carpaccio also seems a little different every time I try it. Fabio's hay-smoked fish last night was monkfish tail, rather than his traditional turbot, and it was accompanied by seasonal baby beets (other times I've had it with fingerling potatoes). Last night's study of lamb was quite different from the dish that appeared in photos a couple of years ago. Fabio encourages diners to return by offering so much variety.

Last night's menu was full of temptations, and I wish I had been able to try more.

Desserts were a nice surprise. WWMeade, who actively dislikes chocolate, loved our chocolate dessert so much he ate all of his and half of mine (I did get the fresh currants before his spoon came the way of my plate). Their desserts are generally light and the right size for me after such a huge meal. I would normally skip dessert, but theirs seem a perfect close to the meal.

We're already contemplating our next visit--perhaps to check out their offerings for Fall.

[pkoons]

To answer my own question above, the "Pure & Simple" themed menu focusing on crab was one of the best meals I've ever had in a restaurant. Crab flan with lobster bisque & crushed almonds (served with a potent caramel martini) was one of the most unexpectedly delicious desserts I've ever eaten, with a perfect balance of light & rich flavors. The soft shell presentation with brown butter sauce and squash blossom tempura was also mind-blowingly good, and though the wine pairing was probably my least favorite of the night (a grassy sauvignon blanc), it was still a tremendous combination of flavors. Also served were a morsel of seared tuna with olive tapenade and tomato water, eggplant-wrapped dungeness crab salad with gazpacho, blue crab risotto (almost too much citrus and cream to fit the "pure & Simple" tag, but incredibly flavorful and very much to my liking texturally - a bit more toothsome), crab ravioli with white corn puree (and an inspired dry Merlot pairing), panna cotta with Limoncello, and the ubiquitous petit fours. Incredible.

I still have not eaten at Citronelle and am really curious how the two compare...

[DPop]

I still have not eaten at Citronelle and am really curious how the two compare...

In my opinion, you cannot really compare the two. Everything I have ever had at Maestro has been delightfully light, focused on fish, and very Italian in nature. Citronelle has always been heavier, with a lot of cream-based items and usually fills me up after 2 courses (although it would be too hard not to overstuff yourself with the wonderful desserts). Maestro is a 2.5 hour experience, while Citronelle I feel is quicker and less set on the extravagant prix-fixe format.

Both outstanding places in their own right, but I do not think they can be fairly compared to each other as they are really very different dining experiences (at least they were for me).

A better comparison to Maestro, from a pure culinary experience perspective, would be Komi.

[lackadaisi]

Citronelle has always been heavier, with a lot of cream-based items and usually fills me up after 2 courses (although it would be too hard not to overstuff yourself with the wonderful desserts). Maestro is a 2.5 hour experience, while Citronelle I feel is quicker and less set on the extravagant prix-fixe format.

Unless you opt for the tasting menu at Citronelle, in which case each course is much smaller, and thus less apt to fill you quickly. And, I would not anticipate leaving less than two hours after you begin.

I agree that - apart from the fact that they are both fine dining - they are apples and oranges. The food is really too different to do a side-by-side.

[Pete]

Breaking news! Chef Fabio is leaving Maestro.

[DLB]

Breaking news! Chef Fabio is leaving Maestro.

Huge lost. This guy should have never been stuck in Tysons, in a hotel, all these years.

[BehaviorQueen]

Fabio is a brilliant chef and has added a much to the fine dining scene in the Washington area. Going to Maestro has always been a wonderful treat. The food light, delicious, precise and innovative. He will be greatly missed. He has been generous with his time, availability, and in hosting special events to celebrate various anniversaries of Maestro. His cookbook is a wonderful combination of interesting recipes from Marche and personal reminiscences. His cooking classes were special treats to all who had the opportunity to attend.

Let us only hope that he will return to the DC area in a few years.

Judy

[Walrus]

Maestro's long been on our wish list, so now we're seizing our last chance and heading there in a couple weeks. Is there anything in particular we should be looking for? How sad that it took the chef leaving before we could make Maestro a priority! Of course, that says only good things about the DC restaurant scene as a whole

[Joe H]

You should go now.

[Walrus]

You should go now.

Why do you say that, Joe? We're going August 10, which is pretty much as soon as we can get there.

[cjsadler]

To celebrate getting a new job, I took txaggie to Maestro last Thursday. Had no idea about Fabio leaving, but I guess it turned out to be fortuitous timing for finally dining here. Considering what prices have risen to at many places in DC, the five-course price during the week didn't seem all that bad ($110). Plus there's a lot of reasonable bottles on the wine list. We went with the five-course creazione menu, where the courses are chosen for you. Drank a nice 2003 Clerico Barbera d'Alba ($53) that Vincent Feraud recommended.

Tuna with tapenade and tomato water (amuse)

The tomato water, flavored with basil and with instructions to be drank after eating the tuna, was served in a test tube.

Carpaciccio 2007

This was my favorite dish. Tofu and the raw beef go strangely well together. For this updated "2007" presentation, five rolls of beef and tofu are presented in a long dish with divots in it. The rolls sit in 50-year balsamic and are alternately topped with frico with quail egg and parmesian with duxelles. Probably the best thing I've eaten this year.

Ravioli of braised lamb

Best pasta dish I've had in a long time. The garnishes of slivered almonds and garlic scapes really made the dish. The sauce arrived in a test tube and was then poured over the ravioli. I guess the test tubes were some sort nod to molecular gastronomy, but they came off as trend-jumping without much point.

Monkfish cheeks with foie gras and wine sauce

The wine sauce was a rich veal and wine reduction. All three components really worked well together as a luxurious surf-and-turf.

Veal loin with veal breast ravioli

Probably the weakest dish... good, but nothing all that exciting in comparison with the other courses. I have to disagree about the comments upthread that the food at Maestro is "light". This, like the preceeding two courses, was very, very rich. We were both agreeing at this point that the 7-course would have been too much.

Nutella souffle

I'm not much of a souffle lover, but this was nice (hard to go wrong with nutella, I guess). Had an extra dollop of nutella in the center and was served with a refreshing scoop of vanilla ice milk.

We were both very happy with the dinner. Despite whatever quibbling I might have done above, this was definitely one of the best meals I've had in the DC area. It could have been a bit more seasonal, though. Tomato water aside, this really felt like more of a winter meal. If you haven't been yet, now's obviously the time.

[Pool Boy]

No-can-go again before he leaves the DC scene. Oh well. Anyone know if he's raiding his staff at Maestro to bring to the new place In NYC? And when does he start in the new NYC place?

[Joe H]

I wrote the following three years ago on another board:

"Today, Maestro under Fabio is Washington's best restaurant. I believe that he is already one of America's best chefs and Massimiliano's equal at Le Calandre, the restaurant that is most similar to Maestro. For those on this board that have never been you should give serious consideration to going NOW. The wait is already over a month for a Friday or Saturday night reservation. When he wins it will be almost impossible to get in on a weekend.

I sincerely hope that he, Emmanuele (as good as anyone anywhere in the "front of the room")and Vincent (formerly with Jean Louis at the Watergate) stay and "grow old" with us in the D. C. area. But I'm afraid they may not. If you go don't hold back. Order the seven course tasting for $125 prix fixe which is really a true bargain. (If this were not subsidized by Ritz Carlton this could easily be a $200 prix fixe dinner-it runs including several amuse and pre dessert a total of 10+ courses and takes over three hours.

We should enjoy-and celebrate-Fabio and Maestro while we can. One day we may have to cross an ocean to find this level of excellence. For now we only need visit Tyson's."

__________________________

Fabio will be gone soon. We have now lost Laboratorio and Maestro-on a positive note we still have Citronelle and we have gained CityZen. But Maestro under Fabio was and still this evening is truly special. I believe that his leaving is, along with Jean Louis, our greatest loss. (Roberto continues in Arlington with enduring hope for the future.) Find a way to go, beg for a reservation if necessary. But go now. Not next week nor the week after. Go now. And you'll have a memory that you didn't have to cross an ocean for.... At that, a taste and an experience that perhaps less than a handful could approach on the far side of the Atlantic.

[agm]

FYI - the dining room was busy when we arrived at 8:00 last night (Friday), but not full. Reservations can be had.

[ScotteeM]

Tonight every table was filled by 6:30. Although they were seating diners as late as 10:00 tonight, most tables were not filled when we left at 10:30. However, I got the impression that the last 3 Saturdays are filled, so your best bet might be a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night. Not sure about Fridays.

I'm very happy that I have secured a table for August 18th.

Definitely, if you've been meaning to go and haven't gotten around to it, try to get a reservation now before Fabio leaves.

[ScotteeM]

As I said in my previous post, the restaurant was extremely busy last night--more akin to the pre-Christmas holiday rush, and certainly not what one sees at this time of year in general. By comparison, the Steak House across the lobby was less busy, more typical of the summer doldrums.

Fabio and his entire staff, FOH and BOH, were really on their game last night. We lingered far longer than normal, but we savored every minute of it. My new favorite table is back by the large window, where I can see the kitchen and most of the dining room.

This could be a very long post if I detail each of our courses (OK, it's long anyway), so I'll mention some standouts:

I can't get enough of the fried squash blossoms with fennel aioli, a special treat with a good-sized square of Ahi tuna topped with a tiny oyster, which we dipped in sorrel cream. Two peeled cherry tomatoes, one red and one green, were refreshing and provided interesting contrast of flavor and texture. Washed it all down with a shot of tomato water--so refreshing!

More fresh, peeled cherry tomatoes piled with pieces of heirloom tomato "confit" provided a tangy, summery backdrop to Bufalo mozzarella set in a pool of freshly made pesto. The hints of crunchy fleur de sal and drizzle of "Manno" EVOO were subtle enough to accent, rather than drown, the flavor of the cheese. A shot of their fabulous gazpacho finished it off perfectly.

A strip of seared Dorade over some lightly steamed clams in a clear broth redolent of young garlic and fresh herbs, topped with fried capers and garlicky croutons to catch all the sauce, proved to be a lovely, light fish course.

Tortelini with prosciutto sat on pieces of seared mortadella, topped with shaved parmesan and summer truffles, dressed with EVOO and balsamic vinegar. The flavors remain in my memory though all of the ingredients did not make it into my notes.

One of the best meat courses ever: Seared duck breast resting on a fried ravioli filled with duck confit, paired with seared foie gras resting on grilled endive, with fresh sweet cherries, a cherry reduction, and a side of spicy "pesto". Guess that would be "duck three ways." The duck breast was nicely medium rare with crispy.

A surprise of the night was one of the appetizers: Roasted quail breast and sea urchin roe in a verbena/chardonnay cream. Vincent proudly told us that this was created by Sous Chef Nick, and that Vincent thought Nick was crazy when he proposed it, but that it was delicious. I've never had sea urchin roe before, and I thought the flavor provided a great contrast to the quail and the cream sauce. When we were saying our goodbyes I wanted to tell Nick how much I enjoyed this, but he was back in the kitchen working furiously. I'm sure he'll get my message.

Cheeses, desserts, and everything else was as wonderful as ever. And despite the fact that they were so very busy and still seating diners at 10:00, they allowed--even encouraged--us to linger as long as we wanted. There were some new wines on the by-the-glass menue as well: Elena Walsh Pinot Grigio Alto Aidige 2006, Stendorfer Eiswein from Burgenland 2004, Tari Cantine Antonio Coggiano Campania 2004 (Vincent took my notebook and pen and wrote "%100 Aglianico" next to that), and a couple more I'll have to Google to decifer my handwriting.

By my estimate I've dined there nearly two dozen times over the last four years. I disagree with previous posts about "dumbed-down" food. Fabio's menus are always changing, always emphasizing fresh, sustainably farmed ingredients, acknowledging local producers, and importing special ingredients not readily available here. His hay-smoked turbot may not set off the smoke alarms anymore, but that doesn't mean it's less wonderful than it was initially--just that they've perfected the technique so they don't "smoke out" the dining room.

Although I'm sorry to see Fabio go, he and Vincent and Emanuelle have created a staff that remains a cohesive force, and I am confident that they will carry on, under Nick's direction or that of a new chef, for the foreseeable future. I can't wait to go back one more time on August 18, and then in the future after their vacation.

[Joe H]

Scottee, on your future visit ask him to include his new version of mussels with a kind of bread crumb topping along with his Grappa risotto which I continue to believe is his best. We were there last night also.

...I am still taking aspirin.

[mhberk]

I'm very happy that I have secured a table for August 18th.

I'll be there too. This just happened to be the night that we reserved back in May for a six-top with a kitchen view. I just hope, under the circumstances, that things still work out.

Joe, I remember that you were promoting the lobster ravioli at one point. Is this still something that can be requested?