Oval Room, Near The Ellipse <--- :-) - Chef John Melfi and GM Muhammad Nadeem

[RJ Cooper]

March 24th. is Sous Chef Tamesha Warren's last day at The Oval Room.

They got a superstar name Lukas Sousa yeah he is one of my x sous chefs from Vidalia went to work at #9 park for Barbera Lynch.

[rockcreek]

Dinner last night, tasting menu. Really excellent work. Not feeling that descriptive today - I'm going to chalk it up to running in the heat. Makes you a little lightheaded, it does.

1st course: pastrami-cured kampachi with tomato jam, a hot mustard ice cream (CRAZY), bacon, and microgreens. Take them all in at once and it's the most original pastrami sandwich you've ever had.

2nd course: Hawaiian sweet shrimp in a roasted garlic butter sauce, with lime reduction (like a lime oil?) and a pistachio puree. This or the first one were my favorites.

3rd: black truffle pasta with hazelnuts and shaved parmesan. All I could think of was "rich, intense, and happy."

4th: Chatham cod (braised, maybe?), sugar snap peas, daikon, honshimeji mushrooms (which are adorable), and shaved fennel. Well prepared; a lot of things going on here.

5th: crispy lobster (flash fried in a light crust), celery root puree, carrot and orange vinaigrette, and endive. And microgreens. I am typically of the mind that lobster should be left alone, but this really worked.

6th: veal tenderloin with mint and chili, sunchoke puree scented with lavender, shaved parmesan, and a reduction. The only thing here (to me) was that the reduction became salty. Not too much, but enough for me to notice. Only plate I didn't actually lick.

7th: a roasted white pistachio crunch with poached cherries and shaved white chocolate. I would have been happy there, but the pastry chef sent out ...

8th: raspberry cheesecake with vanilla ice cream, because it was my birthday.

Then there were petit fours, and I'll be damned if i'm leaving those behind. A double ganache, a something (I forget), a peach marshmallow, and caramel corn.

SO full. All good.

[Genevieve]

Has anyone been here lately? Is it still fantastic?

Possibly taking a relative here for a significant birthday for lunch, would like to know if it's still a sure thing for a wonderful meal.

Thank you very much!!

[DonRocks]

Has anyone been here lately? Is it still fantastic?

Possibly taking a relative here for a significant birthday for lunch, would like to know if it's still a sure thing for a wonderful meal.

Thank you very much!!

I enjoyed my dinner here last night - a beautifully Seared Foie Gras ($16) with coffee, cocoa powder, finely diced apple, brown sugar and smoked honey (a teasingly small-ish portion, and not my absolute favorite prep) followed by the outstanding Mint & Chili Spiked Veal Tenderloin ($34) with Parmesan, Sunchoke, and Lemon Balm. This is at the top-end of Oval Room's entree pricing, but if the amount doesn't make you cringe (and for perspective, it's less expensive than *every single entree* at Restaurant Eve Bistro), I say go for the veal tenderloin, and order it medium-rare. I also had a Hazelnut Twix Bar ($10) with Pot De Crème (more like a bon bon) and Caramel Ice Cream. The pastry chef here is very fine, and you'll enjoy both the bread basket and pretty much any dessert you order.

Out of conservatism, I dropped The Oval Room from Bold to Italic when Tony Conte left the day-to-day operations of the kitchen (how could I not?). I'm very severe with my highest rating - last night was very close; for now, I'd rather wait and see.

But to address your specific question? Yes, it's pretty much a sure thing for a wonderful meal.

[LauraB]

Out of conservatism, I dropped The Oval Room from Bold to Italic when Tony Conte left the day-to-day operations of the kitchen

I missed this news. Where is Tony Conte now?

[DonRocks]

I missed this news. Where is Tony Conte now?

If I have my facts correct, Tony is now the Executive Chef for all of Ashok Bajaj's operations, and is (for the time being) filling in for Ed Witt, who recently departed 701. With an empire of this size and quality (it's high time for Ashok to win the national James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur), you need someone to oversee culinary operations, to fight fires, to step in when needed, etc. Tony's influence is still quite strong at The Oval Room, but he's no longer on the line full-time, and he is quite a gifted cook.

[docsconz]

I should check here more often. A well-deserved congrats to Chef Conte, one of the most under-heralded chefs in the country! Glad to hear that The Oval room is maintaining its standards and I'm very happy that I had one more chance to eat there under Chef Conte in October.

[B.A.R.]

I should check here more often.

Please do.

[B.A.R.]

According to City Paper, a renovation is in the works. This is great news, as my last meal there was superb but the restaurant was showing it's age.

This is in my top-5 "least-heralded" DC restaurants and deserves the sprucing-up.

[DPop]

Tony Conte or no Tony Conte, this is one of the most consistently underrated restaurants in the area. I don't have much time for a long write up but my lunch today (Sashimi of Tuna, Bonito Ranch, Spicy Scallion Vinaigrette with some lovely wafers and the Rockfish with Carrot Broth, Green Chili, Uni Butter, and Crab Dumpling) was the second best meal I have had this year, not far behind Restaurant August. Agree about the decor and the overall stuffy feeling of the room, but that is easily overlooked when the food is this well executed. I have to remember to come here more than once every couple of years, this place has never disappointed.

[DIShGo]

I enjoyed an unforgettable meal at Oval Room during a recent visit to D.C. While everything I ordered was exceptional, it was the starter and the dessert that I can't get out of my head.

The sautéed foie gras, with lychee, passion fruit and black olive yogurt, was sublime. It was a perfectly balanced dish. The sauce had just the right amount of sweetness, enhancing the flavor of the foie gras, which melted on my tongue.

My dinner companion had a wonderful starter as well: gently smoked sweetbreads with licorice, fennel and herb salad.  This dish was well named because there was a gentle smokiness to the perfectly cooked sweetbreads that did not overwhelm their flavor. I think too much smokiness can ruin a dish. The right amount, in this case, elevated it.

I enjoyed rockfish as my entree. It was served in a spice broth with carrot, shrimp dumpling and an herb salad. All of the components complimented each another, although the star, for me, was the broth. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the herbs on top highlighted it. The carrots didn't add much flavor-wise, but they were visually and texturally pleasing.

The only negative thing about the meal was my friend's entree. He ordered the butter roasted beef strip medium rare. It was served medium and was lacking in flavor. The dish was somewhat redeemed by the other things on the plate: cherry mustard, blue cheese gougeres and multigrain risotto. All of these were delicious and went very well together. The cherry mustard was a taste treat. If they sold it in jars, I would buy it by the case.

My final impression of this lovely meal was dessert, which was nearly as good as my starter. We shared a blueberry tart topped with sweet corn ice cream and berry sauce. I love ice cream and sweet corn, but I had never experienced them together. Combined with the freshness of the blueberries and the delightfully flaky crust, this was an ideal ending to a very memorable meal.

[DonRocks]

I enjoyed an unforgettable meal at Oval Room during a recent visit to D.C. While everything I ordered was exceptional, it was the starter and the dessert that I can't get out of my head.

The sautéed foie gras, with lychee, passion fruit and black olive yogurt, was sublime. It was a perfectly balanced dish. The sauce had just the right amount of sweetness, enhancing the flavor of the foie gras, which melted on my tongue.

My dinner companion had a wonderful starter as well: gently smoked sweetbreads with licorice, fennel and herb salad.  This dish was well named because there was a gentle smokiness to the perfectly cooked sweetbreads that did not overwhelm their flavor. I think too much smokiness can ruin a dish. The right amount, in this case, elevated it.

I enjoyed rockfish as my entree. It was served in a spice broth with carrot, shrimp dumpling and an herb salad. All of the components complimented each another, although the star, for me, was the broth. The fish was cooked to perfection, and the herbs on top highlighted it. The carrots didn't add much flavor-wise, but they were visually and texturally pleasing.

The only negative thing about the meal was my friend's entree. He ordered the butter roasted beef strip medium rare. It was served medium and was lacking in flavor. The dish was somewhat redeemed by the other things on the plate: cherry mustard, blue cheese gougeres and multigrain risotto. All of these were delicious and went very well together. The cherry mustard was a taste treat. If they sold it in jars, I would buy it by the case.

My final impression of this lovely meal was dessert, which was nearly as good as my starter. We shared a blueberry tart topped with sweet corn ice cream and berry sauce. I love ice cream and sweet corn, but I had never experienced them together. Combined with the freshness of the blueberries and the delightfully flaky crust, this was an ideal ending to a very memorable meal.

This write-up really captured the meal. I'd like to add that I went into this dinner in earnest, hoping that I would raise The Oval Room back from Italic to Bold in the Dining Guide - I had, out of conservatism, lowered the ranking when I heard that Tony Conte would be overseeing Knightsbridge Restauant Group's operations from a multi-restaurant perspective (which, to me, meant that he wouldn't be cooking in The Oval Room on a reliable basis - regardless, I did it strictly out of conservatism and nothing else: When you're playing ball at this level, there is *no* room for error).

Who did I see when I first walked in but Jennifer Lucy, The Oval Room's new GM who had been there for all of four days - Jennifer is a plus to any restaurant she works with, and it was nice to see her again after several years.

In short, this was a wonderful meal, but it wasn't good enough for me to raise it back to Bold - this, despite being assured by two different people that Conte is cooking there every night. So, why didn't I raise it back to bold if it was a wonderful meal? Because of the steak.

About the only thing I disagree with in DIShGo's write-up was the description of my butter-roasted beef strip. Honestly? To me, it tasted like it had been cooked earlier in the day, and like something you'd get at a banquet dinner; not at a Bold restaurant. It was ordered (and recommended to me) medium-rare, but it wasn't medium; it was close to medium-well; but not just that - it was relatively flavorless, and tasted "old" for lack of a better descriptor. It simply was not good - in fact, it was pretty bad.

I don't expect Bold to be perfect - the only restaurant in the DC area that approaches perfection on occasion is CityZen - but I absolutely insist on this level being exceptionally good: superlative. And this was one out of five things ordered that was just plain mediocre - that's not good enough.

Make no mistake: The Oval Room is still one of the very best restaurants in the DC area - certainly in the top dozen or so, and it might even be higher than that; but it wasn't on this night.

Eternal optimist that I am, I will go back and try again. Honestly, if I was served this meal double-blind, I would not guess it came from the hands of Tony Conte. Yes, I believe them that he was in the kitchen, but if he was, he was having a sub-par night, and I suspect that when the steak order came in, he hung his head in shame. He knew - he had to know.

It would be very useful if I was kept abreast of personnel changes here - I hear now that James Barton left to run the kitchen at The Fainting Goat. Is Tony Conte the full-time, 5-6 nights per week chef now, or is someone else? And who is the Sous Chef now?

[Bart]

My wife and I went here last night before the Dylan show at Constitution Hall. This was our first time here and we picked it because the menu looked so good. Seriously, there were only a couple items I didn't want to order.  I'm usually a sucker for Tasting Menus for the variety, but this one didn't feature enough of the dishes that looked good to me so we skipped it and went the normal route.

It's a beautiful place and since we were there so early (before 6) we got a great table at a window on the street.  I was very surprised it wasn't more full.  When we got there, there were a few people having drinks and (I thing) only one other table eating.  When we leaf at 7:30 there were maybe 5 tables seated.  Our waiter said it was quite because it was the week before Thanksgiving, but I'm guessing the new, hot 14th St places were all packed last night. 
 
Anyhow, we ordered 4 appetizers and split an entrée which they cut in half and served on two separate plates.  A very nice gesture even though we weren't expecting it, but looking back I shouldn't be surprised since the service was top notch all night long.
 
They had a nice wine list (no VA wines) with a nice range of prices (read: some were affordable) and we got a $45 bottle of Chablis to start.
 
For apps we had:

Yellowfin Tuna - 14
Bonito Ranch, Ginger Dressing, Spicy Tapioca
   - This was very good!  It was a tartare that was so fine and soft(?) or smooth(?) that we wondered if they chopped it by hand or in a food processor.  This was a major highlight. 

Espellette Crusted Scallops - 14
Winter Citrus, Smoked Trout Roe, Yuzu Emulsion
     - Another winner, but much more weird!  The scallops were sliced thin, maybe 1/4 inch and somehow seared on one side, but somehow also raw.  The seemingly bizarre inclusion of the citrus (grapefruit??) was somehow very fitting.

Whole Wheat Chitarra - 16
Cauliflower, Uni, Spicy Bread Crumbs, Garlic confit
   - This was a pasta dish with little pieces of uni that was also very good and bigger/more filling than the first two

Pan Seared Foie Gras  - 16
Warm Carrot Cake, Carrot Relish, Carrot Ginger Reduction
  - I loved this one.  There were two pieces of foie gras on top of carrot, carrot, carrot!  You'll note that DIShGo had a similar but different dish last month. Hers had lychee instead of carrots and it must have just recently changed because when I first looked at the menu over the weekend, they were still listing foie with lychee.  Would have like to have tried the lychee but this combo of carrots was very good.
 
For our split entrée we had:

Butter Roasted Beef Strip - 32
Cherry"‹ Mustard, Blue Cheese Gourgeres, Multigrain Risotta

   - I would have rather ordered something else, but we just watched a "Mind of a Chef" show where they cooked a piece of meat in an obscene amount of butter and my wife was inspired to try their version.  I wish I had read Don's and DIShGo's reviews earlier, because I too was not in love with this dish.  It was not particularly tender and not particularly flavorful, but it wasn't "bad".  Out of everything we ordered this is the only one I wouldn't recommend or order again.

We had it with a wonderful Syrah that our waiter picked out ($14 per glass) which was probably not very economical but it was very tasty and perfect for the dish, plus we knew we couldn't bring an opened, half full bottle into the Dylan show!

For dessert we had doughnut holes (recommended by our waiter when we were on the fence about this dish or another one), which were tasty, a carafe of coffee which was great, and in honor of my home state we split a Finger Lakes ice wine which was perfect.

We really loved this place and can't wait to go back.  I think it will be our go-to stop for a pre-concert dinner.  While it was slightly more expensive than a dinner we had a few months ago at The Partisan, the food, service and ambience were much better here.  (Not really sure why I even mentioned that, other that Partisan has had a lot of recent buzz, and our meal there was just ok.  I'm in no rush to go back there, but I could go back to the Oval room tonight and be thrilled to order completely different dishes than we got last night)

[kirite]

We had Thanksgiving dinner here yesterday. The food was outstanding, but what made the experience memorable was the manner in which we were treated by the staff. When we arrived we were seated at a table close to the front door, and every time it opened a surge of cold air swept over us. Although we had already been brought bread and butter, we decided that it would be impossible to enjoy dinner in this environment. We asked the manager for a less exposed table, and after less than a ten minute wait in a restaurant that was almost full, we were given a booth by the  window and far from the front door. The hostess remarked that it was the best seat in the house.

My wife has a nut allergy and the menu featured a soup that contained nuts. When we asked our served if the nuts could safely be removed, he replied that they could, but that the base of the soup was made with a nut oil and advised against ordering it. And so she ordered the scallops appetizer instead.

In sum, the care and professionalism of the staff on a holiday when most would probably have preferred to be elsewhere was extraordinarily impressive.

[Bart]

Dang!  Tom is raving.

Not sure if the new chef was there when I ate there in Nov, but either way, I want to go back!

[RJ Cooper]

Melfi was my sous chef for almost 4 years at Vidalia. He lives by the credo: dedication determination focus and finesse. Proud of him.

Those were some great years:

John Melfi (italian stallion)

Hamilton Johnson (hambone)

John Engle (john the bull)

Anne (anna banana)

Ricky King (king dingling)

Ed kwitowski (eddie the pol)

Scott Clark (the bug)

and many more

[darkstar965]

Dang! Tom is raving.

Not sure if the new chef was there when I ate there in Nov, but either way, I want to go back!

I think this one of Tom's better reviews recently. Hadn't given a smidgen of a thought to the Oval Room since last time there a few years ago. Did very much enjoy it then but, for whatever reason, didn't circle back when picking higher end spots. Anyway, will now.

And, as a coffee hound, I have to applaud and note that this joins only one other DC restaurant using a siphon service for coffee of which I'm aware. Siphon brewing is the most labor-intensive of all brew methods. It produces a beautiful, clean representation of whatever beans and roast. I'd do a friendly quiz here to see if anyone here knows what the other restaurant with siphon service is but the member with the unfair advantage would be all over it whilst expediting dishes. It's R24.

"Vac Post Used To Make Coffee"

"Rogue 24"

P.S. If anyone goes in the next few weeks and wouldn't mind inquiring about which roaster's coffee they're using, I'd be very interested. My guess is what RJ initially used before switching over to neighbor La Colombe: Annapolis-based Ceremony. Same as Eve and Filter so would be in good company.

[squidsdc]

Note-thread title needs to be updated with current Chef John Melfi, and Kelli Walbourn (formerly of Palena) steering the ship.I apologize for the wordiness in advance, and for not seeing the note to ask about what coffee they are using!

We jumped on the chance to try out Oval Room before the Lead Belly tribute at the Kennedy Center this weekend. Kelli was looking out for me with my allergies and flawlessly keeping everything together. This restaurant needs to get more attention! I'm game to try the $20 lunch that Tom Sietsema raved about in his article, after having a wonderful, yet filling, meal.

Tom S. mentioned the bread basket was unexciting, but the bread we were served was light, airy and impressive. I overheard a server telling our neighbors that it is baked in house each day. And the butter served with it was noteworthy. (Frankly, that is one of the markers for me that a restaurant is paying attention to the little things.)

We shared an app of Hawaiian Kampachi Amberjack Ceviche with Avocado Puree, Uni and some sort of lemon ice, I believe? Doesn't matter, as it was an unbelievable melding of flavors that really sang. They actually brought it to us on two plates, which was very nice, or else we may have fought over it. Mr. S then had Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas, Olives and Vindaloo Emulsion, and I had an altered Burrata Salad with Shaved Artichoke, Fennel (instead of cucumber) and a Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. Oh my, this was refreshing, again, with a melding of flavors that made me use the bread to soak up any remnants of dressing that was left in the dish. And the serving size was quite large as well. Note for future: this could easily be a shared app, since all the dishes are decent sized, we were quite full at the end of the meal. (I would have expected something much smaller.) Mr. S proclaimed the grilled octopus to be delicious, but alas, I was unable to taste.

I had for my main, (Olive Oil) Poached Icelandic Cod, except done in butter instead of Olive Oil. A huge portion, perfectly cooked and served with radicchio, fried capers and lemon vinaigrette.  Mr. S had the Pan Roasted Duck Breast, with Quinoa stir fry, Bok Choy, Kohlrabi, Kimchi and Ginger Beer. (Again I was not able to sample this one, but again, was told it was delicious.) We shared two sides- Coconut Grits (who knew?!) and Lollipop Kale. The grits were a surprisingly tasty compliment, almost like a savory dessert-very rich, yet not, at the same time. Kind of resembling a rice pudding.  The Lollipop Kale were the Kale Sprouts that were crispy fried (similar to the Rasika dish?) These were very, very, good, but had a bit too heavy a hand with the sea salt. There was one other dish that was heavy-handed on the salt, but I can't recall which one at the moment. It wasn't enough to sway me from eating or enjoying it though.

For dessert we shared the Coconut Cheesecake, which is actually a deconstructed dish. The "Cheesecake" was actually three squares of very light, almost mousse-like scrumptiousness, surrounded by toasted coconut and a creamy Ginger Beer ice cream. If we weren't so full we would have fought more over this dish. One and a half squares each was plenty!

Having never had siphon coffee before, I had to go all out and order it. It was quite the production, and yes, definitely labor intensive. But very tasty. Would I order it again for $12 for two? Probably not. As a favor to the staff and because French Press would I'm sure be fine for me.

All in all, it was more expensive than we had anticipated, but we did order more than we usually do. We would definitely cut back ordering in the future based on the serving sizes, and definitely want to go back for the $20 lunch.

[Pool Boy]

Kelli's GMing it now? How awesome! And the food writeups of late a mostly really good. Might have to move this up in my queue.

[darkstar965]

Kelli's GMing it now? How awesome! And the food writeups of late a mostly really good. Might have to move this up in my queue.

Think Kelli's presence here was discussed awhile back on one of the threads; maybe Grill Room or Ghibellina. As big a reason as the great reports on the food to go. Up in our queue as well!

[Pool Boy]

Think Kelli's presence here was discussed awhile back on one of the threads; maybe Grill Room or Ghibellina. As big a reason as the great reports on the food to go. Up in our queue as well!

I'd heard she was serving/waiting there - but if she's GMing that is even more awesome. Haven't seen her in over two years.

[DonRocks]

I just wanted to correct a wrong bit of information: The GM of The Oval Room is Muhammad Nadeem - Kelli is serving and working private events.

[Tujague]

Is this the best "American" restaurant in DC right now? I suspect it just may be. Tonight's birthday dinner wasn't flawless, but it's the finest meal I've had in sometime in the city. First, the bar delivered a couple of near-perfect "classic cocktails" (a Manhattan and a Martini), a reminder that good ingredients and a bit of care can elevate the standards to a new level. Last year, I was lamenting the state of the tasting menu after a slightly underwhelming meal at Iron Gate. Oval Room renewed my faith in its possibilities, not by lavishing us with a series of quaint tastings ahead of the main courses, but by offering a thoughtful series of four dishes that didn't feel cut in size or dumbed-down for being part of a prix fixe menu. All the main dishes sang with varied but unified flavors, from the tuna sashimi, which had an unexpected spicy afterglow, to the grilled snakehead (!) with frisee, a piquillo pepper vinaigrette, and other adornments (the server described it as having a similar flavor to cod, but it really has a bit more wild character than cod), and the duck with cracked rice "grits" and kohlrabi kimchi, which was a reminder that it can be as hearty as any red meat. Bob had the coconut cheesecake, which squiddc describes above, but since I'm not a coconut fan, I went for the rosemary pear tart, which was okay, but nothing special. Siphoned coffee added a bit of theater to the end of the meal. Service was friendly, if occasionally slightly awkward (especially the sommelier). But overall, this was the most memorable meal I've had in quite a while; if it doesn't quite reach their heights, it's no stretch to put Oval Room in the same conversation with the late and lamented CityZen or Palena--the refinement and skill are all there. What has long been an excellent restaurant may be moving toward the sensational.

[DonRocks]

Is this the best "American" restaurant in DC right now? I suspect it just may be.

Don't forget Rogue 24 (and Corduroy), but yes, it's on the podium. I *beg* our members to read the dining guides - I know The Oval Room isn't in Bold right now, but it was for many years, and if you've kept up with things, it's most likely one visit away from being back.

[Tujague]

Don't forget Rogue 24 (and Corduroy), but yes, it's on the podium. I *beg* our members to read the dining guides - I know The Oval Room isn't in Bold right now, but it was for many years, and if you've kept up with things, it's most likely one visit away from being back.

I've not been to Rogue 24, and it's been awhile since I've been to Corduroy, but I don't doubt you. I hadn't been back to The Oval Room for some time, and my previous visits had been for Restaurant Week, and were merely pleasant. So Friday's meal was a real astonishment to me; creative without being overly fussy, and an exemplar of how to do a prix fixe menu that offers imagination, range, and, yes, value. For me, it was the perfect balance, even with the occasionally awkward service, underwhelming bread basket, and so-so dessert--forgiveable slips among so many strengths.

[mr food]

Dining at the Oval Room in a couple of weeks. I don't think I've ever been.  Any recent reports?

[DonRocks]

Dining at the Oval Room in a couple of weeks. I don't think I've ever been.  Any recent reports?

I went a year ago, if that helps.

[cucas87]

We went recently for our anniversary and had a great meal. We ordered the tasting menu and split the wine pairings. I'll try to find the copy of the menu at home but we had a terrific meal.  The service was lovely and the pacing of the meal, which I always find tricky with tasting menus, was excellent.

[Tujague]

We went recently for our anniversary and had a great meal. We ordered the tasting menu and split the wine pairings. I'll try to find the copy of the menu at home but we had a terrific meal.  The service was lovely and the pacing of the meal, which I always find tricky with tasting menus, was excellent.

I would agree that the tasting menu is a good way to go here. Unlike many places that literally offer "tastes," nothing seemed to be shrunken (at least significantly) from a regular a la carte portion, and they will switch out the specified dessert for another if you ask.

[mr food]

Thanks all!

[Kibbee Nayee]

Went to the Oval Room for lunch with business companions earlier this week. My expectations were commensurate with the reputation, which is fairly high. My expectations were met.

I had the seared rockfish with lobster emulsion on a bed of wild mushrooms, and it was the best rockfish dish I've had in at least a year. Perfect temperature, flavor profiles, texture. I loved this dish.

One of my companions had the same dish but without the lobster emulsion, and he also raved about it.

[DPop]

Anyone been recently?  I wanted to go tomorrow and they are fully booked for the night (perhaps a private party?)

[B.A.R.]

Have not been in almost 9 months, but this has to be the most underrated, high-quality restaurant that has been open for 20(?) years in DC. Just has always been very good., 

[seanvtaylor]

Couldn't agree more; I was there in August, after not being there for almost a year, and it has maintained its high standards.

Some years ago, before they renovated the dining room, my wife and I were at a two top and I had a view of the long table at the back, which had a large painting on the back wall above it. Suddenly we heard a large thud and the painting had dropped off of the wall. Without missing a beat, most of the wait staff rushed to the back, swiftly appraised the (lack of) injury, and got the table quickly cleaned up. It was impressive to see what a highly professional staff can do when called upon.

[silentbob]

Unfortunately, a celebratory dinner that my office held here meant ordering from a predetermined list instead of the much more interesting options on the main menu.

That said, I have no complaints about the food itself, and the prime New York strip loin was cooked perfectly -- it looked to be sous-vided at some point, NTTAWWT.

[Ericandblueboy]

Quote

Q: The Oval Room

During one of the newscasts' live reports a few nights ago, somebody said the Oval Room had been set on fire during the protests, but I didn't hear anything else about it. Do you know if that's true?

A: Tom Sietsema

Sadly, owner Ashok Bajaj just confirmed the report. The Oval Room was set on fire not once, but twice. Ugh. 

Srsly, what else has gone up in smoke?

[Dark Wing]

On 12/20/2018 at 1:09 PM, silentbob said:

That said, I have no complaints about the food itself, and the prime New York strip loin was cooked perfectly -- it looked to be sous-vided at some point, NTTAWWT.

7 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

The Oval Room was set on fire not once, but twice. Ugh. 

Well, at least they didn't get sous-vided like that poor strip loin.