Central, 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Downtown - Executive Chef Nick Johnson and Chef de Cuisine Sean Mulcahy

[Miami Danny]

I've had dinner at Central more often than any other restaurant since October, probably five times. On a Sunday evening, it's one of the most valuable places in town.

Berated by Cedric Maupillier for "always getting the cheeseburger," I've tried my best to steer clear of it, and in the process have tried almost the entire menu. Maupillier has emerged as one of the best chefs in Washington, DC, and continues to work at a pace that would wear out a lesser man.

Nearly every recipe at Central has been heavily influenced by Michel Richard, but I've been told that the Filet Mignon Tartare ($14 for a small) was originally the concoction of an more-independent Maupillier. Made with a whole tenderloin, frozen (any frozen, cylindrical meat has Richard's stamp on it), it relies on shallots, cornichons, a bit of mustard, and to the best of my knowledge, no egg, although the dishes at Central seem to shift and change each time I have them. The last time I had this Tartare, I thought I tasted a bit of Tabasco, but I didn't find any this evening. Topped with gnat-sized toasted rice crackers posing as mustard seed, it's served with some of the best fries in town, which retain their interest even as they cool to room temperature.

I've had the Tuna Burger ($18) at Citronelle in the past, but I don't recall having it at Central before tonight. After I've tried about twenty dishes in the past few months, Maupillier might (justifiably) dismiss me for writing about the tuna burger, but it remains a great sandwich. Multi-layered, top-to-bottom, I think it goes 1) brioche top, 2) ginger mayo 3) wafer 4) ginger-mayo 5) wafer 6) ginger-mayo 7) wafer 8) hashed-up tuna patty 9) tomato slice 10) bottom bun. Eating it with your hands, it's a good layering, but when you go knife-and-fork as I do, the top-heavy wafering tends to get in the way, and in the future I may flip it before eating, not caring if I lose some texture in the process. Since I had the fries with the Tartare, I got the salad which was made, at least this time around, with thin, taut, green beans; not haricots verts, and was dressed exactly as it needed to be.

As much as I've explored this menu of late, it seems morally bankrupt to write about a tartare and a tuna burger, but wait a minute, I have a detour to take ...

The 2006 Borgeot Chardonnay, the one marked "Cuvee Michel Richard" is only $8.00 and is my go-to wine here. I believe it may be the cheapest white wine on the menu - it's a very good Bourgogne Blanc, and a great deal at the price.

... as I was saying, despite me only writing about these two things tonight, I'm really enamoured with Central as a stop-in bistro right now. The bar is big and often empty on a Sunday, and the final tab is always a pleasant surprise. Plenty of appetizers are in the single digits, and a good half-dozen main courses are in the teens.

Maupillier is stuck in the shadow of Michel Richard, there's no doubt about that, but he's also running a kitchen that's able to crank out 300+ covers of consistent, interesting, well-priced dishes, and he's doing a darned good job of it, too.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Funny. I was in DC last week and managed two lunches at Central. Arriving at about 1:30, there were plenty of seats at the bar, and the service was relaxed. Reminded me of the old days when I would go on a Monday, not Sunday night, early, and start the night off with a good cocktail, the faux gras/rillettes, and move on to a hamburger, or a lobster burger, depending on how fruitful my week was. I got a chance to chat with both Chef Richard and with Chef Maupillier, and they were both friendly and relaxed (especially when I brought up Michel from Bistrot du Coin, who had actually introduced me to Chef M when Central first opened). Although the NYTimes piece had come out the day before, they were pretty mellow about it when I brought it up. I split the shrimp burger with fries, mac&cheese, the faux gras/rillettes, of course, and the chili soup (coming from Miami I was both cold and hungry) with my brother. I asked about that last item, and both chefs assured me that chili is French. Everything was definitely 'top-ten'.

I went back the next day for the Pied de Cochon ($16), and it was easily the best lunch I've had in a long time. The sauce was reduced foot-cooking broth, finished with whole mustard and demi-glace, and the mashed potatoes, fried onion rings, and frisee/lardon salad made up an amazing plate. I drank the $8 Merlot, got a decent buzz. Great service, everyone was helpful, almost cheerful. Must be a great place to work. I tried to hit Bistrot du Coin later in the day, but at 6:40 it was mobbed. I'm kind of glad that I made that foot my last meal in DC. Incidentally, if you've never had it, it looks like a big eggroll, with the sauteed foot-meat and mushrooms stuffed inside a sausage-casing, breaded and fried. There were also plenty of decent wines at $40 and under, and lots of Fee Brothers Bitters back of the bar for cocktails. The place is still rock-solid. I have some photos at DailyCocaine that I took with the Chef, and of course, the foot.

[giant shrimp]

Last Sunday night there was plenty of room to stretch out at the bar at central and a mildly spicy, unsaccharine ginger daiquiri brooding with flavor and expertly concocted of neisson rhum agricole, crème gingembre, lime juice and ginger syrup was just what the doctor ordered after spending two-and-a-half hours trying to make sense of the odd, kitschy mix of clanging music and romantic sadomasochism in signature theatre's whale of a production of "the kiss of the spider woman." Maybe because I knew that chita rivera had played the female lead on broadway, I kept thinking that "oz" might have worked better as a musical.

Anyway, a 10-minute cab ride away from the oasis of shirlington, the strudel-looking onion and lardon tart was even better than the first time we had tried it - crisp, peppery, salty and sweet - avoiding the sogginess we had subsequently encountered, cooked to perfection maybe because it was cited by frank bruni as only one of two disappointments in the nation's tenth most intriguing new restaurant.

When ordering the bacon cheeseburger you are now given a short rundown of the ingredients and asked if they sound alright to you, suggesting that you can customize your order. The standard burger comes with one potato tuile, but if you would like to have yours stacked as high as the star burger appearing on the restaurant's web site, then I suppose you could ask for three or four. Our burgers, from their butter-polished domes on down, were as good as a burger can be - and as filling.

As usual, no matter how carefully we think we are ordering, we have never left central without the feeling that we couldn't have eaten another morsel.

[DMcCabe]

Went to Central on Friday night and had a great dinner at the bar. We went in at 7pm and got one of the tables at the bar, right by the front windows. The service was on point and the food was quite delicious. Had the tuna and salmon carpaccio as well as the mushroom "pasta" risotto to start, both were delicious with the carpaccio offering very crisp, citrusy flavors - in stark contrast to the deep and earthy flavors of the mushroom risotto. Although they were very different, they were both great. Followed this up with the fish and chips (love that chive creme fraiche, or whatever that is) which was as good as ever.

We drank a bottle of sangiovese, which I expected to be a bit lighter than it actually was. It went great with the risotto and fine with the fish and chips, but it was a bit on the dry and heavy side for the carpaccio starter. A great meal overall.

[Banco]

We were also in the lounge area near the bar Friday night. I was sucking down beautifully made Aviations while popping gougeres, and the missus tried the Kí¼bler Absinthe. Strangely, the latter was served already mixed with sugar and water and at room temperature, with no ice even on the side. We also tried the famed Kitkat bar for the first time, which we both got a kick out of in more ways than one. Tipsy and sugared up, we made our way home with some effort.

[jparrott]

the missus tried the Kí¼bler Absinthe. Strangely, the latter was served already mixed with sugar and water and at room temperature, with no ice even on the side.

C'est classique, natch.

[Banco]

C'est classique, natch.

Classically, the water should have been cold. (At a busy bar like Central, I'm happy to eschew the pouring-through-a-sugar cube-on-a-spoon ritual.)

I can already see this Absinthe thing is going to be like the cigar fad was in the Nineties. I'm waiting for the first issue of "Absinthe Afficionado."

[monsterriffs]

I'm going here tonight and want to get a good cocktail, since I rarely do so when going out to dinner. I like good gin & tonics (otherwise it tastes like paintthinner and makes me want to die) and whisky. I don't like vodka or foofy liquors.

Any recs?

[jpschust]

Congrats to Central for getting a 2008 Beard Award nomination for best new restaurant!

[ulysses]

Classically, the water should have been cold. (At a busy bar like Central, I'm happy to eschew the pouring-through-a-sugar cube-on-a-spoon ritual.)

I can already see this Absinthe thing is going to be like the cigar fad was in the Nineties. I'm waiting for the first issue of "Absinthe Afficionado."

We have the tower and the spoons. We do our best to keep the water in the reservoir iced all night; when you mix an ounce of room temperature absinthe with three ounces of chilled water it warms a little.

Fad, unfortunately I've already heard stories of 1 part Lucid, 2 parts Jaeger batches being made at frat parties.

[monsterriffs]

A Dinner at Central as read by Dunder Mifflin's Michael Scott

Arriving just a bit ahead of time before my party allowed me a chance to stop at the bar to try one of the specialty cocktails, and I opted for the apricot sour, a tart, rich cocktail with a foamy head...THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!

Dinner then proceed with the chilled ratatouille, a comforting dish that reminds us of the best things about the summer are fresh vegetables....and seeing Jan's boobies at Sandals, Jamaica. After that, I opted for the sous vide short ribs which came with an almost molasses-thick helping of mashed potatoes. The short ribs themselves were amazingly tender, rich and juicy slabs of pink meat.....no, i must resist.....must. fight......THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!!!

The evening was capped with the most excellent pear tart, the highlight of which is really the show-stealing pear sorbet (or gelato, whatever it is...). I liked the sorbet more than the twins that hang from me lady's chest.

It's hard not to see why Central is garnering heaps of praise lately. Hopefully, I'll be able to come here with Ryan soon, even if he is my superior, but I'll always think of him as the temp.

[zoramargolis]

I'm always a bit late to hop on the bandwagon, when it comes to trying new restaurants. Last night was my first visit to Central. I have been reading some Central-bashing here lately, but that doesn't compute for me, because my experience could not have been more satisfying. I was in a group of six, two of whom were quite familiar with the menu, so they ordered appetizers and wine for the table, made helpful recommendations about mains and chose desserts for the table.

The charcuterie board (we had two of them for the six of us) was a meat-lover's horn of plenty. There was a small ramekin of filet tartare, which was as perfect as I can imagine steak tartare ever being--layers of flavor, egg yolk adding to the smooth beefy richness with high notes of capers and fresh parsley. Then the faux gras--I have made it numerous times, using Michel's recipe in *Happy in the Kitchen* but this was my first time tasting it made by one of Michel's protegés. It had a clear, pinkish gelee on top, in contrast to the cucumber-parsley gelee in the book's version. Perhaps made with stock and a bit of port? I couldn't pinpoint the source of a subtle, haunting background flavor in the liver mousse, that also was different than the book's version. It might have been some white truffle oil and a bit of armagnac. It was silken on the tongue. In any case, I couldn't stop tasting it. It was beyond delicious. Then there was the small, fat-topped cone of duck rillettes next to a thick slab of fresh-tasting paté de campagne, a pile of paper thin slices of La Quercia prosciutto, slices of saucisson and salame and a pot of cornichons. We also had little balls of burrata sandwiched between halves of peeled cherry tomatoes with basil oil, and a thin, crisp-crusted tart of smoked salmon and onions. And a cone of crispy-warm gougeres. And a refreshing chablis, the label of which has escaped my memory.

I was glad that I'd had only a small breakfast and skipped lunch. The apps alone were a more than satisfying meal, but I had ordered a main course before the apps were delivered. So many good choices on the menu, but beef cheeks were recommended and that's a morsel I rarely encounter. They were fork tender, had great depth of flavor and a rich, dark port wine sauce. Served alongside was a tangle of fettucine in a porcini-flavored cream sauce and a deep orange puree of winter squash. I also tasted my tablemates' fried chicken (excellent) and loup de mer (out of this world). With the beef cheeks, we drank a 2005 Santenay. I rarely have the opportunity to drink good French pinot noir, so this was a real treat--a much bigger, more mouth-filling wine than other pinots that I have tasted. But, that may have been about the great 2005 vintage. In any case, it was a perfect accompaniment to the beef cheeks.

Desserts--oh my god. Warm chocolate lava cake with to-die-for ice cream. The deepest, darkest, richest chocolate mousse I have ever tasted, Kit-kat bar, which I have had before and was as delicious as ever. There was a banana split at the opposite end of the table, which I didn't get to taste--I was preoccupied with the fabulous chocolate choices in front of me.

The service couldn't have been better, and chef Cedric Maupillier came out to say hello and got some well-deserved kudos. I can't wait to go back, but I doubt I'll ever be able to repeat this fabulous repast.

[DanCole42]

A good friend of mine took me out for a "blue collar" birthday this year: Hard Times and then off to the shooting range to fire my first gun. Turns out that shooting for four people is EXPENSIVE. I'd like to return the favor on her birthday with the exact opposite: dinner at swank Central.

What's the wait like?

How far in advance are reservations recommended?

Not for the birthday girl, but in general, do they do anything special for happy hour?

Thanks all.

[ol_ironstomach]

Turns out that shooting for four people is EXPENSIVE. I'd like to return the favor on her birthday with the exact opposite: dinner at swank Central.

...

Not for the birthday girl, but in general, do they do anything special for happy hour?

Well, to complete the symmetry you could probably arrange a low-budget shooting in Northeast...

[MarthaG]

Was able to score a last minute reservation yesterday for lunch at Central before going to the Newseum. Another excellent meal. Easy to see why this is one of the James Beard nominees for best new restaurant. My dining companion had the corned beef sandwich and I had the bacon cheeseburger and the macaroni and cheese. I must say that I normally like my hamburger on the medium to medium well side, even though I prefer my steak rare to med rare. If all burgers were like this one, I would be a convert to the med rare hamburger. It was so flavorful without being "drippy", which is my main reason for a more well done burger. And the macaroni and cheese was out of this world. So rich and creamy. It was impossible to eat more than half the serving. Even my mother, who doesn't really care for mac-n-cheese loved this. Her corned beef sandwich was also fantastic. We finished up by splitting the kit kat bar, which should be a requirement of every meal at Central. The service was excellent and the meal was appropriately paced. We didn't feel rushed to complete so the table could be turned over for another late lunch reservation. I'm looking forward to going back to try other things on the menu. I wanted to see if all of the high praise for the burger was legit and I can say that I agree. There were so many other things that caught my attention it will be awhile before I venture back to the burger.

[JLK]

Welcome, Martha!

[genericeric]

A dinner special at Central on Friday night was a soft shell crab. The waiter told us the dish could be ordered as a large appetizer or smaller entree... I'm a big eater but not sure I could have taken this on as just an appetizer. A large, plump soft shell in a beer breading, served on top of a somewhat creamy corn concoction. The crab itself was wonderful, and didn't have any of the chewy texture that sometimes accompanies softshells.

The faux gras, fried chicken, and kit kat were great as always, but the crab was the real star of the evening (and at $19, a pretty good deal).

[mbucher]

michel Richard is a genius creator. c'mon people. the guy stays awake at night figuring out how to cook short ribs for 72 hours, his chef Cedrick, is a craftsman. Lets call Central and citronelle for what they are. pure restaurant genius. Thats why they are both packed and thats why they are both very different. If you want the same old grub, with nothing original,go to old ebbit grill, its good, if you want spectacular visit Michel's spots.

[chickenlover]

michel Richard is a genius creator. c'mon people. the guy stays awake at night figuring out how to cook short ribs for 72 hours, his chef Cedrick, is a craftsman. Lets call Central and citronelle for what they are. pure restaurant genius. Thats why they are both packed and thats why they are both very different. If you want the same old grub, with nothing original,go to old ebbit grill, its good, if you want spectacular visit Michel's spots.

I'll admit that it does take a certain kind of genius to get away with charging $32 for a sandwich

[Pat]

Corned beef sandwich and fries at Central. The fries were just the way I like them--perfectly crispy, just the right amount of salt. The bread on the sandwich seemed a little too soft, but I can't recall how it was the last time I had one. I love the cole slaw on the sandwich. I think I prefer it that way to eating it as a separate item.

[Sthitch]

A large, plump soft shell in a beer breading, served on top of a somewhat creamy corn concoction. The crab itself was wonderful, and didn't have any of the chewy texture that sometimes accompanies softshells.

This should be considered a gateway softie for those new the delicacy and would be the perfect dish for someone that has always been scared to order softies. The texture is very different from any softie that I have ever had, the poster was correct there was very little chew and it was bathed in a beer batter. For all of the things that would make this great for a first time softshell eater it made it less than desirable for me. I found that the batter overpowered every part of what makes a soft shell so special, such as the delicate flavor and the nice chewy "shell". And while I enjoyed the corn relish (more like creamed corn) it further drowned out the flavor and delicacy of the main ingredient. At a recent dinner at Equinox I had softshelled claw tempura that managed to maintain all those aspects desired in a softie enhanced with a pleasant and ever so light crunch from the batter.

On a positive note, the amount of cheese on my onion soup was perfect, and this time I think that I picked-up hints of kirsch in the broth.

[bookluvingbabe]

We went last night on a whim (or at least as much of a whim when you have to find a baby-sitter in advance) to satisfy Mr. BLB's craving for the iceberg salad. Please, please, please consider adding it to the lunch menu. Not that I dislike coming in to the city for dinner, but it would be nice to have more options to get his fix in.

We had a lovely time. The salad was everything he remembered. I enjoyed the smoked salmon tart. Justin sent over several of his recent experiments to try--the tarragon gin concotion from earlier in the week is amazing, if it is very, very green. Two winners stood out--my stand-by, the French 75 and the Apricot Sour which would be a perfect wakeup drink--it really pops all your senses to life.

It was so nice to go on a Thursday night--hopping but not so loud and crazy that we couldn't hear each other. And now that we know that the bar isn't insane at 5:30 during the week, perhaps we will stop in more often for a quick bite.

Thanks for a great evening!

[Pat]

We went last night on a whim (or at least as much of a whim when you have to find a baby-sitter in advance) to satisfy Mr. BLB's craving for the iceberg salad. Please, please, please consider adding it to the lunch menu. Not that I dislike coming in to the city for dinner, but it would be nice to have more options to get his fix in.

It was on the lunch menu when I was there this week.

[joycek]

I went for the first time about two weeks ago. Had the steak tartare entree for lunch. It was good, but I have to say that I prefer Tallula/Eatbar's version better. The fries however were top notch, and as previous posters have mentioned, kept well as the lunch lingered over an hour. I will definitely be back. The atmosphere and service along warrant a return visit.

[Pool Boy]

We'll be dining here this upcoming weekend. Does anyone know if Central permits BYOW via paying a corkage fee (and what is the fee?) assuming of course the wine we'd like to bring is not on their list....

TIA

[mr food]

We'll be dining here this upcoming weekend. Does anyone know if Central permits BYOW via paying a corkage fee (and what is the fee?) assuming of course the wine we'd like to bring is not on their list....

TIA

I believe it's a 2 bottle limit and either $20 or $25pb but, of course, call ahead. An aged CNDP would be my choice for the cuisine (not that you asked )

[Pool Boy]

I believe it's a 2 bottle limit and either $20 or $25pb but, of course, call ahead. An aged CNDP would be my choice for the cuisine (not that you asked )

Thanks I called to confirm and it is $20/bottle with a 2 bottle limit.

[DonRocks]

Congratulations Cedric! (and Brian, and Justin, and Jennifer, and Dawn, and Michel, and Carl, etc.)

[mame11]

Oh, Grasshopper....

Tuesday night a friend with whom I am doing a charchuterie tasting tour hit Central, and the tower for two was a hit! Seriously delicious, and for $15 a person it is a bargain. Our favorite was the country pate served with a generous helping of frisee salad, roasted tomatoes and pearl onions. The prosciutto was a close second, but everything was delicious. We also had a selection of three cheeses, our favorite being the blue cheese from Ireland. I insisted on dessert. We shared the banana split which, I swear, is better and more extravagant each time I have it.

But the kicker really had to be the grasshopper cocktail that Justin made to go with dessert. I have never been a creme liquor or cocktail person but wow... I loved the little chocolate BBs in the drink. My friend loved the white burgundy Justin recommended to go with the pork fest. Oh, and how to forget an amazing sloe gin fizz that really rocked!

Thanks for another great evening at Central.

[Miami Danny]

Hit Central last week for my quarterly visit from Miami and was not disappointed. The staff was uncommonly gracious, especially bartender/server Raquel, and manager Jennifer Lucy came by for an extensive chat, even though the place was pretty packed. The food-faux gras and duck rillettes as good as ever. Bread-spectacular. Pickled onions/cornichons-same. Tuna Burger will put memories of every mediocre/cliched tuna burger you have ever eaten into the trashbin. Into the trashbin. Hand-cut Ahi tuna tartare pan-fried into a burger. Gone. My dining companion could not stop. Top it with the delicate yet firmly crunchy tuiles.

Fried chicken-if you've eaten it, you know what I mean. Simple, yet very, very complex. How do they do it? This must have taken a lot of thought to taste so good. Mashed potatoes-legendary. Top ten lists, awards, they deserve them all. And I look forward to my fall visit, if just for more great food porn photos like these

DailyCocaine

[Sthitch]

Fried chicken-if you've eaten it, you know what I mean. Simple, yet very, very complex. How do they do it? This must have taken a lot of thought to taste so good. Mashed potatoes-legendary. Top ten lists, awards, they deserve them all.

I found the fried chicken to be a bit disappointing, yes it was crunchy, but the chicken was rather flavorless and the coating while crispy still rather greasy. Yes, the mashed potatoes were good, but not really rave worthy, and the mustard sauce was just OK. For me the stars have been and remain the burgers (beef, shrimp, and lobster) and the fish and chips are the stars of the menu.

[Sthitch]

Finally some really good veal liver. With the exception of the rather placid onions, Central's Liver and Bacon is an outstanding dish. The liver was perfectly trimmed and cooked to a beautiful medium. The meaty and smoky bacon was a perfect match for the lush fat and gaminess of the liver. As for the onions, the crispy onion straw was quite good, but what should have been caramelized onions that also topped this fine meat were instead just soft cooked onions in a gravy.

[edenman]

Cassoulet - it's not wintertime, but damn that's good stuff. Continues the trend of really-rich-things-that-Eric-eats-at-Central, but sometimes you have to weigh happiness vs calories and come out in favor of happiness. Drinks here are notoriously on point: gin rickey, sloe gin fizz, stone smoked porter on tap, and some PX to finish. Lovely.

[Heather]

The ginger daiquiri is worth a trip downtown - one of the best drinks of the summer. The Fish & Chips is an enormous portion; my companion laughed at my expression when the server put it down on the bar. I remain agnostic WRT the frites, but the fish was delicious, with an airy crispy exterior and creamy, moist fish inside. I love a good sauce tartare , and Central's is impeccable.

[Guest CJD2008]

I dined at Central for the first time last weekend.

The Black Pepper Lime Gin Rickey was FANTASTIC. Almost like a spiked lime-lemon/ade and the gin and pepper worked wonderfully together.

We started with the rillettes and faux gras terrine...fantastic. the rillettes was delicious, great presentation and 2 of us at the table were literally scooping out the last of the terrine with pieces of bread.

we opted with the prosciutto plate which was a good sized portion of very good prosciutto

we also had the cherry tomato and burrata mozzarella...i've never had this type of mozzarella before but the texture and taste were out of this world. very soft, very moist and excellent taste. the tomatoes were top notch as well.

for dinner we had:

fried chicken

filet mignon (special)

filet mignon tartare

beef cheeks

fried chicken has been reviewed on here before, i thought it was good but not amazing. it was well executed and i would def have again but hopefully trying someone's again, i don't know if i would order this myself.

i wasn't a fan of the filet mignon tartare.

the filet mignon special that night was FANTASTIC. meat was cooked just right, very tender, very tasty.

and the beef cheeks...WOW. def. a dish worth ordering again. it was served with a lightly sauced pasta. the cheeks were extremely tender.

we had the kit kat bar and bannana split for dessert. ice creams accompanied with the dishes were fantastic and the little chocolate balls (bb sized) were a nice little addition for a crunchy texture to the soft banana and ice cream.

I can't wait to go back for a 2nd time.

[KeithA]

So thinking about going back to Central soon, have only been once a long time ago, but am trying to not over do it on the wallet and the waist line (the portions are huge). What do people think about ordering some of their apps as entrees? Which apps are worth it in terms of taste and portion to qualify as entree replacements? Or another idea is which entrees are best to share for 2?

I do have to admit that I'm also trying to save room for dessert - which I know are rich and large.

[Erik Ox]

Which apps are worth it in terms of taste and portion to qualify as entree replacements? Or another idea is which entrees are best to share for 2?

I was in for lunch today and shared the faux gras with duck rillettes. It was excellent and there's more than enough there to qualify as an entree replacement. That said, it is quite rich and might not be the most waistline-friendly sort of choice.

[kturkey88]

So thinking about going back to Central soon, have only been once a long time ago, but am trying to not over do it on the wallet and the waist line (the portions are huge). What do people think about ordering some of their apps as entrees? Which apps are worth it in terms of taste and portion to qualify as entree replacements? Or another idea is which entrees are best to share for 2?

I do have to admit that I'm also trying to save room for dessert - which I know are rich and large.

Went last week and two of us ended up splitting the lamb shank entree (after a few apps). The lamb was excellent and the portion size ended up being perfect for us, so I'd recommend that route.

[TinDC]

I have enjoyed the crabcake appetizer in the past.

[bonaire]

So thinking about going back to Central soon, have only been once a long time ago, but am trying to not over do it on the wallet and the waist line (the portions are huge). What do people think about ordering some of their apps as entrees? Which apps are worth it in terms of taste and portion to qualify as entree replacements? Or another idea is which entrees are best to share for 2?

I do have to admit that I'm also trying to save room for dessert - which I know are rich and large.

I absolutely love the mussel chowder. I know it's summer and you may not be in the mood for something warm, but if you can handle soup in summer I'd give this a try. It's pretty filling too, since you're looking for "entree replacement" type appetizers. The gougeres are a must, although not terribly filling and you'll want about 10 orders of them.

I agree w/ your saving room for dessert philosophy. I get that banana split every time I go. I always swear I'll share it nicely w/ others but have come dangerously close to spearing my dining mates with my spoon when they take what I perceive as too many bites. That malted vanilla ice cream is so damn good.

I really love this restaurant. I'm going back for lunch on Monday and have been thinking about it since I made the reservation a week ago!

[jm chen]

While eating at the bar I have tried both the crab cake and the onion tart as entrees on different days. I also enjoyed having a plate of prosciutto instead of an entree. Of the options I think the crab cake is the closest to "normal" entree size.

If they still have the short ribs that is plenty for 2 to split.

[ulysses]

Just to let everyone know, Central will close for a break on Sunday, August 31st and re-open for dinner on Friday, September 5th.

Thanks

[Al Dente]

Somebody please PM me the recipe for faux gras. The loopdoomer Sat night was one of the best pieces of fish I've had in a long time. I must return soon for a burger!

[laniloa]

Somebody please PM me the recipe for faux gras. The loopdoomer Sat night was one of the best pieces of fish I've had in a long time. I must return soon for a burger!

This ran on Diary of a Foodie and the recipe can be found here.

[monsterriffs]

The fish and chips dish at Central doesn't really seem to get much play on here, but I had this dish for lunch on Friday and enjoyed every bite. I was lamenting the fact that there were only four pieces of cod, but oh they were full of crispy gloriousness.

[Banco]

A little post-"Hamlet 2" repast last Thursday included the lobster burger with fries. The latter were excellent, the former was delicious but disintegrated in my hands as I ate it. I also had hoped for more crunch from the potato tuilles. It was a good if relatively expensive meal. The drinks at Central continue to impress me more than the food. Everyone must try the Blackberry Bourbon Cobbler: Old Weller Antique Bourbon, blackberries, lemon juice, powdered sugar. Wow. It is a heady, unctuous concoction that concentrates all the aroma and flavor of ripe blackberries while convincing you that they were made in heaven to go with bourbon. This was one of the best cocktails I've ever had, and that includes the superb ones at PX. I also tried the Black Pepper Gin Rickey. It was perfectly fine, but it didn't show off the skills of this bar as well as some of the other drinks. (Can anyone explain to me the difference between a Gin Fizz and a Gin Rickey?) I also had the Ginger Daiquiri: Neisson Rhum Agricole, Creme de Gingembre (I never knew it existed!), ginger syrup, and lime juice. Another masterpiece of concentrated flavors, but, like the other drinks, never overpowering. I'd love to try this with sashimi!

It was also great to be at Central on the Thursday before Labor Day weekend. Not crowded, not a hair plug in site, though there were a few boob jobs.

[Heather]

I also had the Ginger Daiquiri: Neisson Rhum Agricole, Creme de Gingembre (I never knew it existed!), ginger syrup, and lime juice. Another masterpiece of concentrated flavors, but, like the other drinks, never overpowering. I'd love to try this with sashimi!

As posted above, this was my favorite cocktail of the summer. Pairing with sashimi sounds delicious.

Not crowded, not a hair plug in site, though there were a few boob jobs.

The latter much more pleasant to contemplate, bien sur.

[Banco]

The latter much more pleasant to contemplate, bien sur.

Only if they come in even numbers.

[synaesthesia]

Can anyone explain to me the difference between a Gin Fizz and a Gin Rickey?

Fizz = lemon and powdered sugar, Rickey = lime, simple syrup

[TMFIII]

(Can anyone explain to me the difference between a Gin Fizz and a Gin Rickey?)

A Gin Fizz, along with the gin and seltzer, historically uses lemon juice and a touch of sugar to sweeten the drink. The Gin Rickey, historically, uses lime juice and no sugar/sweetener. Of course, interpretations such as Justin's Black Pepper Gin Rickey is quite delicious, IMO.

Cheers!

[Banco]

Fizz = lemon and powdered sugar, Rickey = lime, simple syrup

A Gin Fizz, along with the gin and seltzer, historically uses lemon juice and a touch of sugar to sweeten the drink. The Gin Rickey, historically, uses lime juice and no sugar/sweetener.

Thanks for the clarification. I used to make Fizzes with syrup and both lime and lemon, but all this time I guess I was making a Rickey. Maybe I've been in Washington too long and picked up the Rickey recipe by osmosis.

Gin osmosis: Now there's a thought--or perhaps the name for a new cocktail?