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

[ktmoomau]

I got the sense our waiter was angry about something. Possibly that I was wearing a brown fedora with a black coat.

Sin above all sins... I can't believe they even served you

[Xochitl10]

The crabcake with leek tartare kicked some major booty last night. It neither looked nor tasted like it had filler; just crisp, crabby goodness. Second was the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. The tuna burger was delicious and served quite rare, fries were very crisp. We also had the chocolate mousse mentioned by ktmoomau, and didn't think it was anything special (delicious, just not special) until we discovered the raspberry sauce in the bottom of the dish. The sauce really made it for us. I had a French 75 and a plum sidecar, and while both were good, I wished I'd stuck with the French 75 for my cocktailing.

[DonRocks]

Breaking News: Chef Arthur Cavaliere will be leaving Central Michel Richard in February. He's going to be moving to Ann Arbor to help a friend open an Italian restaurant. There's no word yet on his replacement.

Best of luck with everything, Arthur. You piloted a steady ship, and I'll be coming in at least once more to say (hello and) goodbye.

Cheers,

Rocks

[eyedubya]

Last weekend I got a slightly different perspective on Central by dining in the private room with a group of 13 friends. Needless to say, I was as satisfied as ever. <Note: this was a personal party, not corporate/business event.> For anyone organizing a medium-sized group dinner away from the noise of a main dining room, Central is a great bet. I think the room probably maxes out at 16. You walk through the kitchen to get there. No real view of the dining room, but you do have a decent view of the kitchen. There was a $1000 required minimum, which shouldn't be an issue for the right-sized party. Good communication with the restaurant ahead of time to nail everything down, and they gave us customized printed menus with the "name" of our group party. There was a dedicated waitress, who was spot-on, and she was backed up by several other staffers. All-in-all, near-perfect service for a large table.

For our group, they requested we narrow things down to 4 apps, 4 entrees, 4 sides, and 4 desserts. Plus we pre-ordered some starters snacks.

Apps:

• Mixed green salad -- fine, I think; didn't try it.
  
• Crabcake with leek tartar -- consistent with above glowing reviews.
  
• Asian style tuna carpaccio -- fantastic, big enough to split by 2. The rice puffs give it a great crunchy texture and make a good conversation piece.
  
• Cherry tomato & burrata mozzarella -- the cheese had a firm outer "shell" and a creamy midlde. Nice texture contrast, and good flavore, too. Definitely worth trying.
  

Entrees

• Hanger steak au poivre -- Very good; but I have never found a hanger steak I didn't like.
  
• Mussels with white wine and garlic -- didn't try but everyone who ordered seemed happy
  
• Fried chicken with mashed p's -- Just do it. And if you're lucky like me, just do it again for lunch the next day when someone else leaves their doggy bag behind.
  
• Lobster burger -- Honestly, a bit of a letdown. I think they have diluted this product a bit with fillers. I've recreated the original MRC version at home, using just scallop paste for the binding agent. There was something else going on with this one, taking away from the experience a bit. Not sure if it was fillers or if it was overcooked and dried out, but hopefully they will restore this to greatness in the future.
  

Sides: All four of the following were great...

• French fries
  
• Brussel(s)-sic Sprouts -- Am I the only one who notices that even great restaurants mis-spell this?
  
• Creamed Spinach
  
• Macaroni and cheese
  

Desserts

• Banana split -- The key word here is "split" -- as in, split it 4 ways.
  
• Michel's chocolate bar -- my typed words won't do it justice.
  
• Chocolate lava cake a la mode -- I strayed from the chocolate bar and was really glad I did. This is a gem.
  
• Cheesecake with raspberry sauce -- didn't try it, but those who did were uniformly satisfied.
  

Of course, plenty of great mid-priced choices on the wine list. We came in at just about $140 per person at the end of the night (good bit of drinking), but no one felt like they hadn't gotten their money's worth. Looking forward to the next visit; hoping the new chef keeps the ball rolling.

[ad.mich]

This post got me to look at the Central menu to see if the overhaul is still ongoing. I got sidetracked by the lunch 'to-go' menu, which now includes this:

TO-GO SPECIAL: MICHEL'S FRIED CHICKEN BUCKET $29.95

Six Pieces (three breast, three thigh) of fried chicken, along with 10 Chicken Nuggets, our housemade Dijon/Mayo Sauce and an order of Mashed Potatoes

If it was on the menu before, it was news to me, and I've never heard talk of it before... anyone out there try this?

[DaRiv18]

Hope it does well, reminds me of Mad for Chicken.

[Sthitch]

In Vegas its 3 am and you are just jonesing for a lobster burger after a night of losing at black jack (or if you are part of Landrum's entourage, ogling strippers), what are you to do? Head over to Caesars Palace, well not exactly now, but by the end of the year.

[zoramargolis]

In Vegas its 3 am and you are just jonesing for a lobster burger after a night of losing at black jack (or if you are part of Landrum's entourage, ogling strippers), what are you to do? Head over to Caesars Palace, well not exactly now, but by the end of the year.

I'm guessing that Michel has kids in college.

[csirwillis]

Hope it does well, reminds me of Mad for Chicken.

The concept of Mad for chicken is based on the sauce and frying technique, I don't think Michel is cooking his chicken the way the Korean fried chicken concepts are.

[DaRiv18]

The concept of Mad for chicken is based on the sauce and frying technique, I don't think Michel is cooking his chicken the way the Korean fried chicken concepts are.

I'm guessing that Michel has kids in college.

My comment was in the spirit of zoramargolis' comment, not trying to comment on kitchen technique. Posh's transition to Mad to Chicken was probably their honorable effort to get a needed cash flow going for the business. I'm a big fan of Central, but how do you explain a recent James Beard winner all of a sudden doing carryout bucket 'o chicken?

[Bob Loblaw]

My comment was in the spirit of zoramargolis' comment, not trying to comment on kitchen technique. Posh's transition to Mad to Chicken was probably their honorable effort to get a needed cash flow going for the business. I'm a big fan of Central, but how do you explain a recent James Beard winner all of a sudden doing carryout bucket 'o chicken?

A few years ago, WETA did a special on fine dining restaurants in the DC area. They re-run every once in a while. I distinctly remember when they interviewed Michel Richard, he talked about how fascinated he was by KFC when he discovered it during his first trip to the US. So I'm not surprised he's doing his own take. Especially since he's already done another junk food -- the Kit Kat bar...

[zoramargolis]

I'm guessing that Michel has kids in college.

Seriously. I've read that some years ago, he had restaurants in L.A., Santa Barbara, Japan and Baltimore, and he closed them all to stay in DC and focus on Citronelle, because all the travelling was too exhausting. And he had remarried and had young kids. So why else, years later, would he again take on all of the exhausting challenges of opening and overseeing restaurants far from home? I've got one kid in college (not a super expensive one, either) and I can completely understand how the burden of several tuitions at once might be the motivator for a 63 year-old man whose been working incredibly hard since he was 13 or 14 years old to take on new lucrative ventures, as exhausting as they might be, rather than be scaling back and thinking about retirement.

[Joe Riley]

This isn't a Frank Bruni-style review, but rather just a note of appreciation for a restaurant that always treats me like an old, dear friend.

One of my closest friends got together with me tonight, and we were up in the Friendship Heights area, and I wanted to take her to Jake's American Grille, but we'd not made reservations (it was around 6:30) and they couldn't take us for 45 minutes to an hour, and the bar was packed. So, we walked across the street to Buck's, and met with an even worse result: nothing before 9:00. My friend was craving a burger, and she was really hungry from her workout today, and as soon as she said the word, "burger", I knew where I wanted to take her: Central Michel Richard

We drove all the way down there, found parking, walked right in and were quickly seated at the bar, and in the capable hands of Grace, who was behind the bar along with my old friend Tracey, who also greeted us warmly. Another old friend, Nikki, was working the floor, and it was such a pleasure to be surrounded by friendly faces.

We both ordered burgers with cheese (mine with bacon, too) and while my friend enjoyed her salad, I devoured my frites. I began with a Hurricane cocktail, which was such a treat at the end of a busy workday, I just cannot tell you, and my friend had some shiraz. We also had the cheese puffs, and three cheeses and the chocolate mousse with raspberry coulis. Just Heaven.

My friend had been to Central before, but not for a few years. Her burger lived up to my promise that it would be the best she'd ever had, and we both toasted to our good fortune that both Jake's and Bucks hadn't been able to accommodate us this evening, because we had such an immensely satisfying meal and we were able to enjoy great conversation and really relax.

Anyone who really knows me remembers that I so rarely go out on Saturday nights because I'm usually too tired from a 9+ hour Saturday workday, and I prefer to go out during the week, when places aren't so crowded, and parking is easier. After all, I want to relax when I'm out, not be all wound up from a parking battle and fighting my way through crowds and manic service. But tonight, Central was like an answer to a dining prayer for my friend and myself, and I remain happy and seriously grateful for the lovely evening that we had. They were there for me when I really wanted them to be, and they came through for me with flying colors. I hope that I never take them for granted.

[csirwillis]

My comment was in the spirit of zoramargolis' comment, not trying to comment on kitchen technique. Posh's transition to Mad to Chicken was probably their honorable effort to get a needed cash flow going for the business. I'm a big fan of Central, but how do you explain a recent James Beard winner all of a sudden doing carryout bucket 'o chicken?

something different and new.. Its actually a cool idea..it is also probally generating money.

[DaRiv18]

So I'm not surprised he's doing his own take.

something different and new.. Its actually a cool idea..it is also probally generating money.

Just so we're on the same page, Central has been selling fried chicken for the past 3 years. This is just the first time you can get it in a carryout bucket. I have nothing against this development, just saying it reminds me of Posh/Mad for Chicken. I hope it is good for Michel, and for Central's lunch bartenders who are probably coordinating the carryout orders.

[ad.mich]

So some friends and I went in on the chicken bucket for lunch - and it is essentially 3 takeout orders of the fried chicken entree. Boneless breast, bone-in thigh, pile of mash, and mustard sauce. For $30, it's a steal and the only thing you don't get from takeout is a seat and a plate.

That being said, we all agreed that some sort of bread item would have been a nice inclusion. Since there's no biscuits to be had, next time it'll have to be chicken-and-gougères.

[wisehands]

Maybe it's time for someone to mention something besides fried chicken?!

My party of 2 started with the crab cake and leek tartare and the burrata and cherry tomatoes with basil. The crab cake was very good. The burrata was top quality, very creamy, better than I've had at several local restaurants, and the cherry tomatoes were peeled, which was a surprise ... and worked well. We also shared an order of gougeres (cheese puffs), which had a nice gruyere like flavor ... the order came with 8 of 'em, so this might be better for a table of 4. Then we had the ahi tuna burger and the mussels, both excellent. Dessert was chocolate mousse, which was excellent, and Michel's chocolate bar, which is spectacular if you like kit kat bars and gianduia flavor (chocolate and hazelnut) ... also found on the haute menu of Citronelle. We were seated at the table nearest the pass, so it was very entertaining getting to check out all the dishes leaving the kitchen ... a very calm kitchen, BTW. Service was very good and the space was comfortable, but the noise level requires raising one's voice. My impression as a first time diner at Central is it offers standard, popular fare made with top quality ingredients and a high level of skill, with little pretension and with costs to match ... pricey, but satisfying.

[ktmoomau]

Had dinner the other night at Central with friends. We didn't order any wine as my friend is pregnant, but had some good iced tea and lemonade. I started with mixed greens and they were a lot better than I anticipated they would be. It was a big bowl of romaine? and some other lettuces with cucumbers, tomatoes and a really great basil vinaigrette. I just wanted some veg with my entree and it was very good and a very hefty portion. But I managed to eat most of it. Very simple salad, but done really well to the point I noticed it in terms of veg size, dressing and just overall flavor- it wasn't just a salad, it was a good salad.

For an entree I had the ciopinno which was also really good, the broth was excellent and good on it's own. It was tomatoey, but not to think with tomato. The seafood was all properly cooked and tasted good. Luckily it wasn't a huge bowl as I think the richness would have gotten to me, especially after the big salad.

Shared the raspberry crumble with my friend. We ordered it thinking it would have the least gluten and dairy in it (except for sorbet which I wasn't feeling at all), as I forgot my dairy pills, didn't realize it came with a big scoop of ice cream on top (you might want to note that on the menu- just say a la mode). It had a nice little happy bday piece of chocolate on it for her and a candle. She took the ice cream off and put it on the plate underneath and sacrificed and ate the melted part off the top for me It was a very good dessert, I am sure it was probably even better with his ice cream on it.

It seemed to be back closer to where it was when it opened in terms of finesse. I am happy to see that as it is one of my favorite places, and I was sad to see it decline.

[Kibbee Nayee]

So, there I was in Las Vegas yesterday, on a whirlwind business trip that had me taking off from Dulles at 6am yesterday and then coming home on the red eye last night. After a round of meetings in the afternoon, and prior to a dinner meeting at Nero's steakhouse in Caesar's Palace, I decided to head over to Caesar's for a pre-dinner drink. I settled in at the lobby lounge just past the entrance, ordered a drink, and began one of my favorite Las Vegas activities -- people watching. After about the second sip I did a double take -- a short and portly man who looked just like Michel Richard, only in shorts and sandals, walked by. I was about to jump up and yell "Chef!" but reason caught hold of me and I just chalked it up to a coincidental lookalike....after all, why would one of our top toques be in Las Vegas when he has all of his Washington area restaurant interests to manage, right?

My dinner companions agreed to meet in the Caesar's lobby, so I finished my drink and headed there, only to pass a huge mural on the wall of Chef Richard and announcing the opening of Central Michel Richard at Caesar's in late summer 2011....! Now I felt bad that I didn't chat him up and get one of his signature back slaps like I get at Michel in Tysons on occasion.

Ah, Las Vegas. I remember when food was practically free and set up at the far end of the casino so that you had to walk past all the gambling action to get a $2.99 steak dinner. Yes, that was a good 30 years ago, but now, I notice such things as spaghetti with Kobe meatballs for $35 on the menu....uh, I could use ground chuck and throw in some extra fat from the fat can and make a darn good "Kobe meatball" that would be undetectable when swimming in red sauce. And the steak prices are now in the $60-70 range for dry-aged 16 oz. porterhouse....I think Chef Richard will enjoy abundant riches with his fare in Las Vegas, and we may end up seeing less and less of him here.

[MsDiPesto]

<snip>I think Chef Richard will enjoy abundant riches with his fare in Las Vegas, and we may end up seeing less and less of him here.

Jose Andres will keep him company.

[dinwiddie]

Went last night on the spur of the moment with a colleague from work. My hanger steak was perfect and the warm fennel in cream sauce it was with was wonderful. Her tartare was also excellent. It is good to know where I can get a good one whenever I want. Service was very good and the wine service respected my wish to be able to do the pouring for us without a pause. Every time I go I am reminded why I like this place so much.

[DonRocks]

I've heard from several sources now that Jason Maddens has moved on from Central. My guess (and it's just a guess) is that David Deshaies (Corporate Chef for the company, who has been doing a lot of work in Atlantic City lately) will be doing some transition work here.

I met Jason last year at the L'Academie de Cuisine graduation, where we were both judges in a "boys vs. girls" cook off that was essentially a tie (girls, I actually had you a nudge higher!). He was a nice guy, and I hope he stays in the Washington, DC area.

[New Foodie]

We headed to Central last night for a spur of the moment celebration dinner, and really enjoyed our food. The service left something to be desired, but we still came away satisfied. We were seated right by the open kitchen and had a good time watching the show all night. The one thing I came away with was the enormity of some of the servings. Not every dish was ridiculously sized, but the fried chicken, lamb shank, and ribeye were caveman-style portions!

We started off by splitting the Gougeres ($8 cheese puffs), which were as light and airy and cheesy as I remember them (I had been to Central a few times years ago, but my +1 was visiting for his first time). The +1 loved the gougeres. There are definitely too many to just be split between two people, but we polished them off anyway .

We each ordered soup for an appetizer. I had the French Onion ($10) and he had a Lobster Bisque Special. I really liked that mine came out hot, but not so hot I couldn't eat it right away. My one issue (and this is probably an issue with all French Onion soup) is that it was really hard to separate the thick layer of cheese to have some in each bite without resorting to using a knife or my fingers. The flavor was great though. I am not a huge bisque fan, but the +1 polished it off and used the bread to soak up the dregs, so I think he enjoyed it.

Our main dishes were Fried Chicken with Mashed Potato ($23) and Bacon Cheeseburger with fries ($19). The chicken is really an enormous serving. It is a huge breast, topped with a large drumstick, presented on a spread of potatoes with a lightly dressed salad on the side. There's also a lovely mustard sauce for dipping the chicken. I'm not sure how the chicken is breaded, but it is a thick breading and very crispy. It was perhaps a tad salty, but went very nicely with the sauce. The potatoes were especially creamy. We took the drumstick home, but I still can't believe I ate the whole breast. The +1 enjoyed his burger, and we both thought the fries were really good. Crisp and well-seasoned.

For dessert we managed to squeeze in Michel's Chocolate Bar ($9). I remember first trying a version of this at Corduroy many moons ago, and then having Michel's version at Central the last time I visited. It certainly lived up to everything I remembered. Smooth and chocolatey with a great crunch and texture from the hazelnut. The ice cream served alongside made a great accompaniment. We had to roll ourselves back to the car, but it was worth it.

All in all the food was quite good. Our service started out fine, but after we ordered our entrees we never saw our main waitress again. A food runner brought the food, a different server asked (before we had taken a bite) how everything was, and then when we were done we waited with empty plates for at least 10 minutes before a manager noticed and came over to clear them. A different server brought over a dessert menu, and then no one came by our table for another 10 minutes to take our dessert order. It wasn't anything that would turn us off from returning, but it was certainly a series of noticeable service errors that started to add up.

[Night Owl]

My husband and I went to Central for lunch last week -- the highlight by far was the Watermelon Tuna Salad. Classic Michel Richard, the watermelon and tuna each were diced into equal sized cubes so they were cleverly indistinguishable from each other, and tossed in a lovely vinaigrette. Delicious. The tarte flambée was wonderful, as always. On the downside, unfortunately, the tuna burger bore no resemblance whatsoever to the wonderful original at Citronelle's bar. The potato "crisp" was flabby and the tuna itself way too salty and no subtle ginger nuance that made the original distinctive. (((sigh))) Another reason to miss Citronelle. But all in all, a very enjoyable meal...

[KeithA]

So it seems like me no one on the board has been eating at Central lately (or at least not reporting about it). After not being satiated at Daikaya Izakaya, the wife and I headed to Central for entrees and dessert. The place was packed on Saturday night causing us to wait a bit past our reservation. The menu looks very similar to when I was last there several years ago. I had a duck breast special with a port wine sauce which was excellent. My wife had the 48 hour braised short ribs which she found to be too fatty for her taste, but I thought it was great. Per earlier comments above, the portions here are huge especially for items like the fried chicken and short ribs - easily could be shared by 2 people for a full entree each. Dessert was the chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream - just delightful. Also not cliche, but classic and indulgent (like pretty much everything at this restaurant). I couldn't resist and got the Chocolate Bar (aka best kit kat ever) - really spectacular combo of light mouse on top of crunchy hazelnut crisp with really good hazelnut sauce. It comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream which is unnecessary but goes really well with the bar. I recommend you either skip lunch and pig out here or save some dough and split one of the larger entrees and desert (which would make a super reasonably priced meal of around $25-30 person).

[monsterriffs]

Ugh fk: http://m.washingtonpost.com/local/car-smashes-into-dc-restaurant/2013/06/25/341b61dc-dde7-11e2-948c-d644453cf169_story.html

[Tujague]

I took a break from billable hours on Friday afternoon to take in "The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" at the National Gallery of Art (an odd but brilliant movie). Leaving the museum just as a rain squall hit downtown DC, I decided to head to the bar at Central to try the happy hour menu. The Aperol Negroni ($11) is a sweeter, lighter version of the classic, good, but I think that the not-too-dissimilar French Riviera I had the previous week at Le Grenier had a bit more character. It seemed like the perfect time to try the four different sliders, which I would tentatively rank (1) tuna; (2) beef; (3) lamb; (4) chicken. The tuna version ($4, a buck more than the others) just seemed like a terrific sandwich I would especially like to try in a full-size version. The beef and lamb were more or less tied for me--both juicy, the lamb a bit more spicy. Only the chicken and lemon version disappointed--too light in texture and the lemon masked the chicken flavor. The fries were perfect, and I washed the last bits down with a nicely tart Rose of Mourvedre. The $44 bill ($52 with tip) was a bit steep, but I can hardly complain when nearly all of it was so good.

[Night Owl]

Was here the other night, had the foie gras pearl pasta risotto (with wild mushrooms). Rustic-looking comfort... decadent and delicious. 

[LauraB]

MrB and I played tourists this morning and walked from home down to the Tidal Basin.  We hadn't been in about 5 years and one forgets just what a spectacular sight this is -- the trees were at peek bloom and it was good to see that the brutal winter does not seem to have harmed the blooms at all.  We walked the full circumference of the Basin and spent some time lingering at one of our favorite spots in DC, the FDR Memorial.  We walked from there to downtown and decided on lunch at Central where we had not been in a number of years.  It turned out to be a perfect end to our cherry blossom tour.
 
They had a 3-course lunch special for $21, which, when you consider that their hamburger alone is $20 if you add bacon and cheese, it seemed like a good deal.  There were only 2 choices per course, but each contained something of interest, so that wasn't a problem.  The choices on today's menu were: Appetizers: French Onion Soup or Frisee Salad with Sauteed Mushrooms; Mains: Tartare of Filet Mignon with Frites or Trout Almondine; Dessert: Chocolate Mousse or Raspberry Cheesecake. Between us we covered the entire menu with the exception of the salad as we both opted for the onion soup which was very good. He really enjoyed the Tartare and the frites were very successfully done; my trout almondine was served with parslied potatoes and haricots verts; it was cooked well, but a bit boring. The raspberry cheesecake had a very flavorful crust and the chocolate mousse was delicious. The servings were all on the smaller side but I'm not sure if they're smaller than they would be if ordered off the regular menu.

On my way to the restroom I spotted Michel Richard clad in an orange T-shirt dining at a table in the back.  I told our server I was surprised that he wasn't in New York and she told us that he splits his time between the two but prefers DC.  After the rather brutal reviews of his new place in NYC, that's perhaps understandable.

[Tujague]

Since Central doesn't normally do brunch, I decided to check out what they were offering this past Easter Sunday. The brief brunch menu, offered alongside the usual lunch menu, offered few surprises, but one can usually count on this place to offer some interesting twists on the tried and true. I actually strayed from the brunch menu for my starter, the asparagus tartare--a cocktail glass filled with minced vegetables in a mustardy sauce and topped with two poached quail eggs. Delicious, and a nice compliment, color- and flavor-wise to my refreshing cucumber-mint gimlet. Eggs "basquaise" turned out to be a small frittata-like dish, with an andouille-spiked ratatouille filling, accompanied by roasted fingerlings and a tomato salad. Good enough, but not particularly special (for outstanding roasted fingerlings, go to Montmartre for brunch and order them as a side with their black pepper aioli). Rather than a dessert, I ordered the creme brulée French Toast, two large disks of eggy toast with a custardy center, drenched in a raspberry couli and berries. Nice, but again, not exceptional.

Where Central continues to stand out is in its service; my server was warm, helpful, and friendly without being overbearing, and all other staff were terrific as well. So, anyone who wishes that Central would offer brunch should stay content with its ongoing strengths. This was a solid effort--not as half-assed as some other one-off meals can be elsewhere--but not so fine to suggest that this is a regular meal they should offer on a regular basis, unless they can bring it up to the caliber of the rest of the menu.

[naxos]

A very disappointing meal at Central last night. Central has been a go to place for us since it opened. We were greeted with "new" menus- the typeface was so large that I thought they brought the large type menu in deference to my age! But no- they have instituted a new menu just last week we were informed and it has a very reduced number of offerings- hence same size paper menus but more space to fill. I fear that Michel Richard's financial issues in Las Vegas and the NY reviews are affecting DC now.

There are currently no specials nor the plats du jour- no crab on the menu- it's DC in the summer guys. We were told that paring down the menu and raising the prices was a "business" decision.

Lots of main courses listed came with fries or salad- not very imaginative. The disappointing menu led us to order burgers- wish we had known ahead of time, would have gone to Rays. The burgers were not cooked as ordered and were sent back and frankly were not that good. Didn't order apps - the $17 price tag on most of them was a bit much.

We won't be returning any time soon, sad to say.

[DonRocks]

I fear that Michel Richard's financial issues in Las Vegas and the NY reviews are affecting DC now.

Ouch.

[schulju]

My third Restaurant Week foray took me to Central.  (Yes team, that's three RW meals in two days (with one more on tap for tonight)...I will need to fast for a week after this!)

Unlike Monday night's experience at Ruth's Chris, Central was definitely not phoning it in.  This was my first visit to the restaurant that I'd wanted to go to for a long time, but it will not be my last.  (And isn't THAT the point of RW??)

Even the biggest eater would not have walked away hungry from Central's promotional menu.  The servings were huge, the service impeccable, and the quality of the product was very high.

Their menu is on-line and it includes their iconic fried chicken and the chocolate bar dessert, both of which I enjoyed immensely but could not finish.  As an appetizer I chose a frisee salad with lardon and poached egg.  It was generously sized and excellent.  I prefer my egg white to be a bit more cooked, but that's a small quibble.  Where other restaurants are starting to charge for bread, they brought a complimentary loaf of hot french bread to the table (and refilled it when we demolished it).  The bread was excellent!  So simple, but so good.

I looked at the regular menu and determined by dinner would have been $50 had it not been for the promotion.  At full price I would have felt that I had received a great value and been very pleased.  At the promotional price, the value is amazing.  I highly recommend Central as a great RW option.

[Genevieve]

I'm meeting a friend at Central (her choice) for her birthday later this week.  Anyone been lately who recommends anything to get or to avoid, given the reports that it's gone downhill?

Thanks!

[DonRocks]

I'm meeting a friend at Central (her choice) for her birthday later this week.  Anyone been lately who recommends anything to get or to avoid, given the reports that it's gone downhill?

Thanks!

Genevieve, I was going through some older posts yesterday, and noticed this dangling question (these things stand out to me like a sore thumb). Did you end up going, and if so, how was it?

[Genevieve]

 

Genevieve, I was going through some older posts yesterday, and noticed this dangling question (these things stand out to me like a sore thumb). Did you end up going, and if so, how was it?

 

I was sick and missed the lunch, so I have no new reports.

[lekkerwijn]

Central now serves brunch. $25 for three courses or $35 with bottomless drinks. As brunch goes this is a pretty strong balance of quantity and quality with a diverse menu. A group of six of us met there on Sunday and had a lovely time. My only quibble- a minor one - they have the caesar salad on the brunch menu and not the frisee and lardons with a poached egg. Otherwise, the food was all of the quality you'd expect from Central and the wait staff friendly and amiable. At 11 am when we arrived and around 1 when we left the place was barely half full and included Rush Limbaugh (or at least someone who looked a lot like him).

I'd add this to the DC Weekend Brunch thread as well. Solid downtown option and good for a crowd.

[Bart]

My wife and I are going to see Bill Maher at Constitution Hall on Saturday and were thinking of sneaking in an early dinner somewhere.  We've never been to Central, and with the Chef's passing it seemed like a good way to honor him and try a new place.  I'm interested in trying the most "Michel Richardy" dishes that they serve but have no idea what they are.  In the "Honoring Michel Richard" thread, Keithstg suggested the fried chicken and the lobster burger.

Anyone else have any other ideas on the Central menu that scream MICHEL RICHARD?

Thanks!    (dinner menu below)

• Dessert
   
• Pre & Post Theater $35.50
   
• sunday Brunch menu
   
• Wine / Cocktails
   
• Central Wine List
   
• Happy Hour
   

Dinner

To Share

• Cheese Puffs (Gougeres) $9.00
• Bacon Onion Tart $12.00
• Faux Gras & Country Pate $14.50
• La Quercia Prosciutto $15.50
• Charcuterie Tower $32.00
• Oysters, 1/2 dozen or dozen $18.00/34.00

Soups & Salads

• French Onion Soup $10.00
• Yellow Tomato Gazpacho, Burrata $15.50
• Goat Cheese Caesar Salad $14.00
• Frisee Salad, Bacon, Poached Egg $14.50
• Chopped Salad $13.50
• Beet Carpaccio, Grapefruit, Avocado $14.50
• Bibb Lettuce, Crudite, Buttermilk $13.00
• Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon, Ricotta $15.00

Appetizers

• Tartare of Filet Mignon $16.50
• Mussels, White Wine, Garlic $15.50
• Tuna Carpaccio "Nicoise" $17.00
• Provencal Calamari $15.50
• Sauteed Jumbo Crab, Zucchini Cake $16.50

Burgers

served with choice of fries or salad

• Hamburger $18.00, add cheese $1, bacon $1
• Ahi Tuna Burger $22.00
• Lobster Burger $32.00

Entrees

• Cote de Boeuf for Two - 32 oz Angus beef from Shenandoah Valley, served with choice of two sides and choice of Bordelaise or Peppercorn sauce $82.00
• Rockfish, Bouillabaisse Sauce, Aioli Toast $28.50
• Salmon, Zucchini, Fennel, Ginger $25.50
• Scallops, Corn, Piperade $30.00
• Shrimp, Saffron Risotto $27.50
• Grilled Loup de Mer $34.00
• Rotisserie Chicken $25.00
• Michel's Fried Chicken $25.00
• Duck Leg Confit, Spaetzle $25.00
• Spaghetti Squash, Farro, Spinach $19.50
• Pasta Primavera $21.00
• Hanger Steak Au Poivre $28.50
• Lamb Chops, Couscous, Pea Shoots, Curry-Yogurt $32.00

Sides $9

Up-charge to substitute sides on main dishes $3

• Creamed Spinach
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Mashed Potatoes
• French Fries
• Green Beans
• Side Mixed Green Salad

Beverage List

• Acqua Panna
• San Pellegrino
• House Grapefruit Soda
• Iced Tea/Lemonade
• Dr. Brown’s Sodas:
  Diet Black Cherry, Cream Soda
• Sprecher Rootbeer
• Fever Tree Ginger Beer
• Maine Root Organic Blueberry Soda

[Mark Slater]

Definitely try the gougeres, faux gras, ahi tuna carpaccio, then the lobster burger or the fried chicken.

[Tweaked]

And Michel's Chocolate Bar for dessert.  Given his training as a pastry chef, Central is one restaurant where you *do* want to save room for dessert.

[DonRocks]

2 hours ago, Bart said:

Anyone else have any other ideas on the Central menu that scream MICHEL RICHARD?

2 hours ago, Mark Slater said:

Definitely try the gougeres, faux gras, ahi tuna carpaccio, then the lobster burger or the fried chicken.

I hope I've made it perfectly clear how much respect I had for Michel Richard in other posts (I raised Citronelle posthumously, for example, to Bold in the Dining Guide). 

In my opinion, much of this screams "end-of-career Michel Richard," and are watered-down versions - photocopies - of the real product. Yes, he used to dine at Central all the time, and I suppose this is as close as you can get to him in a restaurant, but I've also seen these dishes oscillate over the years, and in particular, I've never been a fan of the faux gras.  

Just another data point - I think Central is a very good restaurant (I currently have it ranked as the #1 restaurant in its area); I don't think it's emblematic of Michel Richard's genius so much as "what happened when suits got ahold of that genius." You can dine well there, but Michel is gone now. So is Jean-Louis, and that's just the way things are.

Unlike art, literature, and musical composition, cuisine is a transient experience, and the only thing permanent that remains are pictures and the cookbook - "Happy in the Kitchen" is about as close as you'll get to the real product right now (and you can buy it at Central).

Granted, David Deshaies was Michel's Chef de Cuisine for many years - and is an *excellent* cook - so you'll get a heck of a lot closer now than you will ten years from now. 

All this said, Mark's opinion should be weighted more heavily than my own.

[ktmoomau]

I think it was on a WETA program one time, but maybe I am wrong, but I thought it was somewhere that he was talking about his restaurants and mentioned that Central was where he could make dishes he liked to eat on his off time.  I remember him talking about loving fried chicken and fries on that show.  I don't think it was ever meant to be his showcase, Citronelle was his showcase.  And when Central opened, they were both still operating.   It really did meet a food void back at that time in that area, it's hard to think about that today because we now have so many restaurants in that price range that are good.  I haven't been in years, but it was one of our favorite places when it first opened because of the care they put into dishes that I could afford at that time.  (I had eaten at Citronelle, but it was a treat that someone else paid for, that was the first time I ever met Mark.  I was so excited because I was at a table with four ladies from law school and some men, and Michel came out and talked to us and told me I was beautiful.  Which was great, as I was with a couple girls who I am sure thought they were much prettier than me.)  In an interview for Food and Wine he said the chocolate bar dessert was in every restaurant he ever owned, so that is definitely a must order dish.  I loved the Food and Wine article because he openly talked about using a microwave and how handy it was, which to some would seem sacrilegious.  He said it was the one kitchen tool one shouldn't live without, which I thought was just hilarious for a chef to say.  I loved how he would keep it real.

[Mark Slater]

2 hours ago, ktmoomau said:

 He said it was the one kitchen tool one shouldn't live without, which I thought was just hilarious for a chef to say.  I loved how he would keep it real.

The other tool that was important to him was the freezer.

[DonRocks]

4 minutes ago, Mark Slater said:

The other tool that was important to him was the freezer.

[sandynva]

4 hours ago, ktmoomau said:

I It really did meet a food void back at that time in that area, it's hard to think about that today because we now have so many restaurants in that price range that are good.  I haven't been in years, but it was one of our favorite places when it first opened because of the care they put into dishes that I could afford at that time.  

+1 on the gougeres, still my favorite in the area, and the kitkat bar, which is delicious, and i'm a big fan of the banana split too, because it's giant portion and all the different sauces and toppings, and the way you can mix and match them for many flavors, makes me feel like a kid again. And i think ktmoomau's comment is really on point--i patronized it a ton when it first opened because it was a place where the food was great, yet the prices were affordable. And i loved the lack of pretension. it was sometimes amusing but it was, most of all, good, and satisfying. Even leaving aside the prices, i preferred it to Citronelle, which i don't think was great for vegetarians.( I admittedly only went their twice, but both times i was served an unexciting vegetable plate, that was almost identical on both visits).Central doesn't have a ton of vegetarian options, but i like the ones they do have, which is why i still go. I think that now, when there are so many fun, mid-range places serving great food, it's easy to forget how unique central was when it opened. 

[Bart]

Thanks to all for the all the great suggestions and for calibrating my expectations on what is possible in 2016.   I asked Tom S. this in his chat today, and I also asked him right after the chef passed and he blew me off both times (But who could blame him today? He had to field 27 questions on "dining and dashing" ?!?!). 

Just another reason I love this site!

[reedm]

4 hours ago, Bart said:

 I asked Tom S. this in his chat today, and I also asked him right after the chef passed and he blew me off both times (But who could blame him today? He had to field 27 questions on "dining and dashing" ?!?!). 

I used to look forward to his chats, but they've become repetitious and uninteresting.  Not even sure where the dine and dash question originated. I wish Kliman would revive his. Neither beat this site for information, at any rate.

Back on topic; I've found the food to be excellent every visit. It may seem like a small thing, but their bread service is excellent as well. The fried chicken is certainly worth the accolades it receives. RIP Chef Richard. 

[Night Owl]

When it's on the menu, the tuna watermelon salad is a must-order. It's reminiscent of Michel's wonderful sleight of hand -- when you spear a red cube with the lightest blanket of delicious dressing, you don't necessarily know if it's tuna or watermelon until it's in your mouth and popping with flavor, and the combo of the two together is luscious. Also, the coconut sorbet... it's delicious, but more because it was his favorite.

[Mark Slater]

You have to get the banana split just because of the malted milk ice cream.

[DonRocks]

28 minutes ago, Mark Slater said:

You have to get the banana split just because of the malted milk ice cream.

But don't you think that, if the goal is to get as close as possible to Michel Richard, you have to get the Kit Kat Bar (or whatever they call it now)?

I personally prefer the version at Corduroy, and don't forget that Tom Power was Chef de Cuisine at the Citronelle in Baltimore (yes, in Baltimore). It's my opinion that Corduroy uses a far better native product than Central - one of Michel's "skills" was the ability to fool the customer (goodness knows, he fooled me a few times). Has anyone ever seen any farms or ingredients highlighted or listed at one of Michel's restaurants? With a wink and a nod, his was the genius of culinary trompe l'oeil, at least in his late stage (I reiterate: Michel had *stages* during his career - he was not like this twenty years ago - I hypothesize (but cannot prove) that Cuisine Solutions contributed to (or, perhaps, "enabled") this late-stage style, which contributed to his rocket-like ascendance, and also to his nuclear end-of-career collapse: Any comment about that, Mark?) Almost surely, Michel's health problems were heavily responsible for this collapse as well - he simply could not physically do the work that needed to be done, and for that, he gets a free pass (at least from me).

There will come a time - hopefully twenty, thirty years from now - that Eric Ziebold can't do the work either, and that is why it's *so* important to chronicle what he's doing right now. We are witnessing history before our very eyes, and nobody is writing about it other than general raves - we need specifics. I'll do the best I can, but I can't do it all. Post menus, list dishes, take pictures - do all that you can to document what this man is doing, and if you think other chefs are producing equally important work, by all means, do the same for them. Don't you wish you had hundreds, thousands, of pictures and descriptions of Michel's dishes from the 20th century?