Jônt, Chef Ryan Ratino's Michelin Two-Star Tasting Counter at 14th and T Street NW

[DonRocks]

On 7/12/2017 at 2:20 PM, ElGuapo said:

Chef Ryan Ratino (Ripple, Masa 14, L'Auberge Provencale) has announced Bresca, opening Fall 2017 in the former first floor of Policy:

Jul 12, 2017 - "Major Update about the Plans for the 1st Floor of Policy. Chef from Recently Closed Ripple To Open Bresca" on popville.com

Incredibly, Jônt, Chef Ryan Ratino's Chef's Counter on top of Bresca, received 2 Michelin Stars less than one year after opening. As of today (May 26), it's completely booked until Jun 24.

A 14-course tasting menu is $225 ($345 including supplements), with beverage pairings available for $155.

With tax and tip, the full experience here is $1,300 for two!

The wines by the glass and bottle are very well-chosen for such a new restaurant, but so, so expensive with no obvious entry point (other than the wrist-slitting choice of their outstanding-looking non-alcoholic beverages). For a restaurant this rarefied, there can be no excuse for any typos on the wine list, not even online.

Jônt is also the only Michelin 2-Star restaurant open in DC right now (Minibar and Pineapple & Pearls are still closed). There is very limited seating space, and a huge pent-up dining demand (Minibar created this niche by opening in 2003 for the artificially low price of $65 (for 34 courses), and subsequently going up in price like a helicopter).

Congratulations to the team here for such a noteworthy achievement - this is the equivalent of winning the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in the same season. Now, the long-term question is: Will Jônt be remembered as Fred Lynn, or Ichiro Suzuki?

[Keithstg]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Now, the long-term question is: Will Jônt be remembered as Fred Lynn, or Ichiro Suzuki?

Kind of a funny comparison - Lynn and Ichiro are pretty darn similar from a statistical perspective. Batting average aside (because it's 2021 and not 1990), Lynn is offensively superior to Ichiro over the course of their careers. And thanks for the tip about Jont having availability - just booked for late June!

[Kibbee Nayee]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Now, the long-term question is: Will Jônt be remembered as Fred Lynn, or Ichiro Suzuki?

I'm rooting for the Freddie Lynn comparison. In 1975, the thought of winning ROY and MVP in the same season was amazing, and his fall-off was a good decade away. 

Ichiro was an other-worldly superstar in Japan prior to 2001, so his ROY was a technicality. Jason Giambi, despite enhancements, and Bret Boone both had better OPS and WAR that year, but Ichiro was the shiny new object.

[Bart]

Don -

   You missed this little nugget.  $995 per person and if that wasn't ridiculous enough they add insult to injury by tacking on an ultra tacky $5 "fee".  

 

Also, this........😂

PS - I'm a fan of the chef and love Bresca, but what did Maya Anjelou say......."When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."   😂

 

[Keithstg]

On 5/27/2021 at 8:16 AM, Bart said:

Don -

   You missed this little nugget.  $995 per person and if that wasn't ridiculous enough they add insult to injury by tacking on an ultra tacky $5 "fee".  

 

Also, this........😂

PS - I'm a fan of the chef and love Bresca, but what did Maya Anjelou say......."When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."   😂

 

The dinner was/ is sold out. So there's clearly a market, and honestly, depending on pour size and quantity of Krug, could qualify as a value for the wines poured.

[zgast]

2 hours ago, Bart said:

Also, this........😂

PS - I'm a fan of the chef and love Bresca, but what did Maya Anjelou say......."When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."   😂

 

I have to say that if the two mentioned wines retail for $1,400 and $2,800 a bottle, that maybe it's not such a bad deal?  Extremely extravagant, I'd agree (I'm not buying those bottles retail either), but maybe someone's celebrating all those special occasions we've missed the last 15 months.

[Ericandblueboy]

It doesn't specify whether tax & tip is included in the $995.  OTOH, maybe if you can afford $995 pp, it just doesn't matter.