Citronelle, 2007 National James Beard Award-Winning Chef Michel Richard's Flagship - Chef Patrick Robinson Replaces David Deshaies - Closed

[Waitman]

Had an opportunity to hit Citronelle on someone else's dime last night and I think that made the food taste twice as good. The five of us cut a pretty wide swath through the regular three-course menu; but rather than dragging you through the details I'll refer you to Zora's descriptions of the peanut butter soup and the sablefish, two dishes which -- in an excellent meal -- were totally over and above above. You know, dishes that have you thinking "college kids can live on almost nothing" and plotting to spend your son's monthly stipend on Citronelle, The Sequel.

I have, however, decided that duck does not lend itself to sous vide, even when covered with shaved black truffle. Bit rubbery to my refined palate.

Otherwise the meal was smashing success.

BTW, anybody else think that long-time pastry chef Richard is actually turning out better savory courses than sweets? Maybe all those years churning out wedding cakes for the Hollywood glitterati would have been even better spent at the grill.

In Slater's absence we had the pleasure of meeting the new mini-Mark, aka the Assistant Somelier. Due to my own peculiar variation of premature dementia, I can remember everything we talked about -- the '86 Pichon-Lalande he sold last week, the fact that his wine bar back in Bloomington, Indiana had 435 wines (in Bloomington! Who knew?), that his Indiana customers trained him well to seek out high-value wines (given their Midwestern reticense to plop down $250 for a bottle of French grape juice) -- except his name, which may or may not be David. Having slogged through a bottle of viognier (not Clos de Chenes again, mom...) in the bar and a Savenniers in lieu of cocktails at the table, May or May Not Be David did a fine job of guiding us to a couple of bargain-bin Frenchies, a 2003 Mikulski Mersault Premier Crue and an '05 Chateauneuf du Pape whose name escapes me but whose excellent taste lingers. Seems like a great guy, and I no longer fear finding myself squinting in the dark at that six-point-type wine list with bad eyes and budget concerns without Slater to guide me through.

[Camille-Beau]

Dined with friends at Citronelle recently, our second time there and a first for our friends, where we all ordered the Chef's Degustation. If you order this menu, be prepared to stay for a very long time. I think they should rename it "Death by Tasting Menu". While we know that Citronelle generally receives high marks and the expectations are equally high, I really think they hit this one out of the ballpark. I'm not sure what deserves more praise: the service, the flavorful food (noted below), Mark Slater's wine selections (also noted below), the often whimsical presentations, or surprises like having a simple blue cheese salad in lieu of a cheese plate at the end of the fish and meat courses. While I know some of you aren't fans of posts that list menu items, I think it's worth noting what's included on the Chef's menu (or at least what they were serving last week). Many of the items were so eloquently described by zoramargolis in her 1/13 post that I won't even try to compete Sorry about the quality of the photos -- used an iPhone in low light:

SCALLOP SCRAMBLE, OSETRA CAVIAR & BLINIS

What a great way to start -- the creamy egg, the nutty caviar. Love the egg shell serving dish -- and any dish that includes caviar doesn't suck

MUSCAT “HERRENWEG” DOMAINE ZIND-HUMBRECHT 2005

ESCARGOT “CRUMBLE”

It's amazing how much flavor can be packed into this modest (in size) dish. It is savory, rich, and delightfully crunchy.

CHESTNUT SOUP WITH FOIE GRAS

[photo before the soup is ladled]

10 Year Old Rich Malmsey Madeira, Blandy’s

NANTUKET BAY SCALLOP WITH ONION CARBONARA

The natural sweetness of the scallops plays nicely with the rich "carbonara." Using onion instead of pasta makes this a unique dish.

NUITS-SAINT-GEORGES BLANC “PERRIERES” PREMIER CRU, DOMAINE HENRI GOUGES 2004

Yes, "Blanc." What a neat wine and one reflecting the depth and breadth of Mark's selections

JOHN DORY

MONTEREY BAY ABALONE WITH CAVIAR CREAM

SABLEFISH, SAKE-MISO

MEURSAULT “CLOS DES PERRIERES” PREMIER CRU, DOMAINE ALBERT GRIVAULT 2001

TORO BOUDIN ROSE

LOBSTER “BEGULA”

SWEETBREADS, CHANTERELLE, CROSNES AND SALSIFIS

CLOS DE TART, MONOPOLE GRAND CRU, DOMAINE MOMMESSIN 1998

LAMB JALAPEÑO

This was a great surprise. Its zippiness and relative lightness pulled us back from the brink of rich (over) indulgence.

SQUAB SAUCE SALMIS

BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Just the right palate cleanser -- shredded romaine, crumbled blue cheese, and a splash of tangy vinaigrette. Perfect

JOLIE POMME

MARJOLAINE

PETITS FOURS

Thanks Mark for making this a great night!!!

-Beau

[Saycheese]

Wow, what a great ad for iPhone! The meal looks spectacular. Couldn't you include a link to the sounds of chewing, moaning and lip-smacking recorded on your iPhone as you ate those dishes?

[DPop]

Dined with friends at Citronelle recently, our second time there and a first for our friends, where we all ordered the Chef's Degustation.

I got full just reading about all that food. Sounds like a hell of a night.

[DonRocks]

Separated at birth: Michel Richard and Vladimir Horowitz. These two are peas in a pod.

NB full version just in case there's any doubting his technique.

[DPop]

After just returning from a long honeymoon, the wife told me that we didn't need to go out to dinner for her birthday. I informed her that I had already made reservations at Citronelle, which made her pause, but still insist that we did not need to go out after stuffing ourselves with French food for 2 straight weeks in Tahiti. Partly for selfish reasons and mostly because I think she was just trying to be considerate and really wanted to go (or so I convinced myself), I kept the reservation and forced her up from her jetlag-inspired afternoon nap for the short trip into Georgetown.

We arrived to what seemed like 20 smiling faces, from the hostess to the GM to the servers to David, Mark's assistant and stand-in at sommelier for the night. We were directed to our table where David poured us two excellent glasses of Edmond Barnaut Brut Grand Cru, Bouzy 1998 (Thanks Mark!). The wife immediately perked up and says "I'm really glad you brought me here".

Our server, Pablo, was delightful. My wife has a particular affinity for the Mushroom Cigars available at the Lounge upstairs and wanted to substitute them for an appetizer. No problem, he said, but he suggested that he bring out a bowl of them before we ordered so that we could still order items from the downstairs menu. This turned out to be a great idea, because the appetizer that she wound up choosing, the Egg Symphony, was extraordinary. The plate was divided into 4 separate dishes, each fascinating renditions on preparations of egg. The best was a mashup of shredded lobster, scrambled egg, and breadcrumbs lumped together in a halved eggshell. Simple, exquisitely presented, and very much a Michel Richard dish, with the crunch of the breadcrumbs reminding you who came up with these 3 delightful bites. The other 3 presentations (hardboiled egg yolk sitting on top of flatbread with gruyere melted on top, hard boiled eggs quarter over a tomato pesto salad (excellent combo), and a cauliflower-egg mousse that was so good it has me reconsidering cauliflower as an edible vegetable once again) were not quite its equal, but not far behind either. It also didn't hurt that David paired it with a Pouilly-Fuissé Vielles Vignes, Domaine Jacques Simonin 2006, my wife's favorite of the 7 great wines we had last night. I chose the Mosaic "surf and turf" based on Pablo's description and received the best take on carpaccio/thin sliced sashimi that I have ever tasted. The plate featured slices of paper thin beef tenderloin, scallops, salmon, roasted eel, and a circular maze of yellow, red, and green peppers. Strategically scattered throughout to appropriately flavor the slice of meat they were resting on were chunks of orange and grapefruit, small black beans, and most importantly, the perfect amount of simple salt and pepper. Delicious and a nice, light reprieve from the rich, heavy dishes that made up the rest of our tasting.

For my main I took Pablo's recommendation once again and chose the Veal, which was a black angus steak resting in a shallow bath of morel sauce and surrounded by sweetbreads, which tasted pretty much like the best chicken tenders I have ever had with a gamey aftertaste. The steak could not have been cooked any better and was matched very well with the Rouge d'Alsace, Domaine Sipp-Mack 2005 that David poured. The wife treated herself and went for the Lobster which was butter poached and came with a delicious potato fried rice that carried the perfect amount of spice, all resting in a lemon-verbena emulsion. Rarely do I find lobster in restaurants outside of New England worth the high prices charged for them, but this was well worth the $20 upcharge. I cannot imagine that you could get better lobster than the 4 chunks of claw meat near each corner of the plate. The pairing that David chose, Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, Domaine Pierre Larue 2003, was very interesting, as this red wine had light airy feel of a white and fit remarkably well with the lobster. Bonus points for creativity as this brought out another "I am so glad you brought me here."

Dessert was our chance to meet one of the criterias that my wife has to have in any meal she considers great; either something really spicy or something with chocolate. For this reason, the Birthday cake was passed over for the Chocolate Degustation, another plate divided into 4 separate tastes of chocolate. She loved every bit of it ("so happy you brought me here!!"), but the standouts for me were the hazelnut bar (basically a kit-kat) and the chocolate tart with raspberry jello cubes. The Beaume de Venise that I ordered (and she promptly nabbed, legally under Birthday Dinner Rules) paired very well with this sweet dish. I had the Blueberry Cheesecake with dulce de leche sauce and a curious side of mango ice cream, which tasted fine on its own but clashed a bit with the cheesecake. The Sauterne that I was given to replace my original choice I remember being very tasty, although details escape me due to the food/wine haze that I was in at the time.

There are only few places I can take my wife when she is as exhausted as she was yesterday that she will truly enjoy. There are even fewer places where we can go and find nothing wrong with our experience (other than the absence of the always-entertaining Mr Slater). And there is only one place where my wife has said at least ten times over the course of her meal and even after we left that she was so happy that I took her. Thanks to Chef Deshaies, Pablo, David, and everyone else at Citronelle for last night, it was everything we could have hoped for and a little bit more.

[mdt]

Must get back....How long in advance do you need to make reservations for a weekend night? Things are booked solid on OT.

[Walrus]

It's these types of posts that make me wonder what I'm doing wrong! We've been to Citronelle twice, nicely dressed both times, and although the first time was markedly better than the second (which is why we returned), I have yet to experience the kind of bliss that you all are describing...

[DPop]

It's these types of posts that make me wonder what I'm doing wrong! We've been to Citronelle twice, nicely dressed both times, and although the first time was markedly better than the second (which is why we returned), I have yet to experience the kind of bliss that you all are describing...

That's interesting, because from your posts, we seem to have similar palettes/favorite places. I know it's pricey, but I would go back and give it another go. Take Mark/David's recommendations on wine and ask your server for their preferences when choosing your food. This has been our formula each time we have gone and everything has been so easy and absoutely exquisite.

[tripewriter]

That's interesting, because from your posts, we seem to have similar palettes/favorite places. I know it's pricey, but I would go back and give it another go. Take Mark/David's recommendations on wine and ask your server for their preferences when choosing your food. This has been our formula each time we have gone and everything has been so easy and absoutely exquisite.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. The second time we booked there just didn't seem up to standard. At Citronelle's price point, I'd rather have a more consistent experience.

[Patrick474]

Hi all: I'm heading to Citronelle for the first time Wednesday, to celebrate my girlfriend's 30th birthday. I'm interested in tackling the tasting menu, but I'm a little reluctant to wreak so much havoc on my bank account. Any perspectives on ordering a la carte vs. doing the tasting menu?

Thanks, Patrick

[mdt]

Hi all: I'm heading to Citronelle for the first time Wednesday, to celebrate my girlfriend's 30th birthday. I'm interested in tackling the tasting menu, but I'm a little reluctant to wreak so much havoc on my bank account. Any perspectives on ordering a la carte vs. doing the tasting menu?

Thanks, Patrick

I have ordered a la carte in the past and have thoroughly enjoyed my meals. I personally like the freedom to choose when I order. (Which is one reason that I like the tasting menu at Komi, but that is another thread.) If your concern is that you will not get a proper Citronelle experience without doing one of the tasting menus fear not. You can always add a cheese plate between the main and dessert courses.

[bookluvingbabe]

I have a 6pm reservation on Friday, October 3rd that I can't use. Before I cancel it, I thought I would see if anyone wanted it. Send me a pm!

Other commitments suck sometimes....

[sparkycom]

I have a 6pm reservation on Friday, October 3rd that I can't use. Before I cancel it, I thought I would see if anyone wanted it. Send me a pm!

Other commitments suck sometimes....

Is is still available? If so, I'll take it!

[mdt]

Are the online menus current?

[DPop]

They were as of a couple weeks ago.

[JoeHoya]

An answer to the Citronelle Kit Kat?

Which is now called the "Michel's Chocolate Bar," according to my menu from last Wednesday (though the website still calls it the Kit Kat Bar and my wife's menu from the same night did, too).

Wonder if Nestle is making noise about calling it a Kit Kat...

[TheMatt]

From this post on Thanksgiving, I saw this:

Michel Richard’s four-star Georgetown dining room is preparing an afternoon buffet ($80; $37 for children). The selection of starters will include chestnut soup, poached shrimp, crab coleslaw, Caesar salad, smoked-salmon terrine, and potato salad.

Entrées include turkey, glazed ham, rack of lamb with lamb jus, salmon en croûte with celery sauce, and halibut with saffron sauce. Diners may also choose from a wide selection of sides such as sweet-potato gratin, candied yams, mixed vegetables, baked beans, red-skin mashed potatoes, mushroom stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gratin dauphinois. For dessert, there’s triple-chocolate mousse, hazlenut-chocolate cake, Michel’s napoleon, raspberry-vanilla eclair, pumpkin pie, fig bar, fruit tarts, and cookies.

Open 2 to 7:30.

Part of me really wants to do this for the opportunity to try out Citronelle. Even the $80 price tag seems nice for a place like this. Has anyone been to a similar event there? Worth it?

[Pork Belly]

Went last night with some trepidation, having read the reports of possible slippage, but found exactly the opposite - a first-class restaurant firing on all cylinders and knowing it. It helps to be right in front of the open kitchen to watch the show and to have Mark Slater give you the inside story on Bad Boy vineyard. But to me it all comes down to the food. We had a party of six - so six apps and six entrees and not one was less than excellent and a few were truly memorable (clam/scallop chowder and lamb, I'm talking to you). Desserts were also good, but only the caramel ice cream hit the heights. Full disclosure - I wasn't paying, but unlike some places, I wouldn't feel ripped off if I were. It was that good.

[bookluvingbabe]

Any recent dining experiences to report? Thanks!

[DonRocks]

Any recent dining experiences to report? Thanks!

After tonight, you can ask Nancy Pelosi.

I knew something was up when the sign on the side door said "Please Enter Through The Lobby." Sure enough, twenty minutes later, a surgical strike by Secret Service, with Speaker Pelosi ushered in, then whisked down into the restaurant (note to Amy Argetsinger: "and wearing a stunning red dress.").

Cheers,

Rocks.

[bookluvingbabe]

After tonight, you can ask Nancy Pelosi.

I knew something was up when the sign on the side door said "Please Enter Through The Lobby." Sure enough, twenty minutes later, a surgical strike by Secret Service, with Speaker Pelosi ushered in, then whisked down into the restaurant (note to Amy Argetsinger: "and wearing a stunning red dress.").

Cheers,

Rocks.

I just checked and I don't have Nancy's # in my Blackberry. Darn!

Of course, you could tell me about your meal there last night. Or have you become a Nancy Pelosi groupie in your spare time???

Thanks!

Jennifer

[youngfood]

Any recent dining experiences to report? Thanks!

Yes, we were just there and it was fabulous. I can't figure out why this place gets almost no chatter here -- I know it is expensive and there are lots of good new restaurants opening up over the past few years, but I think Citronelle offers some things that aren't matched elsewhere in town. If you have been thinking about trying Citronelle, but have not, you should go!

Highlights: truffles are in season and mixed into or available as supplements to many dishes on the menu. They were offering something that seemed to be a super value like 5 oz for $30 additional. We stuck to the a la carte menu with a couple supplemental plates and had a blast. I'm already itching to get back to try some more of the menu -- pretty much the entire thing appealed to us. It's not a new dish, but the Lobster "Beluga" Pasta is to die for. I feared it might be cute, but that the taste would suffer in favor of creativity/plating, but this dish was delicious and Mark had a white burg that was delicious on its own, but paired perfectly with it. My other top dish of the night was the Squab. It is stuffed with foie/syrah sauce! Crisp edges, but beautifully medium rare in the center. And the macroni gratin was almost as good. A very rich dish, but along with the 'beluga' it was one of my favorite in a long time. Like most of the dishes on the menu there is a lot more to it than the menu description reveals, which is part of the fun and I think you are expected to ask questions to get the whole story behind these playful dishes. We also had the Foie 'Opera Cake' appetizer. While an exquisite presentation, this dish didn't otherwise do it for us. I can't quite put my finger on why, but the flavor just wasn't what we wanted.

While the food was great, the wine was equally so and if you are into wine and haven't met Mark Slater and tried some of the offerings off of his list, you owe it to yourself to make a reservation so you have the opportunity to do so. Seriously, a little time with Mark and a few of his wines by the glass alone justify the price of admission here. Much of what Mark is pouring seems to have a story to it -- usually coming from a very small production and someone Mark knows well -- and there is some great stuff to be had a fair amount of it at not-so-intimidating prices. One such unexpected highlight was a Charlottesville, VA sparkling wine - I think a blanc de blanc. This tasted more like real champagne than almost any American sparkling wine I've had. Mark explained that the higher acidity level is what is largely responsible for that. It was delicate and well-balance and some seriously very good stuff. I believe it was from THIBAUT-JANISSON http://www.tjwinery.com/ With as much attention at Michel Richard gets for his Beard award, it is surprising to me that the other James Beard award winner in Georgetown isn't talked about more often.

[Keithstg]

While the food was great, the wine was equally so and if you are into wine and haven't met Mark Slater and tried some of the offerings off of his list, you owe it to yourself to make a reservation so you have the opportunity to do so. Seriously, a little time with Mark and a few of his wines by the glass alone justify the price of admission here. Much of what Mark is pouring seems to have a story to it -- usually coming from a very small production and someone Mark knows well -- and there is some great stuff to be had a fair amount of it at not-so-intimidating prices. One such unexpected highlight was a Charlottesville, VA sparkling wine - I think a blanc de blanc. This tasted more like real champagne than almost any American sparkling wine I've had. Mark explained that the higher acidity level is what is largely responsible for that. It was delicate and well-balance and some seriously very good stuff. I believe it was from THIBAUT-JANISSON http://www.tjwinery.com/ With as much attention at Michel Richard gets for his Beard award, it is surprising to me that the other James Beard award winner in Georgetown isn't talked about more often.

Here, here! It was great to read this report - Citronelle and the lounge at Citronelle are the two restaurants I miss most while up north.

[cajcaj]

Citronelle cuts its hours - click.

[DonRocks]

Citronelle cuts its hours - click.

... and relaxes its dress code. From a recent press release:

New Relaxed Dress Code

No more “Jackets Required”

Business casual attire is the new dress code of Citronelle: no jeans and sneakers allowed in the dining room, but more than welcome in the Lounge upstairs.

[Pat]

According to CBS Radio's Mark Knoller on twitter, the President and First Lady are dining at Citronelle tonight. I wonder if anyone told the President that he can wear business casual?

[DonRocks]

According to CBS Radio's Mark Knoller on twitter, the President and First Lady are dining at Citronelle tonight. I wonder if anyone told the President that he can wear business casual?

It's amazing that people are reporting this as its happening. When I was at this Power Dinner, some guy sitting next to me picked up his cell phone and called his friend, and started yapping about who was having dinner downstairs. About two minutes later, Secret Service agents came over and ushered him into a back room where he was detained for questioning! I think there's a non-zero chance their dinner will be cancelled tonight due to this press leak (if it is indeed an unauthorized leak).

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Pat]

It's amazing that people are reporting this as its happening. When I was at this Power Dinner, some guy sitting next to me picked up his cell phone and called his friend, and started yapping about who was having dinner downstairs. About two minutes later, Secret Service agents came over and ushered him into a back room where he was detained for questioning! I think there's a non-zero chance their dinner will be cancelled tonight due to this press leak (if it is indeed an unauthorized leak).

Yow. I would imagine they're already at the restaurant with security in place before the media even know to report about it. Interesting comparison, though. I guess in the past, it would only be reported after they had left.

ETA: I don't think it's an unauthorized leak, as several other people reported it very soon after Knoller did. The Washington Times writer who is the pool reporter says that she can't say anything until it's over and the pool report is out.

[Pat]

That was a quick meal. They're back at the White House already.

My pizza dinner is now over, but I'm sure their meal at Citronelle was better.

[CajunJason]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/02/o...t_n_195248.html

[adamgetz]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/02/o...t_n_195248.html

Got a twitter from a friend having his anniversary there sometime before 6:30 that he just got padded down at the door Because the President was there....I guess with the furthering of the information age news just spreads easier and faster....

[DonRocks]

My sources tell me the Obamas each had a Stoli Martini, but no wine, alas ...

[mdt]

My sources tell me the Obamas each had a Stoli Martini, but no wine, alas ...

Stoli makes gin?

[hm212]

Yow. I would imagine they're already at the restaurant with security in place before the media even know to report about it. Interesting comparison, though. I guess in the past, it would only be reported after they had left.

ETA: I don't think it's an unauthorized leak, as several other people reported it very soon after Knoller did. The Washington Times writer who is the pool reporter says that she can't say anything until it's over and the pool report is out.

So what did they eat? Bet they had great service.

Was there any extra security at the restaurant last night? I was at the Wizards game that Obama went to and it was announced by the Wizards that afternoon that he was coming - They announced to ask fans to come early due to extra security.

Secret service did a GREAT job that night and got everyone thru the metal detectors quickly, but it was public knowledge where he would be a few hours before the event.

(Don - I know very off topic, maybe start a new thread under media called Obama dinners and events).

[themeatguy]

It's amazing that people are reporting this as its happening. When I was at this Power Dinner, some guy sitting next to me picked up his cell phone and called his friend, and started yapping about who was having dinner downstairs. About two minutes later, Secret Service agents came over and ushered him into a back room where he was detained for questioning! I think there's a non-zero chance their dinner will be cancelled tonight due to this press leak (if it is indeed an unauthorized leak).

Cheers,

Rocks.

That could have been because two of those people in that party, were two of the most hated men in America. I know a couple SS agents, and they told me a few times how much harder it was of a job to protect Cheney because of the amount of threats that he got. Twice what Bush had.

Had to be Cool though.

[zoramargolis]

So what did they eat?

According to the WaPo this morning, he had the 72 hour sous vide short ribs and she had a lobster burger. Apps? Dessert? Wine? Unreported.

[slarochelle]

CNN video of Obama's Date Night at Citronelle

[DonRocks]

CNN video of Obama's Date Night at Citronelle

Ironically, when I try and view this, it begins with an advertisement from Applebee's.

[zoramargolis]

If you look at the crawl underneath, at the end of the CNN video, you can click on a video of Biden and Obama at Ray's--ordering their burgers and paying, and then having them delivered to the table. Michael didn't make it onto the screen...

[Arcturus]

According to the WaPo this morning, he had the 72 hour sous vide short ribs and she had a lobster burger. Apps? Dessert? Wine? Unreported.

He had the tuna Nicoise, she had the softshell crab for apps. As far as desserts, I'd guess that Mark did some sort of VIP sampler thing for them.

[zoramargolis]

He had the tuna Nicoise, she had the softshell crab for apps. As far as desserts, I'd guess that Mark did some sort of VIP sampler thing for them.

According to a CNN interview with Michel, they ordered two martinis, and for dessert, one napoleon for the two of them--they ate the cream filling and left the pastry.

[kat6185]

Enjoyed the Promenade Gourmande with a friend on Friday evening. The food was, of course, lovely. The parmesan-bacon soup and the halibut broth were highlights...and you cannot beat the chocolate bar dessert. Oh my... that desert... Our mistake to order the tasting menu at 8:55pm... the entire evening felt rushed and perfunctory, we simply never expected that from the staff at Citronelle.

We had a lovely time but if I'm honest with myself (and with you!) I won't rush to return. I had a wonderful meal at New Heights earlier this week and several great meals at Proof in the last few months. Citronlle just didn't feel as "special" or innovative as we anticipated. Delicious but just missing something... Perhaps that's a good sign - the caliber of DC dining has raised the bar for everyone.

[jparrott]

Ahem.

<tap, tap, tap>

Is this thing on?

Congrats, Kathy Morgan, MS

[DonRocks]

Ahem.

<tap, tap, tap>

Is this thing on?

Congrats, Kathy Morgan, MS

Wow!

I had no idea!

Congratulations, Kathy!

[dcpolicywonk]

Has anyone been recently? I am considering Citronelle for an anniversary dinner along with CityZen and Komi. Thanks.

[DPop]

policywonk,

As much as I love Michel Richard and all he has done for the DC dining scene, Citronelle is unfortunately no longer in the same class as Cityzen or Komi.

[youngfood]

policywonk,

As much as I love Michel Richard and all he has done for the DC dining scene, Citronelle is unfortunately no longer in the same class as Cityzen or Komi.

Interesting take. Please explain.

Tom Sietsema's fall dining guide included Citronelle and did not include Cityzen. Citronelle's current sommelier also just became Washington's only Master Sommelier. I've never met Ms. Morgan and I know my last meal at Citronelle was great in no small part because we got to spend a great deal of time chatting with Mark Slater, but I'm not sure such an absolute statement doesn't require some explanation, especially in light of Ms. Morgan's recent achievement and Citronelle's including and Cityzen's exclusion from Tom's Fall Dining Guide.

[DPop]

I should have been more specific, youngfood. My comment was unrelated to Ms. Morgan's prowess as a sommelier (well documented), it was a statement on the food offerings. I found on the last visit that the menu items had changed very little over the last several years, were not particularly cognizant of seasonal ingredients, and generally not as 'wow'-inspiring as they had been in years past. Now this is just one man's opinion, and I would certainly say that Citronelle is still quite good, but the meal I had at Komi in August and at Cityzen in May were on a completely different level than the one I had at Citronelle last February.

Also, I don't know why Tom Sietsema would not include CityZen in a dining guide for the Washington DC area, but to call that an 'egregious omission' would be an understatement.

[agm]

Interesting take. Please explain.

Tom Sietsema's fall dining guide included Citronelle and did not include Cityzen. Citronelle's current sommelier also just became Washington's only Master Sommelier. I've never met Ms. Morgan and I know my last meal at Citronelle was great in no small part because we got to spend a great deal of time chatting with Mark Slater, but I'm not sure such an absolute statement doesn't require some explanation, especially in light of Ms. Morgan's recent achievement and Citronelle's including and Cityzen's exclusion from Tom's Fall Dining Guide.

You're putting too much stock in the Dining Guide. Sietsema has repeatedly said that it's not a "best of" list, it's just a selection of restaurants he thinks people should try. Some of the best restaurants around - in his own opinion - get left off in favor of lesser places simply because he doesn't really have anything new to say about them. Which, in my own opinion - makes it worthless as a "dining guide".