Westend Bistro, in the Ritz Carlton on 22nd & M Streets NW - Chef Devin Bozkaya Takes Over for Joe Palma

[youngfood]

I find this statement pretty interesting. You stated that the food very good so why would members of this board not enjoy it?

For the same reasons some members criticized the way the menu read. And I don't think I said the food was very good. Maybe I'm wrong - seems like others may have left more favorably inclined that I did.

[hmmboy]

Any word on corkage?

$25 a bottle on opening night. Vincent said he is only helping out for a few days. He is still at the Ritz in Tysons.

[Sthitch]

Maybe I should have gone with the fish that is the sentiment I had when I left the West End Bistro tonight. The pate en cruet was fine, but really nothing exciting as the meat was overpowered by the puff pastry. The argula with baby artichoke salad was for the most part well executed, however, the inclusion of pistachios was quite odd, and frankly distracting from what would otherwise was the dish of the night.

For entrees the Braised Veal Cheeks while tender lacked any real meat flavor, a little browning before they were sealed for their hours in a water bath would have done magic to this dish, but without the browning the flavor was flat and the dish fell back on the gelatinous texture. The highlight of this dish were the pureed potatoes, otherwise I found this dish to be a dud. The Tagliatelle Bolognese was a dish of decent fresh pasta topped with a rather bland meat sauce. A dash of salt and pepper really helped this dish come together, but what the sauce really lacked was any discernable meat flavor.

We only had one dessert, and it was the chocolate caramel with sea salt. When I was lucky enough to get a flake of salt with a bit of the caramel custard it was delicious, otherwise it was fairly bland.

Anytime I see Jordon on a wine list I have to believe that whoever put it together either spent way too long in steakhouses or just has no idea what a good wine list looks like. I was very happy to spend $25 for corkage as there was nothing on the list that appealed to me for the prices being charged.

The atmosphere of the room would be greatly enhanced if they put some sort of window dressing up to dampen the blazing Exxon sign coming in the front window. This would also help to lessen the impact of the frequent flashing lights from the nearby firehouse.

Having enjoyed several meals at Le Bernardin I have a feeling that if I had ordered seafood dishes I would have been happier with my meal and from seeing the seafood dishes that were delivered to the tables around me they sure did look better than what I had to eat. Since the restaurant has only been open for a couple of days I will revisit and try a few seafood dishes before I make my final judgment about Westend Bistro.

[Marcus Aurelius]

I had dinner at the Westend Bistro on November 11, 2007.

I was surprised to witness the high number of people having dinner on a Sunday night!

A neighboring table had the magnificently presented tuna carpaccio, so I promptly ordered my own carpaccio after I hungrily devoured the mussels which arrived in a stout and functional Staub mussel pot. I loved every bite of the house salad for its simplicity and the "just right" amount of salt. Whereas the veal cheeks were subtly seasoned, the halibut sat on a brown-colored, soupy broth that could have benefited from less salt. [Halibut was fine - liquid broth was salty.]

I still prefer the light and creamy experience of the "nougat glace" over all aforementioned items, and I will make special trip in the near future for this special dessert.

My male server appeared to juggle (at minimal) between seven tables without breaking a sweat; nevertheless, he benefited from the other staff members for table support. My compliments goes to Gonzaque for being a gracious host as the GM, and to Bridgette for her professionalism.

[Saycheese]

Having had three dinners at Westend in four days, I am now referring to it as my new favorite restaurant. The tuna carpaccio is fabulous -- beautifully presented and delicate in flavor and texture. The mussels with chorizo are what Beck's used to be -- plump and satisfying, plentiful enough for two people to share as an appetizer or to be a main course for one. The broth is both redolent of the sea and piquant and earthy from the chorizo. We also tried to salmon rillettes, which we liked, although there was a bit too much mayonnaise. It's a good dish to share among 3 or 4 people because it's pretty rich. The pate en croute was a different spin on a traditional pate en croute -- the pate is served in the form of little empanadas or meat pies -- very tasty, but filling. The warm goat cheese salad and the house salad are both fine. The main dishes we had were for the most part outstanding. The burger and fries are exceptional -- the meat is loosely packed and very flavorful -- and cooked perfectly as requested -- worth every penny -- and the fries were just crisp enough on the outside without being too crisp and soft in the middle, and they tasted like they were cooked in duck fat. The veal cheeks were delicious on the two occasions we had them -- very tender and rich, and not at all bland. My only complaint was there were only three pieces -- one or two more would have been nice. The skate received mixed reviews -- on one occasion the brown butter sauce was too brown and was overpowering and somewhat bitter. The mac and cheese with ham for two is also wonderful -- it could be a meal in itself. The wine list has a lot of good values, and Gonzague is very knowledgeable -- he said he chose all of the wines himself -- and he's very charming, enthusiastic and warm. (The women at the hostess station, on the other hand, seemed quite indifferent.)

The restaurant has big plate glass windows at street level, which is a bit odd because the scenery isn't very attractive -- there is a large, bright gas station on one side, a fire station close by so fire trucks with their lights flashing went by pretty often, and Asia Nora is on the other side, and apparently that building will be under construction early next year.

[Marcus Aurelius]

Having had three dinners at Westend in four days, I am now referring to it as my new favorite restaurant. The tuna carpaccio is fabulous -- beautifully presented and delicate in flavor and texture. The mussels with chorizo are what Beck's used to be -- plump and satisfying, plentiful enough for two people to share as an appetizer or to be a main course for one. The broth is both redolent of the sea and piquant and earthy from the chorizo. We also tried to salmon rillettes, which we liked, although there was a bit too much mayonnaise. It's a good dish to share among 3 or 4 people because it's pretty rich. The pate en croute was a different spin on a traditional pate en croute -- the pate is served in the form of little empanadas or meat pies -- very tasty, but filling. The warm goat cheese salad and the house salad are both fine. The main dishes we had were for the most part outstanding. The burger and fries are exceptional -- the meat is loosely packed and very flavorful -- and cooked perfectly as requested -- worth every penny -- and the fries were just crisp enough on the outside without being too crisp and soft in the middle, and they tasted like they were cooked in duck fat. The veal cheeks were delicious on the two occasions we had them -- very tender and rich, and not at all bland. My only complaint was there were only three pieces -- one or two more would have been nice. The skate received mixed reviews -- on one occasion the brown butter sauce was too brown and was overpowering and somewhat bitter. The mac and cheese with ham for two is also wonderful -- it could be a meal in itself. The wine list has a lot of good values, and Gonzague is very knowledgeable -- he said he chose all of the wines himself -- and he's very charming, enthusiastic and warm. (The women at the hostess station, on the other hand, seemed quite indifferent.)

The restaurant has big plate glass windows at street level, which is a bit odd because the scenery isn't very attractive -- there is a large, bright gas station on one side, a fire station close by so fire trucks with their lights flashing went by pretty often, and Asia Nora is on the other side, and apparently that building will be under construction early next year.

Did you try the scallop ceviche? I was there on my second visit the other night, and the scallop ceviche was an appetizer special. I loved it; very specially presented on open-faced scallop shells. The scallops were so tender, delicate and ethereal with a nice bouquet. I also tried the 12-year cheddar and apple confit [with red wine? reduction].

I agree with you about the view of the gas station. I'm told that the neighborhood is in a building boom and there will be new "faces" around the neighborhood in the coming year(s).

I ordered the apple tart, and Chris kindly gave me the blueberry cobbler which was delicious; however, my favorite dessert is still the nougat glace. Cheers.

[dag556]

I had a very tasty dinner here last Tuesday, but I must say...the service was atrocious. I know they're new, so I'm willing to cut them some slack, especially since the food was quite good. But considering I rarely ever complain about service...this was pretty bad. Our server took our cocktail orders and then disappeared for 20-30 minutes. He then disappeared until we ordered dessert. Our entrees also came out before we'd even finished our appetizers, which we had to scarf down in order to make room on the table for the entree plates. Definitely something to work on...

[Joe H]

Having had three dinners at Westend in four days, I am now referring to it as my new favorite restaurant. The tuna carpaccio is fabulous -- beautifully presented and delicate in flavor and texture. The mussels with chorizo are what Beck's used to be -- plump and satisfying, plentiful enough for two people to share as an appetizer or to be a main course for one. The broth is both redolent of the sea and piquant and earthy from the chorizo. We also tried to salmon rillettes, which we liked, although there was a bit too much mayonnaise. It's a good dish to share among 3 or 4 people because it's pretty rich. The pate en croute was a different spin on a traditional pate en croute -- the pate is served in the form of little empanadas or meat pies -- very tasty, but filling. The warm goat cheese salad and the house salad are both fine. The main dishes we had were for the most part outstanding. The burger and fries are exceptional -- the meat is loosely packed and very flavorful -- and cooked perfectly as requested -- worth every penny -- and the fries were just crisp enough on the outside without being too crisp and soft in the middle, and they tasted like they were cooked in duck fat. The veal cheeks were delicious on the two occasions we had them -- very tender and rich, and not at all bland. My only complaint was there were only three pieces -- one or two more would have been nice. The skate received mixed reviews -- on one occasion the brown butter sauce was too brown and was overpowering and somewhat bitter. The mac and cheese with ham for two is also wonderful -- it could be a meal in itself. The wine list has a lot of good values, and Gonzague is very knowledgeable -- he said he chose all of the wines himself -- and he's very charming, enthusiastic and warm. (The women at the hostess station, on the other hand, seemed quite indifferent.)

The restaurant has big plate glass windows at street level, which is a bit odd because the scenery isn't very attractive -- there is a large, bright gas station on one side, a fire station close by so fire trucks with their lights flashing went by pretty often, and Asia Nora is on the other side, and apparently that building will be under construction early next year.

My wife and I had dinner, for the first time, at Ripert's West End Bistro tonight. This is an enormously popular restaurant that was very crowded on a night when a lot of restaurants in D. C. probably had dining rooms with a significant number of empty tables. I note this because it has attracted a lot of attention and, I think, the spin has been almost all positive. Of course I have never been short of an opinion...

I had the tuna carpaccio for the first course. Apparently this is something of a signature app. It was very good-no better. I would direct anyone on here who thinks it is "fabulous" to Kinkead's to try his. For me his is, actually, superior. Also, last week I was at Aguila y Sol in Mexico City whose reputation, in part, is built on tuna carpaccio and tuna tartare. Absolutely no comparison. For $14 Westend was a very good version but not the best in the city. Summarily, I actually find my opinions to agree with Mr. Hitchcock above. The $28 Chesapeake Seafood Stew was a kind of a take on bouillibasse with a weight watcher size portion. Serious. One shrimp (perfectly cooked and very flavorful), one chunk of rockfish (exquisitely prepared), two clams and two mussels (both open and vulnerable) and a half cup of flavorful broth. That's it. For $28. At lunch today I had "fish soup" at the Bread Line for one fifth of this: the broth was flavorful-no, it was as flavorful and there was more fish in it! Not overall as good but it wasn't suppose to be. The comparison for the Westend Bistro is to Kinkead's or Black Salt who both do excellent seafood stews-I think perhaps better than Ripert's here. Still, considering the portion-no matter how much I liked the fish and the shrimp and how well prepared the pair of clams and pair of mussels was this was a very small tasting for $28. Black Salt and Kinkead's both have stews every bit as good or better than this but with respectable portions. I'm not trying to claim that I need a trencherman size bowl but this, for me, was ridiculous for a non tasting, a la carte size menu. Simply, if you need to charge $50 to serve a fair size portion then do it! But a tasting portion for $28 is, for me, an insult as an a la carte portion.

We had a number of other courses but the most interesting one was the simple, "homemade caramel ice cream." I, too, make caramel ice cream. With a 35 year old White Mountain freezer, rock salt and ice and Lewes Dairy Heavy Cream along with Vermont butter, Harrisburg Dairy whole cream top milk, organic eggs, sugar, etc. And I crank it by hand with my strong fore arm-years of cranking, years of experience!

Someone needs to tell Eric Ripert how to make caramel ice cream. And, to use a bit of cream in what amounts to rich ice milk that he is passing off as ice CREAM. Sorry for the criticism but again-the comparison to Kinkead's. Bob Kinkead makes excellent ice cream. Based on caramel and vanilla Kinkead's is better.

The pineapple upside down cake and the ratoutille were both very good. Overall, we liked the food but there was just nothing to "wow" us. A very good restaurant, two and one half stars probably if I were rating it. A notch behind Central for comparison. A notch behind Kinkead's and Black Salt also. But, we left disappointed-perhaps we had expected too much.

By the way, it would have been interesting to see what Fabio might have done with this space if the Ritz had let him open a restaurant with the cuisine of the Marche region. But, they went with Ripert, ostensibly favoring him over Trabocchi. Having said this Fabio might be back across the street in a year or so since Starwood owns the space-a D. C. version of Fiamma (which, by the way, has NOTHING in common with Maestro-they are doing several hundred covers a night! The 10-15+ course days of Maestro will not be known by New Yorkers, at least not at Fiamma). Oh, and by the way, apparently the deal was signed with Gordon Ramsay for Maestro's old space. But this last is an unconfirmed rumor that I have now heard from three different people who may or may not be in a position to know that it is true.

Gordon Ramsay at Tyson's Corner. Hmmm...............

Some people will do anything to liven a board up! Even me...

[Chris Cunningham]

Also, last week I was at Aguila y Sol in Mexico City whose reputation, in part, is built on tuna carpaccio and tuna tartare. Absolutely no comparison.

OKAY...Mexico Sure, right around the corner. No one is comparing this except you...

Someone needs to tell Eric Ripert how to make caramel ice cream. And, to use a bit of cream in what amounts to rich ice milk that he is passing off as ice CREAM. Sorry for the criticism but again-the comparison to Kinkead's. Bob Kinkead makes excellent ice cream. Based on caramel and vanilla Kinkead's is better.

Why don't you give him a call and offer him a lesson?? Or at least tell the Pastry Chef how it should be done

By the way, it would have been interesting to see what Fabio might have done with this space if the Ritz had let him open a restaurant with the cuisine of the Marche region. But, they went with Ripert, ostensibly favoring him over Trabocchi.

Sorry for the criticism but again..would have been interesting to see what life would be like if we lost WW II...If I had just bought Microsoft stock......

Seriously, why the comparisons to all the other places??? Is it that difficult to keep the comments focused on just WESTEND BISTRO, without all the speculation?

[Halloween]

My wife and I had dinner, for the first time, at Ripert's West End Bistro tonight. This is an enormously popular restaurant that was very crowded on a night when a lot of restaurants in D. C. probably had dining rooms with a significant number of empty tables. I note this because it has attracted a lot of attention and, I think, the spin has been almost all positive. Of course I have never been short of an opinion...

I had the tuna carpaccio for the first course. Apparently this is something of a signature app. It was very good-no better. I would direct anyone on here who thinks it is "fabulous" to Kinkead's to try his. For me his is, actually, superior. Also, last week I was at Aguila y Sol in Mexico City whose reputation, in part, is built on tuna carpaccio and tuna tartare. Absolutely no comparison. For $14 Westend was a very good version but not the best in the city. Summarily, I actually find my opinions to agree with Mr. Hitchcock above. The $28 Chesapeake Seafood Stew was a kind of a take on bouillibasse with a weight watcher size portion. Serious. One shrimp (perfectly cooked and very flavorful), one chunk of rockfish (exquisitely prepared), two clams and two mussels (both open and vulnerable) and a half cup of flavorful broth. That's it. For $28. At lunch today I had "fish soup" at the Bread Line for one fifth of this: the broth was flavorful-no, it was as flavorful and there was more fish in it! Not overall as good but it wasn't suppose to be. The comparison for the Westend Bistro is to Kinkead's or Black Salt who both do excellent seafood stews-I think perhaps better than Ripert's here. Still, considering the portion-no matter how much I liked the fish and the shrimp and how well prepared the pair of clams and pair of mussels was this was a very small tasting for $28. Black Salt and Kinkead's both have stews every bit as good or better than this but with respectable portions. I'm not trying to claim that I need a trencherman size bowl but this, for me, was ridiculous for a non tasting, a la carte size menu. Simply, if you need to charge $50 to serve a fair size portion then do it! But a tasting portion for $28 is, for me, an insult as an a la carte portion.

We had a number of other courses but the most interesting one was the simple, "homemade caramel ice cream." I, too, make caramel ice cream. With a 35 year old White Mountain freezer, rock salt and ice and Lewes Dairy Heavy Cream along with Vermont butter, Harrisburg Dairy whole cream top milk, organic eggs, sugar, etc. And I crank it by hand with my strong fore arm-years of cranking, years of experience!

Someone needs to tell Eric Ripert how to make caramel ice cream. And, to use a bit of cream in what amounts to rich ice milk that he is passing off as ice CREAM. Sorry for the criticism but again-the comparison to Kinkead's. Bob Kinkead makes excellent ice cream. Based on caramel and vanilla Kinkead's is better.

The pineapple upside down cake and the ratoutille were both very good. Overall, we liked the food but there was just nothing to "wow" us. A very good restaurant, two and one half stars probably if I were rating it. A notch behind Central for comparison. A notch behind Kinkead's and Black Salt also. But, we left disappointed-perhaps we had expected too much.

By the way, it would have been interesting to see what Fabio might have done with this space if the Ritz had let him open a restaurant with the cuisine of the Marche region. But, they went with Ripert, ostensibly favoring him over Trabocchi. Having said this Fabio might be back across the street in a year or so since Starwood owns the space-a D. C. version of Fiamma (which, by the way, has NOTHING in common with Maestro-they are doing several hundred covers a night! The 10-15+ course days of Maestro will not be known by New Yorkers, at least not at Fiamma). Oh, and by the way, apparently the deal was signed with Gordon Ramsay for Maestro's old space. But this last is an unconfirmed rumor that I have now heard from three different people who may or may not be in a position to know that it is true.

Gordon Ramsay at Tyson's Corner. Hmmm...............

Some people will do anything to liven a board up! Even me...

Que? I need to meet you, Joe H, so that I can understand you. Happy Holidays.

[lackadaisi]

Fact-based comparison is one of the cornerstones of proper criticism.

And, in my opinion, it was used very well in this instance. It certainly made this review very helpful to me. I have had some of the compared dishes (but neither the West End version, nor - unfortunately - Joe H's ice cream), as I am sure many others have as well. Thus, they would seem to be a good benchmark. Moreover, Joe H did a good job of explaining where the others fell flat as well.

With regard to the Mexican comparison, I found that to be the most helpful at all. Knowing that he was coming into the tuna dish with such a recent memory of a spectacular version helps to give a reference point for his experience. Not that everyone has had that experience, but that it influenced his current opinion.

Why should food be discussed only in isolation?

Moreover, the comment about the ice cream seemed very helpful. Joe H did not simply state that he didn't like the ice cream; he stated why. And, he made a suggestion about how it could be improved. I'm sure many may disagree with his assessment (and, I have no opinion at all, as I have tried neither), but he likes his ice cream creamier than what is beieng served at West End. I actually thought that the icier version that he described sounded really good. Either way, the comments helped me, at least, to gain an understanding of the dish.

(no doubt the tone of the post was a bit harsh, but I have never read anything by Joe H in which he has minced words)

[jparrott]

With regard to the Mexican comparison, I found that to be the most helpful at all. Knowing that he was coming into the tuna dish with such a recent memory of a spectacular version helps to give a reference point for his experience.

Well, it would've been more fact-based if Joe had discussed a particular aspect of the carpaccio.

Moreover, the comment about the ice cream seemed very helpful. Joe H did not simply state that he didn't like the ice cream; he stated why. And, he made a suggestion about how it could be improved.

Did he state why? Is there evidence that Westend's caramel ice cream contains no cream? None was presented.

He likes his ice cream creamier than what is beieng served at West End. I actually thought that the icier version that he described sounded really good. Either way, the comments helped me, at least, to gain an understanding of the dish.

Regardless of the above, this is true.

Why should food be discussed only in isolation?

Indeed.

[Joe H]

I thought the ice cream needed more heavy cream. It wasn't "icy" just not very rich. For a comparison for my taste I would suggest either Kinkead's or Two Amy's both of whom probably use a ratio of half heavy cream to half milk, perhaps even more heavy cream. I am guessing that West End's was one quarter heavy (or less) and three quarters milk for the two flavors I tried. The caramel flavor was good but the taste of whoever created the recipe does not seem to like rich ice cream. It really was somewhat "thin" for lack of a better word. It's also entirely possible that there was no heavy cream, just light cream and milk.

The carpaccio was very good, but it was almost a "pure" version of tuna with a bit of oil for the presentation. I believe that Kinkead's allows more contrasting flavors and textures by incorporating additional ingredients. Mexico City, about a week ago, was similar in that it was primarily tuna and a bit of oil but the carpaccio was slightly thicker. I just liked the flavor of the fish there more. It could be that it was a bit fresher but having had it so recently it provided a reference point.

For me the comparisons of West End are not only Central, Beck, etc. But also to Kinkead's and Black Salt because of the stews, seafood and ice cream. I prefer the two D. C. "bred" restaurants. Last, West End Bistro is a very good restaurant-I just may have expected unrealistically too much because of the name on it.

You know the bottom line is what we thought of the restaurant after we left. It was very good but it could have been better. Some restaurants, such as The Source, Central and Black Salt, have exceeded our expectations when they first opened. We just had a different reaction to West End.

[curiouskitkatt]

On a lighter note.... a follow up on my neverending crush on < allow me to EMPHASIZE THIS> the creative director of West End Bistro, Eric Ripert. A few weeks back I had the pleasure to sit down with someone who has a direct hand in creating the menu at WestEnd. The passion and commitment she has with the Le Bernadin group was both noteworthy and commendable. I respect the opinion of patrons at all times. Being that I work on the service side of restaurants, I certainly have had my fair share of guests informing me of how they would improve what the chef does, and how he or she would execute it better. There are a banquet of choices in this town. Not all of them are going to be 5 star experiences. And to compare Westend to Source is not a fair comparision. I ve been to Source, and had an unbelievable meal, not to mention star treatment. But, I know WestEnd will be more in my rotation. The notion that I am warmly greeted by kind staff and former boss, is reason enough for me to return. Regardless if there caramel ice cream does not contain enough Heavy cream to my liking. And of course, the chance to be greeted by most debonair Monsieur Ripert

[DonRocks]

I've now dined at Westend Bistro perhaps a half-dozen times, in one form or another. By now, I've tried most things on the menu, but tonight was the first time I got a glimpse into the inner psyche of Leo Marino.

Roasted Chicken with country-bread stuffing ($23 per person) sounds like a simple dish, but taken in context of Marino's past, it's a fascinating interplay of several facets, all distilled into a single bowl of food.

We know Marino was Sous Chef at Le Bernardin, whose dishes follow a clear pattern: a good, high-quality protein, often on a rectangular dish, with a complex, refined sauce ladled around it. More often than not, I thought my recent meal at Le Bernardin highlighted the saucier more than the poissonier.

So it was with this dish. A high-quality half-chicken, brined, and roasted for 30-40 minutes, might be the focal point of this plate, but it's still primarily a sauce dish. There's a reason it's served with a spoon, and that's to get every drop of the rich, reductive broth. The outsized croutons are there for soaking, not for texture. More than any other dish here, I see echos of Marino's time spent at Le Bernardin with this falsely rustic statement.

But Marino is also Italian-American, and while I can't say he had Chicken Cacciatore in mind while he helped conceive this dish (which he did), there's something very grandmother-ish about it - maybe he's had similar on-bone chicken dishes on a Sunday at Augustino's in Hoboken, where he spent his childhood. Yes, it's executed by master cooks Marino, Sous Chef Robert Berry (ex-Chef de Cuisine at Le Paradou), and Ricky King (ex-cook at Vidalia, who R J Cooper says can cook the lights out of any kitchen). But execution can only take this peasant dish so far, before it returns directly back to Marino's hometown roots.

And the sausage, with enough spices, perhaps sage and fennel, to bring a tear to any good Italian grandmother's eye. It's too potent for the dish, but only if you're ignoring the reason it's there. It's a personal statement bordering on sentimentality, and the dish is better for it not "on paper," but deep down inside, within its origins and soul.

Now, if Marino finds out I wrote this, he'll probably roll his eyes, laugh, and say I'm reading too much into things. But my response would be this: Chef, at least you made me pause and think about things, whether they're right or wrong. I could go on about many other aspects of tonight's meal, and Westend Bistro in general, but I'll stop here for now, because I want to give Westend Bistro's, or should I say Leo Marino's, Roasted Chicken the full attention it merits.

Is it flawed? Yes, but that's only because it's basking in the humanity of its talented creator.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Sthitch]

The lunch my wife and I had today made up for the unimpressive first attempt at a West End Bistro meal. The star of the meal was what the menu called a Crab Cake I could go on and on about how this did not strike me as a crab cake, but it really doesn't matter, it was one of the best crab dishes I have ever eaten. The simplicity of the dish allowed the sweet flavor of the crab to shine, and the mayonnaise based "binder" (it did not do much binding) added a nice complementary flavor to the crab. The Old Bay Aioli was very nice, and thankfully kept to a minimum. At to top things off, literally, it had a sparing amount of panko sprinkled on top before being broiled.

[alan7147]

The lunch my wife and I had today made up for the unimpressive first attempt at a West End Bistro meal. The star of the meal was what the menu called a Crab Cake I could go on and on about how this did not strike me as a crab cake, but it really doesn't matter, it was one of the best crab dishes I have ever eaten. The simplicity of the dish allowed the sweet flavor of the crab to shine, and the mayonnaise based "binder" (it did not do much binding) added a nice complementary flavor to the crab. The Old Bay Aioli was very nice, and thankfully kept to a minimum. At to top things off, literally, it had a sparing amount of panko sprinkled on top before being broiled.

Any improvements to the wine list? I am going to dinner there tomorrow and was not impressed with the list the first time I was there.

[Sthitch]

Any improvements to the wine list? I am going to dinner there tomorrow and was not impressed with the list the first time I was there.

Unfortunately, it still ranks near the bottom of fine dining wine lists, but even worse is the beer selection, with the exception of Dog Head Fish there is nothing that sets its selection apart from the selection found at a Fudruckers.

[DonRocks]

The $28 Chesapeake Seafood Stew was a kind of a take on bouillibasse with a weight watcher size portion. Serious. One shrimp (perfectly cooked and very flavorful), one chunk of rockfish (exquisitely prepared), two clams and two mussels (both open and vulnerable) and a half cup of flavorful broth. That's it. For $28. At lunch today I had "fish soup" at the Bread Line for one fifth of this: the broth was flavorful-no, it was as flavorful and there was more fish in it! Not overall as good but it wasn't suppose to be. The comparison for the Westend Bistro is to Kinkead's or Black Salt who both do excellent seafood stews-I think perhaps better than Ripert's here. Still, considering the portion-no matter how much I liked the fish and the shrimp and how well prepared the pair of clams and pair of mussels was this was a very small tasting for $28. Black Salt and Kinkead's both have stews every bit as good or better than this but with respectable portions. I'm not trying to claim that I need a trencherman size bowl but this, for me, was ridiculous for a non tasting, a la carte size menu. Simply, if you need to charge $50 to serve a fair size portion then do it! But a tasting portion for $28 is, for me, an insult as an a la carte portion.

I've always chuckled at this "trencherman size bowl" comment - not because it's wrong (the portion really is pretty small), but because it's funny. A special appetizer of Seafood Chowder Ragout ($15) was a smaller portion still than the Chesapeake Seafood Stew I've had, and was expensive at first glance. But "chowder" is an adjective describing "ragout," and this isn't intended to be a bowl of soup. Served with only a few tablespoons of "broth," which was actually a sauce, this incredibly refined dish was made with exquisitely fresh lobster, scallops, clams, and mussels, integrated with smoked bacon, herbs, and celery root. It reminded me very much of Le Bernardin, and was a sign that this kitchen may be stepping things up in terms of ambition. This dish could be angrily downed in about eight bites, but should be savored slowly with a glass of wine - it very much retains its flavor interest even as it cools to room temperature.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[silentbob]

Roasted Chicken with country-bread stuffing ($23 per person) sounds like a simple dish, but taken in context of Marino's past, it's a fascinating interplay of several facets, all distilled into a single bowl of food.

I tried some of the chicken that my friend ordered recently and instantly regretted not ordering myself, for the same reasons stated above.

Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy my skate, which came with a super-rich sauce and braised endive with buttery bitterness (in a good way). I generally like my skate fried but this version at least made me re-evaluate my biases.

I started with the pate en croute, which managed the right amount of richness and matched well with the mustard. My friends and I got two sides. The vegetable casserole was a tiny serving and unremarkable. The mac and cheese with ham, on the other hand, was easily my favorite part of the meal.

Dessert seemed like an afterthought. I got the creme caramel (offered as a special from the Valentine's Day menu the night before). Standard flan with citrus sauce. Meh.

Other than the so-so dessert, this place is already better than Blue Duck Tavern by a mile as far as options in the neighborhood go.

[bookluvingbabe]

I sometimes forget that Mr. BLB used to be a New Yorker. When I planned our day after Valentine's Day dinner, I gave him a choice between Westend Bistro and Proof. He picked WB, mostly because he wanted to save Proof for a night when he felt more adventursome. When we were seated, he asked me what was the deal--why was this place such a big deal. I told him that the Chef was from NY--Le something--Le Bernard, Le Bernadette, I didn't remember but it was something like that.

Le Bernardin? he asked and his eyes lit up.

I had done good apparently...

And we got to see Rissa, always a plus!

I arrived early and had a Westend Cocktail and order of calamari at the bar while I waited. Once Mr. BLB arrived we were seated and shared the pate en croute--just perfect for sharing. He had the potato leek soup (he enjoyed--I just don't see the appeal) and I really liked my beet salad with goat cheese. Yes it has become trite, but it doesn't make it any less delicious!

For entrees, I had the veal cheeks and he had the salmon. I almost never wish I had ordered his entree, but the salmon had me deeply envious. And the veal cheeks were quite good, though too large a portion after all I had already eaten. The leftovers reheated nicely the next day for breakfast.

In spite of this, we did order (and finish) dessert. He had the rice pudding (again, I just don't see the appeal) and I had the chocolate-caramel cream at Rissa's suggestion. It was wonderful.

We realized as we were leaving this was the first new upscale place we had tried since Central. We have to get out more!

[cf75]

PSA:

Let there be Brunch. Westend is now open for Saturday lunch and Sunday Brunch, which includes Lamb, Potato, Artichoke Hash in a baked egg casserole; Stuffed French Toast with roasted apple & mascarpone and a Croque Madame with truffle essences among other a la carte brunch items. 11:30AM to 2:30PM.

[SrtaJRosa]

when you go, ask for a side of their fries. and be sure to request the saffron aioli to dip 'em in.

ETA: I loved working at Corduroy, and the service here is top notch as well.

[KeithA]

Lunch was very good. Started with the salmon rillete - good size portion of creamy salmon chunks mixed with smoke salmon and probably lots of cream or creme fraiche and nicely seasoned. It was more than enough to share as an app for 4 of us. Only complaint is they need a few more pieces of toasted bread with it, we resorted to spooning it on the regular bread, which was still good, but toast was better. For main I had the special lamb panini which tasted great. At first it looked kind of like a cheesesteak, but once you bit into it you realized it was definitely high class cooking. It is a crusty roll with layers of thin sliced juicy, but well done lamb, goat cheese spread, and some bit of cooked tomatoes. On the size was a nice semi-thick tzatziki sauce, which was good, but not really necessary because the cheese and lamb already made the sandwich juicy and moist. Also it came with a side of very good crispy, but still potatoey fries with a bit of parsley and other seasoning - all for $14 I think, which was a steal at this pretty fancy restaurant. Everyone also thought the decor was nice and a bit swanky. Only downside of the decor is the open kitchen, which we sat near. I'm usually a fan of open kitchen, but even with a view directly into the kitchen, all I saw was the dishes come out and the chefs yelling orders - no actual cooking or preparation which must occur farther back in the kitchen and out of view of the dining room. So we got the noise (which still wasn't too bad) of the kitchen, but none of the real action.

[The Hersch]

Westend is now open for Saturday lunch and Sunday Brunch, which includes Lamb, Potato, Artichoke Hash in a baked egg casserole; Stuffed French Toast with roasted apple & mascarpone and a Croque Madame with truffle essences among other a la carte brunch items. 11:30AM to 2:30PM.

You will search in vain, it seems, for a brunch menu on their website. But then, their website is among the most shocking expressions of pure evil I have ever encountered.

[monsterriffs]

You will search in vain, it seems, for a brunch menu on their website. But then, their website is among the most shocking expressions of pure evil I have ever encountered.

You mean you don't like Eurotrash lounge music!?!

[sparkycom]

West End Bistro. Pig pies. Fish sliders. Battered and fried duck egg. Lamb. Mac & cheese w/ ham. I am a fan, oh sam I am, OMG. Will write more under the WEB topic as I am heading out to North Country NY (Canton, Canadian border) in the very early am.

[baczkowski]

We had a generous gift certificate to West End and finally got to use it last night. I have to say that I was not excited by the online menu and was slightly discouraged by the lack of chatter on this board in general (good or bad), but I'm happy to say that everything we had was excellent. Nothing was blow your mind inventive, but everything tasted damn good. My wife loved her arugala and baby artichoke salad and I was impressed with the tuna carpaccio. We both enjoyed the depth of her Chesapeake Bay stew and my flatiron steak was a perfect medium rare, very tender, and well-paired with an intense reduction sauce. The earlier post's tip to ask for the aioli for my fries was a wise one, though I alternated my dipping between the aioli and my steak's sauce. We were pretty full but ordered dessert b/c of the gift certificate, so we chose the walnut bourbon tart and the nougat glace. Again, we couldn't have been happier, though the nougat was most intriguing since at Easter I usually pick the chocolate shell off my dad's candy nougat Easter eggs.

Rocks is right: this place is all about execution. We'll definitely be accepting more gift certificates.

Pax,

Brian

[Marcus Aurelius]

I made two visits to the Westend (both Saturday lunches) within the past month, and it was thrilling to be back. The Cobb salad was not too light, and not heavy -- it was "just right." The taste of the Cobb salad reminded me of a fond experience at an well established eatery in Tinseltown. The shrimp quinoa did not disappoint. The delicate poached duck egg brought my senses to a similar poached egg dish, at Lampreia, in my hometown of Seattle. My favorite item recently was the softshell crab salad. With its crispy texture and fine accompaniments, aided by the deft hands of Leo's staff, I was thinking that it is a treat to be so close to the Chesapeake, and I'm thankful to be living here.

The rabbit rillettes was brought to me gratis by a kind gentleman. I happily enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, the lamb panino was too heavy for me. I did not want to waste it; therefore, I gave half the sandwich to a hungry person.

No desserts... been very disciplined lately.

[hmmboy]

. My favorite item recently was the softshell crab salad. With its crispy texture and fine accompaniments, aided by the deft hands of Leo's staff, I was thinking that it is a treat to be so close to the Chesapeake, and I'm thankful to be living here.

I second the virtues of the softshell crab. I stopped by for a margarita after the gym Sunday and as I was leaving a softhell whisked by me. I immediately did a 180, ordered another margarita, and scarfed down the perfectly crisped softshell and the refreshing and tasty spring salad it sat upon. One of the best I've had this year.

[DPop]

Mini fish sandwiches at the bar are worth the lofty $13 price tag. Light, flaky white fish pattied together with some onions and peppers and a nice creamy tartaresque sauce for dipping. Perfectly cooked, although the buns were a little drier than they should have been. With better bread, these would be my favorite sliders in the city.

As of last week, the Braised Veal Cheeks were being served again as a special, and they were just as good as advertised. Fatty, soft little strips of veal swimming in a moderately reduced brown sauce with some excellent veggie accompaniments. Superb.

Unfortunately, everything else I tried was not. The Tuna Carpaccio tasted like someone had spilled a bottle of oil on top of it and tried to dump off as much as they could from the plate and still serve it. The fish itself tasted pretty nice, but the plating of it was quite poor. The Fried Poached Duck Egg sounded so interesting that I couldn't resist ordering it. I wish I had. Points should be given for creativity here, but the end result was a yokey soft-boiled egg covered in breading with a couple stalks of asparagus and some English peas. Bad? No. Worth $14 and a place on a menu at an upscale restaurant? Not in my opinion. The wifey had the Halibut for her main and again, while the quality of the fish was great (and perfectly cooked), the broth was lukewarm and need to be reduced a bit more to sell me on it. This dish actually would have been better on its own, as the broth's temperature was so low that it managed to cool the piece of fish down to room temperature before she was even halfway through it.

Our desserts were similarly underwhelming. The Salty Chocolate Caramel Cream was a dessert that sounded right up my alley (love salty/sweet desserts). What came out was not bad, but nothing like what I expected. The chocolate in the mix was very bitter, so much so that it took on an almost coffee-bean-like taste and really dominated the dish, leaving little room for the salt crystals to shine through. I know a lot of people don't like milk chocolate, but this dish was screaming for a sweeter, less prominent flavor from the chocolate and more on the salty side. I think this would have made this dessert outstanding, but as of now, it is good yet unremarkable. The Brown Sugar Walnut Tart was a walnut lover's dream, with the nuts piled high on the slice like a triple order of sausage on a pizza. Liked the salty/sweet combo here, but this dessert was delivered to us about 15 degrees colder than in should have been, making the brown sugar filling hard to cut through and the whole bite a little too chewy. Again, not a bad dessert, but certainly not fulfilling its potential.

I will definitely have to make a return visit (possibly just to the bar) to give this another go. The best things I had (fish sandwiches, cheeks, service) show the potential that WEB has, and I will hope to see it shine fully through next time.

[Joe H]

I am not a fan of the tuna carpaccio at either West End Bistro or Central. This is something of a standard with me-I try it wherever I go. I think the best in D. C. is at Kinkead's. Best I've ever had was North 44 in Toronto who also make a phenominal filet mignon of tuna.

[genericeric]

First experience at Westend on Saturday night with mixed results...

The green beans supporting the Fried Duck Egg were really well dressed and seemed to pair well with the egg, but the egg itself was oddly lacking in flavor, like the kitchen didn't salt it when done frying the breading. The Softshell crab appetizer was more of a softshell crab extremity dish - the body was not included. I guess I can understand being with it just being an appetizer that this was a cleaner presentation, but I missed the earthy crabbyness (is that a word?) that you get from the body of the crab. The crab was on a very pleasant, almost nicoise-y style construction. The peach cobbler for dessert was nice, and the accompanying bourbon ice cream had really great flavor, but very odd consistency. It may be possible that, since this seemed to contain a pretty good amount of bourbon, the alcohol inhibited normal freezing.

Service at the bar was very friendly, but often times was absent. Uncleared plates, empty glasses, missing silverware, etc. I expect casual service when dining at the bar, but this was getting a bit ridiculous for the caliber of restaurant. Bottom line was that overall, the meal was ok, but I'm not sure I'll be rushing back for the price point.

[Michael Landrum]

Capping a near-impossibly beautiful late summer, late end-of-an-era, late afternoon spent at Fort Dupont Park--backstage and on--with Raheem Devaughn and sundry others was an utterly and surprisingly enjoyable dinner at WestEnd Bistro (followed by other, less-reportable entertainments).

Highlights: A refreshingly concerned, hard-working and attentive-to-the-end maitre d'/manager/host team; the best and unexpectedly brightest soft shell of the season; a beyond ethereal and earth Tagliatelle Bolognese; an explosion-of-essences sweet corn soup which has me already aching for next summer; and a Calatrava-esque perfection of form and execution of skate-wing which has me willing to recant both the imagined idyll-sweetness of my New England lobster-youth and the mustard-lust Burlingame-y-ness of my blue crab semi-adulthood.

Drawbacks: A simultaneously over-salted and under-seasoned but otherwise juicy-sumptuous-fulsome leg of lamb; and an either--depending on point of view--laughably, insultingly or criminally bad and amateurish wine list.

Is this a restaurant worthy of what the Ritz-Carlton riches should produce, or of the salivations and palpitations over a chef too occupied to bother to appear at the merely local awards ceremony which honored his self-styled "bistro"? No.

But if you can ignore that, if you can keep your cringing at the wine list from ruining your dinner, and if you hit it right, you can have a damn fine time.

[DonRocks]

I hadn't been to Westend Bistro since the recent upheaval, and when I stopped in last week, I found out Chef Joe Palma had just arrived from New York a couple days before. I decided to order "safe," although that may not have been necessary: Sous Chef Adam Barnett arrived earlier this year from Liberty Tavern. He was formerly at the Inn at Little Washington, and has been the backbone of West End's kitchen for the past several weeks.

Piggy in a Pot ($14) had just gone on the menu, and was a simple bocal of excellent pork rillettes. Instead of with cornichons, it was served with a more complex salad of pickled vegetables and a few pieces of grilled country bread. If you like pork rillettes, you'll like this dish.

The first time I tried Westend, I ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese ($19), served with tomato basil meat sauce. Leo Marino claims to have made this sauce from his grandmother's recipe, and despite it being an expensive bowl of dried pasta, this was a good, hearty sauce-based dish. Last week I tried it again, and aside from the noodles being slightly overcooked, the sauce just didn't have the same oily depth as before. A one-time blip, or a dish that falters from the absence of Marino, an Italian-American from Hoboken, NJ? From what I hear, this dish is also served at Ten Arts in Philadelphia, so I'm probably just reading too much into this.

The wine list is just as it has always been: an expensive embarrassment, and a point of shame for this otherwise fine restaurant. Like Corduroy, Westend is suffering from the transition from Breadline to Panorama: The bread is not as good as it used to be - with Tagliatelle Bolognese, you'd prefer to have some good bread for a sauce dunk, but this basket only underscored the tragic bread situation in this city.

Not wanting to end on a sour note (I very much enjoyed my meal), I'd like to say hello and welcome to Chef Palma, who comes to Washington, DC with a Le Bernardin pedigree. Welcome to Washington, DC, Chef - we all look forward to getting to know your work over the upcoming weeks and months.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Ken Ford]

I hadn't been to Westend Bistro since the recent upheaval, and when I stopped in last week, I found out Chef Joe Palma had just arrived from New York a couple days before. I decided to order "safe," although that may not have been necessary: Sous Chef Adam Barnett arrived earlier this year from Liberty Tavern. He was formerly at the Inn at Little Washington, and has been the backbone of West End's kitchen for the past several weeks.

Piggy in a Pot ($14) had just gone on the menu, and was a simple bocal of excellent pork rillettes. Instead of with cornichons, it was served with a more complex salad of pickled vegetables and a few pieces of grilled country bread. If you like pork rillettes, you'll like this dish.

The first time I tried Westend, I ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese ($19), served with tomato basil meat sauce. Leo Marino claims to have made this sauce from his grandmother's recipe, and despite it being an expensive bowl of dried pasta, this was a good, hearty sauce-based dish. Last week I tried it again, and aside from the noodles being slightly overcooked, the sauce just didn't have the same oily depth as before. A one-time blip, or a dish that falters from the absence of Marino, an Italian-American from Hoboken, NJ? From what I hear, this dish is also served at Ten Arts in Philadelphia, so I'm probably just reading too much into this.

The wine list is just as it has always been: an expensive embarrassment, and a point of shame for this otherwise fine restaurant. Like Corduroy, Westend is suffering from the transition from Breadline to Panorama: The bread is not as good as it used to be - with Tagliatelle Bolognese, you'd prefer to have some good bread for a sauce dunk, but this basket only underscored the tragic bread situation in this city.

Not wanting to end on a sour note (I very much enjoyed my meal), I'd like to say hello and welcome to Chef Palma, who comes to Washington, DC with a Le Bernardin pedigree. Welcome to Washington, DC, Chef - we all look forward to getting to know your work over the upcoming weeks and months.

Cheers,

Rocks.

I have been there a couple times since the "upheaval" and very much agree with the comments above. The food has slipped subtly, but significantly in my view. I hope that Joe Palma can turn it around.

Ken

[DonRocks]

I have been there a couple times since the "upheaval" and very much agree with the comments above. The food has slipped subtly, but significantly in my view. I hope that Joe Palma can turn it around.

Ken

It was nice to see Jeremy and Mike tending bar during my second visit to Westend during the Palma era; it was disconcerting to see myself as the only bar patron at 8 PM on a Saturday night.

The wines by the glass are as bad as ever, and I was forced into my old standby, the 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur ($13, served at 70 degrees, which brought out a cloying, chaptalized component in the wine). I was forced into it because I really wanted a beer, but here are the ten beer selections currently being served at Westend - which may give you some idea why I was the only person sitting at the bar:

1. Corona

2. Pilsner Urquell

3. Heineken

4. Amstel Light

5. Stella Artois

6. Blue Moon

7. Miller Lite

8. Sam Adams Winter Lager

9. Coors Light

10. Budweiser

An appetizer portion of Pan-Roasted Quail ($16) came with dried-cherry cornbread stuffing, collard greens, and bourbon apple jus. The two pieces of quail themselves were fine, and on the floppy end of the quail scale - some people like them under higher heat, but I can go either way. I ate all the quail, including the bones. Unfortunately, the dried-cherry cornbread stuffing was virtually undetectable, and the overriding impression of the dish was collard greens bathing in the watery, vinegar-tasting jus. I understand this might have been quasi-vinegar, but there was just too much liquid in the bowl, and it's difficult for quail to pick up something with such little viscosity.

I took a good look at, but did not try, the Pork "Cassoulet" ($30) with sherry, fennel, and onion compote. This was an assembled cassoulet dish, with very good beans and interesting cuts of pork, but seemed a bit expensive at $30. Again, this is just my visual impression, so who knows.

At some point, I'd like to come back for a full meal here in the dining room. With these little drips and drabs of samplings, I still feel like I don't have a good grip of what's currently going on at Westend. I'm pretty sure I still like it; I'm just not sure how much.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Ken Ford]

It was nice to see Jeremy and Mike tending bar during my second visit to Westend during the Palma era; it was disconcerting to see myself as the only bar patron at 8 PM on a Saturday night.

Hello:

Nancy and I were sitting at the bar last night as well. We arrived early around 6 PM and were also pleased to find Jeremy and Mike working the bar. The bar was nearly completely empty and the restaurant itself was certainly not busy.

This was our 5th visit after the exodus of Chef Leo Marino.

Not surprisingly, the food quality dropped very noticeably immediately after the shake-up in the kitchen. Now, in our view, the food is improving but has certainly not fully recovered. Although we have tried much of the menu, last night was just a quick visit and we had calamari, burger, and mac and cheese. The calamari was as good as ever... an interesting rendition of that dish. The burger was way over cooked and not as good as previously. Mac and cheese was ok, nothing special.

I do hope this place improves but nearly empty on a Saturday night is not a good omen.

Ken

[jpbloom]

I'm heading to Westend in a week or so for lunch, first visit since the changes. Anyone been recently? Suggestions or comments?

[giant shrimp]

I'm heading to Westend in a week or so for lunch, first visit since the changes. Anyone been recently? Suggestions or comments?

my wife's flat iron steak was a big hit at our table during a recent dinner -- cut thicker than it is often served, tender and resembling a more luxurious cut of meat. a side order of fries is satisfactory, the flavor maybe over-herbal from a dusting of (what i believe was) thyme. i guess corduroy got me hooked on the beets and goat cheese combination, and the version available here is just about as good. the cheese itself is rolled into truffles with chopped pecans and a few juliennes of country ham and one of sweet orange zest make it onto the plate. the carolina shrimp are simple, sweet and good, served basque style, which means they come with softened peppers, not with their heads on. (there are as many spanish as french motifs running through the menu.) the cooking here seems well under control, maybe too much so when you encounter the "cassoulet," a dish that for me comes with the connotation of letting things go. it is served here in a white bowl as a fan of lean pork medallions over perfectly textured white beans spiked lightly with sherry and garnished with fennel and onion compote. absent is the deep interplay of smoldering meat and fat with the rest of the ingredients. this dish definitely isn't one from the hearth, although it's satisfying enough without offering much excitement. the mildly honey- and cinammon-flavored rice pudding is similarly unthrilling, competent and about what you would expect from this dessert, if not from a kitchen that wants to make a big impression. (as i learned long ago from a new york times recipe, bay leaf can be a transcendent ingredient for rice pudding.) passionfruit mousse with grapefruit sorbet is a good idea for dessert, according to my wife. the wine list here isn't an abomination, but the selections tend to be surprisingly familiar and they lean toward california and the pacific northwest. a northstar merlot from wala, wala, wash. was good, and even better was the ridge the three valleys zinfandel. also available by the glass at palena, the latter is a good wine for washing down cheeseburgers. the wine list here is not a great place to go looking for nuances, and both wines were served at about the temperature that i like my bath water. all in all, this is a nice place to spend a couple of hours, but it comes at a fairly high price: a tad over $200, including two drinks.

[rockcreek]

Took the missus for dinner on Valentine's Day After. The quick cheat sheet:

truffled popcorn - skip

chicken soup - good on a cold day, which it was. Relatively. (I'm becoming a wimp.) Loved the pistou.

molten goat cheese salad - also good. I don't remember when I started liking beets, but these red and yellow beets were a hit.

roasted chicken - chicken prepared well, brined, a little hint of herbs and juniper.

lobster risotto (special) - very rich, good flavor, bordering on cloying. app portion would have been sufficient.

mac and cheese - eh

Service was fine, although they cleared the wife's risotto and did not wrap it to go like we asked. BIG bummer. That was 15 bucks of 'to. Plus two cocktails and two glasses of wine, the evening checked in the neighborhood of $200.

One thing I noticed: there was a mix of people dressed up for Sunday Dinner, and families with children apparently staying at the Ritz. I had no problem with the presence of children at dinner (we have two) nor any of their behavior (the kids were better than the people who insisted on talking on their cell phones in the dining room), but it seemed to change the atmosphere for me. Probably because I've never seen kids wearing FUBU at CityZen?

[jrichstar]

Did you ask for them to give you a fresh plate of the risotto to take home? This has happened a couple of times to us in our dining lives and the establishments have done this both times.

[rockcreek]

Did you ask for them to give you a fresh plate of the risotto to take home? This has happened a couple of times to us in our dining lives and the establishments have done this both times.

I thought about it but I couldn't get past the feeling it wasn't a substantial request. On one hand, that was a $30 plate of food. On the other, we did kind of eat a little over half of it. I could see asking for it if my wife had two bites and, for some non-dish related reason, stopped eating, but that wasn't the case here. (Am I oversensitive?)

At any rate, I didn't get that "must come back here tomorrow" feeling that I got from CityZen or Eve.

[edenman]

A bartender recommended brunch at the Ritz as one of my "before I leave DC" meals, but I can't find anything online about it...I assume this is something that went away when Westend opened. Anybody know for sure?

[DPop]

A bartender recommended brunch at the Ritz as one of my "before I leave DC" meals, but I can't find anything online about it...I assume this is something that went away when Westend opened. Anybody know for sure?

Not sure about the West End Ritz, but the one in Tysons puts out a very lavish brunch in the old Maestro space every Sunday (or at least they did 4 months ago). Caviar, oysters, shrimp, made to order eggs pretty much any way you want, mimosas, etc. Very good by the way of brunches, but of course, pricey.

[mdt]

Not sure about the West End Ritz, but the one in Tysons puts out a very lavish brunch in the old Maestro space every Sunday (or at least they did 4 months ago). Caviar, oysters, shrimp, made to order eggs pretty much any way you want, mimosas, etc. Very good by the way of brunches, but of course, pricey.

Have you been to the one in Pentagon City? I wonder how it compares as the food was rather tired and certainly not worth the money. The desserts were the only saving grace.

[DonRocks]

A very mixed meal at Westend Bistro last week started with being presented with what is, still, after all this time ...

perhaps the worst wine program of any restaurant at this level in DC.

Westend Bistro should be absolutely ashamed of their wine list, which has always been terrible. a joke, a travesty.

I'm glad I know something about wine, because I was able to cull some good Sancerre from their by-the-glass list ($11) which went incredibly well with their excellent (but expensive) special of Madai Tartar ($14). Equally good (but expensive) was an appetizer of Jamon Iberico ($17), a respectable portion of this wonderful ham, served with grilled country bread, arugula salad, and a small portion of truffled white beans. Both of these appetizers were worth ordering again, and had me really primed for an outstanding meal. Another appetizer of Soft Shell Crab ($12) with watermelon and mango habanero was a good, not great, soft shell that was saved by the perfect summer combination of watermelon and mango.

The Roasted Chicken ($27) with country bread stuffing takes 30 minutes, and so I ordered a glass of Clos Prieur ($13, a village Gevrey-Chambertin that has been on the wine list pretty much since day one). The wine was served at about 75 degrees, and smelled of nothing but alcoholic prunes. I had a momentary lapse about how hot Westend Bistro serves their red wines, which, after all this time ...

is an abuse of product, and shows complete disrespect for the wine drinker.

I sent the wine back, rather than having them stick it in the freezer (as I have in the past), and got another Sancerre. Unfortunately, the chicken dish was an extraordinary disappointment, the chicken being "big" but tasteless, with nothing about it - skin, dark meat, white meat, country bread - making it worth ordering again, or even finishing: fully one-third of the dish was left on the plate.

This post that I made in January, 2008 is now null and void.

Service was somewhat bumbling (I had to remind my server to remove the red wine from the check), but well-meaning, friendly, and polite (as the Ritz Carlton instills in their employees, under threat of Mr. Biv).

You can take this post as a complete trashing of Westend Bistro's pathetic wine program, and to a lesser degree the chicken, but really, other than the chicken, all kitchen-related aspects of this meal were good (the crab) to excellent (the two uncooked dishes).

Cheers,

Rocks.

[treznor]

I've eaten here a couple times as I stay around the corner (24th and M) pretty frequently. Though not nearly as knowledgeable as Don, I'll put in my 2 cents that I've never been impressed with the wine list. As the beer they have is halfway decent I've always ended up with beer instead of wine.

[Sableberg]

Walked by Westend Bistro last night and noticed it was dark and empty. I peered in the window and saw that the tables were gone from the row along the M street-side of the restaurant and there were dark sheets of plastic separating the kitchen from the dining room. Anyone know what's up?

[bilrus]

Their website says they are closed for vacation this week.