Washington's bi-annual Restaurant Week began yesterday and runs through this Sunday with many fine establishments offering 3 course lunches for $20.08 and 3 course dinners for $30.08.
Last night we took Samuel and joined our friends with their two children at what was one of the best Restaurant Week meals we have ever had. Chefs Tracy O'Grady & Kate Jansen of WILLOW RESTAURANT in Arlington (www.willowva.com where you can see the full menu for Restaurant Week) offered up a plethora of choices and the best meal we have ever had at Willow as well. Restaurant Week is taken very seriously here and it has even been extended for an additional week (they are virtually fully booked this week, but you might squeeze in from Jan 21-27 if you book now; tell them I sent you!). The choices are vast, the portions are huge and the food is superb!
We got the kids started with their food while we sipped on a medium body DOLCETTO d'ALBA "Majano" 2005 from Piero Busso in Piedmont that was actually a bit more intense than a usual Dolcetto. Samuel had what has become one of Chef Jansen's signature dishes, the FLATBREAD Margherita, which is a totally flat and superb pizza with fresh tomato, basil chiffonade, scallions, Fontina & Parmesan cheeses. He wolfed down almost all of this and there were 12 small to huge square pieces on the plate (we all helped him a bit). Samuel said it was just like the pizza in Italy; a big compliment in my book! The CHICKEN FINGERS & Steak Fries were no less impressive and could win a DC's Best Chicken Fingers award hands down (or should I say "fingers down")! The moist white meat had a slightly spiced breading which the kids (and we) all gobbled up!
Our meals started with a selection of appetizers including the excellent soups such as the inventive SPICY COCONUT GINGER LIME Soup with Sweet Potato, Fried Yucca & Chili Oil or the smooth rich satisfying creamy PARNSIP Soup with Toasted Walnuts and swirls of purple beet juice. If you want a salad, head right for the NAPOLEON of BEET & Vermont GOAT CHEESE which has the red chopped beets on a button of mild goat, a selection of purple and gold beets with Candied WALNUTS and Arugula and another super button of slightly aged goat with a minimum punch.
The heavier appetizers included an amazing SEARED SHRIMP with BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI, Mushroom and a Light Smoked Tomato Sauce. The pasta was perfect and a huge mushroom filled out the plate along with a tracing of Pancetta for spice and yummy Sunflower Seeds as well. The heaviest starter, but no less brilliant, is the CHESTNUT GNOCCHI with DUCK CONFIT, White beans, Brussels Sprouts and Carrots which are served almost like a mini-stew in a large ramekin.
We moved on to a wonderful full bodied CHIANTI-COLLI FIORENTINI Riserva 2003 from Castello di Poppiano which has a fab smooth finish to boot. It was great with our meats which included the again huge-portioned YOURNEDOS of PEPPER CRUSTED FILET MIGNON (on the Restaurant Week menu!!) with Gouda Potato Tart, Red Wine Mushrooms, to die for Crispy ONION RINGS and Beef Jus. Sam and I tried to gobble the Onion Rings off everyone's plate who had them! The Miniature RACK of PORK was anything but "miniature." Two huge portions were Stuffed with HOUSE MADE SAUSAGE and the magnificent CREAMY SPINACH was served in a tartelette with yummy Roasted Cipollini Onions and some Caramelized onions on the side. The meat was juicy and tender with a wonderful combination of spices from the sausage as well. I must also note the excellent use of the pastry tarts for the spinach and potato by Pastry Chef extraordinaire Kate Jansen.
Speaking of pastry, it was a hard decision when it came to dessert with something for everyone. The children each had a huge scoop of rich Raspberry Sorbet (almost like sherbet) with huge fresh raspberries (Samuel begged for all the extras!). The adults went from Chocoholic Cake to a superb rich and even more filling APPLE FLORENTINE TORTE with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to my WHITE MOLTEN CHEESECAKE with Raspberry Sauce which was intense but not too large or overpowering. So few chefs want to use white chocolate, and this was a treat as I adore it. Even the adorable wafer that came with it was delish and was embedded with the droplets of dark chocolate, which Samuel adored as well, since we shared it.
Kudos to our server Chris who put up with the three 4+ year olds and I must say I think we all did a pretty amazing job and enjoyed a pretty amazing meal!
