Tuesday, March 25, 2008

The WILLARD ROOM wins big in my book

While the Willard Room at the Willard Intercontinental (1401 Pennsylvania Ave, NW), one of Washington's most historic venues for dining, may not be winning awards or the top ratings, it sure gets the best scores in my book.

It's been over a year and a half since our last visit to this sophisticated and oh so vastly improved destination, that it might just become our favorite "special" place to go in town.

Only a week ago super 3 Michelin starred chef Antoine Westermann singed on with the Willard Room to oversee the menu and its superb executive chef Nicolas Legret; he is now overseeing both the grand dining room in the Willard Room as well as the newly opened Cafe du Parc facing the front (without outside tables on the park in season) which will have to be another visit we must make soon (the menu is pure French bistro at its best).

Chef Legret has been in DC for some time now and while starting in France and making his way through Le Crillon and Le Grand Vefour in Paris was most recently at Le Bec Fin in Philly. He is more than ably assisted by Maitre d' Xavier and sommelier Christina Abbruzzetti whose DC history goes way back. I don't need to go on about how beautiful the dining room is as it is one of the top four Zagat rated destinations in DC for "decor" and its food and service ratings are pretty high as well. It's a shame the hotel's PR can't get this magnificent and grand spot into the Rammy nominations and out there where it needs to be seen and EATEN!

If you go, indulge yourself, and ask to have Chef Legret cook for you; you will not be disappointed as here is what we had:

HENRIOT Champagne Rose Brut N/V started us off with a beautiful and oh so simple presentation of an amuse of PARMESAN TUILLE in a tall flute weighted by grains at the base. The tuille was as butter as ever and Samuel would have loved the little plate of pitted olives as that's his new favorite snack. The fresh breads were just as tasty and come from a bakery in Alexandria (I forgot the name) with the olive winning my top star.

It is always a treat to have rare and tasty wines and our first two were just that.

DOMAINE WIENBACH 2006 GEWURTZTRAMINER Cuvee Theo made by Catherine Faller, the doyenne of Alsatian quality wines (whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and drinking extensively with in her parlor in Alsace). This slightly peppery smooth and creamy wine had a sweet nose but was bone dry with huge mineral content (so important to these Alsatian wines) and was beyond amazing with the SEARED HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS with Poppyseed Crust over Crisp Apple and Sherry Vinegar with a Julienne of Radish. This was a new take on a dish that sometimes can get overdone these days (alas, indeed many superstar chefs have decided to eliminate foie gras from their menus). This proves that Chef Legret can innovate the dish and make it new again with something like poppyseed and a touch of vinegar.

Our second blow your mind wine was CHATEAU PAPE CLEMENT 2004 Graves made from Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and while I am not a big semillon fan this wine with its perfumey nose had a "sour melon" taste according to will BUT was a beyond brilliant pairing by Ms. Abbruzzetti with the also blow your mind ROCKFISH TARTARE with Mousseline of Cod & Almond, Lemon Jus and micro greens. I have never had raw rockfish before to my knowledge, and it is a brilliant choice for fish, so American, yet coming from French chef--tasty, moist and even better with the wine and its creamy mousse on the side.

ROUSETTE de SAVOIE 2005 "Cepage Altesse" from Domaine Jean Vullien has a slight spiciness to it from the heretofore unknown by me Crepy and Seysselle varietals. Again a perfect pairing with FROGS LEGS in Lemon & Chervil Sauce and ONION RAVIOLI which was where the wine was so great.

Our wonderful server TERRANT never gave up explaining every detail and making sure we were happy; how could we not be? At one point we discussed the hotel's attempts at going green as the water they serve is "RESTORE" so that there is much recycling as possible (the toilets don't flush, but they clean) and efforts to make the hotel better for our environment are succeeding.

Back to the food---PAN SEARED SCALLOPS in WHITE Wine and LIME Sauce were next and we loved the lime accent (especially since this something not very French, yet Chef Legret has adopted so much in his new American home. The wine was a MISSION HILL 2002 CHARDONNAY from the OKANAGAN Valley in British Columbia. Aged in American oak this is another one of those rare wines that's always fun to find.

POACHED MAINE LOBSTER with Golden Raisins, Onion Marmelade, Cumin, Tumeric and Lobster Sauce was an intense preparation of the shellfish bringing out so much flavor and excitement. Served with an equally impressive 2004 MERSAULT from Francois Mikulski aged in old oak that helped the shellfish shine even more. The minerality of this wine was a perfect foil to the dish's ingredients. To quote Ms. Abbruzzetti, "it blows my panties off!"

An interlude of CALAMANZI LIME Sorbet with VODKA was the perfect refresher as we went on to two red wines: MUSAR Cuvee Rouge 2004 from Gaston Huchar in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon was a bit spicy, but still a lighter wine made from Cabernet, Cinsault, Grenache, Obaideh and Merwah (2 more newbies for me), though
we both preferred the MENDEL MALBEC 2004 from Lujan de Cujo in Mendoza, Argentine for its fullness. This went much better with the MUSCOVY DUCK a l'ORANGE with Citrus Marmelade, Root Vegetables, English Peas, Broad Beans and a dash of amazing SEL a la TRUFFE de St. JEAN--a large grain salt infused with truffles that we could smell from across the room as it was opened!

As you know with us, cheese is a must, so we took a small plate of SELLES SUR CHER, ASSOIRATY, VALENCE Goat and PURPLE HAZE Goat as well all served with a MADEIRA from The Rare Wine Co., a 19% alcohol N.Y. Malmsey Special Reserve that was yumyum tasty.

We asked for a light dessert and got just that--a complex small square (about 1-1/2 in on each side) of South American SPICE CAKE with Milk Chocolate Layer and TONKA BEAN Ice Cream, Gold Leaf, Cassis Gelee and Raspberry Gelee. The several bites were just a perfect conclusion to a miraculous meal and served with an amber raisiny VIN SANTO FELSINA from Berardegna which is easily the best Vin Santo I have had in I can't remember how long!

Keep your eyes open for us at the Willard Room and sooner at Cafe du Parc!