We had not been to INDEBLEU (http://www.indebleu.net/) at 707 G Street, NW in the Penn Quarter in some time, and changes are rampant there. The entire dining room has been redone as has the upstairs bar, and more changes are being made as I write. The biggest change however is the welcome addition of Chef MICHAEL HARTER who has kept the basic Indian modern style, but ramped up the dishes to a new level that outshines many of the standards they had for years (in the past it sometimes did get a bit too much of the same thing).
Right now they are extending RESTAURANT WEEK with a spectacular menu of choices for $29.09 at dinner!!! This is such a steal, we ordered many ala carte items and paid only pennies extra to enjoy more. Seven of us went the other night and it was not only a truly special and festive occasion, but it was a dining revelation for us ALL!
We started with a bottle of HUBER GRUNER VELTLINER 2007 which was an intense apple experience in the nose and mouth and a fun aperitif, especially with the spicy flatbread.
Our first course in this long and enjoyable evening (we were there for over 3 hours!) was a TORCHON of FOIR GRAS brined in SAUTERNE with Cocoa nib, orange segment and espalette chili with pistachio crumbs (a larger appetizer version of this is on the menu for $15, not in the Restaurant Week menu, but ask and they might let you pay a surcharge!). It was a divine rich and yes, chocolaty dish and excellently paired with a BERGSTROM 2006 Dr. BERGSTROM RIESLING from
Oregon that had just a slight sweetness, but lots of acidity to "fight" with the sweetness of the dish and make a perfect match.
The most popular appetizer choice was the LUMP CRAB FRITTERS with Curried Cognac Remoulade which were quite tasty. The MAINE MUSSELS were in a very Spicy Provencal Red Curry with Lime, Cilantro and Garlic Crouton and also a tasty treat. We had moved on to a QUPE Marsanne/Rousanne 2007 from Santa Ynez Valley in California which is quite nice, but frankly lacks the great integrity of a true Rhone white. It did go nicely with my DIVER SCALLOP "PORCUPINES" which were
huge scallops in LEMONGRASS & CURRY CAULIFLOWER Puree with Black Pepper Raisin Coulis. You could really have two dishes here with each sauce, or combine them for a third flavor. The scallops were topped with a "prickly straw basket" which had been deep fried (gosh I think it was onions) and made for a fun presentation to look like porcupines.
The AHI TARTAR came with Sweet Pepper Mousse, Jalapeno Raita and a Papadom which was another tasty treat and hit.
Next came the soup of the day, ROASTED CHESTNUT with SHALLOTS, Smoked Bacon, Curried Peanuts made from a mushroom stock so that it was creamy, yet had the chestnut essence. We all were in ecstasy over this brilliant creation (also on the Rest. Week menu) and the only thing we were not crazy about was the yummy LUSTAU P.X. (Pedro Ximenes) Sherry San Emilio Solera Reserve that it was paired with as it was a bit too sweet and slightly stole the show from the unreal soup!
We switched to red were thrilled with a CHIANTI CLASSICO 2001 Pieve di Spaltenna as we needed a big tasty Sangiovese; almost everyone seemed to order the delicious DRY RUBBED STEAK "Au Poivre" which had a Turkish Spice Rub, Green Chili Sauce and "Home Fries." Other choices were all superb such as the SHRIMP & COCONUT RISOTTO with peppers, onions, ginger & basmati rice cooked in coconut milke with ROCK SHRIMP Stirfry and a Mango Lime Beurre Blanc...wow.
I still think the hit of the main courses was my FRIED CHICKEN which was the moistest buttermilk jerk brined breast with "Bajan" Corn Pudding, Baby Bok Choy and Pineapple Hot Sauce. This was NOT a sweet tasty, but a superbly tasty one with many wonderful and intense flavors that combined for a blissful breast.
Chef Hartzer has introduced new desserts (an odd named Spaghetti & Meat Balls which is saffron cardamom ice cream and gulab jamun) but we opted for the CHOCOLATE COVERED "BANANA" a banana mousse with chocolate ganache and chocolate ice cream which any chocoholic would have adored. APPLE BEIGNETS were with BRIE ICE CREAM (this deserves an award by itself) and Candied Pineapple and many folks went for the SOME MORE, another chocoholic treat this with Molten Chocolate Cake, Marshmallow Ice Cream and Candied Banana. I went light with the MANGO A TROIS which was a Mango Mousse, Marshmallow, "Tini" and BERRY SALAD. The tini actually being a schnapps and vodka MANGO tini. YUM YUM!
After all this we popped the cork on a yummy RONCO di MIELE 2003 Dessert wine from TENUTA SANTA ANA in Italy that was the perfect way for us to finish what was truly a perfect meal for all of us!
