Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurant List 2009

The Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurants Issue is out! This is the first year that I can remember that it has come out in February. The Inauguration apparently was a big enough event this year in Washington to take over the most anticipated issue of the Washingtonian, The 100 Very Best Restaurants Issue. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been proding Todd Kliman a lot more about the list.
There have been some huge changes in my opinion.
First and foremost, the fact that Michel Richard's Citronelle (Pictured Michel Richard)
has slipped to number two is a really big deal. Not only is Michel Richard one of the world's best chef's, but he's been in the restuarant business longer than Johnny Monis of Komi has been alive! Although ranking the restaurants from 1 to 100 is relatively new practice (since 2007), Citronelle has remained in the number one spot ever since they began ranking them in 2007. Also, I will mention that in 2007, Komi was #10. If you can recall from last year's blog about the 100 Very Best list for 2008, I remarked about how amazing it is to move from #10 to #3. (Komi dining room) Well ... I find it even more remarkable that Komi knocked out Citronelle and has taken the number one spot. Executive Chef, Johnny Monis has achieved several of the highest possible honors of culinary arts in half of the amount of time of other chefs. I've heard through the grapevine that the reason Citronelle was ousted from #1 is due to their lack of superb service. Apparently they have slipped in this regard.
Also, CityZen lost two spots in their ranking. They went from #2 in 2008 to #4. In 2007, they were ranked #3. It's still a very high accolade, regardless, but still I have noticed that the top 5 usually remain within a few top restaurants. Komi really snuck in ... and took over. (Pictured on the left: CityZen dining room) It's on my list of things to do is to try Executive Chef, Eric Ziebold's three-course, $50 prix-fix bar menu.
Maestro (Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner) which was #2 in 2007 lost their Executive Chef, Fabio Trabocchi in July 2007 and temporarily closed so was removed from the list in 2008 all together.
Jose Andres has gotten much play lately due to Anthony Bordain's No Reservations show featuring DC area restaurants. He said on the show that he thought Minibar, the six-seat restaurant within Cafe Atlantico was one of the best restaurants in the world. In 2009, Minibar was ranked #3 which is a two spot improvement in 2008 from #5.
Cathal Armstrong's Restaurant Eve makes the top ten again this year, which is not at all surprising. Last year in 2008, the restaurant was ranked #4. This year, it slips down two notches to #6. My favorite thing about Restaurant Eve is the lickety-split 3-course lunch menu at the bar for only $13.50! I've been for lunch a few times. I enjoy every morsel, but caution those who don't eat ham, pork, or bacon. There are a lot of course with pork as an option.
Vidalia ranked #7 this year which is a slight improvement from last year's #8. They still got three and a half stars, so no change there. Just two years ago, in 2007, Vidalia was below the top ten at #11. The reviews over the years don't provide an inkling of why the restaurant would be viewed as improving in one thing or another. Perhaps they improved in Cuisine or Service ... but you wouldn't be able to tell by Todd's write up. Perhaps it's a question for me to include when I participate in his Tuesday afternoon chats online.
Inn at Little Washington ranked #8, Oval Room #9, and The Source #10. (Inside of The Source dining room pictured) The Source is kind of a big deal. The Source is the first fine dining restaurant in the nation’s capital headlined by world famous Chef, Wolfgang Puck. The Source is the recipient of many awards and accolades including "2008 New Restaurant of the Year" Award from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and "2008 Restaurant of the Year" from DC Magazine. The three-level restaurant is the signature dining experience at the Newseum.

Dining in DC Wish List and Mother's Day (May 11)

So there are lots of opportunities to celebrate by dining out each year. For me, the big ones are my wedding anniversary (Dec.), my birthday (Jan.), Valentines's Day (Feb.), Mother's Day (May), my husband's birthday (Nov.) and then were back around to another year. In Dec 2007 my husband and I went to Le Paradou (see review) for our wedding anniversary. For my birthday, I went to CityZen (see review). For Valentine's Day, I can't remember if we went out or what we did. I was very pregnant, so we probably didn't do much. With that being said, Mother's Day is approaching. Since I have twice the duty, I plan to pick a special place this year.
I've decided to take a look at the Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurants
and make a "Wish List", starting with my #1 most desired place to visit. This was easy of course, since the #1 restaurant, Citronelle, I have never been to.
So my Wish List is as follows:
1. Citronelle
2. The Inn at Little Washington
3. Komi
4. Restaurant Eve (Tasting Room)
5. Vidalia
6. Central Michel Richard
7. Kinkaid's
8. The Source
9. Marcel's
10. Palena

So with Mother's Day approaching ... I am not sure what I will pick.
Komi is closed Sunday and Monday, so if I pick Komi I will celebrate on Saturday, which is preferred anyways. Citronelle and The Inn at Little Washington are out of our price range right now, for two or more reasons. First is I am not working because I am on maternity leave and second we have a new baby and it costs a fortune.
I think I will try and talk my husband into Restaurant Eve. I really like it there (been there for lunch) but have never been there for dinner. The tasting room menu for five courses is $125 per person, which is a steal, especially since it's Cathal Armstrong.

Swanky Old-time Fav in Old Town

Adorned on the walls in the newly reopened The Majestic, historically known as the Majestic Cafe, are old photographs of the original layout of the restaurant and some of the employees from long ago. Some date back to 1932. The new owners, chef Cathal Armstrong, his wife, Meshelle, and the couple's business partner, sommelier, Todd Thrasher have successfully taken over and revived the old Majestic Cafe and the menu. Rumor has it that four years ago, chef Cathal Armstrong and his wife, Meshelle, came up with the idea for their Restaurant Eve over a bottle of wine at the old Majestic Cafe and of course when they got wind that the landmark was closing, they decided to step in and come up with a plan to save it. Todd Thrasher's wife, Maria Chicas serves as the Majestic's general manager.
This is the fourth establishment in their reign over Old Town. Their first restaurant to open in the area was Restaurant Eve, which has recently been remarked as being as good as DC's most highly ranked establishments, Citronelle and City Zen, which were ranked number 1 and number two on the Washingtonian's 100 Very Best Restaurant List in 2007. Restaurant Eve, ranked number 6 in 2007, was named after Cathal and Meshelle's daughter has become one of the most talked about restauarants in the DC area, not just by area diners, but also by DC's top Chefs. The group has since opened Eamonn's, a Dublin chipper, named after Cathal and Meshelle's son, and Px, their upstairs swanky speakeasy lounge.
I have visited all but the Px. These folks really have their eye on the ball. Last night, my non-foodie husband, Ben and I visited The Majestic. It was both of ours first time ever dining there. I made a reservation using Opentable.com, as I do with most of my dining out visits. Even though we arrived on time and told the hostess that we had a reservation, we waited 10 minutes to sit down because she said that they were out of menus. I thought it was rather peculiar for a Saturday night.
Once we were sat at our table, we got a bread basket. Service to say the least, was a bit lacking. There was waiting for everything. Uneventful until the entrees came. Ben's fish was overcooked and I felt responsible because I picked the place and raved about it because it was Cathal's! I'm not sure if I will go back. I might ... maybe it was just an Off-night.

Real Fish n' Chips without needing a passport

Even on a hot and steamy day like today, I ventured out for lunch with one goal in mind -- to see what all the fuss was about in Old Town at the new Eamonn's -- A Dublin Chipper. Located on the corner of Columbus and King, Eamonn's is like no other place in the tri-state area, probably intended to be that way.
The world-renowned Chef Cathal Armstrong, an Irish native, his wife Meshelle, and partner and sommelier Todd Trasher have brought a taste of Ireland, right to Washington, DC.
The owners of Eamonn's are the same folk who opened Restaurant Eve, also in Old Town, which has received world-wide recognition.
Eamonn's, named after the Armstrong's son, is a traditional chipper, in that you order at the counter and grab a seat, and wait for your name to be called with your order. The wait can be a long one, since everything is served fresh and there are only 30 seats, including the counter with stools. The menu is squalled on a chalk board that hangs over the cashier's counter.
You don't need a lot of choices. Why else would you be there if you didn't want the infamous fish n' chips? You have your basic cod in two sizes and fried Ray. If you absolutely don't want to try the fish you can choose the deep fried "burghers" or battered sausage. Yes, if you are counting calories, lunch at Eammon's will blow it out of the water.
They offer a few choices for sides that includes two sizes of "chips", bachelor's baked beans, onion rings, coleslaw, and "mushy peas."
They throw in one homemade sauce, and you have a choice of seven, such as traditional tarter sauce, "Marie Rose" (ketchup and mayo), Kitty O'Shea (capers and kalamata olives), Chesapeake, Hot Chili, Fronch, and Curry. I didn't try any of the sauces, like an "eejit" (Irish for idiot/fool).
I did try, however the cod and the chips. The cod came in a light weight, waxy paper pouch. Just large enough for the battered fish to stick out the top for you to take a bite. The cod was perfectly cooked, moist, flaky, and the batter is light and is almost crunchy. I actually thought the batter was the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The fish was so fresh... it even tasted fresh. I actually said to the two women who sat down at end of the bench where I was sitting that it tastes like, "Someone caught the fish, battered it and gives it you." It was that good. I think it's well worth the several minute wait.
The fries ...er, um, I mean Chips reminded me of boxy steak fries, but divine! I dipped every single bite into the malt vinegar that is provided on every table. I didn't get an dessert, and now I am kicking myself... they offer fried milky way, banana, and dough balls. The cashier area is also lined with authentic sweets.
I will definitely go back, but next time I am going to try the Onion rings (oh, I bet they are heavenly), the Irish soda as my beverage, and I will force myself to order a dessert! ;)


Website with menus and photos: http://www.eamonnsdublinchipper.com/
Address: 728 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone (703) 299-8384