THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE 31TOM SIETSEMADining
ILLUSTRATIONS: JOEL HOLLAND
Fine dining isn’t over, and here’s the proof
chef. The Inn at Little Washington — a 90-minute drive from the
District — just enjoyed time in the spotlight in my annual fall
dining guide. Finally, I tried ... and tried ... reserving at Minibar
by José Andrés when the exemplar of avant-garde cooking
reopened in October, but no luck — more evidence that fine
dining has legs. (I promise to report back once I secure the tough
ticket.)
While the following six District competitors vary in style, they
share some of the most sophisticated cooking and polished service
anywhere. More than once during my survey, the meals channeled
rich memories of eating in top spots in France, Spain and Japan.
My research project also underscores a truth: Washington ranks
as one of the country’s best practitioners of the genre.
All you need to participate is an open palate and a fat wallet (or
an extra-generous dining companion).
Critics might decry the price of these places. The true cost of
dinner can be hundreds more than what’s listed once wine, tax
and tip are added. Sure, fine dining is expensive, says Ziebold.
“But so is football, and it’s not as much fun.”
In the end, it’s about priorities. If you live to eat, consider this
my gift to you this season.A
recent pulse check by New York magazine practically
declared fine dining dead in Manhattan. “Running on
fumes,” the article quoted an industry veteran as saying.
Washington chef Eric Ziebold says such gloomy forecasts
surface every 10 years or so. “Not to be flip, but look at what fine
dining does,” says the owner of Kinship and its richer, four-star
sibling, Métier, located underground at the same address. A
special-occasion restaurant can be the cap of a great day or “a
pick-me-up on a bad one.”
Diners who might never dream of splurging on a meal costing
hundreds of dollars indirectly benefit from high-end restaurants,
some of whose rituals have been adopted by more casual
establishments. If you’ve ever encountered a welcoming “gift from
the kitchen,” tasting menu, pre-dessert or parting goodie bag in a
neighborhood spot, you’ve experienced the trickle-down effect.
With the holidays in mind — and pent-up demand for places
to celebrate after nearly two years of sticking close to home — I
recently checked out six of Washington’s loftiest dining
experiences. Three contenders are missing from the menu:
Pineapple & Pearls, from Aaron Silverman, has yet to reopen, but
it plans to change “everything about it except the name,” says the