Tuesday, April 3, 2012

First Taste: The Federalist

Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, the same goes for restaurants located inside of hotels.  I often catch myself skipping hotel dining thinking I'll find overpriced generic food.  

This is not the case at The Federalist which is located inside of the Madison Hotel.  Chef Harper McClure wowed us with his dishes that were perfectly paired with drink selections by Robert Yealu. 


We began the meal with the super smooth Champagne-Laurent Perrier, Tours-sur-Marne, France ($16/glass).  We were greeted by some warm corn bread. 

Chef Harper brought out to dishes that paired perfectly with the Champagne.  I loved the Leek and Potato Flatbread.  The mild flavors didn't overshadow the Champagne.  Corey tried the Rappahannock Stingray Oysters with radish and long pepper.  They had a great crunch. 

Don't miss the Turtle Soup with a Sherry tomato broth!
 Martin's Beef Tartar is absolutely delicious.

My favorite course of the night was a dish Chef Harper made for us that isn't currently on the menu.  The wild mushroom tagliatelle with foie gras is out of this world.  If you ask him nicely, maybe he'll whip you up a batch.
Other Outstanding Dishes and Pairings
Robert Yealu's creativity shined with his Stonewall cocktail featuring smoked pepper infused tequila, cinnamon ginger simple syrup and apple cider. His Java Julep is a spin on a mint julep with a coffee bean and cocoa nib infusion.  

Overall, The Federalist delivers amazing food, the service is wonderful and you'll find a lovely dining experience for dinner.
Loved the Cheese Plate

The Federalist on Urbanspoon

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