By:
Laurie Wallin
Capital
Cooking Contributor
,
in the McLean Hilton, recently appointed a new Executive Chef, Luc Dendievel,
who recently released a new fall menu. I was pleased to see
that the new Chef is taking commitment to sustainability seriously by sourcing ingredients
from local purveyors and continuing to utilize fresh produce from garden and
honey from the rooftop beehive. Walking
into the restaurant, diners are greeted by
a wine cellar across from the kitchen pass, which sits atop hundreds of pieces
of firewood. The restaurant’s interior features creamy white walls, wood
floors, and numerous fireplaces, providing a sleek, yet comforting atmosphere.
I
began my meal with one of cocktails – the Cucumber Apple Martini made with Hendrick’s Gin,
fresh lemon, cucumber, and apple. The cucumber gives the cocktail a summer-fresh
lift, but the apple reminded me that it was fall.
One
thing that Executive Chef Dendievel did not change was the warm bread that
arrives at your table accompanied by butter and house-made bacon jam. The bacon
jam, a perfect combination of sweet and smoky, is absolutely delicious and one
of my all-time favorite bread toppers.
Perusing
the new menu, I’m tempted to begin my meal with several items – the Roasted
Celeriac Soup, the Red & Golden Roasted Beet Salad, and the Quinoa Salad. I
settle on the soup and the beet salad. The soup features brioche croutons,
crème fraiche, and truffle oil, emulates fall in a bowl, with its smooth,
creamy texture and the truffle oil perfectly enhancing, but not overpowering.
The salad, accompanied by baby kale, frisee, mache, orange, pomegranate, and
Maryland goat cheese, was presented beautifully, with the creamy goat cheese
providing a tart accompaniment to the sweet beets.
For
my main course, I ordered the Braised Veal Cheeks with parsnip puree, season
roasted fall vegetables, and tomato and white wine braisage jus. I chose to
pair this dish with a glass of the Meiomi Pinot Noir – choosing a red to
accompany the protein but a lighter varietal in to not overpower the white wine
jus. The veal cheeks were so tender that I didn’t even need a knife to cut
them; the vegetables were perfectly prepared (not too crispy nor soft) and the
parsnip puree was absolutely delicious. The wine paired beautifully, as well.
In
keeping with the fall-themed dinner, I ordered the Apple Tart with Granny Smith
apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, rooftop honey, and vanilla bean ice cream. When
the dessert arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see the tart was made of
puff pastry. I love tarts, but sometimes their crusts can be heavy – this crust
was light and fluffy.
Executive Chef Denviedel doesn’t overlook
families with children, either, having also just launched a “Foodie-In-Training”
children’s menu, which features “grown up” dishes based on dishes that his
children like, ensuring families can enjoy the experience. I look forward to returning to this
warm, cozy restaurant and exploring more of the new menu.
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