Archive for April, 2006

Tonight I had the pleasure of dining at CityZen at the Mandarin-Oriental Hotel in Washington. With a chef who trained and worked at the French Laundry, I expected good things and good things, we did in fact, find.

You have two choices for dinner: 5/course or 3/course. We chose the 3-course dinner menu, but our eating was augmented by little surprises…. a most delicious mushroom nibble, served in a sauce so flavorful, it was the purest essence of fungus. Delicious. Next, came a warm egg custard topped with a peppery sauce so good I momentarily dreamed of living the rest of my life in egg custard. Breads were served with two butters, and a box of mini parker-house rolls were so salty and buttery I felt special grabbing for each one.

My appetizer was a fish sandwich—raw fish served atop a little bread with a beet base. Fresh essence of the sea. We also had the baby artichoke salad which was quite remarkable, it tasted of the essence of what we might describe as “freshness.” I know the veggies were dead, but I imagined I was eating a live plant.

Both entrées the same, we ordered shoat. I was not sure what this is, and I feel a little bad about eating it… very young, baby pigs. The meat was served off rib bones, the smallest little chops you ever did see. And how flavorful they were. Each one, followed by a parker-house mini-roll chaser was excellent. Next was a palate-cleanser, an aperatif made with vanilla, lime, and passion fruit. Yum. For desserts, an upside-down pineapple cake with a granita and chili pepper, and a Valrhona/cinnamon brioche number with a fruit marmalade (the menu said orange, the waiter said cherry).

Service was great; it wasn’t the top/top quality, but this is easiest the best hotel restaurant I’ve eaten at, considering hotels and not specialty inns. Those looking for Asian cuisine might visit the hotel’s other restaurant, but those looking for innovative twists with a basis in French technique can come here.

I don’t often award 5, but… this meal was excellent.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to try Sumo San in Shockoe Bottom in Richmond.

Japanese by most measures, they offer both sushi, sashimi, rolls, and cooked dishes with rice. Some are typical, such as tempura, others are more south-east Asian inspired, such as one we ordered with a spicy ginger sauce.

I opted for the fish, and I thought I was getting some tuna served on rice, but instead, got the biggest, chunkiest, cold pieces of tuna I ever saw. It came with a spicer sauce for dipping, but without rice, the fish doesn’t pick up much from sauce. It was good, but I am not sure if you have put so much raw fish in your mouth at one time. As someone who wouldn’t cry to eat copious amounts of soy sauce, this “pure fish” experience was new.

The remainder of my meal consisted of rice-based rolls. One simple roll with avocado was delicious… an excellent texture, rice that was perhaps a tad too mushy, but nevertheless delicious. The spicy roll presented itself with a spicy mayo on top, on the bottom, with more tuna on the tops of each roll piece. Texture and flavor were good, but the flavor was necessarily enhanced with more heat and flavor from a wasabi-fortified soy dipping sauce.

The atmosphere was a little dull. I think a more lively environs might bring Sumo San better business. In the area, not too many things are open on Sunday night. They offered good service and fresh food. Following the up-beat review here, I might like to try Sum San again for some other less-familiar offerings, and their martinis.

Recommended.