I recently visited City Zen at the Mandarin-Oriental Hotel in Washington, the gustatory playground of chef Eric Ziebold. It seemed fitting to re-visit City Zen after trying his mentor’s work at the French Laundry last year.

The evening’s 6-course tasting menu was augmented by 3 additions, including a mushroom amuse bouche, a lamb course, and an extra dessert course, spicy with ginger gelée and a pear canelle.

The mushroom “fritter” against a mushroom purée was the essence of delicious mushroom. It was a tease. It was served with a rhubarb “spritzer,” which at first sip, I described as “happy in a glass.” The second course was not as bold, but was equally as delicious, featuring young lamb.

The regular menu’s selection began with a Cured Aiguillette of Ivory Salmon. This included flavors of cherry and hyssop, and the tiniest dice of chive. It was pure, raw, and deep-flavored. “Ivory” refers to its color: instead of pink, it was mostly white. This course was refreshing.

The braised veal tongue with a blue crab beignet was interesting. It’s the first time I’ve eaten tongue. Served over an asparagus salad, the tastiest part was that hot crab beignet. It was delicious. Also special was the perfect cooking (and texture) of the asparagus.

The grilled Maine lobster was our favorite course, featuring house-made choizo sausage, young fava beans, and a so-called tomato broth. This broth was poured after service (the lobster coming upon a bed of bread), around the centerpiece, but was by far one of the most tastiest liquids upon which I’d ever supped. I can’t believe it was “just” tomato, as I exclaimed, “something died to make this broth so delicious.”

That’s why Ziebold is a chef, I just a cook.

The pan roasted ribeye of prime beef was good, but not overly exciting. One piece was well-salted, the other was not. The sides, which included mushroom-flavored onions and “potato tobacco” was delicious—both winners. The wine pairing here, a Spanish tempranillo was a perfect match, a rather luscious wine.

The cheese cart visit was most pleasing. Each diner can choose their own personalized tour of cheeses. We both especially liked one that had three milks (cow, sheep, and goat) that had a texture reminiscent of whipped cream. Spicy nuts and nubs of sweet fruit pastes added more dimension to the cheeses themselves.

The meal unfortunately ended on a sour note, specifically, a dessert they call City Zen Piña Colada, with flavors of pineapple and coconut. The pastry is described by the menu as a “chiboust,” and by the waiter as a “kind of soufflé,” but I found it disappointing. The wine pairing, however, was perfectly suited to the tropical, sour flavors, a 2005 Linden Petite Manseng from Virginia.

All in all, my trip to City Zen was rewarding and delicious. In comparison to the master Thomas Keller, these dishes were more bold. But like Keller’s cooking, a lot of detail went into each dish: its flavor profiles, its texture. Excellent bread service (including the famous buttery parker house rolls) was included, with two Pennsylvania butters. One was soft like melting sweet ice cream, the other with a salty punch.

This is a special place that deserves mention alongside other great restaurants in the area, not to mention across the country. While every detail on my visit wasn’t utter perfection, some perfection still goes a long way. Enthusiastically recommended.