2941, with chef Jonathan Krinn

[Monica Bhide]

My husband and I were invited to the opening of a new French American Restaurant near Tysons Corner. The food was amazing, the beef melted in your mouth, I dont think I have ever eaten such exquisite Tuna .. The young chef is brilliant and his food is divine.

just amazing stuff. You can read more about it at:

http://www.2941restaurant.com/2941docs/2941.html

[Suzanne F]

I notice that the executive chef was schooled at L'Academie de Cuisine. Hear that, Malawry?

[Malawry]

Yeah, I think this is the restaurant that former head instructor Pascal Dionot (brother of the now-infamous Chef Francois) left his teaching position to open. I'm quite surprised that his name is not identified as being at the helm of the kitchen, and had made a mental note to ask Chef Francois about it next week.

[Monica Bhide]

They got a nice write up in this week's Post. Good stuff. I had never tried quail before and they did an awesome job with a quail glazed with pomegrante juice. Lovely stuff.

[sara]

Hi

Tom Sietsema's review of 2941 in tomorrow mag (and online today) is terrific. Has anyone been? I have a reservation for Wednesday night (made it a month ago using OpenTable)-- any suggestions on what to order?

[vengroff]

Sara,

Welcome to eGullet.

There was a very brief thread on 2491 a while ago. Click here for the old thread. I haven't been, but look forward to hearing more. Please post a report after you go.

For others who are interested, Tom's review is here.

[sara]

Hi,

This evening my mom and I ventured over to 2941, located in an office park about a 10 minute walk from my mother's home in Falls Church. This is a very odd location for a restaurant-- it's not easy to find, it's surrounded by strange little lakes where geese and dogs alike aren't allowed to frolic, and it's nearly 25 minutes from downtown DC. But, it is a beautiful, nearly pristine setting for this newcomer.

First, I have to say, visit 2941 in a winter like this one-- the lakes and waterfalls surrounding the entrance are iced over, and it's just a beautiful whiteness. Plus the two fireplaces inside the restaurant are especially appreciated in this cold weather.

The restaurant is truly gorgeous--high ceilings, heavy caramel-colored wood, artistic lighting, a beautiful oil painting, and lots of large mirrors...Half of the tables are big deep comfy booths, and others line a huge window overlooking the lakes. After enjoying dinner, we sat and just stared at the restaurant itself-- really quite a sight.

Before getting to the food itself, let me mention the service. It still needs work. Briefly, it's friendly, but inexperienced. Staff had a very hard time setting and resetting silverware in the booths (our 5'4 server nearly fell over trying to place a spoon on my placemat), our dessert walked past us before returning to the right spot, wines were delivered a little late, etc. These were minor distractions, however.

Our menu: We began with a basket of the homemade breads. There are a selection of 13 baked twice daily, and we were served 5: apricot pistachio, french baguette, olive rosemary, pumpernickel raisin, and sage. All were terrific and served with real, creamy butter. We shared an appetizer: citrus cured hamachi mackerel ($9). The fish was lovely, but the fennel and grapefruit vinaigrette poured over top was a little too sweet, and half of the fish was too heavily peppered.

For entrees, my mom had the carmelized sea scallops with wild mushrooms and champagne sauce ($26) and I had the farm raised venison--loin and tenderloin with baby beets and turnips, braised Napa cabbage, and red wine sauce flavored w/ juniper and black currants ($25). There were 6 large tasty scallops in mom's dish, the mushrooms were incredible, and the creamy mashed potatoes served underneath really made this a perfectly composed dish. My venison was, thank god, very tender, a gorgeous merlot color (medium-rare), completely juicy and delicious. All of the meat at 2941 is served 'two ways' -- it's a great idea. The accompanying veggies were a real treat, as were the baked apples slices interspersed among venison slices.

(By the way, we had a terrible time deciding what to order-- other appealing choices included fresh papardelle pasta w/ braised oxtail, a marinated alaskan black cod, and grilled NY strip steak w/ braised beef cheeks.)

For dessert we shared the pineapple rice pudding and carmelized meringue with pineapple sorbet and coconut panna cotta ($9). This was like three desserts served on a little tray, none heavy, all yummy. The rice pudding sat over hunks of pineapple and under a meringue --it was a great little sandwich. I don't love pineapple and yet couldn't stop eating the sorbet. (Before dessert we were served an odd little palate cleanser that tasted like red jello- kind of bad.)

Finally, they brought up an adorable little jar full of watermelon cotton candy, and a dish containing candied nuts and four of the most perfect little homemade marshmellows. Such a treat-- we could've eaten 4 jars of that cotton candy (and if we'd been at the circus we would've been charged $8 for each serving!)

As for drinks, my mom had a 2941 Martini w/ vodka, grand marnier and chambord-- she thought it was too sweet, I thought it was about right for what was in it. I had a glass of Anton Bauer Ried Berg Riesling, Donaland Austria 2001 ($6) with the hamachi, and a glass of Bouwland 80% Cab 20% Merlot, South Africa 1999 ($8) with the venison. The latter was the best match.

All in all, we were delighted to find such a great addition to the neighborhood, which til now lacked an fine-dining options. 2941 serves Sunday brunch--$26 includes mimosas, a continental breakfast including tons of homebaked goods, and items like cinnamon sugar crepes-- and we plan to make that part of the Sunday routine really soon.

If 2941 doesn't succeed, it will be because of location alone. The food is nearly fantastic, the decor is among the prettiest on the East Coast, and the service will improve, I'm sure.

Sara

ps. You can see a menu, and more info, at:

http://www.2941restaurant.com

[vengroff]

Thanks for the detailed report, Sara. 2491 sounds quite interesting. I look forward to giving it a try.

[Malawry]

Yes, thank you Sara for all the wonderful detail. Makes my mouth water. Please let us know what you sampled if you make it there for brunch.

[jamesglu]

I was at 2941 for Valentine's Day last week and concur that the restaurant is excellent in every way. The service was very pleasant, professional, and inobtrusive, and the food was wonderful. We even were very pleased by the wine list, which had many affordable bottles in a wide range of styles. Definitely will return.

[bilrus]

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted a place to add my comments. My wife and I wnet to 2941 for my birthday last evening and had a very nice experience.

The space itself is quite impressive. Tall ceilings and lots of open space. It reminded me somewhat of the main part of the dining room at Zaytinya, but with a large suburban lake to look out on instead of H street and in royal Purple and Gold instead af Aegean Blue. The lighting at dusk is a little bright, but as the sun goes down and the lights come up the room takes on a warmth that is very attractive.

I won't go into too much detail of each individual dish, but the highlights were the Blue Crab Soup with Cheddar Croutons (a rich crab flavor and creamy texture offset nicely by the salty and spicy croutons), the Seared Sweet Bay Scallops with Brown Butter Sauce and Herbs appetizer (nice little scallops in a sauce that I wanted to (and did) use the plentiful bread to sop up) and the Roasted Monkfish with Jerusalem artichokes, wood-ear mushrooms and a light lobster sauce flavored with ginger (this was my first time having monkfish and I liked the firm texture of the fish, but again, the star was the sauce with the ginger complementing the richer flavor of the fish). In each case the accompanying players nearly perfectly complemented the star of the dish.

Also good was the Crisped East Coast Rockfish served over Gulf shrimp and Littleneck clam saffron risotto (especially the risotto). The Buffalo Mozzarella with prosciutto, arugula and olive oil was OK, but not as memorable as the rest of the (mostly seafood) items we had. The bread basket had a broad selection and most were very good, especially the ones with stonger flavors such as the raisin pumpernickle, sun dried tomato and Parmesan foccacia.

For dessert, we had the five scoops of ice cream which were all good, but some were defintely better than others. I liked the Lemon Ice and Black Pepper more than the Chocolate Malt or Caramel Vanilla. Blueberry Vanilla Shortcakes with toasted almond ice cream and candied lemon slices was very good, but also very sweet. That is what I was looking for, but it might be a little too much for some given the decidedly sweet but fun cotton candy (strawberry) and marshmallows (these couldn't be the same thing I burned over a fire when I was a Boy Scout).

After dinner, presuamably because it was my birthday, we were invited by Chef Krinn to see the kitchen. Very impressive to someone whose only restaurant job was at 16 in a Pizza Hut, but such a differnet atmosphere than the Inn at Little Washington where we went for our Anniversary last month. The Inn's kitchen seemed even more calm than the dining room, while 2941's kitchen had a buzz, more like I would imagine the kitchen in a good, busy restaurant would have. Also more like the kitchens many have described in other threads.

When speaking briefly with Chef Krinn, I mentioned that I was a member of eGullet (he is a member also as I had seen a post from him recently). He proceeded to spend an additional five minutes talking with us about the resaurant and DC dining in general and how appreciates the positive (and negative feedback) from sites like this. He gave us a loaf of his father's bread to take home and we were on our way.

I wanted to thank the Chef (if he sees this) for treating us so well and for an excellent meal. We would have been likely to return based on the food, but given everything else we definitely will now.

Edited June 12, 2003 by bilrus (log)

[Monica Bhide]

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that fellow egulleter Chef Jonathan Krinn's wife delivered a beautiful bouncing baby boy this morning!! First baby.. how wonderful!

Mom and baby are fine.

Jonathan .. what a wonderful Father's day gift!

[Mark Sommelier]

I think this place is a work in progress.

Edited June 15, 2003 by Mark Sommelier (log)

[Malawry]

Care to elaborate, Mark?

BTW, Pascal Dionot is no longer working as front-end manager at 2941. (Chef Francois Dionot, Pascal's brother and founder of L'academie de Cuisine, told my class this last Tuesday.)

[Mark Sommelier]

Care to elaborate, Mark?

No, not really. Perhaps I was there on an off night. I think it is the grandest restaurant in the area, and that it has great potential.

[bilrus]

Care to elaborate, Mark?

No, not really. Perhaps I was there on an off night. I think it is the grandest restaurant in the area, and that it has great potential.

When you say grand, what do you mean - in terms of the design of the restaurant or was that "grand" in a more sarcastic vein?

I am curious because I thought it was quite good, but I certainly don't have the experience in higher end places that you do. I would be interested in what i should be looking for that I might have missed.

[DonRocks]

From the chat with Jonathan Krinn:

Chef Krinn,

What dish on your current menu would you most like people to try?

New Zealand Ostrich Tenderloin with red cabbage saurkraut and porcini spaetzle. Ostrich is super tender and has a great flavor similar to venison.

I do hope some of you had a chance to try this dish, one of the greatest plates I've had in a long time. Equal portions of the spaetzle, sauerkraut and ostrich stretched across the plate like a tricolored flag, going from the earthy-buttery tans of the spaetzle, to the sweet-acidic purple of the cabbage, and back to the earthy-gamey depth of the ostrich. It was the type of food I wish I could eat all the time: artistic but not fussy, original but grounded in tradition, creative but also rich and satisfying.

The bread at 2941 can only be rivaled by Mark Furstenberg at Breadline - there is simply nowhere in Washington where you're going to get a better bread plate.

I spoke of this ostrich dish in the past tense, because the menu is changing as of today, and the dish is now a part of history. Fret not, however, because the ostrich is returning in a new form:

New Zealand Ostrich Loin & Schezuan Pepper Crusted Bison Tenderloin

with red onion marmalade, yellow beets, Yukon potato galette, and chick pea fries

Cheers,

Rocks.

[DonRocks]

P.S. I've had people tell me that, try as they might, they cannot remember the name of this restaurant.

Just think how easy it would be if you were dyslexic...

[cigarnv]

We have been big fans of Reataurant 2941 since it openned, but have gone less and less as of late. While we feel the food is still outstanding and some of the best in the area they have some things, imho, that need to be addressed.

First is service, for the prices charged they need to get this under control. This has been a problem since the day they openned and little seems to have improved.

Secondly is wine pricing. Clearly they practice the "what the market will bear" strategy, which is great for short term profitability, but tends to drive the non-expense account patrons like us away.

Lastly, food value on the starters. While I don't mine paying for great food, I do mind spending $16 for a few stalks of veggies and a tablespoon of crabmeat. Several of the starters fit this value issue and really turn you off from the beginning of the meal.

I think JK has a great thing going at 2941, but IMHO he is very close to turning a lot of folks off if he doesn't get pricing and the front of the house under control. We still love the food, the bread and JK... but each time we go we seem to be getting closer to finding another" go to place" or to keeping our 2941 dining to lunch....

[hedgehog_23]

i had a very good meal there last april. I believe it was shrimp bisque as a starter, and carmelized scallops w/ butter braised lobster tail and sauternes risotto. had desert, but cant recall exactly what, only that it was fairly small in portion.

the bread there is excellent.. been meaning to go back just for that (although im now aware that you can purchase the bread at (the more affordable) Cafe 2941.

[DCMark]

I ate at 2941 last night and was wonderfully impressed. Fisrt, I was ready to be critical as I generally avoid upscale restaurants in the Tysons area as I stereotype them as attracting a certain 'riche' clientele that gets on my nerves. Secondly, after having eating at a few fine dining places recently (including Gary Danko in SF) I have become a bit tiried of and disillusioned with top tier restaurants. In other words, I have decided to return to enjoyinh a nice casoulette or pasta at 20% of the price.

With those two chips on my shoulder I entered 2941 and really loved it! I was thinking that any restaurant inside an office building would be artistically dead from the start. Not true, they have really done it nicely. I especially appreciated the number of booths which are quite rare at top-tier restaurants. Its so nice to be in a booth while on a romantic date.

This occasion was the 50th birthday of my sister, so we did not enjoy a booth but a private room in the back. There were 13 of us and the room was simply perfect for the occasion. It was completely quiet and insulated us from all noise in the restaurant. Do you know how when you are at a table to 10+, conversation is usually limited to those around you since its damm near impossible to hear those at the other end of the table? This room was so well insulated from the outside noise conversation was simple all around. This is especially important for such an event as a 50th birthday party where the toasts and stories are so much part of the celebration.

The food was very, very good. We did have limited menu choices (3 per course) as it was a group meal. I started with the ceasar salad with some of the nicest and fattest anchovies I have ever seen. If you are an anchovy lover like me you would have loved it. My soup was a truffle/mushroom which I liked very much. The mushrooms were (I think) shitake and chantrelle. My third plate was a bison steak, cooked perfectly as I requested (bleu). This is critical as meat that is even slightly overdone is ruined for me. They nicely allowed me to substitute the stuffed baked potato (offered with another dish) for the squash that was on the menu with the bison (I know this may have upset the artistic mission of my dish and I let the waiter know if my request was refused no hard feelings. However, the kitchen seemed more intent on making me[/] than happy anything else [note to Ms. Greenwood, et al]).

The cheese course followed. The only downside that 2941, like 99% of American restaurants with cheese courses, severs them on a plate, without a cheese cart or choices. As a cheese addict lucky enough to gorge on french cheese carts (or my mother-in-laws entire garage devoted to cheese) I really perfer seeing the cheeses and chosing them myself. Alas, that is not to be at 2941, which I do understand. The cheese they did serve was divine. My favorite was a Crottin de Chavignol which despite being relatively unaged was the best of the five served. There was also a very creamy French blue, possible a Montbrison. The others included a creamy cheddar (US), and a pecoino. All came with their own custome-made 'chutneys'. I am not a fan of chutneys/sauces with my cheese at all. I think it is a silly pretension where the chef tries to add additional flavors to something as already complex as cheese. The only sauce that improved the cheese was a basalmic reduction which accompanied the peroino.

I cannot report extensively on dessert as my cheese course substituted for the regularly served dessert and we did have a birthday cake for my sister. This was her favorite (angel food) and I am not even sure it was made by the restaurant.

Wine was a seemingly unlimited supply of BV Reserve Cabernet which along with the meal was due to the wonderful generosity of my brother-in-law. I cannot comment on the winelist as I never saw it. Service was nearly impeccable, quietly efficient and respectful. We had a very competent waiter assigned to our room directly. One thing I noticed , there did seem to be a very large number of waiters, runners, etc in the general dining area for the amount of customers dining.

All in all, this place really in a gem. Certainly a special occasion place. If you live in the area it would be a first choice for a special meal. Bravo Mr. Krinn!

[Joe H]

I'm not certain that I understand your comment about restaurants attracting a "certain riche clientel that gets on (my) nerves" but Maestro is one of the best restaurants in the United States. I am also curious about your comment including Danko's since I would consider this is league with both Maestro and Citronelle locally.

I would also note that restaurants on the level of the above three are intended to be a different type of an experience than 2941 is.

[DCMark]

Joe, you would certainly know more about these fine dining establishments than I, however it was my first impression that 2941 is trying to compete on the level of Cintronelle, etc. I did not see their regular menu nor winelist, so this limits my view.

As for the other comment. There are people who enjoy fine dining because they have a passion for food, cooking, ingredients, presentation, wine, etc. There is also a group the enjoys these restaurants for the prestige it (supposedly) gives them, the ability to see and be seen and to purchase that magnum of Opus 1. A restaurant that attracts this type gets on my nevers as it becomes more of a scene than a dining experience. In my opinion the general Tysons area has this latter group in abundance. A visit to Eciti (certainly not fine dining) circa 1998 is what I am referring to. Based on its location and dramatic interior, I was a bit worried about 2941 being more trendy than good. Regardless, I was not referring to Maestro as I have not yet had the privilege to eat there.

I'm not certain that I understand your comment about restaurants attracting a  "certain riche clientel that gets on (my) nerves" but Maestro is one of the best restaurants in the United States.  I am also curious about your comment including Danko's since I would consider this is league with both Maestro and Citronelle locally.

I would also note that restaurants on the level of the above three are intended to be a different type of an experience than 2941 is.

←

[Joe H]

I have as much passion for hamburgers, pizza and fried clams as I do for top end restaurants and wine. I have literally driven from DC to New Haven, eaten pizza and driven back home. I've also built business trips around dinner to take advantage of an opportunity. A post of mine on the Int'l board today notes that I drove 3700 km in five countries with 8 or 9 meetings in six or seven days (eating a lot of sandwiches, even McDonald's in Germany!); yet I rewarded myself with a serious dinner on the last night even though I went by myself. Coincidentally I've also done trips in Germany looking for the best bratwurst!

But I mention all this because I am really obsessed with food and have been that way since I was born 57 years ago. I also have a business where I have travelled for almost 25 years in America and Europe over 100 days a year and have tried my best to indulge my love of food. I also entertain a lot. I've found that most of the people who I go out with appreciate and love excellent food as much as I. I am not talking about the 8 or 9 national chain steak houses at Tyson's but rather on one level Maestro, on another Shamshiry which is excellent in its own way.

I have taken the very same people to both.

I know that not everyone has had the same experiences as I but in my business perhaps I've just been fortunate to have clients who become friends and share my passions. I suspect that many others who entertain would answer similarly.

[jparrott]

Umm...non sequitur?