Michel Richard's Citronelle

[Joe H]

Ooh- perfect time for this thread to reappear, as my fiance confessed that he is planning to take me there on my birthday next Thurs. (though, as of now he has no reservations and is scheduled to work...).  Anyway-  as I've never been but have heard much about this lobster burger- is it only available in the lounge? 

If so- what are my best changes at scoring a table in the lounge sometime next week?  Does the lounge even take reservations?

(Of course, I welcome anything anyone has to say/recommend about any part of Citronelle...)

←

Citronelle, for the level of excellence that it is on, is more than worth the investment of sitting in the dining room. Prix fixe is $84 per person for three extraordinary courses that would be a wonderful birthday present! But your fiance must reserve now. This is an enormously popular restaurant that books up long in advance. Their lounge is nice and very comfortable; but for the real Citronelle experience you should visit their dining room. A wonderful birthday present and a celebration to repeat in later years.

[Chef Shogun]

I don't know, the $18 lobster burger seemed pretty real to me.

[littlechinagirl]

Awesome, thanks! Open Table showed a few available slots a couple days ago- I'll cross my fingers that I'm not too late!

[fero style]

strongly recommended : lobster burger !!

[DonRocks]

strongly recommended  : lobster burger !!

←

What a coincidence: had it about four hours ago.

Alert, alert: Get the chocolate flakes for dessert. Trust me: it's the "Girls Gone Wild" equivalent of Cocoa Puffs... with bergamot. One of the great desserts had lately!

[sweetfreak]

I am so excited, I am definitely coming in for a lobster burger this week. Will be sure to report back.

I am also pumped that you can order dessert in the terrace...sign me up for anything chocolate.

[sweetfreak]

So, after I sufficiently hyped to my husband and girlfriends, the prospect of $18 lobster burgers at Citronelle, we excitedly decended on Thursday night.

First girlfriend to arrive looked nervous when the rest of us came in: she had looked at the menu and saw tuna burgers, but no lobster.

Of course, I immediately asked the first waiter who approached our table, and he said, yes, we have the lobster burgers. Phew.

We ordered four lobster burgers and two girlfriends each ordered one glass of wine. I am sadly not drinking right now, so my husband and I just had a soda.

The lobster burgers were everything mentioned above: just delicious. And those 2-3 potato crisps on the burger...I could have eaten a plateful. The only critique I have (which was not experienced above) was that there was a LOT of mayonnaise on the brioche buns. I mean, it was thick, but what the hell. The burger was still awesome.

Then we got the check and I just have to put a "buyer's beware" out there: each lobster burger was $28, not $18! So, with the two glasses of wine my friends had, plus tip, split 4 ways, my husband and I ended up spending $90 for this dinner. Was it worth it? Not sure. It was a damned good burger, but I doubt we would do it again.

PS. Mark, I did see you chatting with Michel, but was embarrased to say hello, since none of my companions know that egullet exists and would have been very confused if I did!

[Joe H]

So, after I sufficiently hyped to my husband and girlfriends, the prospect of $18 lobster burgers at Citronelle, we excitedly decended on Thursday night.

First girlfriend to arrive looked nervous when the rest of us came in: she had looked at the menu and saw tuna burgers, but no lobster.

Of course, I immediately asked the first waiter who approached our table, and he said, yes, we have the lobster burgers.  Phew.

We ordered four lobster burgers and two girlfriends each ordered one glass of wine.  I am sadly not drinking right now, so my husband and I just had a soda.

The lobster burgers were everything mentioned above:  just delicious.  And those 2-3 potato crisps on the burger...I could have eaten a plateful.  The only critique I have (which was not experienced above) was that there was a LOT of mayonnaise on the brioche buns.  I mean, it was thick, but what the hell.  The burger was still awesome.

Then we got the check and I just have to put a "buyer's beware" out there:  each lobster burger was $28, not $18!  So, with the two glasses of wine my friends had, plus tip, split 4 ways, my husband and I ended up spending $90 for this dinner.  Was it worth it?  Not sure.  It was a damned good burger, but I doubt we would do it again.

PS.  Mark, I did see you chatting with Michel, but was embarrased to say hello, since none of my companions know that egullet exists and would have been very confused if I did!

←

I have a bit of difficulty in understanding your comment about "buyer beware." You went to Citronelle, not for dinner, but during the dinner hour for lobster burgers. Each of the four of you had a lobster burger and only two had wine. You "ended up spending $90 for this dinner" which is approximately one third to one quarter of what most other couples in Citronelle probably spent that night. Yet for the $90 for two you had, in part, the "Citronelle" experience. Meanwhile the restaurant lost money on your party of four with the table tied up. And you note, "buyer beware" along with noting that you "doubt you would do it again."

This is why restaurants such as Maestro, The Inn at Little Washington, Laboratorio and others that are on the highest rung have prix fixe menus. It costs a great deal of money for operations like this, for the china, crystal, presentation, the room that you sit in and its appointments.

I could see ordering a lobster burger for lunch or at the bar during the dinner hour. But only lobster burgers-and not even a glass of wine either-you, for me, provided the absolute definitive reason for why some restaurants offer only prix fixe dining during the dinner hour.

"Buyer beware?" Indeed.

[bmiller]

Joe, sweetfreak said "buyer beware" in reference to the multiple mentions of the lobster burger as $18 on this thread. And she'll have to answer this, but they were probably sitting at one of the tables in the lounge rather than the dining room - the tuna burger she mentions is only offered on the lounge menu.

If Citronelle didn't want more casual diners to be able to come into the bar/lounge and order a la carte snacks or meals, they wouldn't have a lounge menu. This is like complaining that someone eating at the Osteria at Galileo is tying up a table in the Laboritorio.

[sweetfreak]

Thanks BMiller. Yes, we ate in the bar/lounge area. And yes, my "buyer beware" is more in reference to the fact that the lobster burger was $28, rather than the previously posted $18. I just thought that people might want to know.

As for all of the other comments made by Joe H., I do not feel the need to defend myself (including not drinking wine at the present time due to personal reasons). I understand fine dining, great service, etc. Oh well, now I am starting to feel defensive, so I will leave it at that.

[Joe H]

Thanks BMiller.  Yes, we ate in the bar/lounge area.  And yes, my "buyer beware" is more in reference to the fact that the lobster burger was $28, rather than the previously posted $18.  I just thought that people might want to know.

As for all of the other comments made by Joe H., I do not feel the need to defend myself (including not drinking wine at the present time due to personal reasons).  I understand fine dining, great service, etc.  Oh well, now I am starting to feel defensive, so I will leave it at that.

←

I apologize if the four of you sat in the bar/lounge area. That was not the impression that I had from your post. It DOES make a difference, a significant difference since this is why they have a menu like this. Still, the post read like you were in the dining room, even down to the reaction of your girl friend which I interpreted as a reaction to the prices of the dinner menu rather than not seeing the lobster burger. There was nowhere in the post where you said that you were not in the dining room.

[cigarnv]

We had the pleasure to dine at Citronelle last evening with another couple that we regularly venture out with, and enjoyed what can best be described as a magnificent evening in all regards. While I had dined at Citus in Los Angeles 40+ times during the 90’s, I was blown away by the Citronelle experience.

First off the entire staff was outstanding, professional and yet down to earth with a sense of humor. Daniel commanded our table for the evening and did an outstanding job in every way. Now what else can I say about Mark that has not been said before… he makes enjoying wines both fun and enlightening. The entire staff operates as a well-seasoned team and treats their customers as guests deserving of a wonderful dining experience. Michel Richard is a refreshing change from many of the new “celebrities” on the block who view customers as a necessary evil that expect far too much for their $125-200 per person evening.

We began the evening with starters that included the cuttlefish, Nantucket Bay scallops and salmon offerings. All were outstanding, but IMO the scallops clearly stole the show. Perfectly cooked, sugar sweet and resting on a sweet corn risotto…. WOW! Entrée’s included the squab three ways, chateaubriand, dorade and venison all prepared perfectly. I was quite partial to the squab that was the best I have enjoyed in many years. Chef Richard’s presentations are so well done that you are reluctant to disturb them. They add significantly to the Citronelle experience. Desserts included the breakfast, crème caramel cheesecake, apple tasting and chocolate 3 ways. All were prepared perfectly and presented like artwork.

Mark did a great job of assisting us in selecting several wines that were new to us. He also took the time to give us a personal tour of the wine cellar as well as visiting with us throughout the evening to insure all was well. While we appreciated Mark’s extensive knowledge of wine we most enjoyed his approachability, great sense of humor and concern for his guests.

All in all Citronelle is one of the few diamonds in a sea on semi precious stones in the DC area. Michel Richard has put in place a team that clearly cares for their guests and takes the responsibility to create a “magical” evening very seriously. While the cost for an evening at Citronelle is not inexpensive, IMO Citronelle represents one of, if not the best, value for your fine dining dollar in the DC area.

Bravo Chef Richard!!!

Edited March 27, 2005 by cigarnv (log)

[Joe H]

Wonderful review/essay. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. My wife and I first met Michel at Citrus in the early '90's when he was sitting at the bar and we were waiting for our table. I happened to mention that we lived in the D. C. area, he asked where, and when I said Northern Virginia he told me that he wanted to move to Waterford. And open his version of the Inn at Little Washington! We ended up talking to him for about 15 minutes before our dinner. But in that conversation he clearly was interested in moving to the D. C. area; he also clearly believed that he would turn Citronelle into the restaurant that would supplant Jean Louis as the best DC had ever seen. He just thought that the Citronelle "of his dreams" would be in Loudoun County, having moved from Georgetown.

Well, 12 or 13 years later, he now lives here and Citronelle is still in Georgetown. But he was right: he has the best restaurant in Washington! And he is a very real credit to the Washington area. For me, there are three great chefs in this city: Michel, Roberto and Fabio. It is just a matter of time until one of them is finally recognized by Beard as the National Chef of the Year. I think Michel is leading the pack.

One more note: in November my wife and I returned to D. C. from a business trip to Germany and Switzerland just before a visit to Citronelle. For part of the trip we went to Schwarzwaldstube, a three Michelin star in the Black Forest of Germany (Baierbronn), considered by many to be Germany's best restaurant as well as the most difficult reservation of any in Germany (equal to the French Laundry for difficulty in getting into; a six month lead time!). Dining at Citronelle 12 or 13 days later seemed a virtual "continuation" of the dinner we had in Germany.

We are fortunate to have this level of excellence available to us here. Michel, along with Roberto and Fabio are gifts. One day they will have moved on but for the moment they are here. We should take advantage of them.

[Alan7147]

Thanks BMiller.  Yes, we ate in the bar/lounge area.  And yes, my "buyer beware" is more in reference to the fact that the lobster burger was $28, rather than the previously posted $18.  I just thought that people might want to know.

As for all of the other comments made by Joe H., I do not feel the need to defend myself (including not drinking wine at the present time due to personal reasons).  I understand fine dining, great service, etc.  Oh well, now I am starting to feel defensive, so I will leave it at that.

←

I apologize if the four of you sat in the bar/lounge area. That was not the impression that I had from your post. It DOES make a difference, a significant difference since this is why they have a menu like this. Still, the post read like you were in the dining room, even down to the reaction of your girl friend which I interpreted as a reaction to the prices of the dinner menu rather than not seeing the lobster burger. There was nowhere in the post where you said that you were not in the dining room.

←

There is no need for one to specify where they sat. The context of the post was regarding lobster burgers, not the specifics of each section of the restaurant. One should never be expected to have to order a set minimum at a restaurant(that is why in most cases there is more than one option for tasting menus. For instance, at Morimoto, where I was last night, there were three choices for his Omakase "$ 80, $100 or $120) The fact that people frequent this establishment is wonderful in itself when in this day a plethora of resturants have to close their doors due to a lack of patronage.

[Joe H]

Thanks BMiller.  Yes, we ate in the bar/lounge area.  And yes, my "buyer beware" is more in reference to the fact that the lobster burger was $28, rather than the previously posted $18.  I just thought that people might want to know.

As for all of the other comments made by Joe H., I do not feel the need to defend myself (including not drinking wine at the present time due to personal reasons).  I understand fine dining, great service, etc.  Oh well, now I am starting to feel defensive, so I will leave it at that.

←

I apologize if the four of you sat in the bar/lounge area. That was not the impression that I had from your post. It DOES make a difference, a significant difference since this is why they have a menu like this. Still, the post read like you were in the dining room, even down to the reaction of your girl friend which I interpreted as a reaction to the prices of the dinner menu rather than not seeing the lobster burger. There was nowhere in the post where you said that you were not in the dining room.

←

There is no need for one to specify where they sat. The context of the post was regarding lobster burgers, not the specifics of each section of the restaurant. One should never be expected to have to order a set minimum at a restaurant(that is why in most cases there is more than one option for tasting menus. For instance, at Morimoto, where I was last night, there were three choices for his Omakase "$ 80, $100 or $120) The fact that people frequent this establishment is wonderful in itself when in this day a plethora of resturants have to close their doors due to a lack of patronage.

←

Edited March 28, 2005 by Joe H (log)

[hannnah]

There are certain times in life when epiphany taps you on the shoulder and says “hey, this is the reason you do what you do.” It might not necessarily be a life-changing experience – just a little moment of clarity – but it’s generally interesting when one of those moments comes along.

We had one of those moments Saturday night, courtesy of Citronelle. From the second we walked in to the moment we left at the end of the night, everything – the cocktails, the food, the wine, and the service – was absolutely perfect.

Now, about that epiphany.

The menu calls the dish “Citronelle’s Almost Famous Pied de Cochon.” The only reason we can fathom for it being “almost famous” is that not enough people have tried it yet. It is without a doubt one of the best things either of us have ever tried. After one bite, my esteemed spouse started grinning like the proverbial possum and said, “You know, I just figured out why I don’t mind spending this much on a meal.

“It’s because I take one bite of a dish like this and it makes me smile. There’s food as fuel, the stuff you eat because you’re hungry, and then there’s something that tastes like this.”

After I tried it, I had to agree with him. Citronelle’s pied de cochon is what every self-respecting pig should aspire to become. It’s remarkably un-rustic – but it manages to keep the character of the ingredient, the melty bits of meat and the essence-of-pork gelatinous bits, without being the least bit scary or anatomical. If you didn’t know better, you’d figure it’s a particularly attractive sausage. And the tuile on top, made of exquisitely processed pork crackling, is a fun textural accompaniment – another nod to the character of the ingredient, but in a more creative way than simply putting on a bit of plain crackling.

Just at that moment, Chef Richard stopped by our table, and my husband told him the same thing – that he loved the dish because it made him smile. The comment obviously made an impression, as one of the other staff who hadn’t been in the vicinity mentioned it later in the evening. (We hope it was a good impression and not simply one of the stranger things a diner had ever said to him.)

The rest of the meal was sublime as well – the cheese tart amuse, the onion soup, the venison, the lamb, the squab, and the apple tasting and crème caramel cheesecake for dessert, as well as the wine, a 2002 Chateauneuf-de-Pape blanc (Chateau de Beaucastel) – perfect for a committed carnivore like me who can’t drink reds.

Thanks again to Mark and the staff for making it a truly memorable evening – the best 3rd anniversary we’ve ever had - and a special thanks to the two fine gentlemen behind the bar in the lounge for the fantastic martinis and the introduction to Blanton’s bourbon. And, given that the pied de cochon is on the lounge menu, we'll be back sooner rather than later.

[rhodegirl]

Chef Michel Richard is featured in a great radio piece on Chef's Garden, a family farm in Huron, Ohio that caters to chefs around the nation. The story ran on NPR's Morning Edition today.

You can listen here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4566575

Warning: the sounds of Chef Richard in his kitchen and the photos of the vegetables from the farm (on the NPR website) may prompt you to drop everything and run to Citronelle as soon as possible.

[Joe H]

Chef Michel Richard is featured in a great radio piece on Chef's Garden, a family farm in Huron, Ohio that caters to chefs around the nation. The story ran on NPR's Morning Edition today.

You can listen here:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4566575

Warning: the sounds of Chef Richard in his kitchen and the photos of the vegetables from the farm (on the NPR website) may prompt you to drop everything and run to Citronelle as soon as possible. 

←

My wife and I had dinner at the restaurant which is on Bob Jones' farm last July. Once a month or so visiting chefs come in from around the U. S. and cook at "Veggie U." It was an extraordinary event that I've long meant to write about but never got around to. Bob Jones also literally custom grows for various chefs including Michel, Keller and others. He has a website which provides a great deal of info along with photos, etc.:

http://www.culinaryvegetableinstitute.com/

We literally drove from Reston to just south of Cedar Point for this. It was worth it.

[hillvalley]

I had a wonderful evening in the lounge last night.

We started with the smoked salmon. It may be the best smoked salmon I have ever had. Served with brioche, creme freche and watercress, it was succulent and delicate.

Next we had the goat cheese Cesar salad. Despite the apparent lack of anchovies, this is brilliant. The goat cheese is spread onto the rib of the lettuce adding a creamy burst to the salad. I would have liked stronger flavored cheese, but I was informed that I am wrong on this one

For our main we of course had the lobster burger. Instead of a salad we ordered fries. MDT, that's ginger that you tasted in the mayo. Yes, this burger lives up to its praises. The bun is the perfect size, the potato crisps add a wonderful crunch and the lobster is well, lobster. I too found that there was too much mayo but I used my fries to take care of the extra. The mayo is too good to leave on the plate.

For dessert we took Rock's advice and ordered the coco flakes. What Rocks failed to mention about this exquisite dessert is the mint infused milk it is served with. The milk is what sent the dessert over the edge for me. This is what cereal with milk should taste like.

Every night of spring break should be this delicious.

[docsconz]

I had one of the finest meals I have ever had last Friday night at Citronelle.

To start I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Richard as well as Mark Slater. We were very well taken care of.

Our dinner:

Amuse Bouche:

Haricot Verts Tartare in eggshell - beautiful

"Virtual Egg" made with mozzarella and yellow tomato with Rice Crispies - whimsical and delicious

Mushroom Cigar with Ginger Sauce - marvellous

1st: Razor Clam Chowder with Razor Clam Gratin - in almost any other meal extraordinary, in this meal one of the lesser dishes (said in retrospect)

2nd: Cuttlefish "Fettucine" tossed with Parmesan and Celery Root, Zucchini, Beets and Trout Caviar - extraordinary

3rd: Beluga Pasta - Pearl Pasta with Squid Ink, Brioche, Poached Egg, Hollandaise and Butter Poached Lobster - the highligh amongst a meal of highlights. This dish was presented to appear as if it were a full tin of caviar. I preferred the dish as it came out.

4th: Tempura Soft Shell Crab stuffed with Lump Crab, Rattatouile Coulis - it would have been a shame to be in DC and not have crab. This was beautiful and delicious.

5th: Nantucket Sea Scallps with Black Bean Sauce and Onion Rings - a perfect scallop

6th: Muscovy Duck Breast cooked Sous Vide, Potato "Fried Rice", Duck Confit Spring Rolls - by this time we were really starting to get full. The meat was perfectly pink and the skin expertly crisped.

Main: Rack of Colorado Lamb, Basil crust, Sauce Barigoule - a beautiful presented dish that we were simply too full to fully appreciate.

Cheese: Epoisses from Artisanal Cheese Center - I love eposses. this was no exception. It was so good I still managed to get down a few spoonfuls of it.

Michel Richard Signature Desserts - There is always room for desserts like these.

Petits Fours

The wines:

- Champagne Philippe Gonet Brut Blanc de Blancs 2000, Grand Cru,

Le Mesnil-sur-Oger - dry, subtle and elegant

- Vouvray Petillant, Domaine Huet 2000 - a sparkling Chenin blanc - beautiful!

- Le Blanc de Valandraud No. 1, 2003, Bordeaux Blanc Sec - a real treat, a unique wine, complex and with loads of character.

- Puligny-Montrachet "La Truffiere", Premier Cru,

Domaine Bernard Morey 2002 - Chardonnay as it was meant to be.

-Rioja "Norte", Bodegas Pujanza 2001 - the most interesting wine of the evening. It was somewhat austere with heavy tannins, While it lacked up front fruit, it did not lack character or flavor. This was a red unlike any other I've ever had.

- Banyuls "Mute sur Grains", Domaine de la Rectorie 2003 - well balanced, delightful and delicious.

If there was a flaw in the evening, it was in how I felt by the end of it. It was an absolute shame that I did not have a greater capacity to indulge in the marvels presented to us without getting so bloated. Each dish was indeed a marvel of visual as well as gustatory beauty and the wines were both interesting and delicious on their own as well as perfectly matched to the food. We had a table overlooking the kitchen, which appeared a model of efficiency.

[bilrus]

edited to re-locate post

Edited April 25, 2005 by bilrus (log)

[Malawry]

I finally had occasion to dine at Citronelle with my spouse last Thursday. Special thanks to MarkSommelier for a wonderful experience--we virtually floated through the meal.

You've read about most of the dishes we enjoyed--the cuttlefish "pasta," the squab three ways, the coco-puffs on steroids with minty milk, the kit-kat bar. I wanted to give special recognition to the "begula caviar"--no misspelling on my part. This is one of the most whimsical things I've ever put in my mouth, not to mention scrumptious. It's a little can that looks like a caviar can, labeled something like "Michel Richard's Begula Caviar." Apparently, when the dish was conceived somebody signed off on the printer's proof for the can labels, not realizing the correct spelling is Beluga. So they ended up with these incorrectly spelled labels. They eventually stuck this item on the menu with the same spelling as was on the labels as a sort of tongue-in-cheek move.

The can contains, from the top down: squid ink Israeli couscous (which really does look like caviar), hollandaise, softly poached egg, toasted brioche, and butter-poached lobster. Dig down and get a spoonful of everything. It's unbelievably rich and delicious.

By the way, this can arrives set in a bowl of what appears to be ice--but is actually those little glass marbles you see people using for support in the bottom of a vase. Very clever.

I wish I had the means to dine here more often. It was a terrific experience.

[ljauss]

Well, the DH got a new job, (as did I for those who saw my post on DonRock's board) - so we're celebrating those, plus our anniversary.

We were debating Citronelle vs. Galileo, and I think we have decided on Citronelle. We're on the waiting list for tomorrow (Friday) night, so if we get in, I'll report back.

If not, it's Armand's for us!!!

[mdt]

We were debating Citronelle vs. Galileo, and I think we have decided on Citronelle.  We're on the waiting list for tomorrow (Friday) night, so if we get in, I'll report back.

←

You made the correct choice. Galileo does not compare. Good luck on getting off the wait list.

BTW, try the Begula Pasta.

[ljauss]

We were debating Citronelle vs. Galileo, and I think we have decided on Citronelle.  We're on the waiting list for tomorrow (Friday) night, so if we get in, I'll report back.

←

You made the correct choice. Galileo does not compare. Good luck on getting off the wait list.

BTW, try the Begula Pasta.

←

We did indeed get off of the wait list. We did indeed have the Begula Pasta. And thanks to Mark Sommelier, we are still nice and toasty from amazing wine selections last night.

A full report later, but to say the least, Citronelle did not disappoint. Thanks Mark - we didn't get a chance to thank you - but the evening was amazing.