Photographs by Chris Leaman

When chefs Jonathan Krinn and Jon Mathieson left 2941—the American/French destination dining room in Falls Church—to open their own place, they envisioned something quaint. “We wanted to do kitchen theater,” says Mathieson. “Fifty seats, a turnkey operation.”

Tonight—more than a year later—they’ll open the doors to Inox, which will have room for 126 guests in the main dining room. With space for 130 seats in four private dining areas and about 30 seats in a bar/lounge, the total is close to 300. 

But they do have a kitchen theater—sort of. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of an office building (sound familiar, 2941 fans?), and Krinn, 40, and Mathieson, 44, converted the basement of the adjoining parking garage into an open kitchen. There’s a small blond-wood-paneled area that the chef/owners are using as a viewing area, at least for now.

The rest of the space is modern—white tablecloths, off-white faux-leather chairs, curved walls, one with silver subway tiles. But it’s not totally stark: There are dark wood accents and decorative stained glass. The lounge is a similar mix, fusing Dali-esque beige couches with low tree-trunk tables.

At 2941, where Krinn was executive chef and Mathieson chef de cuisine, diners applauded the refined, seasonal dishes that often carried a French or Asian touch. The best bread basket in town and a goodbye bowl of cotton candy helped, too. Krinn describes the Inox menu as “fun, approachable, contemporary American.” In their 16 months off, Krinn, Mathieson, and John Wabeck—the restaurant’s sommelier and a former chef at New Heights—tried out new dishes every day.

“Sometimes we would just cook some pasta,” says Mathieson, who hosted many of the menu-planning get-togethers at his Vienna home. “We had to take time to remember that we’re chefs, and we had to practice our trade.”

They also catered parties where they test-drove wine pairings, an area that gets major play at Inox. Wabeck, a certified sommelier, has stocked glassware for every type of wine. He houses the 6,000 bottles in temperature-controlled cases—each varietal gets its own.

Tonight, diners will begin their meals with the same house-baked breads that kicked things off at 2941. Made twice a day by Krinn’s father, Mal, they come in several creative variations plus baguette and country wheat. As for that last touch at the end of the meal? It won’t be cotton candy. It’s been replaced by more elegant—but less whimsical—petits fours.

Inox, 1800 Tysons Blvd., McLean ; 703-790-4669; inoxrestaurant.com. Open for dinner Sunday through Thursday 5 to 10, Friday and Saturday 5 to 10:30.

First Course

Jerusalem Artichoke Potage - $12
Lightly poached day-boat diver sea scallop

Compressed Endive Salad - $12
Medjool dates, Forme d'ambert, spiced pecans, blood-orange vinaigrette

Pumpkin Peirogi - $14
Black-eyed peas, bacon, truffle-roasted onion bouillon

Butter Poached Maine Lobster - $18
Red-wine-braised short-rib ravioli, melted leeks

Pan Seared Veal Sweetbread - $15
Confit of porcini, parsnip puree, rapini, pickled-tomato gastrique

Lightly Cured Black Cod - $15
Steel-cut oatmeal, Rocket, poached quail egg, horseradish foam

Duo of Hudson Valley Foie Gras Sauteed and Torchon - $21
Butternut squash, black-pepper gastrique, winter-vegetable chutney

Black and White Cavatelli - $12
Cuttlefish, chorizo, pequillo pepper, saffron

Roasted Quail and Foie Gras - $20
Savory walnut puree, madeira, black truffle


Shellfish and Fish

Organic Scottish Salmon - $28
Saffron-braised salsify, Maryland crab, crustace foam

Pan Seared Gulf Coast Red Snapper - $29
Kholrabi, winter radish, granny smith apple yellow curry

Herb Roasted Florida Grouper - $28
Escargot tortellini, lardon, heirloom cauliflower, persillade, buerre noisette

Crispy Skate Wing and Day Boat Scallop - $30
Duo of roasted beets, pickled green mango, blood orange, caper, malted mustard emulsion

Saffron Cavetelli - $22
Fricassee of braised and roasted vegetables


Meat

Pan Seared Duck Breast - $32
Yukon potato confit, braised fennel, baby artichoke, marinated olives, cured foie gras, balsamic reduction

Grilled Waygu Strip Loin - $35
Gratinee of pomme puree, haricot vert frite, bone marrow, horseradish

Duo of House Cured Berkshire Pork Belly and Tenderloin - $29
Upma polenta, black trumpet mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, mustard-glazed turnips, kokum jus

Roasted Rack and Loin of Lamb - $34
Black barley, hen of the woods muhsroom, mustard green charlotte, aged sherry vinegar

Desserts

Walnut Financier - $10
Thyme-and-apple custard, yogurt ice cream

Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding - $12
Fleur de sel, olive oil sherbert

Warm Pineapple Mousse - $12
White chocolate, pineapple sorbet

Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Bavarian Cream - $12
Fresh raspberries, earl grey ice cream

Tangerine Vacherin - $10
Vanilla custard sphere, granny-smith-and-fennel granite

Ice Cream and Sorbet Selection - $9
Choice of three: Raspberry sorbet, lychee sorbet, pineapple sorbet; banana-cardamom ice cream, earl grey ice cream, vanilla ice cream


Tasting Menu - $93

Lightly Smoked New England Scallop
Foie gras torchon, celery root, black truffle vinaigrette

Poached Alaskan Cod
Fricassee of winter vegetables, lobster garbure

Roasted Virginia Quail
House-made fettucini, black truffle emulsion

Spice Crusted Millbrook Venison Medallion
Walnut puree, savoy cabbage, pearl onion, sweet potato, Maldon-pepper reduction

Elderflower Soup
Blueberry confit, buttermilk sorbet

Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Bavarian Cream
Fresh raspberries, earl grey ice cream

Petits Fours

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