A lot of precise chopping goes into the 30-plus courses that make up dinner at Minibar, José Andrés’s micro-restaurant inside Café Atlántico. And nearly all the cooks there rely on one kind of paring knife—Kuhn Rikon’s 3¾-inch carbon-steel blades, available in five colors. Minibar chef Ruben Garcia favors them because their plastic sheathes let him carry them around in his pocket. We like them because they stay sharp and come cheap—$9.95 each at Sur la Table (5211 Wisconsin Ave., NW, 202-237-0375; 1101 S. Joyce St., Suite B-20, Arlington, 703-414-3580; Tysons Galleria, 703-749-1125).
This article appeared in the March, 2009 issue of the Washingtonian.
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