100 Best Restaurants 2009: Marcel's

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Reviewed by Todd Kliman , Ann Limpert , Cynthia Hacinli , Rina Rapuano , Eve Zibart

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Marcel's

2401 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202-296-1166

Cuisines:
Belgian, French

Opening Hours:

Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

Nearby Metro Stops:
Foggy Bottom-GWU
Farragut West

Price Range:
Very Expensive

Dress:
Business Attire

Noise Level:
Intimate

Reservations:
Recommended

Special Features:
Party Space

Parking:
Valet

Website:
Click here to open in new window.

Best Dishes
Mussels au gratin; boudin blanc with chestnut purée and lardons; turbot with crisped artichoke leaves and truffle essence; breast of pheasant with pheasant-and-thyme cream; lamb tenderloins in phyllo with cumin Madeira sauce; apple with a beggar’s purse, bread pudding, and apple-butter ice cream.

Reader's Rating:

1 out of 5

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No. 17: Marcel's

Cuisine: Classical French cooking with intense sauces and labor-intensive dishes that no one else makes anymore. Chef Robert Wiedmaier presents a mix-and-match tasting menu of $52 for three courses (called pretheater but available all evening), $75 for four, $90 for five, and $125 for seven.

Mood: Glittering mirrors, black-suited waiters, and silver domes lend a retro-luxe feel to the dining room. Of late, service has been a bit scattered and the pacing slightly off.

Best for: A grown-up meal in a grown-up dining room.

Best dishes: Mussels au gratin; boudin blanc with chestnut purée and lardons; turbot with crisped artichoke leaves and truffle essence; breast of pheasant with pheasant-and-thyme cream; lamb tenderloins in phyllo with cumin Madeira sauce; apple with a beggar’s purse, bread pudding, and apple-butter ice cream.

Insider tips: Book early to take advantage of the restaurant’s free car service to the Kennedy Center—slots fill up. The inviting bar has a wallet-friendly menu and a jazz pianist Tuesday through Saturday nights.

Service: ***½ (three and a half stars).

Open daily for dinner.

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Reader ReviewsWrite your own review

No dover fish tonight

doverlover — April 5, 2009 2:02 PM

Amazed at the miscommunication among the captains and the rest of the staff. We were offered the dover, which according to the Capitan who offered this unique and rare opportunity to try this magnificent fish, was only available as a special request More ...

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Our waiters were drinking on the job!!!

Rodney — April 5, 2009 12:16 PM

We were offered a special and then had it taken away after 3 out of 4 people at the table wanted to order the special. The words "redardsless of what he say, we don't have the dover sole" set the tone to our night. Two of the five courses we More ...

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