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 It’s been replaced by more elegant—but less whimsical—petits fours.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
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