Cuisine: Jet-setting chef Alain Ducasse—who has 18 Michelin stars and oversees 22 restaurants from Tokyo to Monaco—aims for elegance that appears effortless. Ducasse’s French technique is both rigorously followed (near-perfect macarons) and thoughtfully tweaked (a halibut meunière with grapes) by his kitchen staff. The menu says the cuisine is “designed with wine in mind”—and sommelier Ramon Narvaez, a Marcel’s alum, stocks an excellent bottle collection.
Mood: A polished team of servers dotes on jacketed men and glammed-up women in a whitewashed room that melds David Rockwell’s modern design with a dark, beamed ceiling. True to the Ducasse brand, the space feels elite, with buttery-leather chairs, glass-covered wine shelves, and three semicircular private booths with gold-painted ceilings.
Best for: Diners who value wine as much as they do food.
Best dishes: Frothed cauliflower velouté with crunchy bits of blanched cauliflower and perfectly cubed croutons; flawlessly cooked halibut garnished with grapes (peeled, of course) and walnuts; foie-gras-stuffed squab breast atop cabbage (who knew it could be so airy?); hazelnut soufflé with smooth orange sorbet; meringue slices with pear chutney and maple-pecan pastry.
Insider tips: Every table gets a plate of macarons—one of the best items out of the kitchen—and house-made truffles at the end of the meal. Instead of dessert, try the cheese plate, a well-selected lineup with thoughtful condiments such as red-pepper jelly and toasted pine nuts in syrup.
Service: •••½
Open Sunday and Monday for breakfast, Tuesday through Saturday for breakfast and dinner. Very expensive.
See all of 2010's 100 Best Restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
