Cuisine: In taking on the classic American steakhouse, chef Laurent Tourondel has Frenchified it, softening its edges and aiming to imbue it with more sophistication. Meals begin with a big Gruyère popover (he knows better than to tamper with the steakhouse belief that size trumps all), and continue with a Mason jar of chicken-liver pâté as silken as whipped butter and five times as intense. The plates of seafood and steak that follow are monstrous, and often monstrously rich, none more so than a five-ounce portion of Kobe beef.
Mood: Most nights, the room is a tastefully lit, leather-appointed stage for the important and those who long to get a glimpse of them, from media mavens to political power players. Cash is flashed, and the Bordeaux flows.
Best for: Those wanting to impress, be it a big date or an important client; curiosity seekers who have the fortitude to resist the sticker shock that comes with seeing a steak priced near three digits.
Best dishes: Grilled double-cut bacon, its insistent richness leavened a little by a condiment of chopped garlic and parsley; oysters on the half shell, cool and clean and smartly sourced; bone-in sirloin; double-cut rack of lamb; a marvelous crepe soufflé, which swells to the size of a giant turnover.
Insider tips: The best parts of the meal are the popovers and pâté, and they come free regardless of whether you order the most expensive slab of beef or a simple hanger steak.
Service: ••½
Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for 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.
