100 Very Best 2014San Francisco chef Michael Mina takes the stuffiness out of the steakhouse experience at his restaurant in the Georgetown Four Seasons. Starting off the meal? A gratis trio of duck-fat fries with their own seasonings and dipping sauces. Winding it down? Root-beer floats and haute candy bars. In between, chef de cuisine Adam Sobel mixes a menu of big-ticket Wagyu and Angus cuts with innovations such as sea scallops with lemon-caper gel. The high-energy lounge draws Hollywood celebs and Georgetown socialites. A more sedate vibe can be found in the dining room, with its chocolate leather and tall booths. In the courtyard, cushy sofas are arranged around fire pits, creating one of our favorite outdoor drinking spots.
Don’t miss: Charcuterie board; rockfish crudo; tuna tartare; potato blintz; Japanese “A5” Wagyu beef; turkey and prime-beef burgers; roasted cauliflower with Madras curry; baked beans with bacon and molasses; tiramisu; Jefferson cocktail, with bourbon, Carpano Antica vermouth, and crème de mûre.
Open: Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday for dinner. Very expensive.
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.
