Much has changed in Washington’s dining scene in the past year, with a bounty of restaurant openings as well as notable closings like Palena. Add another big departure to the list: CityZen, which serves its last round of Parker House rolls on Saturday.
Chef Eric Ziebold is moving on to open his own restaurant in Mount Vernon Triangle after a decade with the Mandarin Oriental restaurant. Instead of replacing the toque, who arrived in Washington by way of the renowned French Laundry, the hotel decided to close the tasting room; the casual Muze and Empress Lounge will remain open.
Reservations for the restaurant are fully booked, as expected. If you’re late to the game and want a final meal there, try the first come, first served bar, which offers a three-course version of the dining room’s luxurious tasting for $50. The first seating is at 5:30 and the last 9:30.
Stay tuned for more details on Ziebold’s next venture as they become available.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
