100 Very Best 2014You may have heard that New York chef Eric Ripert has severed ties with his power bistro in the Ritz-Carlton. Fear not—the kitchen is running more smoothly than it has in years, thanks to new chef Devin Bozkaya, who spent five years at the Inn at Little Washington. He has nudged the glassy, sunset-hued restaurant’s French accents to the margins in favor of a Mediterranean overtone. His Turkish roots show up in a trio of skewered ground-lamb meatballs. Chopped lobster gets a quick toss in aïoli and is served atop round toasts. Thankfully, Bozkaya hasn’t messed with the Ripert signatures—the fabulous fishburger and tuna carpaccio are as good as ever.
Don’t miss: Duck-liver mousse with quince preserves; butternut-squash soup with maple cream; shrimp and grits; cheeseburger; fried-oyster sandwich; fried Brussels sprouts with bacon vinaigrette; mac and cheese; chocolate-and-cherry sundae with peanut brittle; chocolate-caramel tart.
Open: Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday for dinner.
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.
