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Central Michel Richard “The Sixteen Dollar Burger.” It is all the hype at DC hot spot Central Michel Richard. Thanks to a write up a week earlier in The Washington Post, people were flocking to this modern French restaurant to see what all of the fuss was about. I happened to be in town on business and decided to visit the restaurant because they pour our 2005 Viognier, Central Coast by the glass, and besides, I had heard it is quite fantastic as well. I arrived 10 minutes before opening and found a few other couples waiting at the door as well. I was already impressed. Promptly at 5PM they welcomed everyone in and I found a cozy seat at the bar. First things first and I met briefly with their wine buyer to say thank you and to taste him on our new vintage, but after that I was on my own to explore their diverse wines-by-the-glass list, as well as exotic cocktails, and one-of-a-kind appetizers. I started with a crisp white and decided to sit back and survey the scene for a while. Traveling alone makes one a great people watcher, and Central Michel Richard made for some great people watching. I eventually ordered the ratatouille, not only because it is fun to say, but because I am a total sucker for squash and peppers and all of the yummy flavors that come out when they are roasted. Central’s whole menu is an interesting assortment of French dishes with new world twists, kind of like Carina Cellars wines. A lot of the dishes were a bit over my head, but fascinating all the same and made me think of the French Revolution and how famish can breed a world of cuisine now emulated throughout the globe. But back to “The Sixteen Dollar Burger.” Unfortunately for this review, I don’t eat red meat, but wouldn’t you know, in came a group of three guys who had read the Washington Post review and were ready for the Full Monty (if you know what I mean). They immediately agreed to be my tasters and were actually quite thorough with their breakdown of components that made this burger so fantastic, and yes, it was fantastic. For one-dollar extra you can add cheese, for another dollar extra you can also add bacon, so in the end this was an eighteen dollar burger for these guys, but they said it was worth every penny. The bun is freshly baked just for this restaurant, the tomatoes are broiled with a sprinkle of rosemary, the beef is a quarter pound kobe beef patty, the onions are grilled to perfection, and for those who are daring, the cheese and bacon are the elements that tie it all together. Superb! I was convinced and sat there thinking why can’t they make a turkey version as well? I was very happy with my entrée of mushroom risotto and enjoyed the huge pieces of mushroom they serve. Everything is very fairly priced here at Central and the restaurant was packed all night. They are definitely doing something right, and their happy clientele can prove it. A restaurant review is never complete without dessert so I ordered the Apple dowdy and enjoyed a seasonal bowl of baked apples, cinnamon, caramel, and crust. Delicious! Next time I am in DC I am definitely heading to Central Michel Richard and who knows, maybe my friends will be there too! |
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Restaurant (September 2007)