For us, life's luxuries include good friends who share our same passion for food and travel. That's part of what makes our culinary getaways so magical, and our trip to Virginia and Washington DC was no exception.After landing at Dulles airport, we quickly freshened up for lunch and headed straight to Black Salt located in the Palisaides neighborhood just outside Georgetown to meet our friends at the first stop of our gastronomic vacation.
A modern styled fish market with chilled granite slabs sitting atop crushed ice featuring the daily catches greets you as you walk in the door, Black Salt is a fresh take on seafood dining. Our friends were already sitting in the restaurant located the back of the market when we arrived. The open kitchen adds to the fun and casual atmosphere of this yummy place for all the senses. Wine flights offer a festive sampling and pairing to variety of menu options, but we opted for a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with our seared ahi salad. The presentation, a deconstructed nicoise salad, was beautiful and equally as tasty. A quick note; make reservations because the restaurant fills quickly at lunch time.
For dinner that evening we headed to CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in D.C. We each chose the the six-course tasting menu created by Chef Eric Ziebold, winner of the 2008 James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid Atlantic, which was presented with the Sommelier's pairing.
For dinner that evening we headed to CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in D.C. We each chose the the six-course tasting menu created by Chef Eric Ziebold, winner of the 2008 James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid Atlantic, which was presented with the Sommelier's pairing.
A tender mushroom souffle canape was offered as a prelude to the tasting menu which included: an asparagus salad topped with a quail egg, followed by a tempura soft shelled crab over rhubarb gazpacho, then a steamed Pacific Bay sable fish, next we enjoyed rare herb roasted lamb followed by selections from their cheese cart. The dessert was a decadent seven layer chocolate bar.
Having only two hours to enjoy the menu in order to make it in time for the Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the table attendants did everything to accommodate our schedule - which we truly appreciated. After the Symphony we enjoyed evening cocktails at Marcels, an old DC favorite of ours to recap the day's events. A nice little hint: Marcel's offers a pretheatre menu which includes car service to the Kennedy Center. That evening we phoned to have the car service pick us up from the Kennedy Center and take us to Marcel's for drinks, it's very convenient!
Sunday night we headed to Vidalia, a restaurant with a contemporary take on Southern specialities. Again we sampled another great tasting menu. The highlight of the evening for us however was a side-by-side tasting of 2003 and 2004 Hourglass Cabernet.
We took the chance and packed the wines in our suit cases, one from each of our cellars. We agreed that the 2003 was mature and rich and ready to drink. The 2004, while floral and full of fruit ,was a bit too young for my taste and I felt it needed to be cellared for a bit longer. It was such a treat to compare two years of one of our favorite wines.
The next day before heading to our final destination, we lunched at Brasserie Beck. This new Belgian styled restaurant of Chef Robert Wiedmaier, also of Marcel's, is a must for anyone who appreciates true Brasserie fare. The attention to detail is not only evident in the decor and service, but also in the menu selections. Having traveled to Brussels and eaten our fair share of mussels and frites, we can be a bit tough on our critique at times when it comes to finding that special finesse it takes in preparation. Becks did not disappointment us and we vowed to return! In addition, Becks offers guests a list of hundreds (literally) of Belgium beers. Talking to our waiter, he explained that Brasserie Beck is one of the few places in the United States which features some of their listings. 
After lunch we headed to our much anticipated final stop for the trip, The Inn at Little Washington. If you didn't know it, you'd think Patrick O’Connell defined the term "Southern Hospitality." The staff greeted us as we drove into the tiny driveway, opening our doors and ushering us into the re
ceiving parlor. We were then immediately served a refreshing cocktail of Proseco and fresh peach puree, similar to a Bellini. From there we were given a tour of the Inn, the outdoor courtyard and taken to our rooms. That afternoon, we strolled through the herb and butterfly garden at the Inn and then visited the quaint shops which lined Main Street. Afterward, we returned to the Inn to enjoy afternoon tea. A very elegant menu of teas was presented and served with small canapes and sweet treats.
After lunch we headed to our much anticipated final stop for the trip, The Inn at Little Washington. If you didn't know it, you'd think Patrick O’Connell defined the term "Southern Hospitality." The staff greeted us as we drove into the tiny driveway, opening our doors and ushering us into the re
ceiving parlor. We were then immediately served a refreshing cocktail of Proseco and fresh peach puree, similar to a Bellini. From there we were given a tour of the Inn, the outdoor courtyard and taken to our rooms. That afternoon, we strolled through the herb and butterfly garden at the Inn and then visited the quaint shops which lined Main Street. Afterward, we returned to the Inn to enjoy afternoon tea. A very elegant menu of teas was presented and served with small canapes and sweet treats. Dinner that evening was amazing. You can
see why Chefs and restaurateurs from around the world seek out and visit the Inn. We began by selecting three wines: a 2005 Rudd Cabernet, a 2000 Pichon-Longueville and at the Sommelier's recommendation, an Angela Pinot Noir in place of a Ken Wright.
Instead of the tasting menus, we opted to create our own. Our dinner started with a sampling of eight canapes. The sauteed watermelon with chile oil was a refreshing favorite and was followed by an herbal Vichyssoise. For our courses, some of the selections we made included a chilled seafood sampler of Lobster Maki, Tuna Tartare a
nd Ceviche of Diver's Scallop, A "Marriage" of Hot and Cold Foie Gras with Sauternes Jelly and the Inn's Housemade Pickled Cherries from the Inn's orchard, Beef Two Ways (Pecan Crusted Barbeque Short Rib, and a Miniature Filet Mign
on Wrapped in Swiss Chard) Veal Sweetbreads Braised in Ruby Port on Pappardelle Pasta with Huckleberries and Virginia Country Ham, and a Parsley-Crusted Elysian Fields Lamb Loin with Minted Grape Leaves and Greek Yogurt Tzaziki Sauce. Desserts for our table includes a sampling of cobblers and the "Seven most Decadent" desserts from the menu - and they truly were! After dinner, we received a tour of the kitchen. From what we were told by Marta our host, the Inn’s new kitchen is referred to as “the most beautiful kitchen in the world” and was added in 1998. The design was inspired by the dairy room at Windsor Cast
le, the kitchen features an enormous Vulcan range which wa
s made in France. The copper hood seems like it belongs in a story book and is topped with shinning brass trim. Guests may also reserve the kitchen table if desired. As a bit of background about this wonderful place - The Inn at Little Washington was the first establishment in the Mobil Travel Guide’s history ever to receive 5 stars for its restaurant and 5 stars for its accommodation, and is the first Inn ever to receive AAA’s highest accolade - the 5 
Diamond Award, for both food and 
accommodation. We can't believe we were able to share this memorable experience with such close friends who share our same passion for food, wine and travel.
see why Chefs and restaurateurs from around the world seek out and visit the Inn. We began by selecting three wines: a 2005 Rudd Cabernet, a 2000 Pichon-Longueville and at the Sommelier's recommendation, an Angela Pinot Noir in place of a Ken Wright.
Instead of the tasting menus, we opted to create our own. Our dinner started with a sampling of eight canapes. The sauteed watermelon with chile oil was a refreshing favorite and was followed by an herbal Vichyssoise. For our courses, some of the selections we made included a chilled seafood sampler of Lobster Maki, Tuna Tartare a
nd Ceviche of Diver's Scallop, A "Marriage" of Hot and Cold Foie Gras with Sauternes Jelly and the Inn's Housemade Pickled Cherries from the Inn's orchard, Beef Two Ways (Pecan Crusted Barbeque Short Rib, and a Miniature Filet Mign
on Wrapped in Swiss Chard) Veal Sweetbreads Braised in Ruby Port on Pappardelle Pasta with Huckleberries and Virginia Country Ham, and a Parsley-Crusted Elysian Fields Lamb Loin with Minted Grape Leaves and Greek Yogurt Tzaziki Sauce. Desserts for our table includes a sampling of cobblers and the "Seven most Decadent" desserts from the menu - and they truly were! After dinner, we received a tour of the kitchen. From what we were told by Marta our host, the Inn’s new kitchen is referred to as “the most beautiful kitchen in the world” and was added in 1998. The design was inspired by the dairy room at Windsor Cast
le, the kitchen features an enormous Vulcan range which wa
s made in France. The copper hood seems like it belongs in a story book and is topped with shinning brass trim. Guests may also reserve the kitchen table if desired. As a bit of background about this wonderful place - The Inn at Little Washington was the first establishment in the Mobil Travel Guide’s history ever to receive 5 stars for its restaurant and 5 stars for its accommodation, and is the first Inn ever to receive AAA’s highest accolade - the 5 
Diamond Award, for both food and 
accommodation. We can't believe we were able to share this memorable experience with such close friends who share our same passion for food, wine and travel.
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