Dinner in the Kitchen at the Inn at Little Washington, June 2007
Ah, Patrick O'Connell's masterpiece... It was a perfect evening... Everything was well done... We arrived a little bit before our reservation to explore the inn and also relax with a drink before entering the kitchen... Everything throughout the entire evening was perfect... Chef Patrick O'Connell really is a maestro... His entire team was flawless and calm the entire evening... A reflection of their leader's calm... I will let the picture below do most of the talking for this experience... Let's just say that the Inn is still all it ever was, I'm a firm believer in this now... I went in expecting a B+ dinner at best, and received an A+ experience... Then again, perhaps the kitchen experience gave me an unbalanced view of the rest of the place, but from walking around after the meal, everything looked amazing... Bravo to Patrick and his team!
The full menu from that evening:
Appetizers:
1) Carpaccio of Herb Crusted Baby Lamb with Tabouli and Rosemary Mustard
2) Chilled Seafood Sampler: Lobster Maki, Tuna Tartare, and Ceviche of Red Snapper
3) A Marriage of Hot and Cold Foie Gras with Homemade Quince Preserves
4) Pecan-Crusted Soft Shell Crab Tempura with Italian Mustard Fruit
5) Macaroni and Cheese with Virginia Country Ham and Shaved Black Summer Truffle
6) Morel-Dusted Diver's Scallop and Louisiana Crawfish on Carmellini Beans Dressed with Summer Truffle Vinaigrette
Main Courses:
1) Pan Roasted Maine Lobster with Baby Bok Choy, Grapefruit and Citrus Butter Sauce
2) Pistachio-Crusted Colorado Lamb Loin on Potato Rosti with Carrot Ginger Essence
3) Medallions of Rabbit Loin Wrapped in House Cured Pancetta Surrounding a Lilliputian Rabbit Rib Roast Resting on a Pillow of English Pea Puree
Desserts:
1)
A Walk Through the Herb Garden with our Local Sour Cherry Tart and Burnt Almond Ice Cream
2) A Checkerboard Terrine of Pistachio and White Chocolate Ice Cream with Blackberry Sauce
3) Our Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich with Hot Caramel Sauce
4) Seven Deadly Sins: A Sampling of Seven of Our Most Decadent Desserts
Description of the pictures:
First Picture: Wines, wines and more wines... This place has so many amazing wines it's just great... I could have spent hours reading over the wine lists and browsing the bottles...
Second Picture: The waiting area before entering the kitchen... Having some tasty aperitifs... Champagne, vodka, etc...
Third Picture: Enjoying my vodka...
Fourth Picture: In the kitchen with Patrick, a great visionary and wonderfully nice person :-)
Fifth Picture: Our table in the kitchen, with fresh flowers...
Sixth Picture: Walking around the kitchen, you can see everything prepared for the evening, as well as items being prepared for the next day... Fresh ravioi shown here...
Seventh Picture: My favorite area of the kitchen, the grill and sauce area... This is where they cooked the meats... I chatted up the chefs in this area the most...
Eighth Picture: Nice view of the famous bread oven, as well as the hanging pots and fume hood...
Ninth Picture: Yes, indeed vulcan made this just for Patrick... ;-)
Tenth Picture: Place-holder plate...
Eleventh Picture: Truly outstanding water goblets... Incredibly heavy and elegant...
Twelfth Picture: The start of the meal, warm soup... Can you guess what it is?
Thirteenth Picture: Also at the start of the meal, tempura haricot verts...
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Pictures: The last of the amuses, an 8-spoon melange of various amuses... Just spectacular... The 14th picture is a closeup of my favorite, the mini chips and dip...
Sixteenth Picture: Chilled Seafood Sampler: Lobster Maki, Tuna Tartare, and Ceviche of Red Snapper
Seventeenth Picture: Carpaccio of Herb Crusted Baby Lamb with Tabouli and Rosemary Mustard
Eigthteenth and Ninteenth Picture: A Marriage of Hot and Cold Foie Gras with Homemade Quince Preserves
Twentith Picture: Pecan-Crusted Soft Shell Crab Tempura with Italian Mustard Fruit
Twenty-First Picture: Macaroni and Cheese with Virginia Country Ham and Shaved Black Summer Truffle
Twenty-Second Picture: Morel-Dusted Diver's Scallop and Louisiana Crawfish on Carmellini Beans Dressed with Summer Truffle Vinaigrette
Twenty-Third Picture: Close-up of the Macaroni and Cheese with Virginia Country Ham and Shaved Black Summer Truffle
Twenty-Fourth Picture: Pan Roasted Maine Lobster with Baby Bok Choy, Grapefruit and Citrus Butter Sauce
Twenty-Fifth Picture: Pistachio-Crusted Colorado Lamb Loin on Potato Rosti with Carrot Ginger Essence
Twenty-Sixth Picture: Medallions of Rabbit Loin Wrapped in House Cured Pancetta Surrounding a Lilliputian Rabbit Rib Roast Resting on a Pillow of English Pea Puree
Twenty-Seventh Picture: Closeup of the mini-ribs! Wow...
Twenty-Eigth Picture: For the coffee...
Twenty-Ninth Picture: Dessert time... A Checkerboard Terrine of Pistachio and White Chocolate Ice Cream with Blackberry Sauce
Thirtith Picture: Our Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich with Hot Caramel Sauce (My favorite)
Thirty-First Picture: Seven Deadly Sins: A Sampling of Seven of their Most Decadent Desserts (with b-day wish)
Thirty-Second Picture: A Walk Through the Herb Garden with our Local Sour Cherry Tart and Burnt Almond Ice Cream (Tied for my other favorite)
Thirty-Third Picture: The parting gift, a small candy basket...
Thirty-Fourth and Thirty-Fifth Pictures: Taken in the garden...
Thirty-Sixth Picture: The rock from the garden... Taste, Savor, Cherish... Yes, I did, and I do... ;-)
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