Monday, June 25, 2012

Review of Citronelle, Washington DC

I have dined Citronelle on several occasions over the past ten years and have enjoyed both the food and the quiet ambience. I visited the restaurant again last week when I was less impressed by the cuisine; whether my impressions were influenced by the swelting Washington weather, the lateness of the evening, or the disappointing book I had brought with me as a companion remains unclear.

The restaurant has a prix fix menu with several price levels based on the number of courses one wants. Fish courses are strongly represented among the starters and the main courses and many of the dishes contain crab which is a regional specialty. The space is modern and quiet and the tables well-spaced. The wine list is excellent with a focus on French wines, Burgundy in particular, and there is usually a knowledgable sommelier on hand to provide guidance and suggestions (as there was on this occasion) The guests, if in need of distraction, can see directly into the kitchen though a large picture window.

I had the three course menu costing 110 dollars. My first course was soft-shell crab tempura served with a cream-based sauce that also had tomato and mustard. The crab itself was excellent and the tempura batter was light. The creamy sauce, however, was overpowering and smothered the delicate taste of the crab. For the second course I chose 'timbale of skate'. Skate is particular favorite of mine and when fresh and properly prepared is sweet and buttery. Unfortunately, rearranging skate into a timbale proved to be a poorly conceived idea, which when combined with the indifferent execution, left me unable to finish the dish. This timbale, which was not unlike a crabcake in appearance, was topped with several small hillocks of a red jammy substance that reminded me of cranberry jelly. A generous quantity of lump crab was placed in geometrically strategic positions about the plate. I cannot remember the details of the sauce but its essence was sweetness; this combined with the contents of the hillocks made for a very unpalatable accompaniment to a naturally sweet fish. For dessert, I had a cherry pie which was quite good.

In summary, Citronelle continues to have a pleasant dining room with an attentive staff, good service, and a wonderful wine list. However my experience on this occaions suggests that all is not well at a conceptual level in the kitchen. M. Ricard should consider providing more direct instuction and guidance to the current chef de cuisine.