Monday, February 25, 2008

Corduroy: A Delicious Sleeper

I love restaurants like Corduroy: quiet, great food, outstanding service, and not too cheesy hip on the scene.

Chef-owner Tom Power's dishes are understated and elegant, simply prepared showcases of premium ingredients. As a former apprentice to Michel Richard, his good training is obvious; and Scott Palmer, the restaurant's general manager, pulls the front of the house together beautifully. Our favorite server, Daniel, is one of the best in the city, having worked in the industry for 30 years. Polite, attentive, extremely knowledgeable, but not too showy, talkative or rushed.

Corduroy is a sleeper of sorts: quietly executing with perfection. It's not about the cheapening shine, raukous loudness of ostentatious celebrity (as Mr. Power has been characterized as the least famous of DC's celebrity chefs), rather it's about the art of food. Indeed, Mr. Power is more artist than celebrity. That's a good thing.(Laurent Tourandel and his entourage could learn a few things.)

In a few weeks, Corduroy will move out of its digs on K Street and into Penn Quarter at 1122 9th Street, NW . Wishing you much success, Mssrs Power and Palmer (and Daniel!)--we look forward to great meals with you in your new location!










Kobach Squash soup: One might be bored by the "it's been done before" puree of vegetables, but the flavor in this is beautiful; the texture silky and not a lot of fat or cream to distract you (as is typically the case).







Braised pork belly with savoy cabbage with Meaux mustard and a rich reduction. This is buttery, velvety, exploding with deep earthy flavors. Loved this.










Corduroy is a civilized experience that is not to be missed....

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