Inox, Chefs Jon Mathieson and Jonathan Krinn in Tysons Corner - Closed

[crazeegirl]

Appears from Opentable that there is no lunch service...any plans in the near future?

[SeanMike]

Appears from Opentable that there is no lunch service...any plans in the near future?

According to goodeats in this same thread:

They will be open for lunch as of Monday, Feb. 16.

Just so you know

[paula]

I attended a business dinner at Inox on Wed night with 3 other people. The space is beautiful. It was quite warm in the restaurant even though we were the only table in there for at least an hour. I don't know if it was because we were right under the lights or what. It was one of the warmer days this week so that may have been a factor.

One issue I noticed was the music. We wouldn't hear anything for awhile and then the music would start up at a very loud volume, and then disappear again. Weird.

The 4 of us had a wonderful evening with great food. The service was great...although we were the only table for awhile. They did not rush us and we managed to have an almost 4 hour meal (but it didn’t feel long). The server was knowledgeable about the menu and made suggestions when asked. He also was able to describe the dishes in much more detail than the menu that made the dish even more appealing. Unfortunately I didn't get his name. We shared 3 appetizers (lobster, peirogi, and quail) and the server made sure to bring extra plates for us. They paired a wonderful white burgundy with the appetizers and I wish I had thought to ask the name. We enjoyed the appetizers…honestly I wasn’t paying as close attention to the food since we were discussing business. I had the halibut/scallop combo for my entree. The presentation was beautiful. The scallops were perfectly cooked...the halibut may have been a little overcooked but still enjoyable. The others seemed to enjoy their entrees too (2 strip loins and 1 pork) and especially the wine pairings which were perfect. The nice detail is they suggested 2 wines for each entree so you could choose. For mine they recommended a riesling or the white burgundy I already had. I'm sure the riesling would have been fine but that was not the way I wanted to go. All in all it was a great evening. Rissa came by and Chef Krinn came by and we talked to him for awhile.

Pete and I are going tonight for dinner. I am looking forward to trying some more dishes…and paying more attention to the food.

I really hope Inox can survive the economy.

[cigarnv]

We had dinner at INOX last evening and thought it was good but not great. The restaurant was not at capacity as far as we could tell which may be a reflection of the economy. It also appeared that the bar was quite light all evening. As mention by the poster above the music was quite strange as it got loud and then would die off. A few other notes on the night....

Service was very good, which was a huge improvement over what we typically struggled with at 2941. Wines prices for the most part seemed to be reasonable as were the food prices. The space was well done and comfortable.

The food as mentioned above was good but not great. I got off to a questionable start with the quail which was poorly boned coupled with a piece of foie gras no larger than a dime. The flavor was very good and well prepared but dealing with several needle like bones in the breast portion dampened the dish. Our other app was the lobster which was very good. The lamb entree is best described as being good but nothing special and a bit smaller serving size than I expected. The barley was excellent and was the best part of the dish. Our other entree was the duck which was very good and nicely sized for an entree.

Dessert was interesting.. we shared the bread pudding and the tangerine offering. We found both to be OK but did not finish the tangerine offering. It would appear that the pastry chef is reaching a bit to do something different and it just did not work for us..... others may find them quite good.

While we were dining with others I have only spoken to the food that my wife and I tasted. No one in our party mentioned being disappointed with their food but no one suggested anything they had was exceptional. Possibly we were expecting too much given some of the "wow" food JK would knock out in the early and simpler days when he was putting 2941 on the map.

Overall it was a nice evening with good food, very good service and good drink.

[Joe H]

I had the same first course: I am guessing the "needle like bones" were the quail's feet which were something of a surprise in the presentation. I've seen this in Europe but this was my first experience with this in the U. S. No value judgments. Just a surprise.

[cigarnv]

I had the same first course: I am guessing the "needle like bones" were the quail's feet which were something of a surprise in the presentation. I've seen this in Europe but this was my first experience with this in the U. S. No value judgments. Just a surprise.

Joe, the foot was on the plate and easy to identify and not eat... this was not the issue. My problem was very small pieces of rib bones that had been broken leaving them very sharp and not removed during prep.

[jparrott]

First look at the place last night. Wow. The room is pretty, with the white-covered chairs reflecting the light. I didn't have a bite, but did get a chance to look at the finished wine list. Sure, there's all of the big-baller stuff that helps pays the rent, but interspersed (particularly amongst the Italian and unusual whites and Gamays and south-of-France reds) are a bunch of really good wines at very gentle prices. A few geeks could do some pretty useful damage here. And a little birdy says cheese is on the way soon....

[Pete]

Paula and I were there right before Valentine's Day (return visit for her, first visit for me), and, as others have said, the space is beautiful. The bread is terrific, as one would expect. In particular, the whole wheat bread was the best bread of the night, and, without a doubt, the best whole wheat bread I have ever had. For appetizers Paula had the Sweetbreads, which were fantastic. I had the Black Cod which had a nice flavor, while the horseradish foam was mild enough to compliment the cod. However, the portion size (even for an appetizer) was really small. Entrees consisted of the pan-seared duck breast for Paula, which was delicious and a generous portion. I had the duo of pork belly and tenderloin. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked and the pork belly was good, if a bit small. Thanks to Rissa for giving us a terrific tour of the space. I'm looking forward to returning.

a little birdy says cheese is on the way soon....

I heard the same thing, as my 2 comments to Rissa when we left were 1) need a cheese course, and 2) need to make the coffee stronger. Both of these are easily fixable.

[DannyNoonan]

Dined at Inox yesterday evening with some work colleagues. Overall, the experience was quite enjoyable with only minor quibbles. We met at the bar for a drink, where the bartender impressed the group by preparing me a proper Sazerac, even making ithe preparation a bit of a show. The drink was fantastic and made a nice segue into Lent. They seated our party of 8 at a long table in the mostly empty dining room, which was understandable given it was 6pm on a Tues in the middle of a recession. Minor complaint about the table itself is that it doesn't allow diners to extend their legs at all without kicking the bottom of the table. Otherwise, they accomodated our party with aplomb. House filtered water was a nice touch, as was helpful advice from the sommelier. Bread was very nice and the amuse bouche of local pheasant on braised cabbage was well received. Appetizers and entrees likewise. I can't speak for my companions, though they generally seemed pleased, but my appetizer (artichoke soup with diver scallop) and entree (red snapper with kohlrabi and okra in a mild yellow curry) were fantastic. The soup was silky smooth, flavorful, and a perfect accompaniment to the perfectly cooked scallop. There was something (maybe diced daikon) to lend some crunch as well. The snapper was perfectly cooked and went well with the crunch of the veggies. The curry was subtle enough to not overpower the other ingredients but had a deep flavor that made the whole dish. We drank two very nice wines - a New Zealand sauvignon blanc (name i can't recall) and I believe a Daedalus merlot. Overall a great meal. Only other minor complaint, and nothing the restaurant can remedy, is the feeling that you are dining in an overgrown office park (which you are). it's hard to escape the lack of ambiance associated with dining in a PWC building in Tyson's, though like I said, that's a minor quibble that is easily overshadowed by the kitchen's skills.

[DPop]

We were in late last night to a mostly empty Inox. First off, one of the most beautiful restaurant spaces in the DC Metro area. Love the high ceilings, love the clean white feel to the tables and chairs, and really loved the stained glass window stretching across the front window. 'Classy without being stuffy' was my wife's pithy description.

The food was, for the most part, outstanding. My wife had the Butter Poached Lobster with a Red Wine Braised Short Rib Ravioli and Melted Leeks for her appetizer. Divine, and she usually doesn't like short ribs. The pairing worked in perfect harmony when taken in the same bite, unlike when we had the similar version at Mendocino and the short rib really overpowered the delicate flavor of the lobster. Jon Krinn has the formula for this one down pat, as the beef added a little more richness to the incredibly tender and buttery lobster. The only complaint was that the portion really is tiny for the price, with one small claw and a ravioli making it around a 4-5 bite dish for $18. I had the Pan Seared Veal Sweetbreads, which were also a very small portion but without a doubt the best sweetbreads I have ever had. Only a little gamey and very lightly fried, they allowed some room for the flavor of the porcinis and tomato gastrique to shine through and bring a lot to this excellent dish. Again, my wife does not like sweetbreads, but she enjoyed this dish, which said a lot to me.

The star of the night was my wife's entree, the Crispy Skate Wing and Day Boat Scallops. I was concerned that she was going to get her skate in the style that Beck's serves it, very thin and not carrying a lot of substance. We were pleasantly surprised to get a one-inch thick, lightly fried fish, presented on top of several thin slices of the absolutely delicious roasted red and yellow beets that seem to have caught on everywhere (thanks Chef Ruta!). The skate really was good enough to stand alone, but the malted mustard emulsion dotted around the plate made this one of the better fish dishes we have had in a while. The skate was so good it overshadowed the nice day boat scallops resting on the other side of the rectangular plate, seared well and resting amongst a pile of blood oranges and pickled mangoes. My wife typically prefers her scallops a little less cooked, but the flavor was there and it certainly did not detract from a well constructed plate. I went with the only thing we had last night that I considered to just be good, the Herb Roasted Florida Grouper, which might have suffered a bit in our eyes after tasting three fantastic dishes before digging into this one. The grouper was well cooked and I enjoyed the beurre noisette it was bathing in, though.

We were pretty full, but couldn't resist splitting the Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate Bavarian Cream for dessert. Probably the most interesting dessert I've had this year, it was absolutely nothing like what we were expecting. The hazelnut and milk chocalate cream came in the form of a small bar of cream resting on top of a crumbled granola. The ice cream it came with was Earl Grey tea flavored, which is something that would not normally appeal to me but was a good accompaniment for the rich bar. The dessert was pulled together by some very fresh raspberries resting in little puddles of a bitter chocolate sauce.

Our waiter was a bit of space cadet, disappearing for a while a couple different times during our meal, but overall service was great. John gave us interesting recommendations on wine to pair with our apps and entrees and Rissa stopped by at the end of our meal and showed us around a bit as we were waiting for our car to come around. A very impressive showing for a restaurant that is still getting used to the space, and hopefully all the business drones in Tyson's get a whiff of what's going on down here and leave their posts at the bars of Cheesecake Factory and PF Chang's to come support what these guys are doing.

[RJ Cooper]

first impressionsssss.........killer place........emennce talent......lots of wine coolers

[RissaP]

Lights…check

Temperature control…check

Sound system…check

Telephone system…check

Complimentary Valet service...check

Wireless Internet connection...check

Private Dining Rooms…check

Menus…ongoing progress

Staffing…almost…

But really, we’re good to go…

Inox is proud to serve lunch Monday-Friday 11:30am-2:30pm

Dinner daily Sunday-Thursday 5:00pm-10:00pm

Friday-Saturday 5:00pm-11:00pm

Tysons Metro Station…soon!

[MelGold]

It really is truly a beautiful space. I can't wait to get back to try it out.

[DanielK]

Tysons Metro Station…soon!

hahahahahahahahaha

[trumballstickney]

I went to Inox last week.

My brief take: if you liked 2941, you will like Inox.

Location: For people from DC, the move from 2941 is an improvement over going farther into Virginia. On the other hand, getting to an early reservation on a weeknight might be a problem because of traffic around Tysons Corner.

Space: The space is not as grand as 2941, but the smaller space is elegant, modern, muted, and very comfortable. (The smaller space may also have helped with service.)

Service: In my experience, 2941 had very good service, but it was sometimes hard to track down someone if there was a problem. That is not a problem here. Service was attentive without being invasive.

Food: I had the tasting menu. Every dish I had was well seasoned and quite delicious. I don't know who was on the meat station when i went, but that course in particular was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Again, if you liked 2941, there is little going on at Inox that will disappoint. Also, don't eat too much of the wonderful bread - the dessert(s) were absolutely fabulous.

Wine: The wine pairings were all appropriate and we never had to wait for the correct wine to be served (which happened fairly often at 2941). Also, none of the pairings were off the wall, as sometimes occurred at 2941.

Pricing: I think the pricing is appropriate compared to other restaurants like this in the DC market and what is delivered in food and service.

Other: One problem is the sound system, which seems to go in and out. In addition, sound of the music selection did not match well with the atmosphere of the restaurant. But this is a minor quibble and it never interfered with the meal.

Overall: For a newly opened restaurant, I thought that Inox is doing very well. I look forward to seeing how it develops.

[RissaP]

hahahahahahahahaha

I knew someone would say that. But at least it is an ongoing project.

I went to Inox last week.

Other: One problem is the sound system, which seems to go in and out. In addition, sound of the music selection did not match well with the atmosphere of the restaurant. But this is a minor quibble and it never interfered with the meal.

Problem solved, our DMX sound system finally got installed.

[ReconJohn0321]

is it really possible to have this much talent in one place?

Good to see you pop up on here now and then. Miss having you in DC, bro.

[edenman]

Problem solved, our DMX sound system finally got installed.

Nothing quite like "Where my dogs at?" with a side of fine dining

[jparrott]

Truffled patty melt with comte and cantal cheeses. Lunch menu only. Slots right into the pantheon of DC-area fine dining burgers. Super yum.

Pressed endive salad. Belgian endive (red and green varieties), salted and wrapped. The endive pickles (lightly) in its own liquid. Served with fourme d'ambert, a bit of citrus and nut. Super duper yum.

[Scott Johnston]

How is the Bar? Can you order off the menu there?

[jparrott]

The bar surface itself is rather odd. But you can order anything you want. And there are plenty of seats &c. And glass chillers!

[Scott Johnston]

INOX is Fantastic....

From the bar to the sunken but open kitchen, from the bar drinks to the extensive wine list, from the house filtered water to the little ceramic dish of house made cookies, chocolates and jelly, the place simply rocks. and the food? beyond compare. We started with the DUO OF HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS SAUTEED AND TORCHON and the BUTTER POACHED MAINE LOBSTER with Red Wine Braised Short Rib Ravioli, Melted Leeks. The Foie Gras was everything that dish should be and the lobster blew our socks off. We then split the JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE POTAGE with Lightly Poached Day Boat Diver Sea Scallop. Rivaling a Tom Powers soup, the artichoke shown through and cradled the delicate scallop.

Entrées were CRISPY SKATE WING AND DAY BOAT SCALLOP with Duo of Roasted Beets, Pickled Green Mango, Blood Orange, Caper, Malted Mustard Emulsion. My favorite dish so far this year, the scallop was perfect, the skate, delicately crisp but full of flavor. Claudia had the ORGANIC SCOTTISH SALMON with Saffron Braised Salsify, Maryland Crab, Crustace Foam.

Each of the three Johns (JON L. MATHIESON, JONATHAN KRINN, and JOHN WABECK) stopped by to say hello and welcome us to the restaurant, in fact, The entire staff stood proud and friendly. The service was impeccable. Rissa provided a warm welcome and friendly conversation.

INOX is a delight; I strongly encourage everyone to try it in the upcoming weeks. While not inexpensive, it is a joy to have high caliber restaurant in Tyson’s. If enough people are interested, I will try to arrange a special DR dinner here.

[Ericandblueboy]

Did you manage to eat all that food or were there leftovers?

[Scott Johnston]

There were two of us and we tried to limit the wonderful bread. The first two were apps, we split a soup, and the last two were entrees. We skipped dessert, but were "rewarded" with a small dish of cookies. We left full, but not to much. THe pace of the meal was nice, at no time were we rushed, yet at no time were we waiting. Just perfect.

Next time we will try the tasting menu which really looked good!

Scott

Did you manage to eat all that food or were there leftovers?

[Ericandblueboy]

Thanks, that gives me a good idea of the portion size. It just sounds like so much food....

[FunnyJohn]

I took my daughter and her SO for our first visit to Inox on Saturday evening. Had a wonderful meal. In answer to the portion size Qs above, it would be possible to have two starters and one of either the meat or seafood entrees and thereby have a kind of tasting menu experience. In the event, our party confined itself to just one starter each -- daughter had the endive, blood orange salad, SO had the Jerusalem Artichoke soup with the day boat scallop and I had the quail + fois gras duet. My daughter said her salad was very good, she enjoyed the pairing of the citrus with the blue cheese, the SO said his soup was good, and then with prodding "very good", and I found my quail and fois bits most excellent.

For our entrees, my daughter had the duck breast, I had the lamb rack and loin combo, and the SO had the red snapper, each of which was so tasty, no one shared. My daughter and I had dessert -- hers was some kind of chocolate combo and mine was an orange and cheese ball with tangerine sorbet which was very refreshing as well as innovative. The meal was accompanied by a bottle of 05 Scott Paul "La Paulee" pinot noir from Oregon which John Wabeck highly recommended and which was not a bum steer.

Rissa gave me a guided tour after the meal, and I met the two kitchen Johns. This is probably among the best if not THE best restaurant in the Tysons complex. It has several private rooms -- one of which has a drop down screen if you want to do a power point or show a movie while enjoying the food. I'm sure it will become a popular corporate watering hole at lunch time, and I hope a destination for lovers of fine dining from the DC metro area at other times.

[croosenraad]

Lovely meal...

Last night was a happy birthday celebration, so we decided to try INOX. Relatively last minute decision, but in the end a very good one.

First off, the location. I know others have complained about being in an office park. Well, other than 2941 (which is in an office park, just with one heck of a view), or Chez Francois, that's what you get in NoVA...and what happens outside their windows isn't that controllable. I care more about the mundane aspects of their location. Is it easy to get to? Good signage? Do I drive past, drop an F-bomb, and have to turn around? So it more than passed that test. Left the car with the valet and we headed inside.

The decor is modern. Elegant, refined, and not overly fussy. There were some decisions I found a bit odd...most notably the kitchen. But overall, I found the interior to be nice and comfortable and very conducive to relaxing. The stained glass across the front window was especially nice. Muted colors, nice lighting, and

About the kitchen. Its open, but sunken off on the side of the dining room, so not really possible to see unless you get up and walk over. And it has a glass wall in front of it. In my mind, the kitchen is the worst of both worlds. Its rather hidden, so the guests can see that its there, but really can't see what's going on. Its also open enough that on several occasions I heard someone in the kitchen shouting at/to a colleague. They probably figure the glass will dampen the sound...sorry guys, but you were VERY clear up in the dining room. Actually interrupted our conversation a couple of times. Not horrible, but annoying, and rather out of place with the overall ambiance.

But the food...the food made up for the bursts of voices.

We decided to forgo the tasting menu. Neither of us is a big fan of sweetbreads of fois gras, so Jonathan's obvious love for them meant we were going ala carte. Not that that was a big loss.

First up was the amuse...in this case, a nice one-bite lobster salad. The dressing was rather acidic, but I liked that. It was a rather bold way to start, and it definitely put me in the right frame of mind.

First course was the PUMPKIN PEIROGI (for me) and the BUTTER POACHED MAINE LOBSTER (for her). The Peirogi was a bit thick and chewy, but I liked that. It also seemed to be missing something...not sure if it was a herbal note, or a bit of spice, but it seemed a bit hollow tasting. Still very good, but I get the sense it was a work still a bit in progress. The lobster, simply put, was divine, cooked to perfection. That did not need any more work.

For main course, I had the DUO OF HOUSE CURED BERKSHIRE PORK BELLY AND TENDERLOIN. For those of you who had the Pork belly at 2941, then you know what I ordered, and how good it is. Its fatty and a bit salty and flavorful and rich and has that amazing Pork flavor. The tenderloin was cooked medium rare, was rich in flavor, and perfectly prepared. But really, the heart of that dish is the Pork belly...its amazing. The accompaniments of Brussel sprouts were good...and the little pearl onions with it, I've never had them so sweet before. They were amazing.

My wife had the DAY SCALLOPS. They came on top of two kinds of beets, and that addition made all the difference. Now, a bit of a word about Scallops. I love them, and my typical view of Scallops is that I like them seared on the outside, and almost raw in the middle. I want a real gradation of doneness. My wife, on the other hand, prefers hers cooked through. Somehow, they managed to satisfy both our tastes with this preparation...they were cooked through, but the center was still noticeably softer and juicier. The outside was a little crisp, but not crunchy. It was, quite frankly, some of the best Scallops I've ever had in my life.

Finally, as is appropriate for a birthday, we had desert. My wife went with the BAVARIAN CREME with Earl Grey ice cream(!), and I had the Tangerine <something>, sorry, can't remember the exact name. They were excellent, and stood up well to the tone set by the previous course.

We had several folks stop by, include one of the managers (Matt), who stopped by right at the end of the meal. The staff was friendly and observant, without appearing to hover (a very difficult skill, especially in a place only open for 31 days so far).

I also wanted to highlight the wine. My wife and I lived in Germany for a few years, and we have a good appreciation for German style white wines. The Riesling selection was excellent, and a real testament to the person pulling together the cellar. They obviously know that wine is more than just who has the most big red's in their collection, and as someone who appreciates the less "in your face" varietals, I am totally thankful.

I enjoyed INOX a lot, and I'm sure we'll be back. It was an excellent meal, excellent service, and given how long they've been open, a remarkably refined experience. I'm sure it will only improve with time, and I have no doubt that I'll be back.

[jparrott]

Left the car with the valet and we headed inside.

Do note that valet is the only option at both lunch and dinner, but that there is no charge.

Good post!

[edenman]

Inox tasting menu last night, as part of my farewell tour of restaurants/bars, new and old. The room was hopping by 7pm, but service never stuttered. The lineup:

Cremant de Bourgogne, J.M. Guillon

amuse 1: lightly cured fluke with blood-orange vinaigrette (a hit at the table, nice tangy light starter)

amuse 2: carrot-ginger soup shooter (concentrated awesome)

Macabo, Vinedos de Ithaca, "Akyles," Priorat, Spain, 2007

scallop wrapped in salmon, american caviar, potato confit on the bottom (the only dish I wasn't crazy about, but paired with my favorite white wine of the night: funky and dry, grassy)

Greco/Fiano, Fiagre, Campania IGT, Spain, 2007

east coast halibut, white asparagus, compote (tomato, iirc) (couldn't believe how juicy this fish was on the inside while staying so nice and crispy on the outside. perfectly cooked)

Gevrey Chambertin, J.M. Guillon, "Vieilles Vignes," 2005 (favorite red wine of the night. big, bold, spicy burgandy)

lamb, green asparagus, morels (second best dish of the night for me, excellent lamb and morel combination)

Priorat, Vinedos de Ithaca, "Odyseuss," Spain, 2003

venison, black truffles, black trumpet mushrooms, brussels sprouts (perfectly cooked venison, and the combination of black trumpet mushrooms and brussels sprouts was spot-on)

Bourgogne Blanc, Albert Grivault, France, 2006 (we ordered the sweetbreads halfway through the proceedings, a hiccup that the kitchen and FOH handled ably)

sweetbreads, parsnip puree, confit porcini mushrooms, broccoli rabe (stunningly good dish, the accompaniments were perfect flavor contrast/balances with the sweetbreads)

Cream Sherry, Lustau, "Capataz Andres"

pre-dessert: elderflower gelee, confit blueberries, buttermilk ice cream (very nice, especially the elderflower+buttermilk flavors)

dessert: flourless brownie, espresso tapioca, espresso foam, espresso jelly, pine nut ice cream (so delicious. i'm not a dessert person but this was incredible)

North Coast Old Rasputin (while everybody else was drinking coffee)

Full disclosure: I put together an initial rough draft (no pun intended) of the beer list here. That said, we didn't get any special treatment aside from Wabeck stopping by several times to talk shop. The entire experience was fantastic, marred only by having to cab to and from DC If I wasn't leaving town so soon I would be going back here on the regular.

[hillvalley]

I'm afraid to ask, but how much was the cab ride?

[edenman]

I'm afraid to ask, but how much was the cab ride?

From U St to Tyson's, $36

From Tyson's to U St, $42

Split 4 ways it was only ~$20/head.

[jparrott]

Inox was very much on tonight. Despite the stresses of a 40-person hors d'oeuvres reception and a certain food critic in the house, food was spot on (precisely oil-poached sable being a highlight) and Wabeck's wine selections were at his intriguing best. For my eye, the room at Inox looks much better at night than the room at 2941 (obviously the daytime vistas at 2941 are unparalleled).

And look soon for a reposado/Lillet blanc cocktail that is very, very fine indeed.

[Walrus]

Well, I am quite delayed in posting about our meal here. We ate at Inox on March 13 -- but the memories of the meal linger on I wasn't sure what to expect, as the last time we were at 2941 we didn't really have a stellar meal, and we hadn't seen John Wabeck since his first days at New Heights, but we had a lovely, lovely meal here. First, the free valet? Rules. SO nice to be able to pull up, get out, and not worry. We were greeted immediately and whisked away to our table, so I got only a glimpse of the bar, but the loungey area looks quite cool, with funky white sofas. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and took excellent care of us. I'll let Tripewriter post more about the food, but let me just say that the bread was divine, the lobster was amazing, the pairings were intriguing -- Arrowine is already on the job, getting us the sherry we had with dessert -- and it was just so nice to see Rissa and Wabeck looking so happy and engaged in what they were doing. You all deserve the best, and it looks like that's what Inox is offering.

[RissaP]

Welcome Spring! Celebrate Easter Sunday at Inox.

EASTER MENU

Sunday, April 12, 2009

11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

FIRST COURSE

Beef Carpaccio

Rocket, Aged Balsamic, Olive Oil, Grilled Naan

Marinated Alaskan Sable Fish

Braised Yukon Potatoes, Spring Asparagus, Caviar

Crispy Duck Confit

Puy Lentils, Matignon of Vegetables, Foie Gras Emulsion

Spring Parsnip Soup

Parmesan Flan and Tarragon Oil

Butter Poached Maine Lobster

Chervil Risotto

SALAD

Poached Pear, Red and Green Endive

Maytag Blue Cheese, Spicy Pecans

MAIN COURSE

Seared Diver Scallops

Duo of Roasted Beets, Blood Orange, Pickled Mango, Celery

Berkshire Pork Loin

Fricassee of Morel Mushrooms, Young Peas, Pearl Onions

West Coast Halibut

Carrots, Spring Onions, Artichokes, Fines Herbes Vinaigrette

Roast Rack of Lamb

Eggplant Confit, Caramelized Fennel, Pickled Onion

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Potato Pave, Fricassee of Green and White Asparagus, Red Wine Reduction

Pan Seared Scottish Salmon

Endive, Crispy Maitakes, Baby Turnips

DESSERT

Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding

Fleur de Sel, Kalamata Olives, Olive Oil Sherbert

Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate Bavarian Cream

Fresh Raspberries, Earl Grey Ice Cream

Tangerine Vacherin

Vanilla Custard Sphere, Granny Smith and Granité

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake

Hibiscus, Vanilla, Strawberries

$82.00++ per person

[gnatharobed]

I wanted to take Dad someplace he hadn't been yet for his 60th birthday. It fell on Easter Sunday so I was excited that Inox was actually open for dinner!

We received a very warm greeting at the door from the always wonderful Rissa. Inox is so lucky to have her! Between the three of us we ordered the beef carpaccio, butter-poached maine lobster and sablefish for first courses. I'm not sure if my sablefish was supposed to be lukewarm but it was. The fish itself was great though- the caviar was a nice contrast. My mom was very happy with her lobster. Very rich and tender. For entrees we had the lamb, salmon and grouper. The eggplant caponata that came with the lamb had a lot of unique spices and flavors and really complemented the meat nicely. The salmon was cooked as close to rare as possible just as I had ordered it (don't usually order salmon out but it was my attempt at being healthy).

Desserts there are very interesting. Definitely a lot of creative elements, like matching a chocolate bread pudding with olive oil sorbet. One particular petit four stood out...it was the pastry chef's take on an oreo and it had bacon/lard in it! Sounds kinda weird but I'm a fan of the Vosges chocolate bar with bacon so I loved this.

Went for a tour of the private rooms and kitchen after dinner. People who do corporate events/dinners in the Tysons area should take note of this- nice space and cool amenities. One room had a TV and an iPod dock. (JLK - I'm looking at you and your clients!)

[JLK]

Went for a tour of the private rooms and kitchen after dinner. People who do corporate events/dinners in the Tysons area should take note of this- nice space and cool amenities. One room had a TV and an iPod dock. (JLK - I'm looking at you and your clients!)

I just got around to reading this! Thanks for the tip, but you know my guys: easily freaked out by "interesting" menus.

[Joe H]

Two and 1/2 half stars from Tom: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...9041702117.html

[jparrott]

Hm. No mention of the excellent lunch. No mention of the cocktail program. Mocking the customers (or at least one customer's car). "By chance, I open the wine list to the page where some triple-digit pinot noirs are listed. " (Um, how about the page with the eight frickin' delicious gamays for just about no money?).

Engh.

[Mark Slater]

Hm. No mention of the excellent lunch. No mention of the cocktail program. Mocking the customers (or at least one customer's car). "By chance, I open the wine list to the page where some triple-digit pinot noirs are listed. " (Um, how about the page with the eight frickin' delicious gamays for just about no money?).

Engh.

Agenda.

[DonRocks]

Hm. No mention of the excellent lunch. No mention of the cocktail program. Mocking the customers (or at least one customer's car). "By chance, I open the wine list to the page where some triple-digit pinot noirs are listed. " (Um, how about the page with the eight frickin' delicious gamays for just about no money?).

Engh.

Ironically, I opened the wine list of BourbonSteak the other night, and found EIGHT consecutive "pinot noirs" that were quadruple-digits (yes, that's TEN TIMES as expensive as the "triple-digit" pinot noirs mentioned in the Inox review). I didn't see fit to say anything, because I had the knowledge to order a $35 Chinon. Nor did I say anything about the Bentley in front of the Four Seasons, because that had nothing whatsoever to do with my experience in the restaurant.

In case anyone hasn't noticed, I have quietly recused myself from writing about Inox - due to personal friendships with the sommelier and the service director - because I didn't want to be perceived as trying to bias the print publications. However, just as I called them out on their incompetent, unfair reviews of both Proof and Adour after the fact, I reserve the right to follow suit on their amateurish, content-starved, agenda-driven pieces about Inox.

Or maybe someone wants to do it for me? Just for point of reference, Inox now has the same "star rating" in The Washington Post as Al Tiramisu (!), Amici Miei, Artie's (!), Breadline (!), Ceiba, Co Co Sala (!), Delhi Club, Et Voila!, Jackie's (!), Le Mannequin Pis, Lewnes' Steak House, Locanda, Majestic, Marvin, Me Jana, Nava Thai, Oya, Pesce, Ruan Thai (!), Samantha's (!), Sei, Sunflower (!), Surfside (!), Tabaq Bistro (!), Taste of Morocco (!), and The Occidental.

It has a LOWER "star rating" than Bangkok 54 (!), Foti's (!), Four Sisters (!), Jaleo Bethesda (!), Jaleo Crystal City (!), Notti Bianche (!), Sakoontra (!), Thai Square, Zaytinya, and Zola (!).

Cheers,

Rocks.

[DCcook]

This is why I read the New York Times

[adamgetz]

Guess this means I have lower my opinion of good and expensive food and $100 to $999 bottles of wine, because the economy's in trouble. Thanks economy.

[DCcook]

Guess this means I have lower my opinion of good and expensive food and $100 to $999 bottles of wine, because the economy's in trouble. Thanks economy.

That's what I said! Did you know truffles, foie gras, caviar all taste horrible when the dow jones is under 10k? And on a related note, the taste of Petrus is directly tied to the Nasdaq's performance.

[Tom Power]

Ironically, I opened the wine list of BourbonSteak the other night, and found EIGHT consecutive "pinot noirs" that were quadruple-digits (yes, that's TEN TIMES as expensive as the "triple-digit" pinot noirs mentioned in the Inox review). I didn't see fit to say anything, because I had the knowledge to order a $35 Chinon. Nor did I say anything about the Bentley in front of the Four Seasons, because that had nothing whatsoever to do with my experience in the restaurant.

In case anyone hasn't noticed, I have quietly recused myself from writing about Inox - due to personal friendships with the sommelier and the service director - because I didn't want to be perceived as trying to bias the print publications. However, just as I called them out on their incompetent, unfair reviews of both Proof and Adour after the fact, I reserve the right to follow suit on their amateurish, content-starved, agenda-driven pieces about Inox.

Or maybe someone wants to do it for me? Just for point of reference, Inox now has the same "star rating" in The Washington Post as Al Tiramisu (!), Amici Miei, Artie's (!), Breadline (!), Ceiba, Co Co Sala (!), Delhi Club, Et Voila!, Jackie's (!), Le Mannequin Pis, Lewnes' Steak House, Locanda, Majestic, Marvin, Me Jana, Nava Thai, Oya, Pesce, Ruan Thai (!), Samantha's (!), Sei, Sunflower (!), Surfside (!), Tabaq Bistro (!), Taste of Morocco (!), and The Occidental.

It has a LOWER "star rating" than Bangkok 54 (!), Foti's (!), Four Sisters (!), Jaleo Bethesda (!), Jaleo Crystal City (!), Notti Bianche (!), Sakoontra (!), Thai Square, Zaytinya, and Zola (!).

Cheers,

Rocks.

Word!

[Pete]

Either the star of Ratatouille should avoid Inox or the Washington Post Editors took the day off.

A warm dome of pineapple mouse atop a delicate pistachio cake has everyone fighting for the last bite.

[JPW]

If Tom wants to write about the economy he should ask Katharine for a slot in the Business section. I want to know about the restaurant.

[John Wabeck]

I'm gonna pour more gas on the fire and ask if anyone has seen the wonderful piece of journalism in the Washingtonian?

[Hannah]

The entire point of the star system is to provide a way to differentiate the restaurants from one another - when every other restaurant gets two and a half stars, they might as well go back to not having stars anymore.

That being said, the review, yet again, doesn't read like two and a half stars - he likes the food, he likes the service, everything is great and fab and groovy except for the one pasta dish he didn't care for and the stuff the restaurant can't help (the economy and the fact that someone didn't want the valet to park their Aston). He either needs to get better at reading his own reviews, his editor needs to talk to him about syncing the star ratings with what's actually in the review, or a bunch of people need to start writing letters to point this crap out every time it happens.

[jparrott]

Yeah, I see a lot of the tics we fault TS for as a failure of editing, mostly for the reasons Hannah says.

[Waitman]

I actually thought the review read pretty well and that the point about the economy -- given the death of Il Fiamma and transfiguration of Citronelle -- was a valid one. And, as irked as some people are about the three-figure Burgundy crack, Tom also pointed out that Monsieur Le Sommelier reccommended a wine less expensive than he had initially considered.

I wonder if the 2.5 stars is kind of a baseline on account of it being new, with an eye to a steady rise. I seem to recall Eve, Komi and CityZen coming in relatively low and climbing. Or maybe stars just fell in late trading on rumors that the Chrysler-Fiat merger was off.

At any rate, the review was to me a tasty reminder that Inox needs to be the next big night out.

(Washingtonian review seems not to be on line)