2941

review of sietsema's review of 2941. tom sietsema recently wrote a review on the newly-relaunched 2941 ("miscalculations mar the made-over 2941"). i sent the following email to him to discuss his review and he quickly responded:
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hi barry,
your thoughtful, detailed (and civil!) missive merits more of a response than i can respond to right now -- i'm about to board a plane in mumbai -- but i truly appreciate your feedback. readers like you remind me why i love my job so much.
best regards,
tom
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from that response i thought he would continue the dialogue later. i wrote a few times to follow up and did not hear back. this is my original review (march 25, 2012).
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tom, i know you have a tough job, but somebody has to do it!

but i think you missed the point. to turn a phrase attributed to james carville, "it's the economy, stupid." do not take umbrage at that, but rather help us better understand the bottom line of your review. should we go to 2941 or not? and of course, the answer in my humble opinion is a screaming "yes!"

the original 2941 of krinn and early chemel is no longer. that is a fact. had that 2941 tried to continue, this incredible culinary oasis would have been on its last legs and gasping. but insteadchefchemel and the management team planned a bold move, took a huge risk, and succeeded in a dynamic re-invention. the bottom line is that the thousands of us who cherished this "little piece of new york in northern virginia" for a decade still have the restaurant we can enjoy for decades to come.

i think that deep down you agree with me and i truly understand "some" of your comments. i miss the old 2941 in many respects, but i accept and champion the change. the old menu, while presenting fabulous dishes, was limiting from a food enjoyment perspective. the "left side" of apps and entrees limited a diner to only trying a couple ofchefchemel's incredible creations. our family favored the "right side" because the tasting menu let us enjoy as many ofchefchemel's dishes as possible. and what better reason to eat at 2941! many folks looked at 2941 as a special occasion restaurant, which is certainly was and still is, but just that cannot sustain a viable business in our current tough economy.

i frankly think the re-formatted menu is brilliant. think about it this way. instead of planning dinner at 2941 as a big deal and putting on a coat and tie, we are now comfortable just stopping in after work with the menu flexibility that will fit our mood of the day. i do not know who came up with "nosh, next, noodles, need and naughty" but i am impressed with this approach. what it means is that this time you might want to have one of each, next time two noodles and a need, or maybe just a couple of nosh and next on another evening. but always you should save room for any ofchefcaitlin's naughty selections!

might there be moments of inconsistency - that was your observation - well, of course. but our experience, having tried nearly every dish at least once and many several times, is the cuisine is already being refined with even more sophisticated nuances and layering of flavors.chefchemel and his brigade have already elevated their cuisine through this initial winter menu, and we can't wait for the spring menu any day now - hint, hint!

am i happy with the new décor - no, not all of it. i prefer the simpler look of the wooden table tops and don't really miss the table cloths. but then again we dine there for the incredible cuisine and the warm hospitality of the service team, not the furnishings. does everyone have the same service experience as we do, perhaps not, but it is a two-way street. a professional service team will read your mood and work to respect that - and maybe that can lead to an impression of stiff formality or unease that is not actually intended. but now you can relax in the new 2941 and enjoy the same friendly and engaging service that we truly appreciate. back to the décor - i also do not understand what they were thinking - the blue wall, the sheet stainless, and the very un-2941 artwork. but as i said before, we come for the food!

and speaking of why we come to 2941, the bar is now truly a destination, not just a waypoint.chefchemel's cuisine (dining room and bar menus) paired with one of the finest wine lists in the entire dc metro region and the cocktail artistry of sommelier jonathan schuyler is one of the highlights of the new 2941. just do it - and you will understand and make it a regular experience.

tom, it is evident that you are a fan ofchefchemel's cuisine from your very insightful descriptions of some of his dishes. here are a few other innovative highlights that none of us saw coming. the cocktail sauce served with the oysters at the bar - raised as a southerner in charleston i have had gallons of the standard fare - but this was so incredibly fresh and unexpected we were eating it with a spoon rather than let any waste. daffy burger - yes, duck and foie in a flavor blend that would encourage you to have lunch in the dining room followed immediately by dinner at the bar just so you could make sure you were not imagining this incredible taste. the pheasant & foie rillette comes at you from a totally different direction, every bite delicious, and you begin to grasp the culinary greatness ofchefchemel. rather than hand wringing with the challenges of an old 2941, he reinvented an already incredible dining experience and produced a fresher, more inviting menu. this is still his soul on a plate.

okay, enough said - i think i have been clear that to me the new 2941 is a very special restaurant, and we are generally delighted with the transformation - still the superb food ofchefchemel and a great service team that is doing a very good job of adapting to a totally new and inviting dining experience. that seems to also be obvious to the nearly full dining room and bar that we have seen even in mid-week. folks can take their chances, but we still recommend calling ahead for the dining room and coming early for a seat at the bar. from our impression, this re-launch is delighting lots of folks throughout the area, and the future looks spectacular for the new 2941.

barry

a great christmas eve. grade: a-/b+

chef chemel put together a wonderful christmas eve prix fixe dinner. one of the appetizers, the lobster vol-au-vent managed to incorporate scallops and lobster-clam sauce and keep the flavors of all three distinct within a puff pastry shell. another, the foie gras terrine, was exquisite, especially paired with the accompanying maraschino cherry.

the intermediate course was robiola cheese raviolini accompanied by brussels sprout chips (which made me love brussels sprouts) and parmesan cheese. we opted for the white truffles which added elegance to an already excellent dish.

not an everyday choice, the pheasant breast was very good (a hint dry) along with natural jus and a rich puree of celery root and caramelized cipollini onion.

the dessert of bûche de noël was memorable. this delicate log of hazelnut dacquoise cake covered in dark milk chocolate was complimented by meringue mushrooms and chocolate twigs alongside an exceptional palate cleanser, roasted pear sorbet.

one pet peeve about 2941 for the last couple of years has been the appearance of the wait staff. now in light gray slacks and vests with lavender shirts, most looked as if they hadn't pressed their uniforms. one rolled up his sleeves past the elbows, another had two buttons open revealing a crew neck t-shirt, a third was almost untucked in the back between the vest and trousers. in short, they didn't look as sharp as they should have for the prices being charged. one staff member who wore a two-button blazer had both buttoned - something that most of the patrons would've noted as being uninformed.


-----10 nov, 2010-----

one of dc's finest. grade: a-

my wife and i have been going here since the week it opened in 2002.chefchemel came in several years ago and knows his craft. the dishes here are exquisite. the chef's table is worth the price!

meal's a homerun, when at 2941!. as occasional regulars at 2941 we’re consistently happy with their offerings. this time around, our appetizer consisted of: the warm crispy crab with ginger beurre blac, petite salad which was fantastic. the summer bouquet of bibb lettuce, cherry tomato, asparagus, avocado, white balsamic vinaigrette – fresh and mouthwatering! our main courses were the: pan seared chilean bass with tomato compote, asparagus, shaved baby zucchini for my wife, and i had the lobster: lobster sauce, baby turnips, sugar snap peas, heirloom potato, croustillant of which i could not have words to describe how delicious it was; friends had the 10 oz beef filet with smoked pearl onion, herb pomme puree, oyster mushroom, fricassee of peas... and for dessert we shared: the blueberry cheesecake with lavender whipped cream, shredded phyllo, lemon cream; the coconut mousse with raspberry jam, coconut macaroon, rosemary; and last but not least, the peach & strawberry-lemonade sorbet with fresh fruit, madeleine. where the ideas come from for executivechefbertrand chemel and his team is impossible to fathom, but his culinary artistry is incredible and thoroughly enjoyable. there are few restaurants in our area that can boast the elegance, taste and utmost eye for detail to wow the palate – not to mention the atmosphere that makes all your senses enjoy the complete experience! and, one cannot forget caitlin dysart, 2941’s incredible pastry chef. i, for one, don’t fancy myself one with a sweet tooth, but i can never pass up her incredible offerings – simply put... delish! with various visits including my recent birthday and friend’s 40th anniversary, the 2941 team has our kudos and continued patronage. we’re proud to have such an incredible culinary experience and masters of the art in our backyard.


-----27 feb, 2012-----

premiere nova cuisine is an art form!. from the moment you arrive, the unique rock garden, fauna and pond with incredible fish gives you a taste of what awaits you inside.chefbertrand chemel's superb menu shows off his culinary artistic abilities as does the restaurant's architectural and esthetic design style. starting at the bar, they make the perfect martini, 'nuff said. at the table, with an incredible selection of wines and superb personal attention, without being overbearing, is terrific. whether you select the pheasant & foie rillette (which was fantastique) or grilled tuna loin (to die for), you're bound to be delighted. and there is no need to even discuss dessert... wow! all enjoyed in modernistic but romantic ambience and sophisticated flair. you almost do not want to leave. for a perfect evening for two or even a large group, i highly recommend 2941 - we will be back!

2941 restaurant is definitely my fave restaurant in va. pork belly picked this restaurant for our anniversary last year. the location of 2941 was hard to find. it took us a while to find and we had to call the restaurant for directions. they have complimentary valet parking. the scenery outside the restaurant was gorgeous. the beautiful waterfalls, gardens, ponds make me feel a getaway from the city. sorry about my low quality pictures. taken with iphone. the restaurant has tall windows and high ceilings. ambience is classy and elegant. service was professional as expected. the best part of this restaurant is the food. the meal was exquisite. they were also very generous by giving free pre-appetizers and sweets at the end of the meal. the free pre-appetizers were crab dumplings that thechefmade for that night. til this day i still remember exactly how it tasted. i was definitely blown away by how delish they were. the crab meat inside was super juicy and delish. i could taste the oce

topchefworthy. apologies because this review is long overdue (jan 2010). i wanted to thankchefbertrand chemel and his staff for one of the best fine dining experiences in my life. i brought in a group of 8 people from a meeting we had in town and everyone at the table followed my recommendation to order the prix fixe. i was very pleasantly suprised by the gift of an amuse-bouche, which was fantastic. each course was both delicoious and unique. the service was stellar. we found 3 bottles of wine on the extensive wine list that we could afford (under $50, spanish, french, and californian) and all three were well recieved. the next time i am in dc, wallet permitting, i will be back.

frenchchefsucks food was horrible for the price, had fun at the bar while we waited