Frommer's Review
Food critics continue to name Citronelle as among D.C.'s best restaurants. It's my own personal favorite. And yet, there's a chance the restaurant may have closed by the time you read this; chef/owner Michel Richard is said to be contemplating shutting the doors on Citronelle so he can focus on opening a new restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, in Tysons Corner, Virginia. If Citronelle still exists by the time you read this, and you care about creatively delicious French cuisine, do try to book a table there. You're in for a (very expensive) treat. The ebullient Richard produces masterpieces in every form: from appetizers like the fricassee of escargots, an eggshell filled with caviar, sweetbreads, porcinis, and crunchy pistachios, to entrees like the crispy lentil-coated salmon or squab leg confit with macaroni gratin and black truffles. Each presentation is a work of art, with swirls of colorful sauce surrounding the main event. If you're passionate about food, you may want to consider dining at the chef's table in the kitchen, so you can watch Richard at work. This will cost you: $350 per person, with a minimum of six people and maximum of eight, is the stated price, but that's to give you a ballpark idea; call for more exact information.
Citronelle's decor is also breathtaking and includes a wall that changes colors, a state-of-the-art wine cellar (a glass-enclosed room that encircles the dining room, displaying its 8,000 bottles and a collection of 18th- and 19th-c. corkscrews), and a Provençal color scheme of mellow yellow and raspberry red.
Michel Richard's richly layered chocolate "bar" with sauce noisette (hazelnut sauce) is recommended for dessert, if available. Citronelle's extensive wine list offers about 20 premium by-the-glass selections, but with all those bottles staring out at you from the wine cellar, you may want to spring for one. Also consider dining at Richard's French/American bistro, Central, 2008 winner of the James Beard Award for "Best New Restaurant." Central offers a less expensive, less elaborate, but every bit as delicious meal.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
