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I just realized that I have written a lot of 5-star reviews in a row, but damn if I haven't had some awesome experiences of late.
How I never knew that Central is one block from the E St. Theatre is beyond me, but my ignorance of this fact might have been heretofore a good thing; otherwise I would go to every film there half-drunk and completely stuffed and would likely fall asleep mid-movie.
There are so many reviews of Central that it probably isn't necessary to rehash everything I had, but I will say that my friend's fried chicken was the best I've ever eaten, and the dessert of coconut ice cream, meringue, and tropical fruit that we split was illegally good.
Central reminds me of Bistrot du Coin in that it is convivial, lively, and loud, but you can still easily converse across the table. Maybe I am getting old or losing my hearing (or both), but I have gotten to the point where trying to dine in exceedingly loud restaurants makes me miserable.
What it boils down to is that I really love the look and feel of the place (including the bathrooms), and eating here just reminds me what it's like to forget everything else going on in my life. I look forward to spending lots of money here in the future.
206 reviews for this place? Wow-wee.
I ventured here with a work companion for lunch, with no reservation. We were a bit worried that we'd be turned away, but alas- we were invited in graciously. Why thank you, hostess lady!
Of course I can't add anything new to the 206 existing Yelps, so I'm going to piggy back you all by saying it was impressive. The service was seamless, and my pasta dish was so pretty that it hurt to eat it in fear of disturbing the presentation. The crowd was not overly loud, the waiter had perfect timing, the menu was great, and the experience overall was a delight. Check, check, and.... check. If I were Yoda, I'd say "On point, it was."
I highly recommend reservations if you plan to check this out, as I've witnessed other minions blasted immediately if they didn't call ahead. It may not be the *best* in the DC restaurant world, but it was pretty darn good.
This dinner was by far the best venue for date night I have had in a very long time. My husband and I haven't had much time to go out for a night on the town - today we spent the afternoon tooling around the museums in DC and then had plans to visit Central for dinner. As we were greeted by the hostess, we requested a table by the kitchen...because it's an open kitchen and why not?!
As we were being shown to our table, I mentioned to my husband how I was thinking about having a Maker's Mark and water for a 'before dinner drink' but my husband wasn't sure what he was feeling, so he was going to figure it out while I stepped away to the ladies room. As I returned to the table, our waiter greeted me and asked me about "that Maker's Mark to start off dinner" - are you serious?!?! I hadn't even said it to anyone other than my husband. We made conversation with our waiter and, get this, the Chef about things to order off the menu.
We ordered the gougeres which are basically cheese puffs (delicious!!). For the appetizer we couldn't decide between the ceviche and the asian style tuna and salmon carpaccio so we asked the waiter for his recommendation. He said the ceviche, so we agreed on that. Needless to say, Chef sent out both! Both of the ceviche and the carpaccio were out of this world!
For our main course we asked Chef what he suggested - he said the cioppino (a fish based dish with mussels, clams, crawfish and squid cut so thinly you think it's pasta) and the pork special which was rubbed with about 25 different spices, a squash puree which is unlike any other I have had, and sauteed broccoli with bacon, cranberries and onions. We shared them as we reached across the table in a nice restaurant - classy folks we are!!
Anyways we continued the silly banter with the chef and the waiter - both of whom were very helpful and great people! We had mentioned a couple of times that a banana split would have been ideal and to our surprise, Central had it on their menu! So my husband ordered the banana split and Chef prepared it himself (holy crap!) and I ordered "Michele's Chocolate Mousse" which had a raspberry filling. Both desserts were absolutely delicious!
As we were leaving, we asked to see Chef (hoping that he was still around) and thanked him. Central was better than the typical burger - I had to order what Chef recommended. If you have the chance to converse with the Chef, ask him or her what she recommends because that is why they are doing what they are doing; to please the customers! I have to say, it was a fantastic meal and I will definitely go back again! Thank you, Chef Cedric!
This place comes highly recommended by my foodie friends, so maybe the bar was set exceptionally high. Overall, I wasn't incredibly impressed, but I'll be back again to give it another try. On to the review:
We first sat down and started our meal with some cheese balls. I have to say this was a disappointing first start to my meal. The cheese balls were dry and a little flavorless.
For my main, I had the steak tartare with the french fries. The tartare was standard, tasty, but nothing special. the real star was the french fries and the house made mayo.
For dessert we had the giant candy bar. This was exceptionally good. Very inventive!
Overall, the dining experience was decent, but it didn't live up to the high praise of my friend. I'd probably come back for a few drinks and fries or maybe that candy bar dessert again. Or I'd even give the fried chicken a try, since that seems to be something everyone raves about.
So this is what good GOOD food tastes like, huh? Wow, I can't wait to try Citronelle.....any takers out there??? hehe. I came here with my ex when he came to town for training. Even his "I'm engaged" bombshell wasn't enough to leave a bad impression of our meal here. For starters, let me just say that his velvet mojito was the most delicious cocktail I think I've ever tasted. Next time, this will be a must. I went with my gut for once and ordered something "crazy" for me, but that I knew might be interesting, especially since I'm eating a lot of meat lately...so pork sausage and mashed potatoes it was! The ex ordered the chicken lemon burger (which came with fries). The bread they gave us while we were waiting was unbelievable, super crusty with rich butter that just tasted so French. Luckily for me, the gamble I took ordering the sausage was worth it, it was incredible. Very generous portion of two sausages presented over a thin layer of the best mashed potatoes I've ever tasted (I don't even usually like to order them b/c they come as a huge hard mound of glop...not so here). There were also some grilled onions that I could've feasted on for days. His chicken burger was very good....I wouldn't go as far to say that it was 5-star good, but it was good enough for me to eat about a third of it since he is a light-weight and doesn't EVER finish his meal! Oh yeah, and the fries......oh those fries.....still dreaming about them. For dessert he got the chocolate lava cake and I tried the bread and butter pudding. I wasn't thrilled with either of them, but I often find myself underwhelmed with desserts, even at places like this. Next time I'll try that chocolate bar everyone's talking about. Yes, there will be a next time....but first I hope to be able to try Citronelle.
Even the snowstorm on 2/2 couldn't keep our party of five away...and it seems the rest of the city as well- the place was full last night. Four of us are in the hospitality - beverage business (which means we over analyze everything, taste other people's food). Appetizers all the way around: tuna & salmon carpaccio and the inventive spinach&goat cheese torte. Thank goodness there were enough french fries to go around - not a spud left anywhere. Everyone's main course was exquisitely prepared: the famous fried chix, ahi tuna burger, lamb shank. Should we...we did...dessert all the way around - first time having the banana split - glad we split it. Michel Richard deserves every award bestowed on his restaurants - he truly is a treasure for Washingtonians - affordable pleasure, even on an expense account! Next time: mac & cheese! Just too full.
Probably the most reasonably priced restaurant in DC for the level of sophistication in cooking.
We felt overdressed next to tables of people in jeans and Caps jerseys so I wouldn't recommend it for a quiet, dressy, romantic night out.
Some day we'll be able to afford Citronelle. In the meantime, I'm perfectly happy with Central.
Christmas Eve.....dining in DC with friends we chose Central since I had yet to experience this restaurant. The place was busy, but not overly so - had 8 pm reservations so might have contributed to the open tables combined with the impending visit from Santa!
I had a glass of bubbly to start my evening, Mushroom and Pearl Pasta Risotto for an appetizer and the beef cheeks with tagliatelle. The appetizer was wonderfully creamy and the mushrooms were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The beef cheeks only needed the touch of the fork to fall apart. The tenderness continued as it melted on my tongue - flavorful sauce accompanying it so delicately. The tagliatelle was just ok.
Dessert - heavenly "M" BAR.....looks like a kit-kat, but its oh so much more than that. Crispy wafer bottom, incredible mouse-like body and a sauce that would be just as good served in a glass! I had an Irish Coffee to finish my evening - quite full and ready for last minute wrapping after the long trek back to the 20141 (thanks to getting caffeine instead of decaf!!)
Will certainly come back to try the lunch offerings!
Went in for lunch for the first time today. Moderately busy but it still took the bartender five minutes to acknowledge my presence.
Ordered the Founders Porter while perusing the menu.
Decided upon a half dozen oysters - three west coast varieties.
The bread came out hot with a thick crispy crust and delicious butter.
The oysters came out and where delicious and clean, with a taste of the sea. The presentation was a bit ostentatious, a blue glass bowl filled with ice and larger then my head. In my kitchen it could have been a mixing bowl. Unnecessary.
Main course - The Cheese Burger with Bacon. Potato tuiles provided a nice crispy contrast. A roasted tomato and carmelized onion on the bottom was the perfect accent...no ketchup needed.
I did ask the bartender to ensure my fries were crisp...the last thing I want is mushy fries. He assured me they come crispy...they were underdone by about 30 seconds.
The food was stellar. The kitchen has a window from the hallway heading to the bathrooms. Spotless kitchen, clean but dark bathroom.
All in all I will be back. The bartender needs to pick it up a bit.
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I think I got a bad batch of oysters because about four hours after lunch my intestines began emptying themselves repeatedly. I was ill for the entire evening stretching into the next morning.
While the food was delicious, I didn't eat anything else that day, hence it could only have been my meal at Central. I'd try it again based on taste alone, but be wary.
Love love love this place. Just wanted to add my review since I had the ceviche and the ahi tuna burger, which I hadn't seen mentioned on here before. The ceviche was tangy and delicious, with nice big hunks of marinated fish. The ahi tuna burger was moist and delicious -- not overcooked but also not creepily raw -- and the green bean/tomato/mesclun salad that I had on the side was refreshing and yummy. Also, I love the hot French bread they serve, and the service, as others have mentioned, is superb.
i must start by saying i was still full from over-eating at lunch so this dinner couldve been so much more, but wasnt.
i wasnt wow'd at all from the moment i walked in. the service was just ok, nothing special.
the cheese puffs were so soft and melted with one bite.
the french onion soup was really really well made with the perfect amount of cheese, bread, and onion.
the goat cheese caesar salad was an interesting twist on the traditional and i think my favorite thing i tried this night.
the pear champagne was divine.
and the chocolate bar was the perfect rich indulgent way to end the night.
but something was just lacking at this restaurant.
omg. two words.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS.
order them, love them, wrap yourself in it's bacon-y goodness and marinate in them. jesus they were good.
ok sorry, back to central. i came here on a tuesday night with my friend khalid and we were sat in a booth in the back. this is richard's more "toned down" version of his 2 main restaurants. but STILL amazing i must say (even though i have never been to the other one).
anyways, our server who I must say is THE MOST ATTENTIVE server in the history of servers. i don't think I have ever had someone come ask us if we needed anything so many times. i kind of wanted to put a stop sign in front of our table to keep him from coming over.
on to the food. i had the caesar salad app, i know..sooo original. but it was wonderful! i always love a good caesar salad when properly made. for the entree i got the mushroom grilled cheese sandwich that came with a cheesy dipping sauce. mmmm...soo rich and savory!!! on the side i got the brussel sprouts which you can tell from the top were perfection.
my friend got the steak...-_- he is so boring. but i tried a piece and it was tender and perfectly cooked.
i also got to see the man himself Michel Richard in the kitchen!!! he looks so jolly and happy, it was great to see a open kitchen and seeing all the chefs hard at work, the kitchen is impeccably clean...also a major plus!
for dessert we got the infamous chocolate bar that everyone seems to have ordered that night (as i saw it on every table for dessert!). this dessert was a perfect ending to a great dinner, simple, decadent, rich and was like a poof of air that melts on ur tongue...mmmmmm
im going back here this week for my coworkers bday and i cant wait to let her experience the same service and food i did :)
The mixed drinks here are great. The food, however, meh. Neither technically nor gastronomically that impressive.
Re: decor, though: A great interior-elegantly landscaped, very unique in a contemporary upscale yet casual way. Lots of undertoned yellows, reds, browns, that swathe you over in a gentle wave of Mediterranean-New American colors as you walk in.
Back to the food: well, the braised waygu beef cheeks were a little overmarinated (could not taste the great beef, which would have been nice to balance the soy sauce-based marinade), the underlying pasta noodles weren't bad but not memorable. The oysters were good, but just oysters, but greatly presented with a few good dipping sauces. My brother had something else as an entree, I forget to be honest, it's been a couple months since I've been here. But he also left underwhelmed.
Well, we went on a Saturday night so no excuses there. The Rhone bottle helped us tide the night over, but, disappointing. I really like the concept they're trying to pull off here: upscale, yet casual New American dining. Now they just need to bring the food back up to the hype. Yelp at me, my fellow yelpers, when it's there.
I've been eager to try Central, and I have to say that it unfortunately did not live up to my imagination. I'm disappointed!
I'd made a lunch reservation and arrived a few minutes early. They seated me with no problem, even thought I was the only one from our party who had arrived. I sat, looked down and noticed a VERY dirty table. Seriously - it looked like someone had noshed on an entire sleeve of cheese puffs and spread crumbs ALL OVER the table. It had clearly not been wiped down. I asked the server about it, and he took away one place setting (it was set for four and we were a party of three) and wiped the empty spot. Um, okay. I ended up using my napkin to remove the rest of the crumbs to the floor while he watched. Unbelievable.
The food was okay. Not amazing. I had the chicken lemon burger, which was unique. Highlight: the potato tuiles on the sandwich. They really were tasty, and the side salad was fine, but nothing special. My co-diners had fish and chips (heavily fried, but moist) and the trout po-boy (she only ate half, but said it was okay). We shared an order of cheese puffs - they were great hot, but weren't good as they cooled. We should have talked less and eaten more. :)
Service was lacking. I noticed other tables seemed to get more attention, so maybe it was just our server. For a top-notch restaurant, I expected a little more, but maybe that's reflective of the lunch crew?
Overall, I'm not chomping at the bit to return. Bummer, since I'd had such big expectations.
It was my birthday, so the sheer joy of it spins a positive review!
The food absolutely scores 5 stars. The service about 4. And the ambiance about 4, as well. Our table-for-two was too long, so we spun it around so my date and I could sit closer. That worked! Because our reservation was on the early side (seated at 6pm) the place was fairly empty and we got more attention.
When the waitress knew a little less about wine than I hoped, the manager promptly appeared at the table without my asking. He was helpful and paired a tasty Burgundy that worked for both our meals, without breaking the bank. (Neither Grand or Premier cru)
I recommend the lamb shank and the cioppino as entrees. Every morsel was delicious. Perfectly sized portions. And the kitkat dessert was as expected... totally yummy!
Two words: chocolate. bar. If this review were based on the chocolate bar alone, it would be 10 stars.
Ok now for the rest...one of the first things I noticed was how LOUD the place was. We had trouble hearing each other at our table, and the noise was a bit disturbing.
That aside, the food is VERY good. Our table of three split three appetizers and two entrees plus the french fries on the side, and it was a perfect way to eat, since we were all able to try each different thing (and in healthy portions!). We had the cheese puffs, which along with the chocolate bar should just be a given on everyone's list, the goat cheese and spinach torte, and the mushroom risotto. One of my dining companions remarked that she could easily just eat the mushroom risotto as her entree, not sure I'd go that far, but it was delicious.
For our entrees we did the steak au poivre and the scallops. I'm a huge fan of the steak, and the accompaniment, onion carbonara. Normally I'm not a scallop person, and even really great ones are just meh to me, but I would say that Central's are among the best if you're a fan! Last but not least, the fries were good, but coming after the fries I had at Gordon Biersch this weekend, I'd have to say these don't really compare.
for price to quality ratio this is as good as it gets in DC. Food is absolutely outstanding. Below is everything we had, and each item was better then the previous
Cheese Puffs - a must have
French Onion Soup - perfect
Mixed Greens Salad - dressing is light but a ton of flavor
Bacon Cheeseburger
Grilled Salmon w/ Lentils
Side of Mac and Cheese - BEST MAC AND CHEESE I HAVE EVER HAD!!!!!! Still having dreams about it
Micheles Chocolate Bar - truly tastes like a kit kat, kinda. A fancier better kit kat
1 Glass of Shiraz and 1 Draft beer
total including tip - $125.00
unbeatable!
it is a nice place, but I think a tad overrated. The burger was good, and so was the fish I had a bit of from my friends plate. But it was really pricey, and loud, and well...boring.
ah well.
Okay...to be fair I had a 9:00pm dinner reservation and I know, I know when you eat that late the food isn't whatever and whatever.
We arrived a little before 9:00pm and even with a reservation we had to stand near where people stand near the bar for twenty eight minutes before a table was ready.
The dinning experience: Imagine your at Gravelly Point and those airplanes flying overhead, well it is just a little bit louder than that. I really wanted to try the Floris Apple Belgium beer and they were completely out, the food was alright, and the service was atrocious.
I would've rather gone to Les Halles had it still been open.
I really wish Yelp had half stars because although I absolutely loved this place, I'd like to reserve 5 stars for those restaurant experiences where there is a stand out dish that is unforgettable. Basically, if after a week, I can still vividly remember exactly how the dish tasted. And I guess that is why I would give this place 4 1/2 stars if I could. Although I loved it, I had go back onto the restaurant's website to remember what I ate. I remembered it was good but I couldn't for the life of me remember what kind of meat I had. Anyways, enough background info.
I came here on a date night with my significant other. The place was full but not uncomfortably so.
We started out with the cheese puffs which were recommended by our server. I can see why they are known for them. They were very good indeed. Small bit sized warm pastries with cheese. How can they not be good? Pastry was warm and fluffy. Yum. However, I will say that they were not as good when they got cold. But no matter. I would order those again.
We then ordered an appetizer of oysters. We got six oysters. Two of three kinds. I like that set up. It was perfect for a date. One for me and one for him. Oyster were fresh and very yummy.
Then we ordered the french onion soup. And boy, was it a hearty portion of french onion soup. I am not sure if it was because I haven't had french onion soup in a year but it was excellent. The soup itself had a very good balance of carmelized onion flavor and wine. The cheese on top was thick but not overwhelming. I am a cheese fan so the more cheese, the better.
As for the entree, after consulting the menu online, I remembered I had the grilled sea bass. Now, here is why I went over the top with the five stars. The wild mushrooms and the greens that came with the sea bass was to die for, especially the greens. I am annoyed that I can't figure out exactly what kind of greens they were but they had the perfect amount of dressing on them and had a healthy portion of Parmesan shaving. Oh yum.
My date had the beef cheeks that came with homemade pasta and a squashed yam stuff. I was so stuffed that I only had a bite of his beef. And it was very very good. Very tender and from what he told me, the dish was perfectly made because the sauce that came with the beef was super hearty while the side with the pasta was light = very good balance.
I really liked this restaurant. Like other yelpers have mentioned, the prices are reasonable for the food that you are getting. The service was spectacular. The ambiance and the set up of the restaurant was perfect. The tables weren't squished together and the restaurant had high ceilings = you can have a nice romantic conversation. I would definitely recommend this place and come again the next time I am in DC.
I came here for my birthday a few years ago. The overall atmosphere was loud and busy but I didn't mind because we had a big party. One of my friends ran late and the hostess was great about seating us on time anyway. Had a glass of wine followed by the country pate for appetizer. Boy it was delicious. Just liver-y and filled with spices like you think a pate should be. My friend had the tartare of filet and fries. I was jealous. Let me say that if you like tartare, this will be up your alley.
My main course was the braised beef cheeks with tagliatelle which was the first disappointment of the night. EVERY piece of food on my plate was over salted. From the beef (which was tender and flavorful) to the tagliatelle (which was actually overcooked). I actually ended up taking most of it home and then not eating it because...oh yeah it's still salty.
Desert was good but forgettable. I had the chocolate bar, which is supposed to taste like a Kit-Kat bar. It did in some ways resemble the crispy texture and chocolate of the Kit-Kat. Pretty good. My friend had another desert and the bite that I took was good but I don't even remember what it was--plain enough for you?
In anycase, I don't mean to sound negative, just that with such great expectations behind the restaurant, I wanted better controlled food.
Few of us have the resources to visit Citronelle often (or at all, for that matter) so with it's gentle pricing, it's worth it to pay a visit to Central just to get an idea of Michel Richard's artistry; he is the master at making one thing appear like another (although it is a bit creepy seeing his face all over the place.)
On my most recent visit, the onion carbonara that accompanied the cooked as requested hangar steak au poivre, had all the appearances of the pasta version (but quite a different taste). Other standouts on his regular menu include the lobster burger, the silky smoothe faux gras (chicken liver rather than the usual duck liver pate), and fried chicken.
In addition to some of the best service in DC, they have a great, long bar with a large selection of absinthes (Kubler, Lucid, Pernod, etc) and three draft beers including Old Speckled Hen, and Blusser Plisner from Belgium, a DC exclusive.
I don't think I've ever had a meal in DC that was quite as good as my dinner at Central Michel Richard. It was a truly memorable evening, from the service, to the food, to the ambience.
The service: Our waiter was a darling french man who guided us through the menu (I think he was appreciative of the fact that my friend and I were clearly foodies and were clearly ready to get our eat on.) He was very friendly--borderline jolly. I was feeling it.
The food: Please order the mozzarella burrata appetizer. Your mouth will thank you. It's absolutely amazing, dare I say orgasmic. I have never had anything like it. Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it. I'm not ashamed to admit that.
The lobster burger is as good as everyone says it is. Central is known for it, and for good reason. Delicious, moist, and super filling.
The ambience: To be honest I was expecting stodgy DC pretentiousness. Instead, I got a laid back New York vibe, with a touch of elegance. Perfect.
Go to Central. It's perfect for a date, or a night out with friends. And the prices aren't bad, considering the quality of food.
Came here for lunch. The lobster burger was incredible.
A great special occasion restaurant with great food! The chocolate mousse is amazing!
3.4*
We sat right next to the kitchen, and every dish looked good.
The entrees were huge (at least to me) and we were stuffed. Service was so-so, the faux gras was okay, the fried softshell crab was greasy, and the fish was good. The kit kat bar was very rich. If you want somewhat of a pricey homey / comfort food, this is a good place.
Michel Richard is one of the best things to ever happen to DC. I love Central because it's so reasonably priced that it makes his creations accessible. Citronelle is for a very special occasion, but Central is perfect for a nice date or a birthday or taking parents out.
I love really simple comfort food, and this is just that done to absolute Michele Richard style perfection. Maybe you're thinking, "why would I pay this much for roast chicken and mac and cheese? Couldn't I get this at Boston Market?" Yes, and it would probably taste pretty good, but if you think THAT is good, oh boy, wait until you try Central.
Glass of wine + creamed spinach + rotisserie chicken + famous chocolate bar = last meal worthy heaven. The perfect meal for a cold, rainy day like today!
Stop 5 on my quest to eat at 20 of the top 20 in 2010. 'Have to say, based on friday's visit, it was just 3 stars. The wine was fantastic -- a blackberryish Barbera. I'm finding that what distinguishes the better DC restaurants is not the food, but the service and the wine list. This place was no exception. I ordered the filet mignon tartare. The tartare had obviously been pre-made and tasted of Dijon mustard and relish. It tasted like no one cared enough to put any time, effort, or even thought into it. And Michel Richard was sitting right there in the lounge! Service was attentive, brisk, and very professional (in a good way). The environment was bright, crowded, and noisy. I'd advocate taking the lights down just a bit. Given it's reputation, I'll go again and order something else, because I really like the concept, just not this night's execution.
I went to Central about two weeks after it first opened and for a number of reasons I didn't walk away too impressed. The lobster burger seemed overpriced and not as good as advertised and all in all nothing really stood out.
Fast forward to now.
Love it! As many of you may know I'm a huge fan of the Hitching Post and their fried chicken so it pains me to say this, but the fried chicken at Central is by far the best I've ever had. Hands down, no contest. If you've never been here before I STRONGLY suggest going with the fried chicken. Holy delicious. For apps we had the faux gras and the tomato and burrata, both of which were very good. I love how the tomatos are prepared, a bit different but super delicious. Everyone else at the table was oohing and ahhing at their entrees and when the banana split dessert came everyone at the table agreed this was the best banana split they've ever had.
Service is above average but not exceptional. No matter, it's more than adequate to get the job done and as with all restaurants I'm sure it varies by server.
Central gets the Marc H. stamp of approval.
I'm just gonna put this out there RIGHT NOW: This is going to be a skewed review.
As we all know, a restaurant experience can vary from one meal to the next. It's the sign of an excellent kitchen staff when that's minimized & the quality is still above par. But an even greater variance to your experience is the wait staff. The same waiter can vary from one table to the next if their personalities clash with the patron's. And despite the best intentions of any critic, an excellent waitperson can influence your perceptions of the food itself. I had such an experience so I'll willingly admit YMMV.
We walked in & told the hostess that we didn't have a reservation, & she told us that they were completely booked, but that the bar & cocktail area might have a seat available. So she walked with us around the area trying to find a spot for us to sit. Already we were off to a good start. She highlighted a couple of options for us & pointed out a couple of people that were waiting for their reservations to open up who would probably be getting up shortly. We found a cozy seat by the door & made ourselves comfortable.
We browsed the drink menus. It had been a warm day, so I decided a good, crisp wine would nice. I noticed a Rosé & a Riesling on the menu that looked good, but wasn't sure if the Riesling would be too sweet. After we met our waiter, Brian, I threw him my 1st question of the evening. He responded with consternation that the Riesling was on the sweet side, somehow instinctively knowing that a sweet Riesling wasn't what I was after. The Rosé (a Grenache-Syrah blend) arrived shortly after & was just right. My wife claimed the chardonnay she ordered perfect. I can't comment. I hate those things. :)
As we perused the menu I saw a few things that caught my eye from other reviews. Most notably the Cheese Puffs & the 'Faux Gras' (note faux not foie, they take foie gras & insert chicken liver mousse IIRC). I pointed this out to my wife who worried that it was too much food for an appetizer. So I gave Brian his 2nd challenge. He informed us without batting an eye that it wasn't too much food for an appetizer at all, & in fact, putting the 'Faux Gras' on the Cheese Puffs was definitely something to be experienced.
While I had him there, I asked him if he had any favorite dishes or if there were any crowd favorites. He said the Braised Beef Cheeks with Tagliatelle were one of his favorites and popular.
I decided to go the beef cheeks, while my wife decided to order her "restaurant gauger" item, the mussels.
The Duck Rillette & Faux Gras Terrine charcuterie & the Cheese Puffs arrived & boy, was he right. Spreading the faux gras on the cheese puffs was almost too indulgent. The Cheese Puffs were these small, bready, cheesy balls of goodness & the Duck Rillette was like a pulled duck meets pate & was well spiced and great on the accompanied hard bread & the Faux Gras was a mousse-like spread which was insanely rich & tasted good on almost anything.
Brian appeared & asked if we'd like refills of our wine or if we'd like something to go with our meals. I confessed that I would love a wine to go with my dish, but without the wine list I wasn't sure what to order.
NOTE! This was the turning point from where he was simply a good waiter to an amazing waiter. He asked me seriously, "Do you trust me?" To which I responded hesitantly, "I guess so." and he asked my wife if she'd like a wine to go with her dish as well & she also agreed.
We weren't able to finish the Faux Gras but I felt silly asking for a leftover container (there were perhaps two tablespoons worth left). He completely understood & took my request completely seriously & snapped to take care of it. We were now quite excited about our upcoming courses.
The dishes came out & they were everything we'd hoped for. The beef cheeks were tender enough to cut without a knife, and when combined with the mashed carrots and tagliatelle offered a wonderful combination of sweet and savory. The mussels were, quite simply, awesome. More specifically, the white wine broth they were in was. By the end of the meal we asked for another serving of bread simply to mop up the broth with. And the wine that we were entrusting Brian to select? Perfect. Just perfect. I had a Italian Barbera that wonderful complimented the meatiness of my dish & the flavor of it just lingered on and on, on my tongue. My wife received an Auxerrois from Oregon that cut the butteriness of the broth wonderfully.
When he came around to inquire about dessert, we told him that we were full, but at this point we trusted him completely and if he told us there was a dessert we just had to try, we'd listen. He suggested Michel's Chocolate Bar, which he compared to a large, luxurious Kit-Kat. We agreed and he returned with the dessert and two glasses of a Late Harvest Syrah with his compliments.
Is it any wonder we loved everything? Really?
Central is consistently good and reasonably priced for what it is - a rare combination in DC!! Also, we've been able to drop in randomly without a reservation on a couple Friday evenings and score a table, which was great (but we went before 6 or after 8.30).
Service is generally mediocre. The drinks here are stiff!! Good and/but super strong. The cheese puffs are delicious - does that even need to be repeated? - but I will say, the ones at Adour blow Central's out of the water (though the rest of Adour was just ok). The tomato burrata salad was very good (orgasmic? No). The fried chicken and the burger are both really fantastic, and the shrimp burger phenomenal. I love the tuile they put in there - the thin crisp really adds a good textural element, and the burger was just wonderful. I was afraid it would taste kind of shrimpy, but the seasoning was spot-on and no sir, it was not too shrimpy at all. The chocolate bar dessert was fine but frankly I had expected more after all the reviews. Of course, I might have underappreciated it a little due to the ridiculous amount of food I had just consumed.
Did I mention they make a stiff drink?
Overall good but 5 stars? I must not have ordered what they did.
It's a beautiful place and the service was timely and helpful. The restaurant manager made his rounds and struck up a conversation. He was funny and engaging. The server went through a number of menu items and made a few suggestions. She said that the restaurant was known for the lobster burgers but I chose against them. I just wasn't in the mood for lobster and she said that her personal favorite was the beef cheeks. That was on my short list anyway so I went for it.
When I have a really good meal - especially after a long week - it seems to lighten my mood. I savor everything and squirm in my chair. I roll my eyes and pester the chef for hints about the recipe. If the meal is off of the charts then I might cheat and grab something from the dessert menu. By the way, that's my litmus test for whether a great restaurant gets 4 or 5 stars. Unfortunately, none of that happened. No squirming, no discussion with the chef, no calorie and guilt laden creation. Nope just "Check please."
The beef cheeks were good. They were tender and simple. I realize braising requires a lot of effort so the chef gets kudos for that. They were technically very well done but something wasn't there. I also know that you red meat purists out there believe that a good cut of well prepared beef doesn't need much in the way of seasoning. If you're the type that only uses salt and pepper on a piece of beef, then order the dish. It's well prepared and ideal for your palate. If you want surprising flavors with hints of this and dashes of that, walk back outside onto Pennsylvania Ave and look behind door #2.
Enjoy!
Excellent! There's a reason everyone raves about Central and it's because the food is AMAZING! I went with the suggestions of many others and got the burger with cheese and bacon. Best burger I've ever had hands down. It was cooked perfectly, melted in my mouth, the cheese oozing down the edges, yum! I also tried the cheese puffs which were great too. All of my friends liked their dishes too: mussels, shrimp burger and lamb shank. For dessert we tried the candy bar and molten lava cake. Loved them both.
The decor is pretty simple not too over the top. I like the open kitchen and that you can watch the chefs in action. Our waitress was nice too. She let us take our time and was knowledgeable about the dishes. The only negative point about Central is the noise. It's very noisy so if you're looking for a place to have a lot of conversation this isn't the place.
Before I went to a show at National Theater I went here for a nice dinner. Everything was as nice as I expected, and would certainly come here again. The cheese puffs where nice a fluffy, the french onion soup was rich in flavor, and the Michel's Chocolate Bar at the end was a highlight. I also had the house made grapefruit soda which was delicious. The only thing I wasn't all over was my entree--Filet Minon TarTar---it was SO rich, and a very healthy portion. It was good, but something I would rather have in the future as an appetizer. The others at my table raved about their roasted chicken and burger. This is a sure stop in the future.
Power lunch. Or...just power through lunch, with gusto, which is difficult not to do with the absolutely delicious sandwiches served at Central. Joining Chris W and Brandon B here for lunch, I ordered the chicken and lemon sandwich.
Formula for nirvana: chopped chicken burger patty, house-made lemon mayo, a tomato slice, and two potato tuiles (these amazing, thin and crispy potato wafers) between a fresh bun. This little sandwich packed so much flavor and the potato tuiles provided this unique crunchy texture to each bite that I just didn't want my lunch to end. Add on a modest serving of house made fries and I was a happy camper.
I went to Central...by myself. Yes, by myself with a book. Because I have no friends. Be my friend?
Actually, I went by myself on a whim because I'm a bum. I went in the middle of the afternoon on a Wednesday and my friends are hard working grunts who can't take long lunch breaks. Onto the food!
Gougeres: Excellent and cheesey as everyone says. But let's be honest. Are these better than ones you can make yourself? They are not. And I say this as someone who made and then froze 60 gougeres. That's right. I have gougeres stashed in my freezer in cash of unexpected company. The best thing that I can say about these is that you get enough for sharing and it's not horribly expensive. So I say get these to share! And then order your own appetizer on top of that! Or not. I like to eat. I did polish off the entire serving they gave me by myself.
Lamb Shank: Delicious! Super creamy corn polenta! Super tender lamb! And large! Large! I brought home left overs! No complaints here.
Chocolate Bar: Also known as the kit kat bar. Equally delicious! I am a fan of hazelnut ice cream all around.
This is a solid restaurant with decent prices. The quality of the food I got was excellent and not really that expensive compared to other places. You can get away with a main dish for under $25...and you don't really need an appetizer or dessert. But do it anyways. Because, delicious!
As a sdie mention, as delicious as this place is, it is NOT a romantic dinner with your significant other for a special evening. It is loud in here. You are seated relatively close to other parties. Come here with your significant other just for a good dinner, but not if you plan on wooing her with flowers and a ring.
Made a reservation the day before, and stepped in for a quick bite before catching the Capitol Steps performance last Friday, with his parents. Since we had stuffed ourselves just a few hours before at brunch, but would be unable to eat until after the performance, I had three appetizers which I thought of as "first dinner" in the Hobbit tradition.
The pate was good, but rustic in every sense of the word. The bread was thickly cut, toasted, and with big holes -- what one could call a "rustic loaf". The pate itself was not spreadable in the slightest; it had big chunks of what looked like a dried sausage smushed in with the offal -- like what I would imagine getting in a Provencal farmhouse. The most refined thing on the plate was probably the mustard, which was smooth and delicious (with the pate).
The ceviche appetizer was a treat to behold -- a little square bowl nested in a huge bowl of ice. There was some jicama for crunch, some corn for visual accent, and big chunks of some high quality, fresh white fish. I don't remember ceviche dressing being so creamy or the pieces of fish quite so large (two bites if you have a small mouth), but it was very tasty.
The gougeres (cheese puffs) are better than what I make at home. This is the highest praise that I can give. Everyone should order the cheese puffs! At $7 (or $8?) there's enough for a table to share.
I'm saving the last star for a review of a full meal, but a great experience all around.
I finally had the chance to come up for air after a month on my new job and was lucky enough to breathe in all that is Central... Comfort food at its best...
It's not cheap but it's definitely not Citronelle either! So it's a great way to get a taste of what Michel Richard does without breaking your budget for the entire month.
We went in on a Tuesday night around 7pm and were lucky enough to score a table without reservations! I had the Tagliatelli Bolognese... fantastic. A glass of Malbec and I was in comfort food heaven.
My friends had the crab cake and the burger... and both looked divine... I'm a transplant from SF, so I guess one could say I know food... and Central lives up. Food. Service. Ambiance.
Still roaring loud and packed until all hours, even on a monday - Central remains a perfectly decadent spot to soak up more than your daily caloric intake. Every dish is a veritable finger-licking heart attack. And I adore it. You know you're going to get something amazingly worthwhile. Husband and I stopped by late last week for some fizzy drinks and desserts and found the place just as we left it. I recommend the Kit Kat Bar as always, and we've added a new fave in the bread pudding. It's creamy, cinnamony and absolutely delish. Once again we heard too much from the tables to either side of us but for a social and fun night out this is tops.
LOUD!!!!
I'll make this review short and sweet. It's a packed room, cramped and cacophonous. You'll…
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Very pretentious service. That's right -- that's the best way I can describe it -- pretentious service.
Go to the Source instead.
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