1978. A small garage is renovated into a quaint restaurant. The single-digit staff is not classically trained in the art of restaurants. Now almost 45 years later, it is the Inn at Little Washington. 3 Michelin Stars, 5-Star Forbes rating, 5 Diamond rating from AAA. The longest-standing 5-Star property on the planet. Chef Patrick O'Connell built a name and empire out of nothing.
The story is widely known, but for those who haven’t heard the story it's fascinating and a brilliant dive in its own right. An hour outside of Washington, D.C. the supply chain of the 70s didn’t have the ability to reach its arms wide and hold the little inn. Out of necessity, Chef O’Connel built relationships with the surrounding farmers to be able to supply the farm. The challenge with doing this is the inability to receive consistent products. Changing and adapting menus daily in order to utilize what was available was the cutting edge of the culinary arts. And then and there it was done not out of trendy sleekness, but instead as a necessary product of its environment.
With an empire whose reach sees all, a pilgrimage must be made once in a lifetime to experience greatness. My night was not an evented one, no anniversary or occasion except the simple celebration of food. I was being hosted by my partner’s parents as a small treat to visit her. Sofia, my partner, was in the middle of a final internship for a Baking and Pastry Arts degree. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A chance to make a mark on a short bucket list of musts.
I arrived before my hosts and was stunned on my first step in. Victorian-style decorations were laid all about in the lobby. A small area that was completely filled with décor that transports you to the Gilded Age. I checked in with the hostess who asked if I’d like to wait in the lobby or the lounge. Intrigued and itching to explore I took up her offer to wait more comfortably with a drink in hand.
I was led through a small bar a given a cute table in the lounge. All throughout, mind you, there are plants, paintings, mirrors, and sprawling designs on every banister, lamp, and across every inch of the ceiling. The gentleman who escorted me gave me a drinks menu to peruse while I waited. I flipped through a few pages until I settled on the mocktail menu. “Almondine Spritz.” The fizzy cocktail was brilliant. It was an Almondine tea-based cocktail with savory rosemary balanced with lemon.
After my hosts arrived we were treated to truffle popcorn. The server brought us the signature Inn at Little Washington popcorn boxes and grated truffle lounge-side. After a few minutes of snacking, we were given a basket of gougeres. The overflowing, still-warm bowl was filled with cheesy and chivey treats to enjoy.
Our snacks were enjoyed merrily as we chatted, and after a short while, we were escorted through the dining room to our table. We sat and were presented a small packet that detailed some information about the property and the menus of choice: “The Gastronaut” or “The Good Earth.” The former is the typical tasting menu at the inn, with the astounding culinary creations of Chef O’Connell. The latter is a hat thrown into the ring of a new era of dining, an entirely vegetarian option. I took on the challenge of the plant-based menu.
The rest of the night was a 10-round bout of some of the best food found anywhere. Our night started with a quick amuse bouche of potato chip “cannolis.” They were filled on the inside with mild pimento cheese and had adorable chives on their ends (it was quite cute in mimicking a real cannoli).
Next up there was another amuse-bouche, the inn’s classic egg custard with caviar. There was a light cheese foam here on top. One of the best part, the custard was served inside a perfectly cut egg sat inside a tiny nest. It was creamy and salty and savory – always a good start to dinner.
Then, we were surprised with a third amuse bouche: an oyster chowder topped with osetra caviar. A large poached oyster sat in the center of a light chowder broth. No chunks to be found here, but the creamy chowder richness came through. The caviar acted as a great seasoning and extra texture to help balance out the bites.
Next, sesame glazed tofu sat on top of rice noodles with cucumber sorbet and cucumber pico de gallo. There's a real skill in being able to pull off such a simple dish. A plain cucumber sorbet not too sweet or overpowering. The pico was perfectly diced to an exact even size. Tofu that is both soft and crispy yet glazed with sauce. I might be geeking out, but to me, one of the most impressive things is perfecting the fine details.
Our next course was glazed white asparagus with truffle puree and a brown butter vinaigrette. The server let me know that it was the newest change to the menu. As an ode to seasonality, white asparagus is one of the first and earliest popups in the new year, very mild in flavor but with great texture.
Our next course was a vegetarian carbonara. The depth and richness of guanciale are hard to reproduce without it. But the pasta was light and rich with texture and creaminess. It was capped off with a delicate crunch of celeryroot chips and casual truffle.
For my main course, I had a “Filet of Beet” au poivre. The climax of the night. The dish was set up like a traditional steakhouse filet. The beet itself was roasted and seared with a cragged pepper crust. It had thin onion strings over top, a vegetable-based demiglace and a horseradish cream. To the side was a small pastry boat filled with creamed spinach. But the real star was a small dish of scalloped potatoes.
By now we were full but continued onwards. We took a quick stop for a champagne granite with blackberry sorbet. For my dessert, I got to enjoy a lemon-merengue tart with pistachio crumble and a blackberry-lemon frozen yogurt. Oh, and of course, gold foil on top. My drink of choice here was a simple white tea. But, the tea list was massive. Some of the most diverse selections I have ever seen.
Our night ended with some light chocolate presented as a giant bar and cracked tableside. And this adorable take-home replica of the inn filled with goodies and treats.
The whole night was a whirlwind of delicious food and friendly faces. I did this restaurant review a little differently than I normally do. It was an awesome experience that is completely different than what I normally do and enjoy. It truly is worthy of all of its praise. With the highest quality of food and service and luxury beyond belief, The Inn at Little Washington is the pinnacle of farm-to-table cooking.
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