The Scene

The Lafayette is an elegant refined, and quiet, perfect for a breakfast meeting or breakfast date. (Yes breakfast dates are a thing!) White tablecloths, excellent service, and a display of breakfast pastries make for a great backdrop for conversation. It’s also a wonderful venue for dining if you are visiting DC and want to check out one of the city’s best fine dining options.

The Food

There are so many tempting choices on The Lafayette’s breakfast menu, you will have a hard time picking just one item! Definitely start with a pastry: the cranberry bread is rustic and earthy, the almond pastry is sweet and buttery, and the scones are dense and savory. Then, move on to an entree. The eggs benedict are smothered in an oh-so-creamy hollandaise sauce, and the bagel comes with a perfectly boiled egg, tomatoes, capers, and cream cheese. For something truly decadent, get the oatmeal souffle. It has a crisp top and gooey, melted center that is reminiscent of cookie dough. The smooth berry sauce on the side is bright, sweet and tart. Be sure to enjoy the restaurant’s coffee and one of their wonderful fresh squeezed juices: the watermelon juice is especially addictively refreshing.

The Lafayette: Verdict

The Lafayette offers a breakfast that is bound to impressive anyone. Make sure you have a reservation; the restaurant is well-known for its good food and it is often completely booked, even for breakfast.

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Dining Traveler Guide to Fine Dining in Washington, DC:

Oval Room:  The Oval Room, just steps from the White House, is one of my favorite restaurants. It’s the perfect place for a special occasion dinner. I also love going there for a late lunch for their $20 bar lunch special.  Executive Chef John Melfi always prepares the most beautiful dishes.  Think crispy salmon skin presented with roasted beets, warm chestnut volute, and house made pasta with black truffle garnish.  Oval Room: 800 Connecticut Ave, Washington, DC 20017

Casa Luca:  As temperatures drop, there’s nothing more comforting than a hearty plate of pasta.  At this stylish Downtown restaurant, Chef Erin Clarke makes a beautiful homemade pappardelle and gnocchi laced with a rich wild boar ragu. Clarke then tops off this gorgeous dish with freshly sliced truffles that take you on a culinary journey to Italy. Casa Luca: 1099 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001

 1789:  This Georgetown restaurant is the epitome of fine dining in Washington, DC. Its cozy décor reminds me of a gasthaus in Germany with wooden furniture and warm colors. Most recently, I had the chance to indulge in Chef Samuel Kim inventive fall menu (think venison loin, guinea hen and warm baked apple stuffed with walnuts). 1789 Restaurant:  1226 36th St NW, Washington, DC 20007, United States

The Lafayette Restaurant:  If you are looking for the ultimate luxurious dining experience, book a table at The Lafayette Restaurant at the Hay Adams Hotel. It has crisp white linens, delicate crystal chandeliers and an attentive wait staff. There, Chef Jaime Montes de Oca cooks smoked squab with Sicilian pistachio puree, candied figs and lemon thyme. The sweet figs with the smoked squab pairs perfectly. The Lafayette Restaurant, 800 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006. 

Blue Duck Tavern:  There’s a reason why this restaurant is one of the top picks when it comes to fine dining in Washington, DC.  There’s an impeccable attention to detail in everything they make-the restaurant even makes its own butter, buttermilk, and even some of its cheese.  The culinary team always takes the dishes to the next level.  Although dinner is beautifully decadent, I believe their best kept secret is their breakfast.  With its freshly pressed juices, smoked salmon and truffled eggs, it’s the perfect way to start the day.  Blue Duck Tavern: 1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC 20037

Fiola:  When you step into Fiola, you are taken by the gorgeous dining room with rustic walls which remind you of being in a château cellar in Italy.  The wait staff is impeccably dressed in tailored white jackets and sharp neckties.  Even if you indulge in their delicious pasta, make sure to save room for dessert!  I had their candied pumpkin rolled in espresso and sugar. Amazing!  Fiola: 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

701:  Although 701 is known as a business restaurant, it is a hidden gem of fine dining in Washington, DC.  Executive Chef Ben Lambert brings amazing creativity to its menu with dishes such as savory carrot funnel cake or lobster bucatini (my favorite).  The restaurant was recently renovated, the highlight is the installation of the cracked gold eggs designed by Martin Vahtra.  701 Restaurant: 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

Muze at Mandarin Oriental:   I recently dined at Muze in good company: had the opportunity to sit alongside Michelin Star Chef Michel Roux as he promoted his new book, The Essence of French Cooking.  There, I really got to see the magic that happens behind the scenes at Muze, all withthe top-notch service that the Mandarin Oriental brand is known for.  With its inconspicuous location married with some of the best views of the city, the Mandarin Oriental makes a great fine dining escape, even if it’s just for lunch.

The fact you can take a post-dinner stroll by the White House or the National Portrait Gallery or wander through Georgetown after indulging in the perfect meal makes the city a beautiful setting for a special occasion dinner.  Whether it is Valentine’s Day, a birthday, anniversary, or a professional achievement, there’s plenty of places to choose from.  What is your favorite place for fine dining in Washington, DC?

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Cocktail Hour at the Blue Duck Tavern Bar

It is easy to indulge in one of the many cocktails such as the “West Side Royal” with St. George Terroir, cucumber, lime and mint simple syrup. It will make you feel as if summer is still here with its citrusy crisp flavor.  If you are into a deeper, fall taste, reach out for the “The Best of Everything” with Laphroaig, Hennessy VS, and Bual Madeira Lemon Bitters.  This is not a place to go for a quick cocktail. Everything on the menu is carefully crafted, perfect for sitting back on their leather chairs and catch up with friends or reward yourself after a tough week at work with a solo drink. No, there’s nothing wrong with drinking alone! 

You know a restaurant takes their cheese seriously when it enlists a cheese specialist to its staff.  At the Blue Duck Tavern bar, you can spot Sophie Slesinger, a renowned dairy expert at the lounge among the selection of cheese that she hand picks mostly from the mid-Atlantic.  There is also an exquisite selection of charcuterie and breads.  She not only curates the cheese, but also makes butter and buttermilk in-house for the dining menu. When one sees cheese, the automatic reaction is to think wine, but the cheese plate paired very well with the cocktails as well.

The last few months have been a blur with travel, a new home, and getting into the swing of my new schedule. However, it is key to find time to unwind, whether it is alone or to catch up with a friend. The space at the Blue Duck Tavern bar provides just that.  I find inspiration both in the crowded room or when the silent lounge.  Are you a fan of hotel bars? Which one is your favorite?  Dining Traveler Tip: Check out my previous post about the Blue Duck Tavern Fall Menu. 

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Q&A WITH CHEF/OWNER TIM MA OF TIM MA RESTAURANT GROUP:

Water & Wall, Gather + Feast, Chase the Submarine (Opening September 2015), & DC Restaurant (Fall/Winter 2015)

You were an Engineer before becoming a chef. Do you find that your prior career has helped you become a better chef?

Yes, my prior career definitely helped me become a better chef, but even more importantly, a better owner and overall businessman.  Especially when it comes to the organizational aspects of running a business.  Mise en place is one thing, but to understand the business inside and out has truly helped me be more efficient with my time because being a chef and an owner are two separate things.

You mentioned you and your wife, Joey Hernandez-Ma wrote your first menu in St. Thomas while you lived there.  How did travel inspire your creative process?

Watching beautiful fresh fish constantly come through the back door of the kitchen I was working at while in St. Thomas is something I will never forget.  It was witnessing the ultimate level of freshness.  Looking back on our experiences in St. Thomas, I find that most people are creative in times of quiet and being in St. Thomas is very creatively quiet.  We didn’t have much to overthink while we were there because there were no other distractions.  It was peaceful, quiet, and an important time for us to reflect – especially for me after completing culinary school in NYC.  We didn’t really have to worry about anything—designing menus, raising kids, etc. We would just show up at the restaurant and work.

Your parents are Chinese and you grew up in a Chinese restaurant.  Tell us more how you incorporate that into your modern American menu.

I really enjoy taking aspects of the food I ate growing up and the restaurant that my parents ran and further elevating the dishes into creative new twists that my parents and uncle roll their eyes at.  I think that is the best way to put it actually. Not as a dishonor or anything to them, but more as a way for me to push myself and create something completely new and unique and explore it in my own way instead of ways that are dictated to me.

If you could open a restaurant outside the United States, where would it be? Why that location?

Definitely St. Thomas. It’s the place that inspired what we have built restaurant-wise here in Virginia – our home. It’s a chapter in our lives that’s very nostalgic. The calm before the culinary storm. Who doesn’t want to cook on an island! It was pretty wild to see chefs from some of the most celebrated restaurants all over the world showing up in kitchens throughout St. Thomas for so many reasons – some to take time off, some to refocus, some to reconfirm their love and passion for the culinary arts, and some like Joey and I looking to create a new culinary chapter.

Water & Wall has partnered up with Fortessa to raise funds for Capital Food Bank. Can you tell us how you became involved in the charity?

We have been such big fans of Fortessa since it first launched — and we’ve have literally grown as Fortessa has grown throughout the past few years. It started as a hidden gem and now it has become such a significant staple in the hospitality world. They are growing outside their box, which is exactly what we are doing, so we look forward to continuing our relationship with this exciting brand. It was also Fortessa that put us in touch with Capital Area Food Bank through this initiative.  Joey and I have always believed in the importance of giving back to our community, and Capital Area Food Bank is such a worthy and important cause. Anything we can do to bring additional attention to their mission of giving communities access to quality and healthy food, is something we take very seriously and are honored to be involved in.

This post was a sponsored by Fortessa in order to promote their #FindingFortessa campaign.  Fortessa is a maker of restaurant grade tableware and works with many restaurants nationwide.  Fortessa is donating $5 to a selection of regional food charities such as Capital Food Bank for each photo tagged #FindingFortessa from participating restaurants. 

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