THE BEST DINING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE

Welcome!

Thanks for joining me today.

If you have been following along with me lately, you may know that I have just returned from a epic adventure to the east coast that included what I believe to be the best dining experience of my life.  It took place at The Inn at Little Washington…

the acclaimed inn and dining institution with so many awards I’d bore you with the list.

This sumptuous hideaway and culinary empire, located an hour and a half from Washington, DC, will go down in my personal record book as #1 on all counts.

Although one can hobnob here with media moguls, politicians, Hollywood celebs and business powerhouses, The Inn at Little Washington remains a place where anyone willing to pay the price ( dinner will set you back a minimum of $200.00 per person) will be treated equally to the stellar service and unparallelled cuisine. In fact, you are made to feel like you are dining in a private home, a very nice private home mind you, but one completely lacking in stuffiness.

The highly lauded Chef and inn proprietor, Patrick O’Connell, not only presides over a beautiful kitchen…

he also presides over his own kitchen garden that produces fresh produce and herbs for his celebrated dishes.  Both he, his staff and the garden scarecrow sport dalmatian-print aprons, a homage to two beloved Dalmatian dogs that I understand used to wear pearls as they greeted guests.

We stayed at the inn the night of my husband Brad’s birthday.

And, while I had longed to experience the Inn at Little Washington for years, I actually worried that choosing this place as the locale for his birthday might be setting us up for disappoint instead of celebration.  You see, last year I planned a trip to Yosemite for his birthday and it proved disastrous, so I couldn’t afford another birthday debacle.  The fear about finally going to a celebrated place like The Inn at Little Washington is that it wouldn’t live up to one’s highly anticipated expectations.  Well, I’m happy to report that it did just that and more.  This place, called “a shrine for the world’s foodies,” was so perfect in every way that I can say with all sincerity that it was the best dining experience of my life.  In fact, Patrick O’Connell knows that his guests might harbor the same fears that I did, so as it states in his brochures, he makes it his business to live up to all of the seemingly impossible expectations held by bucket-listers like me. We were told that he considers it his business to make his guest’s dreams come true.  So, now that my dream has become a reality, I can very happily check this place off my bucket list, although I would love to return someday.

When we first arrived at the inn, I took a stroll through the dining room and noticed a table that looked cozy and comfortable.  I asked if they would seat us there and, sure enough, when we arrived later that evening for dinner we were led to this very table…

dressed with this lovely little flower arrangement.

We had purchased a $1,150.00 package that included our accommodations, afternoon tea, dinner and breakfast.  Our dinner was a six course affair that allowed us to choose from the A La Carte Menu, normally priced at $165.00 per person. For $285.00 per person one can partake in the The Gastronaut’s Menu, a 10 course affair that we observed being enjoyed at the neighboring table. While it looked amazing, there is no way we could have consumed that quantity of food. The meal started with this lovely little plate of amuse-bouches.  I didn’t write down what they were so, while my mind can’t recall their exact descriptions, my taste buds recall their deliciousness. There were bites of watermelon with goat cheese, crispy pork tidbits and little rolls of crisp potato stuffed with something wonderful (I don’t remember what).  

When we remarked to the waiter how delicious the potato rolls were, he quickly reappeared with 4 more.

The next little surprise was a mouth-watering Shot of Chilled Tomato Orange Bisque.

For his first course, Brad ordered the Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Baby Lamb Loin with Ceasar Salad Ice Cream.  It was a thing to behold, both in one’s eyes and in one’s stomach!

I ordered the Mélange of Roasted Garden Beets with Beet Sorbet and Osetra Caviar.  It was so delicious, I asked for a spoon so as not to miss every drop of its deliciousness.

For my second course, I selected the Soft Shell BLT which was a Tempura Crusted Chesapeake Soft Shell Crab served with Fried Green Tomatoes and House-made Bacon and Tomato Jam.  It was topped with a crispy piece of speck ham. Being the California girl that I am, I had never tasted Soft Shell Crab, so I decided that there would never be a better time or place to do so.  For those not in the know, it is an entire crab that is consumed shell and all.  I ate it at first with a bit of trepidation, but ended up really enjoying it.

Brad ordered the Aged Gouda Macaroni and Cheese with Virginia Ham. It was every bit as delicious as it appears.

For his main course, my carnivore-loving husband predictably ordered the Heart of Ribeye with Black Garlic Purée, King Trumpet Mushrooms and Filet Beans fresh from the inn’s garden.

It was served with a rolled Potato Au Gratin.

I selected the Pan Roasted Maine Lobster served over a bed of Anson Mills Golden Grits. 

Next on the agenda: dessert!  Brad very wisely selected the Painter’s Palette of Sorbets.  The waiter described each one, but I don’t recollect the descriptions.  I do, however, recollect that each and every one of them made music in my mouth. Yes, I made Brad share, despite the fact that he was the Birthday Boy.

I ordered the Trio of Summer Favorites. It consisted of a Limoncello Pudding Cake…

served with a Miniature Rhubarb Cobbler (I’m a sucker for rhubarb) and House Churned Strawberry Ice Cream.  Are you getting hungry yet?

But that’s not all folks!  The waiter brought us two complimentary glasses of Port…

from a side table that artfully displays the Inn’s wide array of liquors.

Next, we were presented with an after-dinner treat from the kitchen.  Ensconced in this darling little box that is made to resemble The Inn at Little Washington…

were chocolate covered almonds, homemade Kit Kat-like chocolates, candied grapefruit rind, a maple pecan cookie and a coconut cookie.  I took a peek but not a peck, as we were thoroughly stuffed by that time.  The little box of treats became a snack the next day as we continued on our Southern road trip.

Diners can also order from the Fromager’s Cheese Selections. Although we were far too full to partake, guests can simply ask for Faira the Cow and resident Cheeze Whiz, Cameron Smith, arrives at one’s table with his ceramic cow, ringing the cow’s bell along the way.

We watched Cameron serve cheese at a neighboring table and listened to his humorous descriptions of each. “What kind of cheese do you use to coax a bear down a mountain?” he asks. The answer: “Ca-mem-bear” of course.

Although our glorious meal eventually came to a close, our evening was not over yet.  The Maître D took us on a tour of what has been called the most beautiful kitchen in the world.  Chef O’Connell and his dalmatians are immortalized in a large portrait that covers one wall of the impressive (to say the least) kitchen. Designer Joyce Evans’ kitchen design was inspired by the dairy room at Windsor Castle in England.  The walls are covered in hand painted blue and white Portuguese tiles and a massive bay window overlooks the garden.

On another wall is a painting of the kitchen at Christmas time, painted as though it was a view of the kitchen from the outside, looking in through the bay window.

Tucked into a corner of the kitchen and flanking a baronial fireplace are two Kitchen Tables.  They can be reserved for a “surcharge” of between $375.00 and $575.00, depending on the day of the week.  Here, guests can do dinner and a movie, (so to speak) as they are attended to by a private waiter for the evening as well as a visit from the chef, all the while watching the action going on around them. If money were no object, I think I would have enjoyed that! 

One thing we did not get to sample was the inn’s famous perfectly popped and seasoned popcorn. It is served in the miniature old-fashioned movie-house popcorn boxes you see in the photo below, and is covered with truffle shavings.

The kitchen features an enormous Vulcan range. Built to order in France, it is topped with a copper and brass hood.

Ham hangs overhead…

silver chalices are on display with hand painted pottery…

and even the water station looks pretty as a picture.

I got to see the dedicated tea station where Cameron, the Inn’s Certified Tea Master, masterfully prepares tea.

as well as the coffee station where my delicious Cafe Latte would be prepared the next morning.

Finally retiring to our room for the night, we found more surprises.

The weather report for the coming day…

along with more homemade cookies and a little story book awaited us on thousand-thread-count sheets.

During our visit we learned that all of the ceilings in the inn are decorated.  That is because Patrick O’Connell wishes for his guests to go to sleep each evening, and wake each morning, looking at something beautiful.

And that is exactly what we did.

I don’t think my future hotel stays or dining experiences will ever be quite the same.  That’s because I will forever be comparing them to The Inn at Little Washington, the quintessential American Inn.

So there you have it: The Best Dining Experience of my Life.

Please stay tuned and in future posts I’ll take you on a stroll through the Inn’s vegetable garden, we’ll pay a visit to the livestock, and I’ll treat you to breakfast at the Inn.

 

Thanks for dropping in!

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