Go Eat

Capital Power Tasting

Diners at Alain Ducasse’s new restaurant say hail to the chef

When Alain Ducasse decided to open Adour in Washington, D.C., he handpicked Julien Jouhannaud to bring his vision to life. After all, the two men hail from the same area of France, and the young chef came of age at Ducasse’s palatial Monaco restaurant, Le Louis XV. But Jouhannaud, 29, had also just spent two and a half years in Singapore, away from the Ducasse empire, learning about cuisines from around the world and running his own kitchen. That made him the perfect choice for a high-profile restaurant aiming to satisfy Washington’s international palate.

“When I left Ducasse, I knew I’d be back one day,” says Jouhannaud, who also helped Ducasse open Mix at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas. “But I had to discover something else first.”

At the new restaurant, tucked inside the downtown St. Regis hotel, Jouhannaud channels the playful menu Ducasse first created for the New York Adour, which opened in January. Named after a river in southwest France near Ducasse’s native village of Castel-Sarrazin, Adour is meant to be more casual than the chef’s other Michelin-starred eateries. Both locations retain Ducasse crowd-pleasers like roasted lamb accompanied by a small bowl of creamy quinoa, and scallops resting on a lemony cloud of cauliflower puree.

The D.C. Adour also gives Jouhannaud the chance to put his own skills to the test. He spent weeks working closely with wine director Ramon Narvaez to tweak the menu. For a seared foie gras dish, for example, the two decided to dial down the lemon confit to pair better with a wine.

The point of Adour is not to overwhelm diners, but to delight them without stuffiness. Even the space mingles modern accents with old-world style — white leather chairs with silver framework envelop diners, and soft upbeat music floats through the room, which is punctuated with starburst light fixtures, high-arched windows, and old ceiling beams. At lunch, the tables are stripped of their white tablecloths.

Pastry chef Fabrice Bendano doesn’t hold back on the extravagance either. In one dessert, a rich dark chocolate sauce gets poured over coffee granita and dotted with caramelized brioche croutons. The pampering continues even after the meal, with a plate of pastel macaroons and chocolate petit fours.

“I understand the philosophy of Alain Ducasse,” says Jouhannaud, leaning against the illuminated glass wall filled with colorful wine bottles that separates the main dining room from the kitchen. “It’s one of giving pleasure to people.”

Getting There: Continental offers daily nonstop service to Washington, D.C., from its hubs in Houston, New York/Newark, and Cleveland.

Five to Try

1Citronelle. 3000 M St., 202.625.2150. Chef Michel Richard wows patrons nightly with his modern French menu that includes lobster beluga pasta and short ribs braised for 72 hours. An open kitchen lets diners watch the magic.

2Palena. 3529 Connecticut Ave., 202.537.9250. Former White House chef Frank Ruta makes diners feel like VIPs with his Italian-inspired cuisine.

3Komi. 1509 17th St., 202.332.9200. Chef Johnny Monis creates a stampede of flavors with a tasting menu featuring brilliant, surprising dishes that evoke his native Greece.

4CityZen. 1330 Maryland Ave., 202.554.8858. Diners will need a whole night to enjoy chef Eric Ziebold’s American cuisine. The clever menu keeps guests entertained with dishes like sautéed moulard duck foie gras.

5Obelisk. 2029 P St., 202.872.1180. For almost two decades, owner Peter Pastan has served up some of D.C.’s best Italian fare in a 36-seat space downtown. The menu changes daily and never disappoints. —R.R.

Cavier Dreams

Few foods evoke luxury more than caviar. These days, diners can choose to sample the delicacy in a variety of settings. While Beluga, famous for its big eggs, was temporarily banned, other types like the equally decadent Osetra gained favor. Here are a few places to indulge.

Caviar Russe. 538 Madison Ave., New York, 212.980.5908. Enjoy course after course with the caviar tasting menu. No passport is required for this excursion to old-world Russia.

Tsar Nicoulai. 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, 415.288.8630. This bustling shop is one of the few places where diners can taste sustainable caviar with a glass of champagne while wearing jeans and a T-shirt. The American caviar sampler shows off homegrown flavors.

Joël Robuchon. 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, 702.891.7925. For diners whoíve just hit the jackpot, the namesake chef uses Osetra caviar in clever ways, with such pairings as white asparagus or thin couscous. —R.R.