12 September 2008

the source. by Wolfgang Puck.





Last night I attended a pitch perfect, Most Excellent dinner party at Wolfgang Puck's new Washington, DC restaurant, The Source. The ambiance, food and service were absolutely spectacular! The waiters, of which we had five, were knowledgeable about the wine, the menu and did everything possible to ensure our absolute comfort and enjoyment.

As expected, appetizers on the menu averaged about $18.00 each and entrees hovered at around $38.00 each. The wine list included a selection of about 2000 varieties and the desserts, each $10.00, were simple but exquisite. I always believe it is not about the cost, but about the quality and the importance of the experience and those whom the experience is shared with!

Dinner began with a toast of Montefalco Sangrantino secco. Entrees were paired with a dry French Bordeaux Rose - Clos Du Bourbon. My meal consisted of a Coconut soup with delicate chicken strips, lemongrass and tapioca pearls. The soup was poured table side from a sleek sterling silver pot with spout into the Bernardaud Limoges bowl. I then enjoyed a roasted ducking with perfectly crisp skin and a bing cherry sauce that was neither too sweet nor too sour. The meal ended with passion fruit cheesecake and instead of the mango sorbet that the menu indicated it came with, I opted to try to strawberry rose sorbet which was served with buttery ginger cake crumbles at the bottom of the small dish.

The design of The Source is razor sharp, super polished, very sleek, sophisticated and cutting edge.
Designed by Engstrom Design Group, the three-level restaurant is the signature dining experience at the Newseum, an interactive museum dedicated to the news on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Source offers two distinct dining experiences as well as a private room located on the lower level that seats up to 40 guests. The ground floor bar and lounge where guests enter offers approachable dining in a casual setting with a menu designed for a relaxed, quick-bite. Upstairs, guests can enjoy a menu that features modern interpretations of Asian dishes. The modern aesthetic design boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that line the restaurant and a two-story, temperature-controlled glass wine wall linking the main floor with the upstairs that holds the more than 2,000 bottles of the restaurant’s impressive collection.

The Source is the 2008 recipient of the "New Restaurant of the Year" Award from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.