CityZen - the most amazing dining experience ever

I got very lucky recently and was invited to go to CityZen. Some would argue this is the best restaurant in DC. And now that I have had the pleasure of experiencing it, I agree.

With a group of 12, we arrived early for our dinner reservation, so we could experience the bar. The bartender recommended a French 57. I’d never heard of it, but figured, why not, give it a try. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. And probably a bit dangerous. A citrusy drink with gin and champagne, it went down way too easily. Luckily, we got seated quickly.

The full experience started with a table that anyone would be jealous of. A guest in our group frequents the restaurant, so we were given the semi-private room, located behind a wall of wine. Amazing. Our six (really ten) course meal was about to begin. Normally a picky eater, I decided to pull out the stops for this meal and try everything they put in front of me. Every dish was amazing, coupled perfectly with unique wines, but I’ll focus on the highlights.

Soft shell crab: Something I don’t normally eat, but wow am I glad I made an exception. Lightly breaded and flavored, really permitted to stand on its own, it was amazing.

Lobster – Melt in your mouth. Wonderful. Nothing else to say.

Chocolate covered pretzels – When I saw this on the menu, I was perplexed, but excited. If I am honest with myself, I’ll admit that this is always my favorite snack and I couldn’t wait to see how a gourmet chef would prepare it. Oh my God. The kind of experience that causes you to close your eyes and pause, reflecting on the amazing combination of flavors in your mouth. A bar of cold chocolate mouse topped a crust of salted bread, paired with a salt infused ice cream. I am sure I will never eat something like this again.

And while all of the wines (all 10 of them) were amazing, one was so good I asked our head server to write it down for me. Odysseus Grenacha. I will be hunting it down soon.

I’d be remiss is I didn’t mention the service. Each of us had our own server and every time a course was delivered, it was presented simultaneously. Then it was described, and the sommelier detailed the wine course.

Normally, I think exorbitantly expensive dining experiences are a waste. I leave hungry, and can’t recall any of the experience within a couple days. This was different. At over $100 per person on just the food, and likely the same for the wine, it was by far the most expensive meal I have ever had. But I will  be back, again and again and again and again……