Vidalia

I’d say something, but the women have already spoken eloquently and it would add nothing.

Spendy, very spendy... but the food is delicious. It’s a dressy, DC-expense account [as opposed to the no-longer-existant-techie-expense account] kind of place... but I had the best venison of my life there. Made me view bambi in a whole new light.

Edit: I went back recently, after the renovation. The decor is unremarkable and modern, much like zaytinya, morimoto, mercer kitchen, et cetera. I hear it cost $1 million.

But who cares about bland decor when the food is so spectacular and service is impeccable? All dishes are finely balanced and appropriately sized. Many preparations are on the rich side, but even so you won’t be able to resist dessert, and you might even have room for it.

I continue to be thoroughly pleased with Vidalia. Discreet, quiet, compentant, pleasant, and tasty, it makes for a very enjoyable evening, where the food and the service are outstanding and yet not InYourFace about it. In short, a couple looking for a romantic night out, business associates concluding a deal, or a group of convivial friends will all leave Vidalia satisfied- and that is a very tall order to meet.

Recently re-opened after extensive renovation, Vidalia regains its position as one of the DC area’s better dining destinations. The new space is definitely of the moment — no ground-breaking design innovations here — but it’s warm and welcoming. The tables are appropriately sized and well-spaced, and the service is quiet and gracious.

...As it should be, because Vidalia is expensive. Most main courses are priced in the $23-28 range, and first courses and desserts are pricey, too. But in addition to setting and service, you’re getting some damn fine food for the money. The menu is Southern-influenced new American cuisine. Five onion soup with a duck stock base and shrimp and grits are still the signature dishes. Most preparations recently sampled are on the rich side, so plan accordingly, even though the portions are not oversized.

I must give special praise to the wine list. There are maybe two dozen or so wines available not just by the glass, but in either 3 oz or 6 oz portions. They’re grouped in several categories, like “Spanish Whites” or “for something completely different” or “four faux Rhones”, and these groupings are also priced as flights (3 oz of each). An arrangement like this is wonderful for someone like me, because I frequently dine with people who drink little or not at all, and I love to sample wines.