When our family arrived at the Inn at Little Washington a couple of weeks ago, we were asked if we were celebrating a special occasion (which does happen). This time, however, our response was: “Dinner!”
And dinner that evening was definitely worth celebrating. We started off with the well-known (and delectable) popcorn with black truffles and a series of amuse-bouches. And then the restaurant got down to business. The amuse-bouches that arrived after the first course of amuse-bouches were:
Tempura Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce
tempura asparagus with hollandaise sauce
and White Bean Soup with a Chive Gougère.
white bean soup with a gougere
All of us had the Mousse of Foie Gras in a Golden Egg Shell with Sauternes Gelée and Blood Orange Rhubarb-Preserve (yum!);
foie gras mousse
one of us also had the Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Elysian Fields Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream (a perennial favorite);
lamb carpaccio
We also all had the Toro with Radishes and Coconut Tapioca Beads and Wasabi Sorbet (the toro was melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness);
toro with wasabi sorbet
Some of us had the Pan Seared Sea Bass with Roasted Romaine and Sauce Choron (the fish was perfectly cooked);
sea bass
Jim and I picked the Inn’s Morel “Meatloaf” with Potato Purée and Jalapeño Ketchup (the fact that I did not regret one moment picking this vegetarian dish over the lamb demonstrates just how good this dish was);
morel “meatloaf”
The son had the Veal Shenandoah: Prosciutto Wrapped Loin of Veal with Country Ham and Fontina Cheese Ravioli;
veal
and the daughter had the Parsley-Crusted Loin of Jamison Farm’s Lamb with Green Lentils.
lamb
A quick break to ease the transition into dessert with an Orange-Vanilla Creamsicle with shortbread crumbs;
orange-vanilla creamsicle
And we finished our lovely meal with the Inn’s Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich with Bittersweet Chocolate and Hot Caramel Sauce
butter pecan ice cream sandwich
and A Painter’s Palette of Sorbets;
painter’s palette of sorbets
and the Inn’s Spring Fling: Limoncello Pudding, Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt, Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet
spring fling
It was indeed a meal that definitely celebrated dinner!