3. Minibar
“I’m kind of sad it’s over.” That’s what my friend Jody said when we were walking out of Minibar. It’s true, after 28 courses I could have sat there for twenty more. Sitting up at that little bar is a wonderful experience—you make friends with your fellow diners, and by the end of the meal the couple chefs behind the counter seem like friends too. Speaking of the chefs, they must be hired just as much for their personality as for their cooking prowess—I don’t know if it was true or just for the show, but none of the chefs had wedding rings on, and I’m betting they get more than a few girls’ phone numbers tucked in with the bill every night.
I’ll get to the food, but first I have to point out the service that goes along with your Minibar meal. We arrived 45 minutes early for our reservation (which I would recommend), so we wouldn’t feel rushed. When we checked in, the hostess introduced us to our waitress for the night, who took us to the bar and walked us through the wine menu for our meal. By the time we had one cocktail at the bar and selected our wine for the meal, it was time to eat. One note about the wine list—prepare to drop some serious coin if you want to booze with your meal. There are many alcohol options—by the glass, small bottle flights, whole bottles, by the glass flights, and more—but they are all very expensive. I would say that unless you plan on ordering one glass for the meal (which we did), be prepared to spend anywhere from an extra $150-$300 per couple on top of the cost of the meal.
Fine, fine, I’ll get to the food. I had a lot of preconceived notions about Minibar long before I got there. I had been told that you will love some things but absolutely hate others, and that you feel the need to hit Five Guys afterwards since the portions are miniscule. Luckily, Minibar proved my complainer friends wrong. It would be futile (and incredibly boring) for me to try and go through all the courses, but let me put it this way: by and large the dishes taste very good, though there are some that miss the mark. All dishes are presented one at a time, delicately plated and usually served with instructions. Most dishes are one or two bites, though the later savory courses are served with a spork. (Jose Andres would probably not appreciate that, but really, it’s a spoon on one side and a fork on the other. The new spork.) Some of my favorites were the Hot and Cold Pisco Sour (booze with a warm custard on top), steamed brioche bun with caviar and creme fresh, the deconstructed tzatziki salad, and the “Philly Cheesesteak” of waygu beef over a mini baguette piped with cheddar cheese. When courses are good, they’re great. They are inventive without being pretentious, and don’t strive to be more than good food on a plate. There were some things that were less than delicious, and I think those dishes came when the chefs tried to get a little too crazy. The Cotton Candy Eel looked great, but when you bit in to it, it was still barbequed eel wrapped in cotton candy. The two things didn’t go together at all, and the whole dish reeked of some stoned chef thinking up the weirdest flavor combinations he could. I felt the same way about the Carbonated Mojito, which was formed through some miracle of science in to a gelatinous sphere. It made me gag a little when I bit in to it, but at the same time, Jody thought it was tasty. The meal definitely ended on a high note though—both desserts we were served were outstanding. There was a Greek dish of honey and frozen yogurt, and a Thai dish they called “a nod to Thai cuisine”. Both were outstanding, and luckily were big enough portions to be satisfying.
I can’t help but compare Minibar to the other mini-cuisine in town, Komi. Minibar is definitely more show than Komi, and you pay for it. I don’t mean “you pay for it”, I mean, you pay for it. With money. It may be tacky, but here is how much they cost per person with tax and tip: Komi-$155, Minibar-$190. Spending almost $200 on a meal (without alcohol) is pretty unbelievable. And the truth is, if you are not a daring eater, a serious foodie or a garage chemist, you will not get your money’s worth. Eating at Minibar is great if you either want to be amazed by the things food can do (and the things great chefs can do), or if you want to check it off your life list. It is not for a random Tuesday night. Am I glad I went? Of course. Does it deserve to be in the Washingtonian Top 10? Absolutely. Did I put the bill on my credit card that gets airline miles? Uh, duh.
