When You’re Hot, You’re Hot!
By Karen Fawcett
 He’s been anointed the number one restaurateur by
Washingtonian Magazine’s restaurant guide, and is the Nation’s Capital’s
celebrity chef par excellence. Michel Richard’s creativity at
Citronelle, located on M Street, NW in Georgetown, is legendary. And the
time has come for him to make his second mark on the DC food scene. The chef has
been on the hunt for other venues (and hotly pursued by many developers) but was
waiting until the time was right.
Georgetown has had many incarnations. It gained worldwide visibility when Jack
and Jackie Kennedy lived there before the Senator was elected President. It’s
home to some of Washington, DC’s most notable cliff-dwellers (and wannabees) who
live in Federal and Victorian mansions and even, once-upon-a time, slave
quarters. There’s no such thing as a “cheap” house and the moderately priced
ones are invariably gutted. Space is at a premium. Parking is nearly
impossible.
DC’s new restaurant area has migrated east of the White House towards the
Capitol, where office and apartment buildings are mushrooming. The
Washington, DC Convention Center, which opened in the spring of 2003,
revitalized what was a formerly a forlorn area where few people ventured after
dark.
Following the trend, the constantly in motion, Michel Richard opened Central and
the restaurant is receiving kudos. He’s converted 7800 square-feet of raw space
into this year’s “in” eatery, where if you don’t reserve in advance, you’ll be
disappointed. Contrasted with his flagship restaurant, the chef wanted this one
to be more moderately priced than what it costs to eat in the inner sanctum of
Citronelle. Give this inventive man a 2000-square-foot kitchen and graduates
from some of the US’s best culinary schools and Michel Richard is inspired to
create what he terms “American cuisine.”
 The décor is a melding stunning; blond and hickory wood walls, tables and
accessories, stone looking ceramic floors, dramatic modern lighting, a real bar
(remember, there’s no smoking) where people can eat as well as drink,
Michel’s Statue of Liberty etched in glass, a state-of-the art open kitchen
highlighted with chrome lighting, glass walls containing wine storage and a
private room behind the kitchen where 10-12 people can have a business meal
and/or a dinner complete with wide-screen TV and other audio-visual equipment.
Why would anyone want to watch television rather than staring at the food?
People from the Hill might prefer eating some of the most delicious food in
Washington at Central rather than sitting in a Congressional staffers’
cafeteria. When shot a quizzical look, Mel Davis, the chef’s Director of Public
Relations (and picking up the pieces that undoubtedly follow this man who
probably rarely sleeps – or if he does, dreams of yet another culinary
masterpiece), quipped that people could watch the Academy Awards while eating in
the private dining room.
My first dinner at Central consisted of duck rillettes & foie gras terrine,
incredibly delicious lightly fried oysters, an onion tart served on a paper thin
crust garnished with a light tomato sauce, crème fraiche and lardon (tiny pieces
of lean bacon). Everyone was forced to taste the frites (yes, French fries) that
were served in a cylindrical spiral chrome cone filled with the best fries I’ve
ever tasted. The fries were served with homemade mayonnaise and were scoffed
down as if there were tomorrow. Friends had asparagus vinaigrette, Central’s
rendition of a grilled hanger steak, and fried chicken with mustard sauce and
pronounced them “sublime.” If I can’t be in Paris reviewing restaurants for
Bonjour Paris , this is the next best thing.
 Our group ate two “signature” dishes: the 72-hour (cooking time) short ribs with
a special sauce, a lobster burger that consisted of huge chucks of lobster and
bore no resemblance to any burger I’ve ever eaten; although diners can order a
regular hamburger or a tuna or a shrimp burger. We were temped by the lamb
shank accompanied with creamy corn polenta but that will have to wait for the
next visit.
Michel Richard insists he’s cooking American food. I take exception. This man
with a very heavy French accent is incapable of cooking anything without a
French touch or more. He doesn’t need to be in the kitchen and rarely, if ever,
works the line during service. Mel Davis says he spends hours each day working
with the kitchen team insuring everything is perfect. As is the tradition with
some of France’s finest chefs, such as
Christian Constant, Richard trains his team to perform and some may
eventually become stars on their own.
One of the dinner’s participants, Bruno Goussault, Chief Scientist for
Cuisine Solutions, praised Richard as being one of the world’s great chefs.
“I’ve worked with some of the finest and Michel is an inspiration.”
When Richard left to shuttle over to survey the second seating at Citronelle,
Goussault stood up, drank a final sip of wine from his glass (Richard drinks
exclusively from oversized wine glasses ….or, champagne flutes). They both said
goodnight as the duo took off at a gallop. Michel (bien sur) hugged and blew
kisses to his many friends and fans.
Michel Richard exudes a bigger than life passion for everything. “Moderation” is
not his middle name as he surveys everything taking place. Some would accuse
him of having ears and eyes in the back, as well as the front of his head. It’s
amazing he can carry on a conversation (and he does) since he’s constantly
calling over a staff member and informing them of something that’s wrong. “Alors,”
he says, pointing, “That group doesn’t like its table,” or “Take that back to
the kitchen - it’s wrong.” The staff never questions his (frequently barked)
commands and obviously respects him even though Richard is capable of causing
Excedrin headaches.
Even though Richard has been in the US for the majority of his professional
life, you can’t take the French attitude and style out of this man. And, who’d
want to?
Central:
Currently open for lunch and dinner during the week and for dinner on
Saturdays. Watch the web site. Before too long, Central will be open seven days
a week.
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