minibar by José Andrés

WOW!!! Minibar is truly an amazing dining experience. I was so impressed with the service, the décor, the drinks and wine pairing and the delectable plates.
My boyfriend surprised me with a reservation here to celebrate my birthday and my acceptance into graduate school. It’s definitely an experience that you want to reserve for a super special occasion (unless you are loaded) since one could easily spend $ 500 per person after a wine pairing and tips. My boyfriend had made this reservation about one month in advance, which seems to be the norm. However the couple that sat next to us got lucky and was able to make a reservation about 2 days before.
When you first arrive you are seated in a cozy common area where you will be treated with champagne. When everybody in your seating time has arrived you will be escorted to the table. From the moment you are seated, expect to be surprised and impressed with the highest level of service and most exquisite cuisines.
From there you will embark on this culinary journey. There were so many plates and all of them were amazingly pleasant to the taste buds. My favorites the fish-​shaped biscuit made of seaweed and caviar, the sashimi garnished with salmon roe, the kimchee mussel shells, cotton candy cake, the gummy caterpillars, the bourbon peanuts, the krispy kreme donuts. I won’t go into detail because the plates just have to be experienced.
Every dish and wine pairing is explained and if you have further questions every body behind your behind will be able to answer any of them. All of them are culinary geniuses.
I know that going to minibar may seem quite pricey, but if you have an appreciation for the culinary arts then I would highly recommend it!

I love every single Jose Andres restaurant I’ve been to except this one. The culinary tricks are cool at first, but then they do the same ones over and over again, and ultimately they’re just that, tricks. No wonder why Washingtonian magazine says this:
«Many dishes in the lineup these days are more about brow-​raising wizardry than deliciousness – get ready for a lot of gelatinous textures – and the whole production feels more rushed than it has in years past.»
Washingtonian in 2015 ranked Minibar #2 in DC, which is why we went there, but after my experience, I wasn’t surprised to see it ranked #22 in 2016.
If it cost $ 100 bucks, I’d feel a lot differently about it, but at $ 400, I’m not a happy camper. Go to Komi instead.

This is a rare experience that is more than just dinner. We had the best customer service I have ever experienced. We went for a birthday and everyone knew it was for a birthday and greeted us with a happy birthday when we got there. The food display was incredible. The dinner took about ~2.5 hours. I have never splurged on a $ 950 meal for two people (included tax/​tip), but this makes me think I need to go to one of these restaurants every few years. Highly, highly recommend it!

One of the best dining experiences of my life! After four years of intermittent attempts to score a reservation, I ended up with a bunch of surgeons and a photographer from National Geographic. Food was impeccable – all 29 courses. Make sure you get the flight of wine to accompany and a caipirinha downstairs if you are early.

Oopsy what happen here, total of 400 $ for food that doesnt make sense, 3 hours of biting through some food that doesnt pair together, all my respect to Mr Andres but the price doesnt justify the experience, i would pay the same at the Alain Ducasse in Monte-​Carlo and have the best meal ever, people stop spending your money there i promise you, not worth it.

I went to minibar with a girlfriend this past Saturday night, and it was an experience we will never forget. Every aspect was above and beyond — from the attention to detail, level of service, to the decadence, artistry, and quality that went into creating a wonderful evening. It was clear that every staff member was the best of the best in fine dining.
I could write pages and pages about everything that was great, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t do it justice, especially if I tried to describe the courses. At the end of the evening, the staff provided a beautiful menu of each course for guests to take home as a souvenir. I accidentally left it behind, but lucky for me, minibar has such amazing service that upon me emailing to ask if I could pick it up, they offered to mail it!
I highly recommend minibar!

Finally, I’ve had the pleasure to dine at mini bar by Jose Andres.
This place is not for everybody! You don’t come here hungry to just eat. But you come here to experience and appreciate food in an artistic way. You really need to enjoy the molecular gastronomy to enjoy this place.
Reservation needs to be made at least 2 months in advance. Make sure you book right after they open the booking slots so you can get the timing you like.
Service was excellent! From the moment we stepped in to the moment we left.
Beautiful dining room with an open kitchen where they plate every dish in front of you… It’s definitely a spectacular show just watching them plating and describing their dishes with passion.
There were about 10 chefs making this incredible food for exactly 10 people as the restaurant sits about that number per seating. Chefs were very friendly and engaging with us like we know each other.
Food wise:
It’s a mind blowing! I don’t know how to describe it… But Every bite we ate was beautifully presented in a unique way. Almost I didn’t want to eat it but just look at it. Every bite was an art!
These chefs deserve five stars for the hard work they put on, the team work, creativity, the passion they have, the excellent service and to make sure we’ve had an exceptional food journey.
Mini bar did meet my expectations and hopefully I will get a chance to try them again when they change the menu

I won’t go into too much detail as there are plenty of reviews that do so. This is not simply a dinner, it’s truly and experience and if you are into food, it’s one you can appreciate. The dishes are very cleverly made and a lot of attention to detail goes into each. The fact that they use tweezers to place everything speaks about the attention to detail.
I highly highly recommend the non-​alcoholic drink pairing. I will say this made a world of difference in the experience. Everyone else who was with us was completely fascinated and intrigued by what our drinks were.

It was unbelievable. You can really see that the chefs have a lot of passion for the food and experience of the guests. I had a great time and I can’t wait to come back again! I highly recommend the alcohol pairings when you’re here (in fact I don’t think anyone in the room went without it).

It’s really hard to put a place like this into words. The truth is, I don’t think there are words worthy enough to describe the experience. Amazing? Incredible? Unique? Each of these don’t even do the place justice.
The whole experience is wonderful from the moment you walk in. You’re greeted with a bottle of champagne the moment you walk in. Once the whole party is there, you enter a journey of culinary excellence that too truly won’t experience anywhere else.
There were 20+ small courses, from a unique spin on pasta to a steaming alcoholic starting beverage. While the place is not for an every day experience (at nearly $ 500/​person after tax and tip depending on the package you get), it certainly is one of those places you should build yourself up to to enjoy. At times throughout I the dinner, I was shocked and told myself «who knew these flavors even existed.»
The meal was capped off with the best coffee I had in my life. Everything they do here is done with 150% effort and an aim for perfection. Amazing.

Grilled cheese with truffle are amazing!

The culinary equivalent of a multiple orgasm. Can I say that in public?
Needless to say, will be back again.

Pretty darn good. Food was good to great. Mocktails were also good to great.
Tip, if you have a pairing don’t keep on drinking and finishing the glasses… You will get full and will be struggling to finish.
It was a great food experience.
We were in a food coma when we went to barmini to finish off and get dessert. What I didn’t like is there is a 30 – 45 minute wait where I presume they want people to chit chat and talk. That wait is too long. If i really wanted to talk i would have talked to my seatmates for the past 2hrs we were at the kitchen table, no? The whole thing took over 3 hrs (seating to paying the bill)
As for the weakest part of the menu I would say it was the desserts.
The gummi caterpillar was kind of lame. The krispy kreme donut was not to my liking but I guess lots of people love it. It’s like the taste of a greasy donut in an ice cream treat… Not for me but that’s just me.
It was kind of tiring to the senses as there was so much stuff but most of the food was great.

Worth every cent.
Great experience, a true memory. Loved the kitchen, talking to the chefs, and he food. The staff is friendly, funny and humble. They answer all your questions and are honest. We are outgoing, so we talked so our fellow bar mates, which made our experience Fun and interactive. Though, the table across was so quiet and stiff… I think life is why you make of it.
If I went again (and I plan to) I would las on the wine pairing. For the price, I didn’t get enough out of it, disliking some options. I was there for the food and should just drink a wine I enjoy and focus on the food.
Perfect. Would recommend this to anyone. Watching creative food be prepared is so exciting!

Great experience, fantastic food, awesome people. Loved the dessert, respect to the pastry chef!

I completely echo what Brian L said in his review. The service, desserts and wine pairing are phenomenal. The food itself leaves a lot to be desired. I came expecting to be blown away. There were only a few good dishes, most were ok, and some I really didn’t like.
I understand it’s experimental food and I’m not going to like everything, but I shouldn’t feel lukewarm about any of the dishes and I did.
I have been to barmini before and you go to it after your dinner. The drinks are amazing. It is totally worth a trip. Again, I’m not a fan of the food. Most of it feels gimmicky, with technique put over flavor.
If you wanna spend that much on a nice dinner, go to Komi. Every time I go, I have an amazing meal unlike anywhere else. Yes, it’s not molecular gastronomy, but it’s fucking delicious.

Reservations: The process is simple, you send an e-​mail during the season to which is applicable for the date you desire. I received an immediate response with a follow-​up document that wanted additional information pertaining to drink selections and food allergies. I’d suggest that no matter the date you choose to go for the first seating time of the evening.
The experience itself from the arrival until the time we left was an amazing experience. Treat yo’ self and do a drink pairing. Everyone on staff was very friendly, provided thorough explanation of each bite/​taste/​dish and the sommelier was great — a massive thumbs up. I left feeling full, «happy», and would return in the future to see how the menu changes up.

I took my wife here for her birthday and it did not disappoint at all. We’ve been fans of José Andrés and were eagerly saving minibar for a special occasion. We decided to choose the non-​alcoholic tasting with our meal just to see what creative drinks the chefs could come up with! The other diners in the kitchen chose the wine pairing but even ordered some of the drinks we had when it came out.
The different dishes were prepared very carefully and the presentation was great. Each dish was a surprise when it came — am I supposed to eat this? I wonder what this will taste like? A plethora of questions popped up in our heads throughout the evening and kept us entertained and amused.
As others have mentioned, it is more of a fun experience when you come eat here. It is rather pricy but definitely an experience to try in the DC area!

Talking about molecular, gastronomy, out of this world culinary expertise, dine here at Minibar by Jose Andres.
Smart ideas of how food can evolve into a different level and yet still satisfy your taste buds. I can’t say anymore but high praises to the chefs and the whole team!

This place deserves 5 stars without question. Not only was the food amazing but the total dining experience itself is something I will never forget.
We did the 28 course plus wine pairing at Jose’s table. It was our own private table for 4 with view of the kitchen and the other diners. $ 550 per person so of course expectations are high. The place is super swanky. You walk in and before they will open the door to the main restaurant you have to close the door to the outside. From the very beginning you know you’re in for something special.
Everything that came out was beautiful. We were like children gazing at a new expensive toy with every dish that came out.
I’ve been working on this review for a while. I want to make sure I fully award this place the credit it deserves.
Here are some of things we had:
Pressed flowers — edible flowers that were in a cool antique book. Pretty neat.
Hot and cold pisco sour — DELICIOUS. Hot egg white foam over a cold drink.
Rubber ducky — my favorite of the night. Listen to this. It’s an apple juice flavored merengue duck (looks like an actual rubber ducky that you would take to the tub) and it’s filled with foie gras. Yea.
Breakfast in Hokkaido — hokkaido milk that looked like frozen foam. I don’t know how to describe it but it was SO good.
Wagyu beef burger topped with uni on a yeast merengue bun.
Mini Krispy Kreme donut ice cream in the shape of a donut. Exactly what it sounds like. True to taste.
The alcohol pairing was just absurd. One of our wines was from 1985.
There was so much food and alcohol that came out that we struggled to make it through the whole meal. Everything was awesome. If this wasn’t a once in a lifetime meal or I was made of money I would try to come here as often as possible. It is a shame that Michelin does not rate DC restaurants because this place would, without a doubt, win those stars. Come hungry and eager. You will not be disappointed and this will be one of the best meals of your life.

Minibar did not disappoint! We went for my husband’s birthday and it was certainly an adventure for the palette. We got there a little early, so we hung out at Barmini for some drinks.
Just as the other reviews had mentioned, you really go to Minibar for the experience, and of course, the wonderful food! It was like food theatre. The stage was the kitchen and the chefs were the actors. All of our dishes were put together in front of ours eyes. There were foods and ingredients that were used that will not ever be apart of most anyone’s or any other restaurant’s kitchen.
The almost 3 hr experience was beyond fantastic. We did the Jose wine pairing. Although, we tasted some incredible wines, I think that the Experience wine pairing would probably do just fine as well. You’ll save yourself $ 115pp too. Or for a wider variety of wine tastings, one person should go with the Experience, and the other person should do the Jose wine pairing. The non-​alcoholic drink pairings looked tasty and fun as well! Also, even though there is a different wine per course, the pours are VERY careful and smaller to what we are typically used to in other fine dining establishments.
Even though each dish look liked it was just a small portion, you will leave plenty full! The dessert experience continued into Barmini where various small desserts were brought out. Bc it was my husband’s bday, they brought out a cotton candy cake for him too! Very creative! Everyone at our table were given a slice of the cotton candy cake too! Also, by this time it was 11:45pm (we started at 9pm) and the bar was boisterous to say the least! Very fun atmosphere!
Lastly, I have to say that Barmini seemed like a great place to «hang out» too for a hip scene with great drinks and delicious gourmet bar food! They gave us a tasting of their version of grilled cheese, and it was delicious! Also, we were told by many of the staffers that it’s much easier to get a reservation there.

It’s hard to figure out where to even begin when recapping our dinner at minibar.
I’ve had a tasting menu dinner before but this was just a completely different ballgame. The whimsy and creativity alone made it stand out from any other meal I’ve ever had.
Starting off walking in, there is someone there to greet you at the door, take your coat, and seat you either at barmini for a drink, or in the classy waiting room while the chefs prepare for service. After sitting down in the waiting room we were offered water or champagne which was a nice touch.
After a few minutes the kitchen was ready to serve us. We all sat down at one of two long tables on either side of the room. Service is for 12 people at a time.
Service began with the sous chef introducing himself while mixing up a pre-​meal cocktail for the table with some liquid nitrogen. He poured everyone a cup and then explained what was in it.
This is something that was done with every course and was great. The chefs and servers did a great job of letting everyone at the table know what they were eating or drinking, where it came from, and how it was made. The service was probably the best I’ve ever had anywhwere.
Of course with tasting menu’s there are going to be some things that you just don’t like. This was no different of course but I will highlight what my favorites were.
One of the first things that was served was a chicken skin taco. It was basically a dried piece of skin, shaped like a taco, with greens filling the skin. It tasted exactly like a taco that had pieces of meat in it and was awesome. My three favorite dishes after that were the rabbit, gnocchi, and the monk fish.
The rabbit that was served was incredible. It was served with a sauce/​gravy on top of it that made you want to go back and run your fingers over the plate to make sure there was nothing left behind. The rabbit was cooked great and had a ton of flavor and juice still in the meat.
The GNOCCHI was literally… the softest thing I’ve ever eaten. It was served in a broth and was topped with greens and an extremely generous amount of first of the year truffles which added a big punch to the dish.
My winner of the night was the monk fish. It was grilled perfectly and was super juicy and had a lot of oomph to it just by itself. What I loved the most about it though was what it was paired with. It came with 3 charred onions and some lemon egg yolks. The bite you could have when combining all 3 of those components was the best bite I had all night.
Moving on from food, we both got the wine pairing to go with our dinner. The lady who was bringing out each wine was able to describe each one adequately and answer any questions we had about it. Each one was paired with the food nicely!
One of my favorite parts of the evening was when service in minibar kitchen ended and we were escorted into barmini’s main bar area. We were sat down at a table and they proceeded to serve us another 5 or so desserts when we thought the experience had already ended. It was fantastic.
Now I would definitely be remiss if I didn’t mention the drinks at barmini. There is a silver booklet with all of the ones they specially make all sorted by type of liquor. The drink I got was the Ticket to Phuket. BEST. COCKTAIL. EVER. It was super spicy and they gave you a little squirty thing to add more chili vodka if it didn’t have enough kick for you. I can’t wait to at least go back to barmini and get another one of those.
Overall, the minibar dinner and wine pairing will run you up a nice little tab but I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to a person who loves different types of food, drinks, and a great food experience. Great place for a special occasion or just any night you’re looking for an extreme change of pace! This was a great meal.

Get ready for one of those «once in a lifetime» dinner experiences, although I’m positive this won’t be the single best meal of my life. Minibar is hands down one of the best restaurants in town, and does command a hefty price premium (expect at least $ 320 with no drinks, after tax and tip).
The service is stellar, from complimentary champagne offered in the foyer to the personalized menu signed by the chef specifically for your special occasion. You’ll feel well taken care of for sure. The servers will also remember each individual’s dietary restrictions and whether you asked for still or sparkling water throughout.
There’s a lot of creativity that goes into the cooking. From the extracted scallop water then turned into a shell surrounding the actual meat, to the doughnut-​flavored ice cream, you may even find some of the servers’ explanations for the process of cooking up these concoctions a little over your head. In my opinion, definitely worth a try if for nothing but the experience. For the price though, and the communal setup (you may find yourself sitting next to strangers while everyone faces the kitchen area marveling at the chefs at work), I’d rather go to a regular high-​end restaurant with a tasting menu if I’m looking for a more intimate environment and similar gastronomic experience. The décor is indeed fairly minimal when you consider the type of establishment minibar is.

What an absolutely amazing experience! I had the pleasure of attending their first Friday night seating for my birthday this year and it was simply incredible.
We got stuck in traffic (even allotting an hour and half to get into the City from Springfield-​a usual 15 minute drive) and were ten minutes late to dinner. I was mortified, and profusely apologetic, but the staff were amazing about it. They actually called me at 6:05 to make sure I was still coming and I lost the host as we pulled into the parking garage nearby. Even with this snafu, when we got there and rang the door bell, we were whisked away to our table within a matter of seconds. Then the sommelier and lead server stopped by to wish me a happy birthday and make sure we knew what to expect before bringing us our first course. Lesson learned: they want you there 15 minutes prior to service for a reason! Everything is timed just right. If I ever do this again, I will allow myself 2 hours before service and just hang out at Penn Social around the corner until they open.
My first impression of the dinning space was that it is really neat. The whole back wall to our seated area was chalkboard and covered in doodles, ideas and sayings. The kitchen is spotless, as I’m sure you’d expect, and watching the chefs perform their duties is like watching a perfectly timed symphony. It is really something to behold! I also really loved how approachable everyone was. They explained each dish and encouraged us all to take pictures, ask questions and really embrace the experience. Frankly, I guess I wasn’t expecting that level of congeniality.
We selected the wine pairing and I must admit, I was very impressed with both the amount of wine and the varieties of what was presented. A+ here!
Each dish was playful and the wines and spirits went perfectly with them. I particularly liked the pairing with the «burger» of tuna tartare and sea urchin in a meringue bun. Delicious! Three other stand-​out dishes to me were the 2^nd lobster dish, the squab and the «soup» dish. But really, everything was fantastic! Even my least favorite course was still quite good! Each course, amuse bouche and small bite came out perfectly timed; I very much enjoyed watching the chefs make sure each movement was precisely synced.
After the last transitional semi-​savory bite and wine pairing, we were walked over to Barmini to continue along with the dessert portion of the evening and have coffee. Barmini is every bit as playful as minibar and I enjoyed the change of scenery. The desserts, much like the main courses were creative, quirky and fabulously delicious. I particularly enjoyed chocolate peanut and the «crispy crème» doughnut. The chefs even brought out cotton candy birthday cakes for the people in our group celebrating birthdays, which I thought was a lovely whimsical touch.
The whole experience, from beginning to end, was fantastic! This is one of those times where 5 stars is not enough.

I am not sure how many characters Unilocal mobile will allow me to use to let Unilocalers know how freaking outstanding this place is. This reservation was a surprise from my hubby and, while I knew about it back when he made the reservation, it was still an absolute ‘surprise’ from the second we walked in the door until we were bid adieu.
In my true type A style — I will list the pros and cons of this restaurant… oh, I mean experience. Note: you will have to think of this as an experience when you get the bill. Otherwise you might have a heart attack. Dinner is what you get at Outback — Minibar is an experience of a lifetime.
Since the negatives are trivial and less — I will start with them:
— takes forever to get a reservation. Hubby called in February and the first Saturday they had available was June 20. I am sure there are last minute cancellations people could take advantage of — but we wanted to guarantee the seat. I had been wanting to go to this place for over 4 years — so I was willing to wait 4 months…
— they have 4 seatings a night, 2 tables of 6 @ 6:15PM/6:30PM, and then 2 more tables of 6 @ 8:15PM/8:30PM. Hubs and I got the 6:30 seating. The only thing that sucked about ‘being second’ was that the element of surprise was ruined if you looked to the left. Honestly it is not a big deal at all (and a pretty lame ‘negative’), but if I could do it over — I would have taken the first seating.
Positives:
Holy hell there are so many… and they encompass each dish, but if I make this review too damn long then no one will read it. So, here’s a summary of Minibar’s awesomeness…
— attention to detail. Want to feel like royalty? Eat here. Hubby and I got there early and were graciously seated in Barmini with a beautiful glass of Cava. We were then escorted to the waiting lounge where we sat with the other diners at our table. More Cava and an appetizer (giving a tease of the culinary genius to come) were given to each couple as we waited. The staff knew your name… they walked you to the restroom and refreshed your napkin each time. Never did I once feel left alone — yet it was never overbearing.
— food. Duh. I’m typically not adventurous when it comes to food. I like my steak rare and my beer cold — oh, and slap some bacon on that while you’re at it. So, I was a bit nervous having my (extravagant) dinner chosen for me. Not once was I disappointed. The tastes and textures — even if things I hate (eggs, mussels, caviar) — were impeccable. The only bad thing about the food is that it stopped showing up at one point. Each plate left a huge smile on my face. I will not ruin the ‘surprise’ for anyone w/​reservations by going into detail about each dish since I don’t know how often the menu changes.
— wine. Seriously can I bring the sommelier home with me so he can make me that happy for the rest of my life?! Each bite accentuated each sip and vice versa. It was heaven. *i opted for the Jose wine experience
— environment. The décor is modern and, just like the food, stimulates the brain on a level that you didn’t think food and design could. The best part? Being right there to watch the culinary geniuses do their work. Simply amazing. I want to take them home with me as well… After the dinner you are kindly escorted back to a private table in Barmini for aperitifs and dessert. And the bill…
Well, I know most people are concerned with how much stuff costs. Again, this is an experience…
Hubby got the dinner w/​regular wine pairing, I got dinner with the Jose experience wine pairing (best pairing they offer and definitely worth it). Dinner + appropriate tip (places like Minibar, in my opinion, warrant a 25−30% tip): $ 1,050.00.
Yes, there’s a comma in that price tag. But there is absolutely no regret other than the fact that I don’t make the kind of money to eat there every day…
If you are a foodie then this place is a definite MUST.

*** 100^th Review ***
Minibar was more than just a delicious meal. It was a dining experience. From the moment you walk in until you pay the check, this restaurant caters, pampers and impresses.
For my #100threview, I’m going to try something different. Here goes…
#toughresi #gotit
#warmwelcome #warmtowel
#chefstable #twobytwo
#ambiance #attentiontodetails
#15coursesmaybemore
#gastronomy
#muchbeverages #pairings #justdoit
#rubberducky #gottogotounderstand
#fusilliJerry #handmade #pestoinjected
#vietnamesepigear #bestdish
#rainingtruffles
#squabiswhat??? #lovedit #GFnotsomuch
#dessert #eatthewrapper
#diningexperience
#worthit
I have to add one story. At the end of the night, after the bill was settled, we needed a cab. The staff told us, cabs were a bit hard to come by because of the Caps game, which was just letting out. #badtiming. Anyway, one of the servers found a cab 2 blocks away, road in the backseat to the restaurant and didn’t get out until we were getting in.
#DEDICATION #extramile
#done

Gasp ³⁄₅. Impossible. But unfortunately that was the case. If I may, the main theme and quite possibly the only ingredient of the night was salt. Sodium. Saline. Saliferous.
Do not mistaken me though the service and experience is truly one-​in-​a-​million. The staff were nice and friendly. The wine pairings for each course was truly impressive. If you haven’t eaten a bit before to have a nice layer in your stomach, be prepared to get tispy or inebriated. From crisp whites to slate-​y reds to dessert wines to sherry, the wine pairing was excellent. Outstanding even. The presentation is also one of a kind. Each course was laid out in an aesthetic manner. The whole experience paired flavors of differing ends of the spectrum.
Hot-​Cold Pisco Sour — Great play on an appetizer cocktail. Great care of taken into making the cocktail as the flavors tingled your taste buds as the creation of the drink involved liquid nitrogen! The foam was intensely salty… as with all foams that night.
Parmesan Canele — Very strong savory taste and was very temperature dependent.
Pineapple Shortbread — Where was the sweetness? Buried in the pastry perhaps.
Pizza Margarita (tribute to Jumbo Slice) — Honestly, this was the best of the trio presented… not because it reminded me of Jumbo Slice but the flakiness, crispness, and the heat balanced out the salt. The added pepper flake was a great touch.
Tart with Foie Gras Ice Cream — This was truly an unique and frankly forcible small dish that had be reaching for the Sweet German Riesling pairing. Absolute mind-​bending as the mind thinks sweet and is met instead with the most saliferous taste assault.
Rubber Ducky — Definitely the most charming/​cutest dish of the night but alas could not be saved as once again the mind thinks sweet but is rewarded by a unhealthy dose of saline. Why.
Late-​Night Chicken Shawrma — Excellent presentation with a unqiue clear roll-​wrap similar to rice paper but exhibits the quality of plastic wrap. Utterly bewildering but a pleasant surprise as the cool, refreshing sauce countered the bits of overly savory chicken.
Japanese Burger — This dish I enjoyed. The base of the beef tartar with the uni (sea urchin) on top was a great take on what is known as the Surf n Turf. The complex and intense flavor of the uni was very well balanced by the fattiness of the tartar. The bun was nicely toasted and a bit sweet.
Vietnamese Pig Ear — This is where the experience, arguably for me, hit its upswing stride. Two great dishes in a row with the crispy/​crunchy pig ear paired with traditional elements of a bahn mi. Sliced carrot, onion, turnip, pork belly, and cilantro with a hint of mint. Marvelous. Paired with an interesting tiki drink with umbrella and PINEAPPLE rum.
Homemade Fusilli — The upswing continues. The start of the presentation is very odd as you get a raw but steaming egg in your plate. Then garnished with the handmade fusilli pasta and few flakes of truffle. Once mixed together, per instruction of the host, the meal comes together as one entity.
Andalucian Tofu with Ice — Ughhh just when you think the salt is at bay… it comes back with a raging revenge. The tofu was nothing special… typical silky tofu block but the ice…*shivers* proves the term ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’.
Shabu Shabu — Simply put, unsatisfying. What was served and what is desired didn’t connect. The broth was along the lines of a classic beef broth with little else to offer besides the brine and the portions served were not meat but instead pieces of thinly sliced dough which they aptly called ‘ravioli’. Last time I checked ravioli were stuffed with a filling…
Iberico Tendon — Cleverly substituting the tendon for the lesser-​traveled palates I was a bit disappointed with the substitute but the gelatin did well with the quail egg in the middle providing a creamy texture.
Espardenyes with Bone Marrow — Great play between the fatty marrow and the sea cucumber. Sounds unappetizing but ignoring the salty foam, it was a beautiful combination.
Beech Mushroom Papilot with Truffle — Amazing aromatic dish served with gusto. Freshly sliced burgundy truffle added the extra exclamation this dish so richly deserved.
Squab — aka fancy pigeon. Now before you go reaching for the bag, the meat was very tender, great balance between the salt and crispness of the vegetables. Eye-​opening. Easily one of the more memorable/​enjoyable dish.
The rest of the night was spent in dessertland where they over-​indulge your sweet-​tooth. The Tokaji wine was superb. I will say the First Frost with its rendition of green apple shaved ice was joyful as with the Yuzu-​Mallow reminding me of a youthful time of munching on HoneyCrunch cereal. The mini Ice-​Cream donuts were also delightful.
The very last drink of Italian (Montenegro) was hit-​or-​miss with it missing badly for me.
Like I said, wonderful experience… just nothing to die over for except the price.

I’ll start off with saying that the actual experience, presentation, and service is 5 star; no question about it. That being said… if you’re a regular ol’ American like me, you enjoy your red meat and lots of it. The problem is that the fancier and more expensive a restaurant gets, the less meat you get… Even if I could afford this all the time, I probably wouldn’t crave going here. Maybe my palate isn’t advanced enough to appreciate a meal of this caliber; I’ll stick to the home cooked meals from the hole in the walls from now on.
So there were a few items that were pretty tasty. My favorites were the burger, the the bone barrow, beech mushroom papillot with truffle, squab & oysters and the doughnuts. The pineapple shortbread, almond tart w/​blue cheese, shawarma, ibérico tendon, and cotton candy were decent dishes. The rest of the plates I didn’t really care for– especially the shaved ice ones or any of the desserts.
As I said above, many people pay for this experience, and for some of you, it is very well justified. They do treat their customers like few other restaurants. As for the wine pairing, it seems to be too cheap for in comparison to the dinner, lol.

Did I make reservations months in advance? Yes. They are also off for a limited time during August for summer vacation.
Was the service spectacular? Yes. Everything you would expect from five star restaurant with a super attentive staff. People walking you to your seat, to the restroom, a new napkin when you leave, friendly and courteous service, etc etc.
Was the food spectacular? Amazing, we went through 25+ courses, and each tasted very different and looked like a beautiful art piece. I found some of the asian/​broth dishes a bit too salty, but everything else was divine. There was enough food, and you get a print-​out of the menu at the end of the meal.
Was it cool to watch the chefs prepare it all in front of you sitting at a bar for six? Yes, they careful with their execution and displayed great passion for each dish. They explained every dish, but sometimes I found it difficult to hear what the dish was if you’re not sitting at the center of the bar, and I wish they did more in explaining how they prepared each dish. I was fascinated how something always looked like one thing, but tasted like another.
How does the interior look? Nothing too impressive. Quite a clean, simple, modern design, two separate bars in a shape of a wide V with a walkway in the middle. Pleasant lighting, chalkboard walls with drawings of their menu. Bathroom was really cool, felt like you’re in a metal rocket ready for take-​off. I thought the furniture in the Bar mini where they bring you to finish your meal with the desserts & tea/​coffee was much more eclectic.
Is the place kinda hard to find? Yes, there is an unassuming sign on E St, and large doors to enter. Valet is available and worthwhile.
Do they do anything for birthdays? Yes, they created a cotton candy and shaped it into a birthday cake, which is shared with your fellow bar diners.
Were the other guests a treat to dine with? Yes, people who come here are clearly serious about their food, and it was really fun to enjoy eating with some serious diners (most of the other diners had been to Minibar several times, and said a few dishes change seasonally)
Was there a dress code? No, some people showed up in jeans & polos, others in button ups, girls in dresses. Not a pretentious place at all, just a place where people go to enjoy exciting foods.
Was it worth it for 250+ per person? Yes, this three hour + experience was totally worth it, and it was incredible to see a talented team work and deliver such an amazing meal.
For the non alcohol drinkers, I would definitely recommend the additional $ 50 for the non-​alcoholic beverage pairing. It looks totally worth it, and you’ll be wishing you had something amazing to drink as well to go with all your delicious courses.
Enjoy this epicurean adventure.