Valentine’s Day 2011 Feature: Michel at The-Ritz Carlton, Tysons Corner

Be sure to check out all 23 of our photographs from this menu shoot HERE!

NORTHWEST -- Barry White might be the undisputed “Dr. Love,” but when it comes to the hearts of Washingtonians, no one knows better than Chef Michel Richard that love’s sweet song is best dished-out on a plate!

Indeed, it was at his flagship Georgetown restaurant, Citronelle, that President Obama and First Lady Michelle chose to spend the very first “date night” of his presidency.

It was thus a fitting conclusion to our week-long journey, throughout some of the city’s best drinking and dining establishments for Valentine’s Day, when we found ourselves face-to-face on Saturday evening with Chef Richard himself, inside the upscale dining room of his latest area restaurant: Michel at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner.

Along for the ride that night, in the northern Virginian suburbs, was renown baker, chef, and the former owner of Marvelous Market and The Breadline Mark Furstenberg.

Together (or at least I like to think so), we worked as a team in documenting (me) and sampling (them) the special Valentine’s Day Dinner at Michel that Executive Chef Levi Mezick had planned for guests.

A brightly-colored first course consisting of oysters on the half shell with a raspberry aspic, paired with chilled glasses of champagne, was quickly dispatched:

First Course: Oysters On The Half Shell w/ Raspberry Aspic
Time constraints (the restaurant was booked solid for the evening) precluded us from enjoying the butter-poached lobster with beets and vanilla emulsion that awaits guests tonight as their second course.

However, the third course’s filet mignon with red bell pepper sauce more than made-up for the planned omission!

Third Course: Filet Mignon w/ Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Of course, no Valentine’s Day would be complete without either chocolate or red roses. And in Chef Mezick’s dessert course, consisting of a heart-shaped cake for two with rose flavored mousse (all topped with fresh rose petals), couples will be delighted to find both.

Dessert Course: Chocolate Heart w/ Rose Flavored Mousse & Fresh Rose Petals
As with any of Chef Richard’s restaurants, Valentine’s Day reservations had long since sold-out before our visit. It was LOVELY of him and Chef Mezick to still host us – even if ever so briefly!

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To make a reservation at Michel at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, please visit the restaurant's OpenTable website.


Be sure to check out all 23 of our photographs from this menu shoot HERE!