The Land of Lobster Burgers and KitKats

I'll admit it - I'm extremely lucky because my father comes to DC for work on a fairly frequent basis. His time in DC doesn't just mean that I get to have some good "daddy/daughter" time, but it means that he gets to feed me.

Since I was a little kid, food was always an incredibly important part of my family. Food Network was the TV channel of choice. Family dinners were a time to catch up every evening. Cooking for a meal was turned into a make-believe cooking show hosted by my attention-loving younger sister. And eating out was always an adventure - it was the goal to try and find the newest restaurant, the best food and the most creative cooking.

Over the past 5 years that I have lived in DC I have had the opportunity to eat at some amazing restaurants, yet there is one that I keep going back to time and time again. I've been to Central Michel Richard to celebrate both my birthday and college graduation and last week I had the opportunity to return - and it was better than I remembered it.

About 6 weeks ago my father asked me to help him plan a dinner in DC for some of his business associates. Immediately I decided that it would be at Central - how could it not? The food is wonderful and the service is impeccable - two things that every impressive business dinner should include. Yet, I was still having doubts. Maybe it was because I've been there a few times and I wanted something new. Or maybe it was because there has been a turn over in the kitchen. Who knows what it was. But, during one of the Washingtonian's food chats their critic, Todd Kliman, said " I would take my food-loving visitors to Central...because it's unique. There's nothing like it anywhere else. So that, then, becomes a must-stop -- an experience thy won't find in their own city."

And what a good choice we made. The food once again found the ability to make my taste buds swoon during every course. I started with the traditional gougeres, which are otherwise known as cheese puffs. If you go to Central and you only order one thing these little bit-sized pieces of heaven should be it.

The rest of dinner flowed as freely as the wine. The service was unobtrusive, but the waiters always seemed to anticipate the table's every need. The lobster burger that one of the dinner guests had lived up to the hype. My short ribs were so tender that they fell off the bone with the lightest touch. My dad's tomato and mozzarella salad was not only presented beautifully the mozzarella was made in-house and transported me back to the markets in Rome.

The grand finale of the evening was Michel Richard's famous KitKat Bar - or at least that was what it was called the first time I ate there. Now, though it is referred to Michel's Chocolate Bar. Yet, the name doesn't matter, what matters is how incredible it tastes. It took some convincing but soon everyone around the table was swooning over the decadence and simplicity of this dessert.

I walked out of the restaurant feeling comfortably full and having no doubts that Central truly deserves every award and word of praise that is bestowed upon them.

image: nytimes.com