Tale of Two (Food) Cities
What happens when a famished food critic dives into Paris and D.C., intent on making culinary comparisons?
By David Hagedorn
September/October 2009

Saving a Little Cash

Prix-fixe menus, a staple in European restaurants, have long been wrongfully stigmatized in the United States as the cheapskate’s way to pay. But now it’s considered chic, which offers a terrific opportunity for diners to visit magical places they might have otherwise considered beyond their reach.

One such place is 2941 Restaurant (2941 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Va.; 703/270-1500; 2941.com; $100 per person, all inclusive), an oasis in the woods, replete with soaring ceilings and glass walls, museum-quality artwork, breathtaking floral arrangements, sumptuous table furnishings and views overlooking waterfalls and a koi pond. A splendid way to sample chef Betrand Chemel’s artistry is via the four-course, prix-fixe menu offered every night except Saturday. At $58, it’s one of the best deals in the D.C. area. The menu changes daily, with the first and second courses fixed, a choice from two main-course selections and any choice off pastry chef Anthony Chavez’s delectable dessert menu. Kudos for the spiced shrimp with couscous, velvety gnocchi with roasted wild mushrooms, sea scallops with vanilla-coconut reduction, and almond crepe soufflé with blueberries and fromage blanc sorbet.

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