Dish of the Week: Avocado wasabi ice cream
Where: Adour by Alain Ducasse

Next Monday, Adour by Alain Ducasse will have its official opening. During the soft opening, I tried a few of their menu items. The dish that immediately caught my eye was the bluefin tuna tartar with avocado wasabi ice cream ($15 at lunch). While it is quite a logical pairing - a deconstructed tuna and avocado roll, it definitely raises an eyebrow. Savory ice creams have become quite the thing - a trend that seems to have been spurred by the necessity to make ice creams out of secret ingredients on Iron Chef. The tuna tartare was brought out at the same time as my other appetizer, short ribs with Yukon gold gnocchi (also $15). My server suggested that I eat the warm dish first, saving the tartare for last. By the time I made it to my tartare, the ice cream still held its form, which I imagine is the result of it having a high fat content from the avocado.

Topped with a paper thin melba toast, spoon some tartare on top of the toast and put a small amount of the ice cream on top. While it does not exactly replicate the experience of a sushi roll, the cold ice cream is a good contrast with the room-temperature, and therefore more flavorful, tuna. After the cooling swallow, you'll feel the slight warmth of the wasabi in your throat. The ice cream is slightly sweet and worth consuming by itself, or could also play an interesting role in a deconstructed BLT.

Other items worth noting were the Spicy Maryland Crab Salad - tender lump crab meat in a slightly coconuty dressing topped with shredded green papaya, mango, and scallion. It's a great crab dish even for Old Bay diehards. The strawberry rhubarb pannacotta is a dream on a plate, with a small bowl of raspberry granita and two warm skinny finger-shaped cookies topped with a hint of strawberry and more cookie type crust and almonds.

The menu focuses on items that pair well with the selection of wines, which line the walls in glass cases, similar to Central or Proof. Produce and meats are brought in fresh each day from some local sources and other wholesalers. Some items have seasonal ingredients, such as a pasta dish with heirloom tomatoes, and the crab salad. A menu is also available at the bar that feature lighter fare and smaller dishes. A meal in the dining room is filled with small surprises, such as bread service - a touch that is usually a signature of higher price points and an indication of Ducasse's Michelin-starred background.

Chef Ducasse, like most celeb chefs, is not spending much time in the kitchen. Instead, the man under the toque is Julien Jouhannaud, who has worked in a number of Ducasse's restaurants and most recently at The Harbour Grill at the Hilton Hotel in Singapore, where he won a silver medal at Asia’s most recognized culinary competition, Food & Hotel Asia’s Culinary Challenge.

The interior of the renovated restaurant is modern and chic - the bar area reminds me of a W Hotel. This isn't much of a stretch, given that David Rockwell designed the W in Times Union Square, and both the St. Regis and W are Starwood hotels. Make sure to look up at the gorgeous ceilings - original from 1927 - that feature angel wings, but for some reason no angels. Also worth noting is Alvin, one of the bartenders who has worked at the St. Regis for several years, who also does the daily sabering of champagne at 6 p.m. in the lobby. He is friendly and knows how to have a good conversation.

Small Bites
Like the shirt with the alligator
Ris Lacoste has finally signed the lease on her new restaurant, ris (yes, lowercase), located in the Ritz-Carlton Downtown. For those who are not familiar with Chef Lacoste's resume (it's been two years in the making), she previously was a lauded chef at 1789. She hopes to open Spring or Summer of 2009. [via Don Rockwell]

2008 Virginia Wine might be fine
According to the Virginia Farm bureau, the state's grapes are thriving thanks to a wet spring followed by a dry summer, meaning the grapes are likely to be more flavorful. More rain tends to increase the water absorbed, reducing the flavor concentration, as many strawberry lovers could attest to this past spring.

Sweet indulgence
Rosa Mexicano will be hosting a Festival de Chocolate Cooking Demonstration & Luncheon on September 20 starting at 10 a.m. It will include a cooking demonstration and luncheon at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $35, including tax and tip. The menu is four courses that include mini empanadas with mole, a salad, shrimp with vegetables and chocolate sauce and flan. To make a reservation contact Stephanie Weisman at (202) 654-7010.