"Chef Ryan Ratino’s buzzy bistro on lower 14th Street NW whips up dinners dreamed up by the ambitious chef, who’s among the youngest to have a restaurant earn a Michelin star (sample course: tuna crudo with Calabrian chile, wild fennel, makrut lime and foie gras gateau with pistachio, strawberry, celery, and anise). The restaurant pushes boundaries everywhere: The menu incorporates a vintage French duck press gifted by gourmet supplier D’Artagnan into a theatrical tableside offering, while the bar program spearheaded by beverage director Will Patton is also not to miss. Chef’s tasting menus ($158) can be augmented with seasonal delicacies like luxe truffles, and there’s now a la carte options available too. This fast-growing team, which is also behind two-Michelin-starred tasting room Jônt upstairs, recently opened a new restaurant in Fort Lauderdale and will soon expand to LA." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky
