My wife and I went to the Inn at Little Washington for our Valentine’s Day dinner. It was about an hour and fifteen-minute drive from DC and when we arrived, we immediately saw the charm of the Inn in the small town of Washington, VA. Its picturesque setting in the rolling hills of Washington only lent to the beautiful building and its architecture. Before our dinner, we were invited to have a drink in the lounge area. We felt as if we were stepping back in time as the furniture and decor had an old-timey but elegant feel. After our drinks, we were seated at our table.

When we were seated, we were greeted by our waiter who elevated our experience with his attentiveness and willingness to cater to our needs. We started the dining experience with a small bite of pimento cheese wrapped in a pastry crust that was flavorful and excited us for the rest of the evening. This was followed by the Hamachi Crudo on Golden Beet “Pasta” with a Mélange of Citrus and Beet Tartare. This dish was light and refreshing but was packed with flavor. It was a great start to the heavier dishes to follow.

Our third dish was the Carpaccio of Herb-Crusted Elysian Fields Baby Lamb Loin with Caesar Salad Ice Cream. It was by far my favorite dish of the evening. This play on a deconstructed caesar salad was very complex and each element was masterfully done. The most surprising element was the caesar salad ice cream which tasted exactly like you think: caesar dressing. It was an extremely creative dish that I hope they keep in their rotation.

Next up was the Chartreuse of Savoy Cabbage and Maine Lobster with Caviar Beurre Blanc. You can’t beat lobster and caviar so as you might expect, it was delicious. The beurre blanc sauce was the highlight of the dish for me as it was a great compliment to the savoy cabbage and lobster.

The entrees followed. My wife ordered the Pepper-Crusted Long Island Duck Breast with Cara Cara Oranges and Turnip Purée and I got the Juniper-Crusted Venison Tenderloin with Brown Butter Chestnut Ravioli and Lingonberries. The duck breast was perfectly cooked and the brightness of the cara cara oranges and turnip purée balanced out the dish nicely. The venison dish was heartier, however, it was still well-balanced with the lingonberries. The venison itself was cooked well and not gamey at all, and the ravioli gave a nice nutty/sweet element to the dish.

Finally, the dessert came. My wife and I decided to get the Coconut-Passionfruit Bavarian with Angel Food Cake and the Selection of Cheese from Cameron, the “Cheese Whiz”. The highlight was Cameron who not only was very knowledgeable about each cheese but was throwing out puns left and right. It was a fun way to end the night and showcased the one-of-a-kind nature of the Inn.

Overall, this was truly a three-Michelin-star experience and was well worth the journey to Washington, VA. Despite the rainy night, we felt right at home at the Inn and the warm, caring nature of the staff was the main reason for that. The food also lent to this feeling with a great mix of dishes, and unique flavors and elements. I highly recommend the Inn at Little Washington for your next special occasion! Check out some of my pictures from the evening in the Restaurant Gallery section and thanks for reading!