# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  The Inn At Little Washington

## JEK

Off this afternoon for a special retirement gift -- picking Dallas friends up at IAD and then cooking with Patrick O'Connell from 3-5 followed by dinner at the Chef's Table in the kitchen tonight.  Overnight stay in the Claiborne House and breakfast tomorrow. Pictures to follow!

http://www.theinnatlittlewashington....hington-va.php

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## amyb

What a great gift. Enjoy enjoy.

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## katva

Excellent!!!  it's not far from where we live, but we have never been---do report back!  Some day we will go there (and may have to skip a SBH trip to do so) :)

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## andynap

Good food and great place for sure.

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## andynap

> Excellent!!!  it's not far from where we live, but we have never been---do report back!  Some day we will go there (and may have to skip a SBH trip to do so) :)




If you go you have to stay there too- a special place

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## Bart -my real name-

You'll probably be up to your ears in morels.  I read a local blog that said the Inn was getting so many this spring that they were selling them in the gift shop!

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## JEK

Their FB page says the same thing about morels.  We eaten there a number of time, but never stayed.

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## katva

oh, yes!  A stay overnight would complete the experience.....and we love morels (you may have red the earlier food report).  What a treat!  What a gift!

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## JEK

For us it is a 1 1/2 trip, so we normally get a car. It will be fun to enjoy a long slow dinner with friends and a short commute to the house.

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## Peter NJ

Beautiful.

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## Eddie

I haven't eaten there in years, but it was a wonderful experience. Enjoy...
And, remember this when I retire... :laugh:

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## Grey

That sounds like a lovely way to spend an evening.  The property looks beautiful.  Enjoy!

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## amyb

OK-It's on my list now!

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## MIke R

sounds like fun!

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## andynap

You pay for what you get.

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## MIke R

I have little doubt

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## andynap

We were there for a special birthday of mine- stayed in the main house and ate everything in the restaurant they had. A memorable experience. In the lounge on the 2nd floor Phyllis picked up a little bell to see what it was and 4 people came running to see what she wanted- LOL.

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## Bart -my real name-

The food is great, but I thought the prices to stay there were prohibitive.  We looked at a couple of rooms after dinner one night and were shocked at how small they were.  There's a nice little B&B just outside of "town" that will save you a couple hundred bucks over the Inn if you want to slum it.

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## katva

There are a couple of other B & B's in the town of Washington, VA (a very small, walkable town) at a MUCH better price.  We have looked....but haven't taken the plunge yet!  There are also some pretty decent art galleries. It makes a great day trip from DC.  On a side note, I was a showroom manager in the Washington Design Center ages ago, in the early 90's, when P. O'Connell came through to decorate the Inn.  He was my # 1 account!  I can understand the price of a room, to pay for those fabrics.  I'm sure it's been done over several times since, but am also sure the decorations are still of the finest caliber...

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## Rosemary

Congratulations on your retirement!  This sounds like a wonderful afternoon and evening.  From the Mother's Day menu, I would have the lamb tenderloin with ratatouille, salsify...

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## JEK

More to come

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## Grey

Outstanding! I look forward to the rest of your post(s)!  

Doesn't the Claiborne House have an herb garden?  Will you be doing a little snip-snip before you return home?

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## JEK

It does! P O'C was so great on our instruction - two hours of non-stop tips. Now off for dinner!

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## amyb

The line from BULL DURHAM "My oh my!"  They were talking about food, right?

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## JEK

Dinner was magnificent! Two tables in the kitchen and the other party of two was finishing as we arrived at 8:00. We were ushered in with a story of how Robert Mondavi called Chef O'Connell the Pope of US cooking. Gregorian chants had been playing during our afternoon session, but now in addition we had a "altar boy" with incense to greet us and all the staff at attention.  During the afternoon I told Chef about my mother making morel sandwiches on Wonder bread when I was kid -- he kept talking about it all afternoon. First tasting? Morels on brioche rounds -- the JEK inspired newest addition to the menu!  The four of us mixed up all the courses and we had individual wine parings from all over the world. I had a South African wine from a grape close to sauvignon blanc with my with the Fantasia of beets, a Nuit-St-Georges  with the lasagna of morels and asparagus and a South African Sirah with the veal loin and liver. 

Chef  was busy, but managed to stop by a few times during the evening. What an experience! More photos to follow.

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## Petri

Chenin blanc?  I remember reading that some DNA tests have shown that it might be the parent to sauvignon blanc..

South Africa has a long history on wine.  The dessert wine Constantia was once rated the best in the world, and it's now back in production.   Great stuff, there's never anything left in the bottle  :Big Grin:

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## amyb

John, what a great opportunity for you and Susie. Looks and sounds like it was a perfect gift for the likes of you.

So, what's next on your personal BUCKET LIST?

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## JEK



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## Grey

Magnificent!  

What did you enjoy for dessert??

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## JEK

Mini rhubarb pie paired with a limoncello mousse.

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## JEK

Mini rhubarb pie paired with a Limoncello Soufflé with Meyer Lemon Ice Cream

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## amyb

OMG!!

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## JEK

Send me a PT if you want a link to all the pics of the class, the dinner, the house and the shop.

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## JEK

> You'll probably be up to your ears in morels.  I read a local blog that said the Inn was getting so many this spring that they were selling them in the gift shop!




$48.00 a pound, or by the ounce at $3.00. Chef said it is the best season for morels he had seen. He was very talkative after dinner as we were the last table in the place. Great stories about hosting the Queen a few years ago.  They had to send the actual flowers over to London -- not photos -- to make sure her clothing wasn't going to clash. Snipers in the trees. The Royal gin servant who is the only person who provides a beverage for Her Royal Highness.

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## Dennis

[quote=JEK The Royal gin servant who is the only person who provides a beverage for Her Royal Highness.[/quote]


Where do I apply?

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## Petri

> $48.00 a pound, or by the ounce at $3.00.



Wow, one needs to do some real effort to find them here for more than $10 a pound.

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## katva

and we got them dirt cheap for $30/lb last week. :)

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## Bart -my real name-

Hey JEK -
   How crowded was the main resturant on a Wednesday?  I've only been there on Sundays and it was full, but I always wondered what it was like during the week.

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## JEK

When we arrived at 8 and directly ushered into the kitchen -- not too many. Based on the fact that the kitchen was shut down at 10:30 when we ended our service, I'd say it was light. They only do the cooking class on light days as half of the kitchen is dedicated to the instruction. We had both sous chefs and Chef Patrick dedicated as well. The woman who does the booking said they do 8-10 of these a year and never on a weekend.

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## rivertrash

You're a lucky man, JEK! Great experience.  Thanks for sharing.

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## JEK

Short vid of the kitchen at peak. Very calm. Watch in 1080p

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## Petri

Is that some kind of a religious place?  (music..)

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## JEK

Robert Mondavi, the vintner, called the Chef the Pope of American cooking, hence the Gregorian chants. Very soothing.

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## Petri

Ok, that explains.  One could say it's some kind of a religious place then  :Big Grin:

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## JEK

I think it is really mind control of the staff :)

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