Weekend Jônt: A 2 Star Michelin Adventure
Dreams do come true – it’s just that some require a generous benefactor to act on your behalf in order to realize them.
Such was the case when a very kind gentleman secured a coveted reservation slot at Jônt for myself and a friend. As in most contemporary love stories, the gears were set in motion via a simple text message to Prince Charming, way back in May. A new set of reservations opens up for booking on the first Friday of each month, and most of the weekend seatings are snapped up within minutes. My generous lover had made getting this reservation for Marissa Beckham and I a sort of team effort, employing some help to secure our preferred reservation date and time.
And what a dreamy night came to be because of it! Chauffeur service, dinner with wine, floral surprises, and a private nighttime tour of D.C.’s monuments. I’m gushing at this point; writing this blog feels like reliving the magic. If I begin to wax poetic over it all, you must know that the musing is warranted: this Friday night jaunt at Jônt, and around town, was the best dining experience I’ve had in nearly two years.
The Overview
- Jônt jontdc.com
- 14th Street Corridor, Washington, D.C.
- My rating: ★★★★★ [5 Stars]
- Hours: Dinner is Wednesday-Sunday in one or two small seatings, 5:45pm and 8:15pm
- Price: $$$$$/$$$$$ [very expensive]
- Reservation Difficulty: Moderately Difficult
- Dress Code: Upscale Casual.
- Scene: Diverse & trendy, still exclusive
- Perfect For: A fun but elegant and impressive date, a special occasion
I’m sure many people, like me, were surprised at the number of new entries to D.C.’s 2021 Michelin Guide, released in the middle of a global pandemic that decimated the restaurant industry, particularly fine dining establishments. I was mostly curious about how a total newcomer – Jônt opened in July of 2020 – could have secured two stars from inspectors, setting it on a pedestal shared with two other restaurants that had been peak gastronomic experiences for me in the D.C. dining scene: my most recent minibar experience and The Inn at Little Washington, both in 2019 (ironically, Marissa B. and I did The Inn at Little Washington together, as well… one of many wild yet well-mannered experiences we’ve shared over the years).
Chef Ryan Ratino and the staff at Jônt provided an experience that undoubtedly justifies their awarded two star placement on the Michelin list. The restaurant relies on it’s food to make the message; there is significantly less theatre and showmanship involved in making it unforgettable. Perhaps that’s why, weeks later, I’m still wondering if it’s reasonable or feasible for one to spend a few hundred dollars each week to enjoy their tasting menu (of course, my accountant says no). Whereas minibar and The Inn at Little Washington are restaurants one would reserve for special occasions, Jônt is a place I could see myself being a regular at.
— The Ease In
The sign for Jônt is easy to miss: it hangs high on the building housing neighborhood favorite Bresca. It’s actually quite ironic, considering that Bresca, Chef Ryan Ratino’s first solo enterprise, rarely goes unnoticed with its electric blue doors outlined in bright yellow trim. The Friday night crowds had already started to swell on the bustling 14th Street, making it hard for our driver to find a stopping space just in front of the restaurant. As soon as we stepped in, a friendly hostess ushered us upstairs from Bresca’s dining room and past a small salon, sliding open a huge door to reveal the pristine white kitchen space.
Dinner had just begun, with the first course concluded and a second on the way. But the staff was nonplussed by our slight tardiness, promptly and expertly confirming our dietary restrictions (none) and delivering a spread of amuse-bouches with a glass of Thierry Triolet Grand Reserve champagne to begin the journey.
The course following consisted of Hokkaida sea urchin. It was rest in a buttermilk sauce finished with herbs and the same rishiri kombu that had once comprised the sea urchin’s diet, giving the urchin itself a deep and savory flavor.
— The Atmospheric Conditions
While we waited on the third course, I took the time to process our surroundings. The kitchen space at Jônt feels like a world of it’s own. It’s a shielding, welcome respite from the ever-lively 14th Street, and also feels like a stark contrast from Bresca, downstairs, which has a contemporary, colorful outfitting.
The chef’s counter seats 12 diners for 16 courses, with two seatings (5:15pm and 8:15pm). Everything in this enveloping white kitchen sparkles and shines, a testament to its newness. Decorative trinkets, flowers, and a buzzy music selection add playfulness to a dinner experience executed with surgical rigor. A smiling Michelin man statue, procured by a staff member to celebrate the award, seems almost out of place next to Chef Ryan Ratino and two other cooks huddled over the coming course with kitchen forceps in hand. After singing along to the three songs in a row (“Lemonade” by Gucci Mane, “Pain” by Future, “International Player’s Anthem” by UGK), I asked one of the dinner Captains if a DJ had curated the playlist; actually, he said, the music selection is a collective effort wherein the staff contributes songs at leisure.
Of course, any dinner billed at $305 per person (plus a 22% service fee and a 10% tax, not inclusive of wine pairings or your tip) requires a certain formality, particularly in regards to service, but what is refreshing about Jônt is how casual it feels. This coupling of a pared down atmosphere with elegant fare is becoming delightfully common in D.C., at least more than in other food cities I’ve visited. It seems to be an indirect consequence of D.C.’s appeal to a crop of young, talented, pedigreed chefs, many of whom will be lauded for their role in transforming the city into a world class dining destination. Chef Ryan Ratino, of course, is counted among this formidable group. In his home state of Ohio, just outside of Cleveland, Chef Ryan’s first job at Panera served as a primer for his culinary pursuits. He began his “proper” career at Shula’s Steakhouse in Orlando, Florida before stints at numerous acclaimed restaurants in New York like Caviar Russe, Dovetail [now closed], and [also now closed] WD-50. In D.C., he’s held posts at Masa 14 [now closed] and minibar before opening his first restaurant, Bresca, in 2017 at age 27.
His launch timing was impeccable, coming just one year after Michelin began creating it’s D.C. guide which has lent a great deal of credibility to a city that has become ever more attractive to (ultra) high net worth individuals, millennial professionals, and retirees who want to live in proximity of a city while enjoying the comfortability of a suburban or exurban lifestyle. Steak and potatoes are no longer the standard meal for politicking or sophisticated socializing; powers, palates, and pocketbooks are ready for a food scene with more depth.
Our fellow diners around the counter reflected this diversity. What had brought us together was the excitement of communal dining on the fineries like our next course: smoked Kagoshima buri with melon and cucumber. It had been plated so exactly that it was almost too pretty to eat. I felt a guilty satisfaction as I picked up each delicately sliced bit with the indulgent gold-tipped, wooden chopsticks. This course had been paired with the one and only sake for the evening: craft brewed Ryujin Kakushi Ginjo Namazume Genshu. After the gorgeous plate had been finished, things got heavy.
— The Take Off
The segue into mains began with a thick slice of bluefin tuna that had been topped with a generous dollop of golden osetra caviar and a nest of thinly sliced peppers. A vadouvan broth and billowing foam could be scooped up with each bite.
Chef Ryan bucks the system with the next dish: a seashell bowl full of Dungeness crab and richly buttered donabe rice. The bowl was garnished with freshly shaven black truffle (lots of it!!! in the summer!!!). I’ve found that most tasting menus shun ingredients based on preconceived notions of what’s in season. But if an ingredient is good, and it fits, why not? Because when are truffles not amazing to have?!
I loved this dish as something which acknowledges the regional culture, even if the crab was not sourced locally. Crab is a focal point of Chesapeake Bay cuisine. However, as someone who does not absolutely love crustaceans, courses that highlight them often make me anxious. Aside from the Maine lobster French toast at Kinship, I have rarely really loved them. But so much was done well here; as a truffle obsessive and an unabashed carb lover, this was one of my favorite plates of the evening.
I have perfect vision now – thanks to PRK corrective surgery – but my eyes still sometimes deceive me. What I thought was ice and water at the bottom of a tomato and raspberry bowl was actually tomato water and verbena jelly. It was a juicy, refreshing course that really embodied the summer season perfectly!
More deception lay ahead.
It seemed so simple – the Bell’s Valley slice of chicken in a vin jaune sauce. Then, while forking around for the first bite, abalone and foie gras were uncovered. I used the flakey pastry accompaniment to sop up the remaining sauce.
I’ve struggled to accept the growing trend of fine dining sans meat. To me, Wagyu epitomizes fine dining like nothing else; it is demanding in so many ways. A legitimate, quality cut of Wagyu is difficult to source and requires delicate hands to prepare in a way that does it justice. And so, a perfectly executed Wagyu is ascendant.
Jônt sources theirs from Kagoshima, Japan. Having perused the restaurant’s Instagram before our visit, I was extremely excited about this dish – a January 2020 photo had shown a huge cut preserved in beeswax.
I’m not quite sure if each dinner gets a cut that has received this treatment, but the bite we had sure tasted special. It had been expertly seared and the steak knife sliced into it with disarming ease.
The pineapple and espelette pâte had fooled me into thinking the main courses of the evening were done, until a gorgeous plate of duck was marched out.
Duck is far from my favorite fowl (I refuse to even give Bali, my adorable toy poodle, treats made with duck meat), but the simple aesthetic of this plating belies the substantial preparatory effort that went into creating it.
The duck is dry aged for 21 days in an herb-rich crust adhered with beeswax. The fresh roast had been presented to us for viewing, which of course had made for an eye and mouth watering display.
This dressed up crust requires a considerable effort to accomplish, for sure, but it is the sauce that does all the work… and none at the same time, seeing as the duck is excellent on its own. So much goes into the deep burgundy concoction. A culinary implement called a duck press, which sat at the end of the kitchen island, is used to compress the roasted bird so tightly that the bones, organs, and blood juices are discharged. These materials are collected and repurposed; the blood, combined with a sturdy red wine, makes the base of the sauce.
In the midst of all this, it is easy to forget about the accomplices – warm, airy, house-made pain au lait; a small bowl of fried rice with foie gras nestled in; and a teacup with duck and buckwheat broth, to sip between bites for added flavor.
This outlay is, undoubtedly, what Jônt wants to be its crown jewel moment. It’s a clear demonstration of Chef Ryan Ratino’s knowledge of French and Asian techniques, with the team’s culinary prowess is on full display. Quite befitting for the concluding course at the kitchen counter.
— Wind Down & Wine Down
For the finish, we were escorted out of the kitchen and into an intimate salon area. This entire experience was quite reminiscent of minibar.
First came an initial dessert canapé presented on an elegant antique: raspberry tart, with charred meringue that delivers a smokey, complementary flavor.
A peach amazake kakigori followed, playing the role of an entremet for the next sweet plates.
Dessert is something I always look forward to. At most critically acclaimed restaurants, I am wholly disappointed at the lack of effort and inventiveness that goes into them. Thankfully, Jônt muscles through this portion of the service, maintaining the same level of craftiness and attention to detail as they’ve conditioned you to expect by this point. Instead of distractingly pretty but lackluster showpieces, all the focus seemed to be on delivering a crave-worthy farewell. Thus, there was no pièce montée, as one might have expected from a tasting menu with so many French nods. Nevertheless, the blackberry “aviation” is a conversation piece all its own.
Done as a play on the cocktail, viola is used in macerating the berries. A blackberry and viola kombucha serves as the base of the sauce. White chocolate had been drenched over fresh blackberries and a corncake (which was transformed into an icy concoction). Penny Archer would be elated.
This would have been my favorite dessert but…
… The chocolate soufflé was revelatory. Matcha is sprinkled on top, and it is served with a spoon that has been pre-prepared for digging in with opus blanc ice cream. A better picture may have done it more justice, but I couldn’t restrain myself from polishing it off promptly.
In the final flourish, a gift box is marched out. Lids are lifted and the drawers are extended to reveal a different mignardise assortment in each compartment. The adorably perfect madeleines at the top, situated next to a thank you note, were the first things I reached for. These small, sweet bites are always a bit sad to me – you never want a meal like this to end!
At the end of our dinner, several stunning bouquets of flowers were paraded out. Even after innumerable romantic gestures that have been accomplished in the short amount of time we have known each other, each one surprises and delights me as much as the first. They attracted a great deal of attention and many compliments, which made for a great conversation between Marissa, myself, and two other dinner guests.
We had all finished our last glass – Jorge Ordóñez No. 2 Victoria, a dessert wine from Málaga, Spain – and were stirring over the water cups. Each had a different facial expression: some grimacing, others smiling or making pouty faces. What a way to make water exciting, especially after a tasting menu which had been punctuated by a masterful wine selection.
Jônt offers two wine pairings: the Jônt pairing at $195 per person and the Iconic wine pairing at $395 per person. I am lacking in my ability to speak the language of wines, but the Domaine Borgeot white burgundy (Meursault ‘Les Narvaux’) that had been paired with the Dungeness crab was a stand out favorite for me. I had also been eager to finish a later Burgundy, Jean Michel Guillon Gerry Chambertin. It was one of the more interesting wines from the evening, being fruity and still spicy at the same time. My hope is that, in the near future, a comparable level of effort is dedicated to curating a mocktail pairing for non-imbibers.
It’s been a troubling time for the restaurant and hospitality industries. Sourcing and supply chain disruptions have been a consistent pain point for many restaurants throughout the pandemic, and fine dining establishments must confront a unique struggle in finding top talent. In the midst of so much change, Jônt provides a dinner experience that feels reminiscent of a time when nouvelle cuisine had no restrictions and no limitations. I am excited to live in that world again and again, through seasonal iterations of their tasting menu!
There aren’t enough good things I can say about my friend Marissa Beckham. She’s a fun-loving, standout beauty based in NYC. Over the three years we’ve known each other, we’ve shared many adventures – from nights out on the town to vacationing abroad – and every single time we get together, there is an incredibly hilarious experience to be recounted. Of course, excitement is to be expected when you have a leggy, modelesque blonde on your arm!
I feel incredibly blessed to know a person who is gorgeous but still so full of substance that she deliberately chooses not to skate by in life on just her good looks – she’s an amazing friend with a captivating personality, a good sense of humor, and a sincerity you don’t find in many people. If you have the chance to meet her and know her, I’m certain you will be able to attest to the same.
