2011 Fall Dining Guide
By Tom Sietsema
Sunday, October 16, 2011

One of the country's most acclaimed inns acquired a "farmer in residence" this year. And a British master gardener. And a pastry chef from another esteemed brand, Chez Panisse in Berkeley. The Inn at Little Washington is 33 years old, but it can't be accused of resting on its many laurels, I discovered last month during a rendezvous at chef Patrick O'Connell's food fantasy. I settled into the evening in the posh lounge with a Turnpike - a twist on a Manhattan featuring applejack brandy and raspberry puree - accompanied by Parmesan tuiles and tempura green beans. Then I move on to dinner in my favorite place to nest, a corner table in the tented garden room. Surprises abound. Here, "chips and dip" translates into a tin of caviar-paved onion spread presented with sheer potato coins embedded with chervil, while tomato soup appears in a tall shot glass with a cap of Parmesan foam flanked by a tiny crustless sandwich of Gruyere and white truffles. The most memorable crab of the season - a soft-shell in a web of tempura and crushed peanuts on electric "pasta" spun from julienned vegetables - surfaced here, near the Blue Ridge Mountains. The inn's garden is behind some of the kitchen's latest creations. Blueberries bursting with flavor grace a plate of succulent pigeon on a delicate zucchini crepe, while shishito peppers, corn relish and house-made chorizo make superb supports for grilled shrimp from North Carolina. The only reason I know I'm not in a chateau in France is that everyone in this gilded oasis is speaking English. The tab is considerable ($600 for two with wine, drinks, tax and tip); the memories, including a post-dinner chat with the star of the show, are priceless.