The Source - 575 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington DC , District Of Columbia 20001
Chef: Wolfgang Puck . The Source is Wolfgang Puck’s fine dining restaurant offering a menu that features modern interpretations of Asian cuisine. The tri level space offers guests different dining options starting with a private room that can accommodate up to 40 guests. The main level features a casual and approachable bar and lounge area serving traditional Japanese Izakaya menu offerings. The third floor allows guests to enjoy their meal in contemporary design comforted by soft, simplistic furnishings and floor to ceiling windows. The dining room is wide open, well lit and inviting.
We started the evening with the “Tiny Dumplings” appetizer of Pork Belly, Black Vinegar, Chili Oil, Ginger, and Cilantro Leaves. They proved to be a delightful beginning as they were filled with tender and flavorful pork belly perfectly paired with the black vinegar and chili oil. The texture of the perfectly seared dumplings added just enough crunch to the multitude of flavors that married so well as I ate them. The Crispy Suckling Pig with Black Plum Puree, Ciopollini, and Sweet Bean Sauce was not quite as good but still enjoyable. I found that it lacked in flavor a bit, however the black plum puree complimented the dish very well and without which would have left a bland and uninteresting take on the dish. For entrees I had the Pan Roasted Organic Chicken with Garlic Gai Lan and Lapsong Sausage Fried Rice while my guest enjoyed the Lacquered Chinese Duckling with Lo Mein Noodles and Wild Huckleberries. I found the Roasted Chicken to be ordinary. While there was nothing overtly wrong with it, it did not invite me to take in the simple pleasures of a perfectly cooked piece of chicken that can so easily be overlooked and under appreciated. However it was served with delicately superb brussel sprouts and an impressive sausage fried rice which proved to be the highlight of my entrée. The lacquered duck was simply amazing. The duck, plated with wild huckleberries and spicy lo mein, was juicy and tender and full of flavor. The chef’s talents became evident with this dish. The savory flavors were immense and memorable. We finished off with a desert called “Lemon, lemon, lemon”. This was a lemon soufflé served with lemon cookies and lemon sorbet. Wow! The soufflé was very light and fluffy, with zest so delicately folded in that it melted away with a meringue-like feel leaving an intense taste of fresh lemons coating your tongue . The cookies were soft and filled with candied lemon while the sorbet accented the dish perfectly, both with an abundant but not overwhelming lemon flavor. Delish.
Overall I found my experience at The Source to be quite enjoyable. The service was better than average and the food was pleasurable. I would return and intend to experience the inviting bar atmosphere that had teased me when I first arrived.