Inox New American

Let me boil this recommendation down to two words: patty melt. For all their innovative flavor combinations, chefs Jonathan Krinn and Jon Mathieson have devised a rather safe, if regal, interpretation of the humble hamburger melt. The patty in their version features ground, exquisitely beefy culotte, which is topped with two cheeses and black truffles, and then pressed between buttery, beautifully fried slices of crustless brioche. I ate this fine example of handheld decadence with a big fruity glass of Lopez de Heredia Rioja, for the kind of lunch that business types would have downed several decades ago, when excess equaled success. You can discover far more subtle delicacies on the chefs’ dinner menu, but whatever you choose, I predict great things for this pricy Tysons playpen as Krinn and Mathieson continue to explore the high and low ends of American gastronomy.

Next up: Jang Hyun Ban Jun