The server made me do it. I’m not sure the last time a restaurant critic ordered a chicken breast, the consolation prize offered to the picky eater in the group. But with his strong backing, I accepted. What could Clarity, the immediate hit in Vienna, pull off with the blandest protein in the fridge?
It seems like Jonathan Krinn (co-chef and co-owner Jason Maddens left this year to start his own restaurant, AhSo in Brambleton) had some ideas. Some of the chicken is braised; other pieces are roasted. There is no gimmick here. The chicken drips with a salty, savory gravy, enhanced with mushroom oysters and offset with crunchy, slim filet beans and greens with a whisper of wilt. Before that, springy rock shrimp, sweet corn kernels, tangy burst tomatoes and creamy lima beans crowd a bowl of polenta as smooth as Bruno Mars’ dance moves.
There’s a finesse to every dish. Scallops reveal a creamy interior, sablefish arrives delicate and refined, and a ramp emulsion completes sauteed soft-shells. Dessert is different. Keep your deconstructed cakes and cloying berry tarts. Give the people want they want: a brownie so fudgy it can barely keep its shape with minted whipped cream and a minty chocolate ice cream.
Clarity
Modern American | $$$
442 Maple Ave. E., Vienna
