Chef Jon Krinn’s restaurant Elyse in Fairfax officially opens on Wednesday, October 9.
Until now, the 29-seat restaurant on Fairfax Boulevard has been “invitation-only” with Krinn offering reservations on his website.
Our food critic describes the intimate experience as akin to a dinner party experience where you’ve hired a high-level private chef for the occasion. Only, in this case, that private chef is the one best known for opening Clarity in 2015 after being at the acclaimed 2941.
“My goal at Elyse is to explore — to try new and different products and techniques, to create new dishes that I, and hopefully you, find interesting and fulfilling,” Krinn writes on his website. “Trust is what it’s all about in this environment. I am going to constantly challenge myself, my team, and your palate as well. The restaurant is small and cozy, and I hope you feel like you are part of a special journey.”
Krinn describes the restaurant as having a speakeasy vibe with a tasting menu format paired with wine and spirits. Expect housemade pastas and unusual proteins (think octopus and pheasant) on the prix fixe menu.
Krinn, who recently went to Morocco on an international retreat, said on his Facebook page: “I can’t wait to immediately fuse what I learned about the vibrant and skillful use of tagine techniques, spices, herbs, preserves, and cures into Elyse’s fall menus.”
Elyse sits to the right of Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar in Fairfax. The price per guest is $125 with an optional $85 wine pairing. The cost does not include cocktails, taxes, or a service charge. A 20 percent service charge is added in lieu of a tip. 10824 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax
Feature image by Alice Levitt
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s Food & Drink newsletter.
