Soon to come: seats at Mio's kitchen counter
photo: Mary Clayton Carl
Earlier this year, the arrival of Italian-born Stefanio Frigerio (formerly Maestro’s No. 2 toque) at Mio lit up the gastronomic radar screen, as he's known for respecting ingredients, striving for seasonality and making good use of animal parts. Beginning March 11th, foodies can sit at the two-person “chef’s table” – a pair of seats at the counter that face the open kitchen and offer a full view of the cooks in action – where they'll be served a five-to-seven-course tasting menu created at Frigerio’s whim. He’ll ask about allergies and food phobias – but after that, it’s all up to him.
Dishes will showcase the freshest products, says Frigerio, like the pork being produced for the restaurant by a local farmer. He expects to turn out updated tour-de-force dishes like beef Rossini (filets sautéed with foie gras and truffle sauce) that can’t be prepared for a crowd. And he hopes that people will be inspired to try new things because they get to watch them being made (reservations for two can be made for 6 and 8:30 PM; $100 per person, not including wine, tax or tip; 202-955-0075).