The Gist: http://trummersonmain.com/
The Why: Staying with family in Clifton while visiting DC posed only one problem; the logistics of driving into the nation’s capital each day – a small problem to a tourist, but more so to the locals who have to deal with the traffic on a daily basis. Wanting to thank my uncle for the hospitality but with an eye on quality and convenience I was surprised to hear about Trummer’s, a restaurant mere miles from his home housed in a historic setting with a Thomas Keller trained chef.
The Reservation: Opentable, reservations for two on a Sunday Night.
The Setting: Built in 1869 as the Clifton Hotel and nestled in the small town of Clifton (and its multi-million dollar mansions) Trummer’s on Main is historic to say the least. A former house to presidents and diplomats the three story space has been substantially renovated with time and visiting on a late spring day the space was bathed with light, no space moreso than the large glass-encased dining room looking out on a waterfall, trees, and outdoor garden. Spacious and historic (ask for a tour, they’ll happily oblige) but a bit warmer than I’d have preferred the restaurant seats at least two-hundred while the bar, copious wine cellar, and private rooms are all decorated in light woods, oil paintings, and heavy textures.
The Service: With the dining room packed for the bargain “Sunday Supper” service was friendly enough, though our primary server – a young woman named Joy – was clearly assigned too many tables thus rendering dish presentations perfunctory at best while back servers kept water filled and dirty plates off the table.
The Food and Drink: $38 3-course Prix Fixe, Complimentary Bread and Butter, Mignardises, and “$5 Bucket List” wine.
Domaines Fabre Château de la Clapiere Rosé 2011: One of the main draws of the Sunday menu at Trummer’s is the “Bucket List,” a collection of wines that were opened on either Friday or Saturday but not used up on the tasting menu or a la carte and thus offered at $5 a glass on Sunday. Fruity, spicy, and pleasantly dry I really liked this wine on first taste while my uncle sampled through three reds while we dined.
White Roll with Local Sweet Butter: A sort of crunchy white roll that I’m rather certain was fortified with potato giving it a fluffy moist crumb the single bread option at Trummer’s was quite addictive and the bread server remained busy throughout the evening as it seemed every table requested seconds (or in our case thirds and fourths)
Scallop Tempura with Spaghetti Squash, Cilantro, Ponzu Butter: Considering the price and setting the portions at Trummer’s were quite impressive, my first course featuring a U-8 Scallop in light batter over a curl of shredded spaghetti squash, cubes of summer squash, and sweet ponzu butter. Clearly pan seared before a short visit to the fryer the scallop was nicely flavored and its natural sweetness was enhanced by the ponzu while the pair or squashes helped add balance.
Oven Roasted and Honey Glazed Pork Shoulder with Plum Wine Pineapple, Bay Leaf Crumble, Sweet Potato: Ample in portion but even more so in flavor the story of this dish began with the quality of the pork, easily cut with a fork and melting in the mouth, and continued along to the accoutrements; a composition of flavors both sweet and savory that harkened something tropical without overwhelming the pig in the least. Generally not overly fond of bay leaf I was particularly impressed by the crumble in this case, a amalgam of the aromatic leaf and crushed pistachio.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream, Rhum Raisins, Coconut: Another balance of sweet and savory I’d suggest that if this is on the menu at Trummer’s it should be ordered. Dense and rife with carrots while boozy raisins were tempered by semi-sweet ice cream this is precisely the sort of dessert I love while my uncle went so far as to call it the best carrot cake he had ever tasted.
Coconut Marshmallows: Free, and in terms of taste the very essence of coconut, though a bit more sticky and dense than I’d prefer.
The Verdict: An absolute bargain in a rather impressive setting I was admittedly surprised by my meal at Trummer’s on Main and although I would not place it on the “destination” list with places like Ashby Inn, VOLT Table 21, or The Inn at Little Washington for persons living in the DC area I certainly would not hesitate to return for a full a la carte or tasting experience in the future.