Clarity Awards

Clarity Restaurant Review:

When two gifted chefs and longtime buddies forge a kitchen partnership, you can bet that the food will be good. And that’s indeed the case at Jon Krinn and Jason Maddens’ (2941, Inox) flagship restaurant in Vienna. Their seasonal culinary spin results in such “musts” as a yellow tomato gazpacho with crab meat, and mussels in a fennel-spiked broth with merguez lamb sausage. And these are just starters. Daily specials include smoked Wagyu beef brisket or harissa-crusted lamb shoulder. Other entrées are roasted chicken and caramelized scallops. If you like burgers, their version is unique: a couple of very thin patties sandwiching melted cheese and fitted onto a homemade bun. In fact, all baked goods are made in-house. Among desserts is a chocolatey cake with ice cream. Ask the waiter about specialty cocktails and the wine menu, which suits what the chefs have created. Lunch selections are just as elegant, but slightly pared down. Hope to find the semolina-crusted soft-shell crabs and the braised lamb ragoût.