The Jefferson Hotel is an institution in Richmond, and traditionally, the only times you visit are at Christmas to see the fabulous tree and gingerbread house, or maybe on Mother's Day to treat your mom to the elegant tea in the Palm Court Lobby. While many times the phrase "hotel food" is an oxymoron, this is definitely not the case at the Jefferson. At Lemaire last week, I had hands down the best fine dining experience to date in this city.

The restaurant is named for Etienne Lemaire, who served as Maitre d'Hotel to Thomas Jefferson from 1794 to the end of his presidency. Jefferson loved fine wines and all things French, and Etienne is credited for introducing the art of cooking with wines to America. Jefferson also highly valued fresh, regional produce and herbs, and the spirit of both of these men has inspired Executive Chef Walter Bundy to create what he terms "upscale Southern cuisine with a French twist."

Bundy trained with some of the country's finest chefs, including Thomas Keller at Napa Valley's French Laundry, before returning to his hometown to take over the kitchen at the Jefferson. He changes the menu every two weeks to offer the freshest regional ingredients available, and offers a different tasting menu with wine pairings every evening.  

I couldn't resist the spring tasting menu to see what Chef Bundy and the sommelier had cooked up for the evening, but my dinner companion opted to order off the regular menu. We both received an amuse bouche, which was an espresso cup of a lovely, delicate creamed squash soup.

For starters, I had Stuffed Zephyr Squash Blossoms with roasted peppers, parmesan, marjoram, gazpacho and basil oil. Served with that was a delightful sparkling wine, Graham Beck Brut from South Africa, chosen for its sharp acidity to prime the palate for the following courses. My friend chose the Lemaire Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Kite's country ham, and arugula, served on buttermilk cornbread with a champagne hollandaise.

The crab was excellent (I've missed Eastern Shore seafood), and the ham gave a salty and savory kick to the dish.

Lemaire at the Jefferson Hotel 

101 W. Franklin St. 

(804) 649-4644

My second course was a butter-basted Outer Banks Mahi-Mahi with sweet corn, Surry sausage, gulf shrimp succotash, fried green tomatoes, and the champagne hollandaise, paired with Santa Julia Organic Chardonnay from Mendoza. This dish, in particular, highlighted Bundy's creative blend of traditional Southern dishes and French cooking techniques, and the chardonnay was much less "oaky" than most, chosen to offset the butter and richness of the hollandaise. I confess that, not being a chardonnay lover, after a few sips, I traded mine in for the Walnut City Pinot Gris that was slated for my next course of Chesapeake Soft Shell Crab.

That dish made me think of my dad, who would stop every summer at this hole-in-the-wall place on the way to Nags Head to get soft-shell crab sandwiches. The fourth course was a Sous-Vide Free Range Veal Loin with fiddlehead ferns, Kite's country ham, wild morel mushrooms, butternut squash purée, and truffle vinaigrette. (sous-vide is French for "under vacuum" and refers to a cooking method of putting food in a vacuum-sealed bag and cooking it in a water bath)

The veal was incredibly tender and juicy, complemented by the earthy mushrooms and salty ham. The Albemarle Kluge Estate Simply Red was perfect with the flavor profile, strong enough to stand up to the ham, yet light enough not to overwhelm the more delicate veal. This was a new find for me and one I plan to stock up on, as it would pair with almost anything. My friend chose the Olive Oil Poached Wild Alaskan King Salmon with local asparagus, Virginia ham, and morel mushrooms and the Simply Red even went well with that.

Dessert was a decadent Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Tart with fresh strawberries, caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. Our port was a Montevina Zinfandel from California, a blend that I personally didn't care for, but that the sommelier explained was chosen to challenge diners with a wine made from a different point of view.

The spring tasting menu is $120 per person, including wine, which is very reasonable for a high quality fine dining establishment, especially with the generous pours on the accompanying wines. The price range on the regular menu runs from $9 to $18 for appetizers, the latter being the foie gras selection, and from $30 to $37 for entrées. Our server was outstanding: knowledgeable about both the food and the wine, attentive without being intrusive, and smoothly offering substitutions if we weren't delighted with our selections.

Don't wait until Christmas to go back and see what Lemaire has to offer. Sometimes, the best things in life are the ones we take for granted.