100 Very Best Restaurants: The finest dining in Virginia, Maryland and the District
Washingtonian
January 2002

EQUINOX
** Downtown; Expensive

TODD GRAY'S IMPRESSIVE RESUME INCLUDES tours of duty with classicist Robert Greault and modernist Jean-Louis Palladin as well as a seven-year stretch heading the kitchen at Galileo, during which time Roberto Donna's restaurant won national prominence. What Gray absorbed from his mentors was an understanding of the techniques of classic, modem, and rustic cooking, which he has put to good use in developing his updated interpretation of Southern regional cooking.

Considering his work with Donna and Palladin, Gray's style is refreshingly self-effacing, emphasiz-ing the harmony among the primal flavors of three or four ingredients lent unity by an appropriate sauce. Gray changes his menu frequently, but recent successes have included Crispy Tidewater Clams With Cherry Tomatoes and Indian Corn Sauce; rockfish garnished with a miniature crabcake and braised leeks; and a pork chop complemented by a Calvados sauce and a garnish of braised kale. The comfortable food is perfectly at home in Equinox's quietly modern setting. A $60 five-course menu offers a good in-troduction to the most interesting dishes in Todd Gray's current repertory.

Equinox, 818 Connecticut Ave., NW, 202-331 -8118. Open Monday through Friday for lunch, daily for dinner Wheelchair accessible.

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