Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC to Debut Muze Restaurant

Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC to Debut Muze Restaurant
The all-day dining restaurant, formally Sou'Wester, will highlight the hotel's oriental heritage and feature approachable cuisine that blends the best of local bounty and produce with flavors from South East Asia. Developed under the direction of Executive Chef Didier Pouzier and new Chef de Cuisine Mark McDonnell, the menu will include an international collection of familiar and flavorful dishes presented with a distinctive Asian-inspired twist.

“We are thrilled to debut Muze to our guests, local clientele and the dynamic DC food scene,” said General Manager Adriaan Radder. “After much consideration, and in response to our guests' preferences, we do believe that Muze will provide a diverse menu that showcases cuisine that reflects our ‘East West Kitchen' concept, complemented by universal dishes that our leisure and business travelers can enjoy.”

Menu highlights include: Confit Lamb Shoulder & Soy Roasted Sunchoke, Black Bean Veal Cheek & Heirloom Carrot, Ahi Tuna Crudo, Rockfish Miso Cauliflower & Dill Juice and Tempura Blue Prawns. Hand-crafted cocktails and a diverse wine selection complete this engaging dining experience.

“We are fortunate to welcome Chef McDonnell to help drive the new concept for Muze,” said Director of Food & Beverage Andreas Wieckenberg. “I am confident that his creativity, leadership and international experience will further ignite the excitement for Muze among our colleagues and guests.”

Chef McDonnell joined Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. in mid-September 2013. Previously, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Rogue 24 in Washington D.C. and was instrumental in managing the day-to-day kitchen operations, menu creation and supervision of all off-site events, including dinners at the acclaimed James Beard House. His experience also includes culinary positions at Vue de Monde Restaurant in Australia, L'Ecrivain Restaurant in Ireland and Tom Aikens Restaurant in London.

Featuring a dynamic, modern setting that includes indoor and outdoor seating with vistas of the Washington Marina, Muze will complement the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, CityZen by Eric Ziebold