From the positive reviews of Washington Place I began seeing/hearing a few weeks back I knew that it wouldn't take much coaxing to get the fiance to take me there for a lil date.
While I never made it to Baricelli (which seems to ignite rage within the hearts of my foodie friends - hey, I lived out of town for a decade!) and have no point for comparison, I can say that I really loved what was done with the space. This mansion has been modernized in a tasteful, stylish way. It's on trend but certainly not trendy. You walk in and immediately feel like you're in a carefree luxury space. The complimentary parking wasn't a bad touch either.
Many of the cheese ingredients included in dishes still come from the Baricelli producers. For those foodies out there still wanting to experience a taste of what was.
The cocktails at this place are outstanding and reasonably priced. I ordered the Ginger Sidecar and the fiance had a Dark and Stormy.
As for the food, we ordered several smaller plates to share, as we are want to do:
1) Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
2) Oxtail Pierogies
3) Mack and Cheese (named for the Mackenzie Creamery)
4) Steamed Asparagus
5) Presti's Glazed Donut Bread Pudding
It was a lovely meal - in fact one that ranked with some of the best that the we had experienced together. All ingredients were expertly selected and for the most part impeccably prepared. The pierogies + mack were incredibly full-flavored and carefully balanced. Both dishes ran the risk of being too rich, but we opted for the smaller size of both (*some dishes do come in half + full sizes) which allowed us to experience just enough of each dish while still leaving us satisfied.
We were told that the guest rooms in the Inn portion will be available to book sometime in January. If they're as well-appointed and comfortable as the rest of the space is, I could see this making for a great getaway within walking distance of Little Italy + University Circle.