Once in a blue moon, a meal comes along that makes every other dining experience fall flat. So incomparable is the cuisine in both flavour and presentation that it feels almost sinful to eat it. Dining at José’s Table at minibar is like that: a banquet for the taste buds as well as the eyes, that feels like consuming a piece of performance art. José’s Table at minibar is more than just a unique dining experience. It is a feat of artistic and scientific innovation.

Chef José Andrés and his team are constantly experimenting with the newest in molecular gastronomy, bringing diners a new tasting experience with every bite. Here, those lucky enough to snag a coveted seat will enjoy a feast for the senses. At José’s Table, the flavors and aromas of Japan and Spain merge in unexpected harmony. The exceptional cuisine mingles with avant-garde presentations and inventive formations to create a culinary experience unlike any other.

Tucked away within the two-Michelin-starred minibar in the trendy Penn Quarter of Washington D.C is the even more mini dining experience that is José’s Table. It is a miracle in and of itself to gain entry to minibar. Diners must be ready to pounce immediately in order to catch one of the limited number of tickets sold intermittently.

With only six seats available at José’s Table, this multi-course gastronomic affair is even more elusive. Yet it’s worth it to gain a seat at the table. Here, the best of science and art merge to create an incomparably unique dining experience.

How it all began

Minibar began as a six-seat bar in Jose Andrés’ ‘Café Atlántico’ in 2003, but the location has since changed. The restaurant carved out its own space in an unassuming corner building blocks from the National Mall. Beholding the unadorned exterior of the restaurant, one would never guess the incredibly imaginative creations being born inside. The space is shared with barmini, Andrés’ equally inventive cocktail lab. Here, guests can sip drinks made with edible gold and served with pipettes filled with additional flavor.

The science utilized to create the incredibly imaginative dishes served at minibar has certainly evolved. Over the years, it has enabled new innovations and gastronomic creations to come into being. Yet despite these changes, the heart of the concept – featuring a tasting menu of exquisitely prepared dishes that change with the seasons and the newest science – remains the same.

A Unique Dining Experience

José Andrés, and minibar in particular, is known for experimental gastronomy, bringing together unanticipated flavors and cultures in a delicious celebration of unconventionality. After a 19-month closure due to COVID, minibar reopened in 2021 with a new Japanese-inspired menu. It is designed to highlight the commonalities between Japanese and Spanish cuisine. Dishes such as the Auonori Taco combine the flavors and culinary traditions of the two countries. Ibérico pork and fresh green tomatoes come together with the fragrant Japanese herb shisho. All of this is bundled up into a crispy sea lettuce taco shell, whose green color stands out like a splash of bright paint against the crisp white plate that is its vessel.

At minibar, the emphasis is on quality of food over quantity. The tasting menus feature just that – tastings – of between 25 and 30 courses, or possibly several more at José’s Table. The tasting experience is elevated so that each bite is a discovery. Ingredients are transformed, made unfamiliar. Through freeze-drying or dehydration, familiar textures are eradicated with intention. Liquid nitrogen features heavily in the dishes’ presentation. It appears suddenly and covers the room with a magical haze.

Those who manage to score a sought-after ticket to minibar can expect dishes that consistently surprise and delight the tastebuds.  A Spanish bocadillo de jamón (ham sandwich) assembled of meringues made from Ibericó consommé rather than slices of bread. Or, for dessert, Japanese strawberry milk reimagined as a solid, made of strawberry tulle and freeze-dried strawberries. The menu changes based on the season and gives emphasis to sourcing local produce where possible. Therefore, one never knows exactly what they will get at minibar, except that it will be a strikingly genius, completely unique dining experience.

José’s Table

The newest items on the minibar menu make their debut at José’s Table.  In a private dining room just next to the kitchen, six lucky diners get an exclusive first taste of Andrés’ newest creations. Over the course of three hours, guests will experience around 30 courses off of tasting menus not available anywhere else. Asparagus may be served in the form of a foam that floats on the tongue and then dissolves. Caramelized olive oil might appear like a glass-blown teardrop that shatters into pieces with a crunch and bursts in the mouth.

A curtain separates the single party of dinner guests from the creating that is taking place in the kitchen. The décor in the private room is sleek and sparse, creating a modernistic atmosphere fitting for the contemporaneity of the dishes being served. A single light in a black lampshade hangs above the table. It serves as a spotlight, illuminating the food which rightfully takes its place as the star of the show. In the wall, a circle of lights is set behind glass, taking on whimsical shades of blues and greens that off-set the smooth gray of the walls.

In addition to the newest culinary creations, guests at José’s Table are provided with unique wine pairings. A team of experts designs the menu and wine pairings with the goal of creating the best possible tasting experience. Drink offerings are designed to highlight all the flavors, textures, and temperatures of the dishes served. The minibar team does not cut corners. They take months at a time to research and prepare the dishes that finally make their debut at José’s Table, ensuring that the quality of food and drink is without fault.

Humanitarianism

Celebrity chef and humanitarian José Andrés is the namesake of and brains behind José’s Table at minibar. Born in Spain, Andrés immigrated to the U.S in 1991. He settled first in New York before relocating to the Washington D.C area. Outside of his world-class food and scientific ingenuity, he is known for his remarkable work as a humanitarian. In 2003, the James Beard Foundation named Andrés “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.” In 2018, they honored him again as “Humanitarian of the Year.” He is the recipient of four “Bib Gourmands” and was also listed amongst Time Magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” in 2012.

In the world of humanitarianism, he’s known primarily for founding World Central Kitchen or WCK. WCK is a not-for-profit organization which focuses on providing emergency food relief and culinary training in the wake of natural disasters around the world. They travelled to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake and to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. There, they prepared nearly 4 million meals for survivors and first responders. Thus, Andrés has proven himself as not only a remarkable chef and innovator, but also an over-all remarkable person.

José’s Table at minibar will appeal to anyone with a love for fine food, beautiful presentation, and scientific innovation. Those lucky enough to partake in the unique dining experience here have the luxury of eating in a Michelin-starred restaurant, consuming phenomenal food, and marvelling at the inventive way in which the delicious creations are developed. This is an experience sure to elevate your culinary standards. Just be prepared for a singe of disappointment upon leaving, when reality sets in that not every meal from here-on-out will be accompanied by flavored mist or resemble an art-piece belonging in the MOMA.