DINING: Superb cuisine at J&G Steakhouse

Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the Alsatian-born chef who became a star in the New York culinary firmament, is performing now at J&G; Steakhouse in the old Hotel Washington, newly transformed into the W Hotel at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest. He lives up to his reputation.

The food at J&G; is superb. Since Mr. Vongerichten supervises an empire of more than 20 restaurants and is often elsewhere, he has installed Philippe Reininger as executive chef.

The new W lobby and almost-but-not-quite loud music overwhelm the old hotel. The J&G; restaurant, on the other hand, is elegant in beige, black and deep red. Dark wooden tables are nicely spaced; the ceiling is high above large windows overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue; the service could not be better. The only drawback is the loud techno music, ill-fitted to the space and the food that cries at least for a little Sinatra, strings and brass, playing softly in the background.

J&G; offers a five-course summer menu for $58, which must be ordered by the entire table. This includes several of the restaurant’s specials: salmon tartare with ginger dressing; sweet corn ravioli in basil butter; roasted golden tilefish; grilled filet mignon; and warm chocolate cake.

The sweet corn ravioli is a marvel of flavors: The delicate pasta with a few kernels of corn is topped with a fresh salad of tiny cherry tomatoes, resting in a deep-green sea of fragrant basil butter.

Grilled exactly as ordered, the beef filet is, as the marketing-speak goes, meltingly tender, but it retains flavor. The J&G; steak sauce accompanying the filet is an unusual thick, dark and slightly sweet concoction. When steaks are ordered a la carte, the choice of sauces also includes a lemony bearnaise, black pepper jam, soy-miso mustard and a barbecue sauce.

Despite its name, J&G; is not just an ordinary steakhouse, although the grilled steaks are superb and include a porterhouse, hanger steak and Wagyu sirloin, as well as 8- and 12-ounce filets.

Sichuan peppercorn-crusted tuna also comes from the grill. Served slightly rare, the tuna is exemplary, the grilling and peppercorn crust adding a delicious complexity to the fish.

In addition to the grilled items, there’s an array of appetizers, fish and meat. Among the appetizers, three large gulf shrimp, wrapped in bacon, are excellent, as are the seared scallops, each topped with a thin slice of caramelized cauliflower in a tangy emulsion of capers and raisins. The five-scallop portion is large enough to serve as a main course.

A gazpacho of watermelon and cherry tomatoes is light, pretty, refreshing and just right for a humid summer night. Also, the salad of Boston lettuce and arugula in a tart, mustardy vinaigrette tastes as though it had just been picked in the garden.

Aside from the tilefish (a delicate Atlantic fish), the chef prepares halibut, slowly cooked salmon, Maryland blackfish crusted with nuts and seeds, and steamed lobster with a sweet corn sauce.

Meats include a grilled pork chop, barbecued lamb chops, veal Milanese, Parmesan-crusted chicken and glazed short ribs. The ribs are a large portion of very tender meat, a little on the fat side, with rich, slightly salty caramelized onions.

Since most dishes arrive at the table unadorned, sides are important. Creamed spinach is unusual, with leaf spinach in cream — and very good. The au gratin potatoes and the rosti are excellent too, the latter a Swiss specialty of finely shredded potatoes fried into a crisp cake.

The passion fruit souffle is a dream, light, airy and deliciously sweet and tart simultaneously. Creme fraiche cheesecake is delicate and frothy with a mousselike consistency. Both desserts are memorable.

J&G;’s wine list is an excellent combination of wines from around the world, ranging from $29 to $1,500 per bottle. In lieu of wines by the glass, the restaurant offers quartinos, quarter-liter carafes, which amount to about two small glasses per quartino.

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