2009 Fall Dining Guide By Tom Sietsema Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 Tom Power does light better than just about any other chef in town. In his hands, even lamb loin accessorized with garlic sausage and whipped potatoes -- one of many reasons to book a table here -- seems delicate. Indeed, one of his latest appetizers, inspired by a summer trip to Japan, is a dish that practically levitates: gingery shrimp sashimi arranged around a fine nest of shredded cabbage and minty shiso. The silver-maned chef strikes a serious pose in his open kitchen, but the guy knows how to be playful. Consider his creamy tomato soup, covered with a golden saucer of baked Parmesan with a hole in its center that allows us a peek of what we're about to eat. There's not much to mull over on this tightly edited American menu, introduced with passion by a dedicated staff, but what's there is enticing: pretty salads, lovely fish, sauces that you can't stop lapping up, and desserts that somehow manage to be both rich and restrained. The easy elegance of the cooking extends to the rest of this sleek, two-story townhouse across from the convention center. The wood is mostly blond, the lighting is easy, and if you're in search of a place where you never have to raise your voice to be heard, even at the (smart upstairs) bar, Corduroy is the answer.
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