“The taste and the sense of smell form but one sense, of which the mouth is the laboratory and the nose the chimney.” This quote from Jean –Anthelme Brillat-Savarin considered the father of modern gastronomy, lays the foundation for Olfactory Cuisine. Meaning the addition of fragrances before and during your meal to enhance or titillate the eating experience. Rosemary twigs are burned to team it popular fragrance with meat, poultry or even shellfish dishes. For an autumn version, some restaurants place steaming bowls of oak leaves, pumpkin seeds, apples, cinnamon and hay on their tables. Olfactory Cuisine gives diners a “very visceral emotional experience” suggests Grant Achatz, chef at Alina in Chicago.

Having signed up for a 4 day Internet Marketing Technology Seminar held at the Sheraton Premier Hotel at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA. (about 35 minutes by car from DC’s, Georgetown and The Mall), we decided to take time off in the evenings to explore some of the areas culinary offerings. A two-page listing, provided by the concierge, of restaurants in easy driving distance to the hotel attests to the variety and density of eating out options in the capitol’s neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs. We were also fortunate to pick up the current October issue of the generally reliable “where” Travel Magazine – Washington Edition. It featured the editors’ annual dining guide and the winners of the so-called “ Rammys” – the yearly culinary awards by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). Armed with this information we made our selection of restaurants, covering the ground from ethnic to neighborhood to nationally acclaimed.

Next to running a popular place in Georgetown, the people behind Busara Thai Cuisine have opened another restaurant by the same name in Vienna, close to the expansive Tysons Corner Center Mall. In a spacious and contemporary furnished room, Busara serves traditional very moderately priced Thai food at lunch and dinner. The menu features soups, salads, appetizers, and noodle and fried rice dishes in addition to a large choice of vegetarian, meat, game and seafood entrees. Four special entrees from the grill are also offered and the food’s spiciness is indicated by symbols of chili peppers printed next to the menu item. The heat of most dishes can be turned down by request. The wine list is thoughtful – we chose a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a kind of wine well suited to the flavor-complexity of Thai cooking – and a full bar offers an enticing list of tropical cocktails.

We shared a house salad with curried peanut dressing (an ample serving of salad greens and vegetables), a shrimp and mushroom lemongrass soup, a vegetarian dish of green curry with mixed vegetables. as well as two entrees – roasted marinated quail with cashews and asparagus in oyster sauce, and shrimp in a traditional green coconut milk curry with bamboo shoots, fresh chili peppers and basil leaves. All dishes arrived with the desired degree of spiciness and side of fluffy jasmine rice. And they provided the tastes of quality Thai cooking! The only let-down were the quail which seemed to have absorbed some oil from frying prior to roasting – alas they were tasty little birds. Service is friendly and prompt, and the bill including wine and bottled water came to a modest $114.00 before tax. (www.busara.com)

A friend’s recommendation led us to Calvin Run Tavern where long-time DC chef Bob KinKead teams up with talented up and coming Jeff Gaetjen to offer homey dishes like “Roasted Pork Loin with house-made Bratwurst, Braised Bacon, Sauerkraut and Mustard sauce”, along with more cosmopolitan fare such as “Coconut and Cashew crusted Cod with Shrimp, Cilantro and Sweet Potatoes in a Caribbean Coconut Milk and Ginger Broth” The restaurant was one of five nominees in the prestigious “Fine Dining” category of this year’s Rammys and seems to attract a rather sophisticated clientele, despite dining spaces decorated to invoke such places as Maine, Shenandoah and Charleston, and a location off Vienna’s main commercial thoroughfare.

Arriving late on a quiet night, we nevertheless were greeted warmly and allowed to choose what we considered “prime real estate” – a cozy booth opposite of the restaurant’s only gas-lit fireplace. When we asked our waiter for input, he completely diverted our choice of wine to a very enjoyable bottle of Italian Barolo. A basket of house-made breads and a tasty amuse bouche arrived quickly and a few special requests along with our orders were readily accepted. We chose a tuna appetizer presenting the raw fish in three delectable preparations: as a Ceviche with Ginger and Coconut, Seared Rare with Chile Spice and a Sweet Pepper Tamale, and as Carpaccio with a Juzu Lime Vinaigrette – all successful flavor combinations. A salad of Marinated Baby Beets, French Green Lentils and Arugula topped with a slice of warm creamy Blue Goat Cheese offered great tastes and textures. Equally satisfying was a classic pairing of soft Gorgonzola with Spiced Walnut and Seckel Pears atop Belgian Endive, and Frisee dressed in Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette.

We both opted for entrées from the menu’s “Meats, Game and Poultry” section, although the “Fish and Shellfish” dishes promised more of a culinary adventure with ingredients such as “Steak & Yucca Frites” Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles, and Fermented Black Bean Sauce. A Roasted Duck Confit, a Duck Breast brought slices out not quite as pink as requested napped in a Foie Gras Emulsion, along with Duck Confit, Honey Mushrooms and Potato Gnocchi. The breast came with just enough crispy skin and fat on the outside to provide juicy flavor without too much guilt attached. A generous serving of lean sliced Black Pepper and Juniper Crusted Venison leg had retained the desired “warm red” center and was well complemented by a Zinfandel Sauce, Fig Preserves, Baby Turnips and Potato Gratin. One can choose to end a meal with mostly European artisan cheeses offered from a table side cart, or a selection of tempting desserts, both of which we passed up due to the ample portions and late hour.

First courses run from $11 to $21, soups and salads from $10 to $12, and entrees are priced from $24, for a cod dish, to $39 for a grilled rib eye. The restaurant also offers a four-course tasting menu at $70 per person (entire table only) with an optional cheese course for $8, and an accompanying wine selection for an additional $25. The menu changes frequently and seasonally. (www.colvinrun.com).

Well, we'll see how it goes. I've waited this long, I suppose I can wait a little longer (not that I have much of a choice).