French Food Is All Over DC-Here Are Two Fresh Takes

"Ever since Jackie Kennedy tapped René Verdon to oversee the White House kitchen in 1961, French cuisine has had a grip on DC's dining culture. These days, largely thanks to the decade-long popularity of Le Diplomate, Washington feels less like a steakhouse town and more like a brasserie town. The two genres, after all, have a lot in common, with approachable food, predictable menus, and lengthy wine lists."

"How refreshing it is, then, to walk into Barbouzard, the sprawling and swank new dining room that serves dinner till midnight (1 am on weekends, which is perhaps wishful thinking given its location in a K Street office building). It is of a different class entirely, with buttery lighting, flourishing palm trees, and nary a faux-smoke-stained ceiling in sight. Even more exciting, the place marks the return of Cedric Maupillier, who closed his beloved Shaw restaurant, Convivial, at the end of last year."

"Take the bread service, a gratis tray bearing slices of beautifully crafted baguette. You can choose to slather it the French way, in butter sprinkled with flaky salt, or channel the Med with a dish of olive oil and balsamic. It's a generous way to start, but don't skip the snacks, including tiny square chickpea pancakes with creamy scallion dip; opulent layered cubes of brioche, foie gras terrine, and port jelly; and gougères (the already cheesy puffs are served with even more cheese-a Comté fondue)."

French cuisine has influenced Washington, D.C., dining since René Verdon's White House tenure in 1961, and brasseries now shape the city's restaurant scene. Barbouzard opens as a sprawling, swank dining room with buttery lighting, palm trees, and late-night hours, marking Cedric Maupillier's return after closing Convivial. The menu shows strong Mediterranean Riviera influence, beginning with generous bread service served with butter or olive oil and balsamic. Snacks include chickpea pancakes with scallion dip, brioche layered with foie gras and port jelly, and Comté-fondue–enhanced gougères. One seafood tartlet is criticized for watery crab and caviar.

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