Bistro Bis, Washington, DC.......Power Lunching is Still Popular
Written: Jul 25 '02
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Pros: Solid bistro fare, attractive decor, friendly and attentive service
Cons: Prices are not especially low,
The Bottom Line: The Bistro Bis may no longer be the hottest table in town, but their grill is still smoking away. Carefully prepared classic bistro cooking.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: Bistro Bis |
While Washington, D.C.'s power dining spots come and go with alarming frequency, the Bistro Bis in the Hotel George on Capitol Hill seems to be here to stay. It is no longer the epicenter of the hip dining scene in town (Washington has never been comfortable with the concept of hip anyway), but that does not mean one will be treated badly here. In fact, it probably means that you will be given better treatment, now that the glitterati are not always clamoring to get in.
Location
On the first floor of the Hotel George, a reincarnation of the old Hotel Bellevue, Bistro Bis is relatively warm and welcoming, considering its edgy decor and attempt at New York frostiness. The George is trying its best to be edgy, and no one can say that the place is not much improved over the old Bellevue whose halls reeked of disinfectant....
Washington just doesn't go for the New York fashion restaurant scene. For a place to be popular here, it's got to have certain qualities appealing to the everyman of Washington....the politician. In this, the Bistro Bis manages rather well, because it is really just a simple bistro wearing a sexy cocktail dress.
The Room
The front room is two stories high and is dominated by the bar. Serried rows of bottles tell you immediately that the three martini lunch has not died in Washington, it's just in hibernation. I was given a table in the front room, not too far from the host's stand. Perhaps not the best table in the world, but singletons are often given whatever is available. The other rooms are handsome in their own way, with frosted glass and sleek cherry paneling, lit by pendant lights with parchment shades. The butcher paper on the tables allows you to scribble away to your heart's content.....
First Course
I started with an unlikely choice for a torpid summer's day. The Brandade Benedictine is as rich and buttery as its name implies. Impossibly artery-clogging, it is still so good that you have to scoop up every last bit of this paste with the slivers of baguette provided. You will likely run out somewhere along the way.
Other options include the Soupe de Poisson Marseillaise, a modern take on the traditional bouillebaisse, but laced with saffron and aioli, or perhaps a very traditional onion soup "Les Halles", topped with a mound of gruyere cheese....
If you want something lighter, there are a variety of salads, or an admirable Duck Galantine, a pate with muscovy duck and rhubarb with shallot sauce.
Main Course
I elected to have a very traditional bistro classic, the Chicken Fricassee l'Ancienne. Boring as it sounds, I thought it better to try this than to have yet another steak frites, however good their version happens to be here. A golden chicken breast cut in the French manner with half a leg protruding, the chicken is perfectly moist and flavorful, having almost nothing in common with its bland American cousins. The mushrooms, pearl onions and fresh peas in a cream sauce are pure ambrosia. underneath it all is a bit of puff pastry I wish I had known about before I greedily ordered pommes frites (served in a large plastic cone) on the side. Sadly, the frites themselves were a disappointment, being dry and oily at once. I had about four and left the rest sitting in the cone, like a forgotten sundae...
The steak frites is served in the traditional manner, with bearnaise sauce and more frites. One might choose instread the lighter Trout Ardennaise, a twist on the usual trout meuniere, with crispy ham and capers, onions and wilted spincah. An agreeable whole indeed. More bistro classics like Steak tartare populate the menu, but you can generally count on most things being well prepared here (though I must give them an F+ on those frites).
At dinner, prices rise commensurately, so one might expect to tack on another $10.00 to each luncheon entree.
Wine List
While they do have a serious wine list here, it is full of trophy bottles, and can prove to be a minefield. Many of the less expensive bottles are dreadful, so one must choose with care. Bear in mind that many of the bottles are here in the event that a someone may want to impress a certain politician (surely this never happens in Washington?), so the trophy bottles are all there, winking at you on the list. Likewise, do avoid the house wines and most wines by the glass. They are largely a poorly chosen lot. If you choose carefully here, you might just do tolerably well.
Reservations, Dress Code Etc.
This is the sort of place where one can probably get away with just about anything, but might feel more comfortable if smartly turned out. It may no longer be the epicenter of Washington fashion (oxymoron?), but it still draws a happy crowd at lunch.
Do make reservations if you are considering lunch. At other times, it serves as the hotel's dining room, so it may be less popular at breakfast or even at dinner.
The restaurant is open seven days a week from 6:30 AM until whenever they feel like closing, usually around 11:00 or so. it stays open late on the weekends.
Overall
Proof positive that the way to a politician's heart is through his or her stomach, this place is always filled with a lively political crowd. Go for the food and forget the fashion.
Bistro Bis
in the Hotel George
15 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel. 202-661-2700
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations I would recommend getting a table before you go. Still very popular at lunch
Best Suited For: Trendy Crowd
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 100 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 684
Trusted by: 441 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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