Le Diplomate

Photo by Le Diplomate

Finally made it to the uber-trendy French bistro, and it is worth getting enthusiastic about, though maybe not as hysterical as DC has gotten. It is a high-quality take on the the standard bistro items served up in a comfy, warm atmosphere with plenty of buzz, so no complaints.

We had a couple of nice drinks made with bubbly -- mine was the classic French 75 with gin and lemon and was very refreshing. I had the venison terrine, which was just the right mix of fatty and spicy and meaty, with a nice texture and a fresh taste. I followed with the veal escalope served with chanterelle cream -- love the mushrooms! The veal was hot, tender, with just a light coat of flour to soak in the flavor of the fat. Perfect execution. Andrea had an exquisite tuna carpaccio for starter and a lightly breaded salmon fillet that she couldn't stop raving about. To accompany we had a serviceable Brouilly at a very fair price.

Part of the fun for me was simply to soak up the French atmosphere. to see again all those familiar plates, to revel in the retro feel of it. The food is several notches above, for instance, Bistro du Coin or other French bistros in town, and service and atmosphere, too, are way ahead of the others.

Too bad it's so hard to get into.