Unpretentious French cuisine, is there such a thing? Fear not, gastrophiles. You'll find no raised pinkies or snooty penguin suits at Bistrot du Coin, a low key French haunt in Dupont just above the Circle.
The food here, to put it plainly, is delicious. I've tried everything from steak frites to mussels to pâté to escargot, and I have yet to be disappointed.
It's a crowded, noisy joint with dim lighting, so claustrophobic, hard of hearing people with vision problems beware. Get ready to have people sitting on top of you, banging their chair into yours, and polite but no nonsense waitstaff. They have other people's orders to take, so decide what you want to eat and get on with it already.
On my last visit, I enjoyed a half portion of Moules Bretonnes, a dish comprised of a hearty serving of steamed mussels, lobster meat, shrimps, mushrooms, celery and diced tomatoes doused in lobster bisque. I can not give this dish higher praise. The mussels were sweet and plump, the lobster and shrimp succulent and the vegetables expertly sauteed. I chomped my way through the entire bread basket as I sopped up the creamy bisque which anchored the dish. Seafood, cream and butter, what's not to like?
As you can tell, portions are generous. What you see above is a half portion, which while not gratuitously large is incredibly rich and filling. It'll set you back $14.95, but for the quality of food you get, it's a steal. If your stomach is a bottomless pit, you can also order the full portion for $25.95.
I'm never one to shy away from something sweet, especially when that something can be described as belonging in a patisserie. Stereotypically speaking, the French may not be known for their manners, political leaders of tall stature or high standards of personal hygiene, but gosh darn it, they known pastries.
For dessert, I sunk my spoon into something called“La Tropezienne," a brioche filled with custard and drizzled with a light, fruity sauce. The outside of the pastry was covered with what I can only describe as sugary flavor crystals, coaxed from one of my favorite ingredients, orange blossom water. To state the obvious, this was moan-inducingly lovely. The brioche was substantial yet light and the custard delightfully fragrant.
The dish, while remaining quintessentially French, was an exotic fusion of world flavors thanks to the orange blossom water. The petals of orange blossom are destilled into a citrus-scented version of rosewater, a flavored syrup popular Middle Eastern cuisine, and it is heavenly. Even better, this dish only puts you back $6.45. C'est bon!
With food this good, it's understandable that word got out. Bistrot du Coin is hardly a hidden gem, and the throngs of patrons who crowd the restaurant's two floors are testament to this fact. Come prepared to wait for your table, especially if it's a weekend evening. There's very little space to stand while you wait, so bring a coat and get ready to loiter outside.
But if you have time to spare, an appreciation for some truly delicious French fare, and chuckled that my love for Bistrot du Coin is so lyrical it makes me rhyme, I suggest you drop in.
Bistrot du Coin
1738 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: 202 234 6969
1 comments:
You beat me to it! I've been meaning to write a review of this place for a couple months...oops. I had the steak tartare and loved it, and we had La Tropezienne for dessert as well. Yummy!
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