A number of French bistros have opened since James Beard Award winner Jeff Buben's Bistro Bis debut on Capitol Hill years ago. But Bis remains one of the finest examples of the cuisine. It lacks the casualness of places like Le Diplomate that strive to evoke the brasseries of Paris, but the cooking -- which, like the setting, is considerably more refined than the others -- is worth the elevated price tag.
"Perhaps the best pure French restaurant in the city right now, ask for the small list of daily specials, good cheese cart."
This small Italian cafe from chef Daniele Catalani, a veteran of the late Galileo, is primarily set up for catering and carryout. However, there is limited seating and a pleasant outdoor patio in nice weather.
"Set up to be primarily catering, the outdoor patio here is a pleasant place to dine, a Galileo-trained chef."
This little French bistro in a quirky setting has a classic menu and a good selection of wines by-the-glass.
Celebrity chef Art Smith's Capitol Hill restaurant features the chef's innovative takes on classic Southern cooking. However, executive chef Douglas Alexander has added a bit of Middle Eastern flair to the mix, and elevated the place back onto the critic's radar.
Celebrity chef Charlie Palmer's long-running power spot has had its ups and downs -- until chef Jeffery Russell took over the kitchen. Now, its as good as it has been since Bryan Voltaggio left in 2007, with food that is again worthy of both the beautiful space and the famous faces who frequent it.
"A beautiful, power dining room with excellent service, but the cuisine here has dropped off a cliff, not recommended."