From authentic French cuisine in Georgetown to Shōtō’s new Tokyo-inspired club, gourmands will love the options in the weeks ahead.
Beef tartare at the reimagined L’Avant-Garde
L’AVANT-GARDE
The Georgetown French restaurant returned boldly this winter with a new partner and chef, Sébastien Giannini, who teams up with Fady Saba, the venue’s operator and creative director. Giannini, who served as executive chef in DC at the St. Regis, Watergate Hotel and Four Seasons, creates authentic fare with his signature flair. Don’t miss dishes like whole branzino, tuna tartare (with Medjool date puree, garlic chips, caper berries and kumquat jelly), duck confit (with a housemade foie gras center and topped with slivered almonds) and pan-seared diver sea scallops with thyme and bay leaves. 2915 M St. NW,202.652.1855, lavantgardedc.com
Look for classic French fare and exceptional cocktails at Pastis.
PASTIS
James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Stephen Starr and Keith McNally strike again. Pastis, a 250-seat gem in a former warehouse space in the Union Market District, already boasts tough-to-get reservations. Look for classic French fare with modern twists. Early standouts include onion soup, croque monsieur and bouillabaisse, rich with shrimp, snapper and more. Not to miss: roasted lobster frites with garlic butter. 1323 4th St. NE,202.471.1200,pastisdc.com
Oysters and a dirty martini at Makers Union
MAKERS UNION
Cathedral Commons features a new culinary outpost: the 158-seat Makers Union, which pulls inspiration from Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn, who famously said, “If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss all the fun.” Alex Berentzen, the COO of Thompson Restaurants, says the resto fosters community and an inclusive atmosphere. “The beauty of the Cathedral Heights neighborhood is undeniably alive within our walls, and we eagerly anticipate sharing all we have to offer with locals and visitors to the area,” he says. Executive chef Dan Logan’s menu includes housemade pasta, clam linguini, grilled branzino, butter-poached Maine lobster and corn succotash. A brick oven menu churns out everything from oven-fired oysters to flatbreads. 664 Maine Ave. SW,202.864.6396,makersunionpub.com
The dramatic bar at The Arcade
THE ARCADE
You know a venue is ambitious when its opening-weekend DJs are international superstars Blondish and Carlita. The Arcade, created by the global restaurateurs behind The Arts Club, Le Petit Maison and Shōtō, boasts a Das Audio system and promises to be a playground for the world’s best music-makers. Noriyoshi Muramatsu of Studio Glitt designed the Tokyo-inspired space with vintage VCRs, salvaged pachinko slot machines, and luxe S-shaped leather-and-cedar booths. Guests see an immersive exhibit featuring massive cartoon drawings by a renowned Japanese manga artist. Look up and behold a ceiling adorned with graphic Japanese novels. In addition to bottle service, the tuxedo-wearing servers offer drinks like Pikachu (Haku vodka, sake, passion fruit, yuzu and lime) and Sonic (Roku gin, Nigori sake, lychee and lime). Table service includes Nikka’s vodka or gin and a 30-year Macallan. Guests at Shōtō may request an after-dinner table at The Arcade. Another surprise: Ākedo opens next door this month, offering late-night, East-meets-West comfort food. Think burgers, fries and pizzas—the latter have become all the rage in Tokyo. 1100 15th St. NW,@thearcade.dc
Photography by: GREG POWERS; BIRCH THOMAS; MAKERS UNION; REY LOPEZ
