21 replies to this topic

[stockwatch]

There is a sign for a new restaurant opening in Potomac Village in the old Picasso Grille space called "Bezu."

The sign says it will be "French Asian" cuisine. Any one have any information about who is behind this and whether they know what they are doing? How about the chef?

Whoever is behind it must be willing to take some risks given the cost to lease space in Potomac Village.

[porcupine]

Hmmm. No idea, but I'm sure to mount an expedition as soon as it opens. Always hoping for something decent to eat in Potomac...

I never ate at Picasso Grille, as I found the previous incarnation (Cafe Roval) to be mediocre and overpriced. Same as (almost) everything else in Potomac.

[bioesq]

If ony Bezu might somehow outshine its predecessors, but I fear that this sentiment may be the triumph of hope over experience.

[ladycakeapril]

If ony Bezu might somehow outshine its predecessors, but I fear that this sentiment may be the triumph of hope over experience.

Hopefully it will. It is being opened by the people who brought you Tel Aviv Cafe in Bethesda 11 years ago when it was really good. They hired a chef-Dennis Friedman-who trained under Michel Richard, Daniel Boulud, etc., and learned Asian-French fusion in Hawaii. They expect to open in October sometime.

[Pappy]

I work next-dorr and I can tell you that they have spent months completely gutting and rebuilding the place, so they clearly are making a significant investment.

On the other hand, I have heard, and perhaps mistakenly, that they plan to be all things to all people with cafe seating, a serious dining room, wine tastings, and a broad menu.

While I recognize the rents are high in Potomac, given the local demographics and the poor dining alternatives at these cross-roads, I would think Bezu has more than a sporting chance of success.

[Pappy]

Chatted with Eddie and Dennis, two of the new partners/owners/chefs (?) today. One of which (Eddie) was involved in the opening of Tel Aviv Cafe in Bethesda, the other (Dannis) was born and raised in Potomac. Place is almost done. Beautiful interior of dark woods and amber upholstry. Pinpoint and indirect lighting. Small sitting area and 10 person bar upfront. High banquets along two back walls. Chef's table in the very back.

Menu is to be french/asian fusion. Starters included a crab tart. Prices low teens. Salads similar. Mains included salmon and veal tenderloin. Prices in the mid 20s. Chefs table to be multi-course with wine pairings, etc.

They are very excited to be in the area and expect to be well received. Our office has already booked lunchs and a Christmas party.

[erikv]

Bezu is now open. I have only been able to stop by to have a couple drinks at the bar a few times. The bartender has been very friendly and it seems like a welcome addition to the neighborhood. However, from just glancing at the menu, seems a bit out of my price range to become a regular dining destination for me. Nonetheless, I look forward to getting a chance to taste the food at some point in the near future.

[jml3]

Has anyone actually eaten at Bezu? It is near our home and I would be interested in any experiences so far.

[porcupine]

Lunch report: first, they have indeed totally gutted and remade the interior. There's a small lounge in front, a not-too-small bar, and behind this the restaurant proper, booths lining one wall, a banquette on the other, and a few four tops in the middle. They can seat maybe 60 people. It's rather plush, in shades of pumpkin and persimmon, and considering that on a weekday afternoon every table was taken by couples or groups of women (except for two men), the crappy a-melodic new-age music made it feel like a spa restaurant. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but the midday scene is definitely Ladies Who Lunch.

The lunch menu offers a $7 bowl of soup and a $9 chicken salad on the low end, with most dishes priced in the teens, and a $29 Steak Pomme Frites on the high end. Mr P had the Bezu Burger ($14). He enjoyed it, but thought it probably not really Kobe beef as the menu states. The oven roasted steak fries that came with it were pretty tasty, though now I can't remember if they had Parmesan or something else on them. My Wild Mushroom Ravioli were intensely mushroomy, in an instensely mushroomy sauce, but 16 bucks for five largish pasta was kinda steep. For dessert we shared some pleasant if unexciting sorbets.

Other lunch dishes include Nori Tuna, Fuzu Rice Noodles, Grilled Chicken, Crab Cake Sandwich, and a handful of salads.

At dinner the dishes run from soups and salads priced mostly in the teens, to entrees priced from $19 (the ravioli again) to $40-something for a pan roasted veal chop.

If price isn't too much of a consideration and you're nearby and curious and hungry, Bezu is a fine choice. But I'm not sure it'll prove worth the drive, and at these prices I can't call it a nice neighborhood joint, either. Still, I wish them success, because they might be the best thing going in Potomac Village at the moment. I'll report back when I try dinner there.

[dmwine]

In March issues, Bezu gets an unqualified rave from Bethesda magazine and ... something less than that from DC.

[jml3]

Has anyone else tried Bezu? We went for the first time tonight. This is a suburban restaurant - but the suburb is Potomac. Entrees $12-15, mains mostly $32+. Stylish room, "French Asian Fusion" cooking. A seriously older clientele (including us, I guess).

The food was overall very good - I has a perfectly cooked swordfish steak over a melange of thinly sliced radishes, artichokes, fresh peas, and red peppers. Starter was just cooked scallops with endaneme (spelling?) pesto. Wife had "Poke Kobe" to start - a bit gimmicky with tempura batter fried with lots of spikes filled with just seared lukewarm (Kobe?) beef. Her main was tasty skate.

Nice room - rather stylish decor. And a reasonable wine list.

Only problem was that first time customers were very clearly treated differently than regulars. They got amuse bouche - we did not. They were greeted by both the manager and the owner - we were not. When we mentioned the first of these, we were quickly served a mini-chocolate dessert - rather a gratuitous gesture.

Will we go back - probably when we don't want to head downtown (we live in Bethesda) for innovative cooking.

[porcupine]

Has anyone else tried Bezu?

Yes. Thread is here.

[JLK]

edamame?

[cjsadler]

Bezu review.

[DanielK]

Bezu review.

Is the author of the piece the same Brian Patterson who taught our DR.com knife skills class at L'Academie?

[cjsadler]

Is the author of the piece the same Brian Patterson who taught our DR.com knife skills class at L'Academie?

That's him. He's started doing some MoCo restaurant reviews for the Gazette.

[DanielK]

That's him. He's started doing some MoCo restaurant reviews for the Gazette.

What's interesting to me is that, when teaching the class, he had a unique "voice" and candor that I found refreshing, which seems to be tamed (perhaps by the editor?) in his printed review.

[smokey]

What's interesting to me is that, when teaching the class, he had a unique "voice" and candor that I found refreshing, which seems to be tamed (perhaps by the editor?) in his printed review.

However, take a look at the below quote (cut and pasted from the linked article):

>Cream of mushroom was the soup of the day. It was a large serving, but the consistency was rather thin, with a one dimensional porcini mushroom flavor. Floating atop the soup was a truffle-infused foam. For $7, I’d rather have half the quantity and twice the quality: more mushroom goodness, more seasoning, more body and less foam.

The previous reviewer (whose name escapes me) never wrote anything like that. Her reviews were uniformly glowing without a single criticism. My intuition (based on what you said and what I've read in the Gazette in the past) is that what we see published in the Gazette by him is, as you surmised, a tamed-by-somebody (the advertising staff?) version of what he originally drafted.

[ol_ironstomach]

I didn't know Nathan Smiler, or "Dirk" as he was known to his friends, but Bezu's sommelier and long-time fixture on the DC goth club scene was killed Monday night in his home. Tuesday's CityPaper article, and today's WaPo article.

[jml3]

We have heard that Bezu has switched chefs. Anyone on this forum tried Bezu recently?

[stockwatch]

I was there in September. Food was actually better than in recent visits (it was a Thursday evening). It was also packed. My only complaint is that the menu is very tired (no changes since it first opened). If there is a new chef, it's time to freshen the menu.

[midasa]

The new chef is Francis Layrle. He was the chef at the French Embassy for many years. Can't wait to try the food.