Traditional French Bistros

[ema]

What is your favorite place that serves traditional old school French cuisine in the DC area? I am talking about French onion soup, mussels, steak and frites, etc

[Mark Slater]

What is your favorite place that serves traditional old school French cuisine in the DC area? I am talking about French onion soup, mussels, steak and frites, etc

For that type of food, which is bistro food, I like Bistrot du Coin and Central. For classic French cuisine the best is La Chaumiere.

[ema]

Oldtown Alexandria has several options (Le refuge, Bastille, etc). Are any worth visiting if I am in the area?

[Escoffier]

Oldtown Alexandria has several options (Le refuge, Bastille, etc). Are any worth visiting if I am in the area?

Bastille has improved considerably since it first opened so it's worth a visit. Le Refuge has been around forever for a reason. Again worth a visit. La Bergerie is a very traditional French. Somewhat dressy but good.

[Ericandblueboy]

I like Bistro du Coin and I really like La Chaumiere. I'll just add Cafe du Parc as another alternative. Bistro du Coin reminds of the people watching in Paris while du Parc reminds of dining in the south of France.

[Caterina]

Cafe du Parc at the Willard Cafe Du Parc. 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004. Phone: 202-942- 7000

and the Chefs and waiters are mostly french. The french ranks include a Pastry Chef, Sous Chef and a Chef de Cuisine, 27-year-old Christophe Marque, from Westermann's innovative Paris ...restaurant, whose culinary skills were honed in such establishments as La Villa Eugénie at Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, and Paris’ famed Drouant. Rising young Chef, Christophe Marque recreates the authentic flavors of the traditional Parisian Bistro in Wash DC. The Chef was born in the Southwest France town of Pau (near Lourdes), Chef Marque learned to love food from his mother and grandmother, both of whom enjoyed preparing regional specialties, such as the Poule au Pot (a stewed stuffed Chicken and favorite of Henry IV, who was born there.) He grew up in a family where everything was homemade with fresh vegetables from the garden. Fresh and good quality.