Bistrot Lepic: Not Epic, But Pretty Good
A quaint American rendition of French cuisine
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Trudging through the fresh glistening snow (OK, so this was a few days ago now), we found a serene setting at Bistrot Lepic (1736 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.), a narrow chute of a restaurant just slightly off the beaten path. For Georgetown, this means anything north of P Street.
The service was rather unobtrusive, a rare treat. If you don't notice the service, then we say the the servers did their job so in this, Bistrot Lepic hit the mark. The same can be said of the extensive wine list. To begin, we tried a sharp, citrusy Vin Blancs wine called Sancerre, a Domaine Durand brand. This saucy, by-the-glass white went down with an unexpected kick.
Our fave salad was the la salade d'endive aux pommes, noix et Roquefort -- translation: "I would like the endive salad, please." Made with apple, walnut and blue cheese, the salad was lightly dressed but rich in blue cheese. It was satisfying, but not heavy. For $7.50, it was a decent start.
And once we read the Crevettes sautees, riz noir Chinois, sauce emulsifice au Parmesan came with "forbidden" rice (oooh!), we were sold. Who doesn't want to pretend they are a bit dangerous on the inside? When this artfully displayed dish hit the table, though, we truly got it. The plump shrimp laid on a bed of pitch-black rice, a color not allowed in the traditional rice community. It complimented the buttery warm shrimp and an easy cream sauce.
We purposefully didn't try more to save room for dessert, but we shouldn't have bothered -- and neither should you. While the coffee was great, the dessert just wasn't worth it. The tart au chocolat a la mode ended up bland, boring and without any of the imagination of the other dishes.
Overall, it's a nice spot to beat the hustle and bustle of Georgetown. Just focus on the food groups and not the treats.
