Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Dark for months, the quarters formerly occupied by 21P in Dupont Circle are showing signs of life again as Howsoon Cham, the chef-owner of Red Ginger in Georgetown, prepares to open a second place to eat, the Caribbean-influenced Cafe Tropé at 2100 P St. NW.

While the title comes from Saint Tropez, the popular French seaport, diners shouldn't go to Tropé looking for that style of food, Cham says. Instead, the 37-year-old chef plans to dish up plantain-crusted oysters, grilled lobster tail with avocado-corn relish, curried oxtail stew and beef Rossini (filet mignon partnered with foie gras and demi-glace). Those and other dishes will appear on a menu designed to appeal to grazers: Two courses will cost $24, three courses will be $35, four courses $46 and five courses $55. One of the few dishes to be carried over from Red Ginger: jerk-marinated chicken "lollipops" on a hash of cabbage, onions and potatoes.

Cham, a native of Gambia who has worked in Washington restaurants since 1988, thinks he has a built-in audience for his food in Dupont Circle, which is within walking distance of embassies and hotels. The 75-seat Cafe Tropé already sports bamboo floors, brighter colors and new bathrooms; two private dining rooms can host groups of up to 12 and 20.

Hoping to open his new restaurant in time for New Year's Eve, the chef has put Red Ginger up for sale. In the meantime, Cham's sous-chef will execute the menu there.

-- Tom Sietsema