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2813 M St. NW
(202) 338-1784
Hours of Operation and Prices
Lunch: M-F 11:30-2:30; Entrees: $9-$14
Dinner: M-Sat 5:30-10:30; Entrees: $14-$18
Closed: Sun
Other Information
• All major credit cards
• Reservations recommended
• Dress: casual
• Validated parking for 2 hours at Four Seasons, evenings
• Handicapped Accessible
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This Georgetown French restaurant, two decades old, is best enjoyed on a wintry day when you crave coziness. Ask for a table near the stone fireplace; since it is in the center of the room, your request should be easy to accommodate. And order something richly old-fashioned.
On Wednesday that could be couscous, on Thursday cassoulet. And every day it could be snails with garlic butter or puffy, airy quenelles de brochet in dark, lobster-enriched sauce. There's a sort of bouillabaisse, though sharper and more peppery than is traditional. Some days you'll find delicate boudin blanc; other days the special might be dark blood sausage. Here's a menu that regularly features tripe or rabbit or brains, and often serves dishes that require braising or stewing, the long cooking methods that have been upstaged by grilling.
That said, it must be added that the food can be lackluster, sometimes stodgy and less exciting than it sounds. This is a restaurant whose creative energy has settled into a cozy somnambulance. Still, La Chaumiere has always been known for a wine list that's intelligently chosen and fairly priced; even the wines by the glass are high-quality bargains. The service is thoughtful and the dining room is comforting, especially in sight of the blazing fire.
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
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