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Very Best Restaurants: La Chaumiere

Very Best Listing | Very Best by Cuisine | Very Best by Location

La Chaumiere **
Washington, $$

With its country-inn ambience warmed by a freestanding fireplace, its caring floor staff, and its reliable French cooking offered at fair prices, La Chaumiere has been the favored bistro of Georgetown's old guard for 20 years. For more than a year, Patrick Orange has been chef de cuisine, and the cooking here may be now better than ever.

Orange's long association with Robert Greault at La Colline instilled in him a respect for the classics expected of a bistro kitchen, yet a judicious sprinkling of contemporary dishes provides the menu with freshness. In this chilly season, many look forward to the warming comfort of La Chaumiere's pike quenelles with a rich robe of lobster sauce, its stewed rabbit, its cassoulet, and its robust venison pot pie. But diners with lighter appetites will be equally well served by ordering some of Orange's modern improvisations, such as a splendid charlotte of crab presented on a bed of Asian greens and Chilean sea bass, whose creamy curry sauce is perfectly complemented by braised bulb fennel.

Whatever the choices, you'll find a suitable match on a wine list as fairly priced as the menu.

La Chaumiere , 2813 M St. NW, Washington; 202-338-1784. Open Monday through Friday for lunch, Monday through Saturday for dinner. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

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