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Very Best Restaurants: La Colline

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

La Colline ***
Washington, $$

Fresh foie gras, once restricted to the menus of the priciest French restaurants, is now common at Italian and Modern American restaurants as well as at some moderately priced bistros. Chef Robert Greault, who pioneered the concept of making this delicacy affordable, still somehow manages to serve a generous portion of his superb terrine of duck foie gras for under $9. The relationship between the quality of the cuisine and its uniformly fair prices makes this handsome, booth-lined brasserie the single best value on the local French circuit.

To reflect the seasons and take advantage of the best market prices, Greault composes his lengthy menu anew each day. On Fridays, you can always count on his excellent, made-to-order bouillabaisse. And while his menu emphasizes such French classics as gratin of crawfish, cassoulet, choucroute garni, and tripe stewed in apple cider, it is kept fresh by its sprinkling of contemporary fare. On a given day, dishes like a refined interpretation of shrimp creole, a terrine of smoked salmon with fresh caviar, ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms, and poached cod presented atop a glaze of red-pepper coulis reflect La Colline's lighter side.

La Colline , 400 N. Capitol St. NW, Washington; 202-737-0400. Open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner. MapIt!

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

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