Bistrot du Coin (DC)
Bistrot Du Coin
1738 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 234-6969
Hours: Sun.-Wed. 11:30am - 11:00pm
Thurs.-Sat. 11:30am - 1:00am
Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11:00am - 4:00pm
Cuisine: French
Appetizers $5.50-$14.75, entrees $15.50-$23.95, desserts $6.45-$6.95
Wines: Wide selection of French wines, ranging from $19.95-$149
With skybound ceilings echoing diners’ chatter and walls full of knickknacks you’d swear were filched from your gran-pere’s attic, Bistrot du Coin successfully blends the bustle of a piazza with the casual, stay-awhile feel of a Parisian café.
The Dupont Circle eatery is as informal as French dining gets. Paper napkins and tablecloths drape the tables, and the slightly inattentive but authentically French waitstaff don matching pastel T-shirts. The unceremonious atmosphere also reflects the prices, which would be considered a bargain anywhere in D.C.— and at Bistrot du Coin especially, given the outstanding food quality.
The French onion soup is fabulous and worth a trip unto itself. The onions and broth are mouth-watering, and the soup’s baked Gruyere top is perfectly rich. The sliced baguette served alongside was fresh, yeasty, and top-notch, and I used the tiniest crumbs to soak up the final delicious droplets of soup.
No trip should be considered complete without sampling the Tomato Sausage Provencal, a hearty, savory, and satisfying mix of diced tomatoes, spicy sausage, and chickpeas.
Though the full menu is available at any time, du Coin’s brunch menu is noticeably skimpy. That said, the omelette aux champignons was full of flavorful mushrooms and perfectly cooked eggs, served with a side of fries and greens with a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. The fries were great — thick and unsalted, not what you might expect at a French bistrot.
The tasty sauce accompanying my moules Provencal made me wish I hadn’t wolfed down every last crumb of bread. The garlic, tomato, and thyme combined to give the mussels a very fresh taste, the perfect match to a side of fries (or perhaps more bread for dipping). The other entrée I sampled, an open-faced ham and cheese sandwich, was the slightest bit below par, if only because of the overly thick bread and hefty portion of melted cheese.
The desserts, particularly the chocolate mousse and ice cream sundae with caramel fudge and homemade whipped cream, definitely satisfied the sweet tooth at the meal’s end. The apple tart or poached pears might beckon in my next visit.
Finally, any good French bistrot, du Coin house wine is excellent. The Cotes du Rhone ($5.95/glass) was medium-bodied and a nice accompaniment to the flawless soup.
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By Pete Rudegeair
Pete is a financial journalist in Washington, D.C. He hails from Pennsylvania and recently graduated from UPenn. In addition to being an obsessed surveyor of the blogosphere, Peter is a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, an aspiring Jeopardy champion, and a card-carrying member of the Clean Plate Club.
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