Bistro d'Oc

[VivreManger]

Over the past month or so Steve Klc has eaten at and reviewed Bistro d'Oc, across the street from Ford's Theatre, 518 Tenth Street, NW, 202-393-5444. He suggested a review was likely in the Washington Post around 1 June. halland ate there and reviewed it as well, but other than these two reports, I haven't heard much.

Steve was down on the desserts. halland sampled only one to mixed judgment.

Anything else to report? What is the name of the grizzeled chef, nee of La Miche in Bethesda? I was thinking of reserving for dinner later this week and I wanted to know if anything had changed either to make it less desirable or too desirable?

[mbthorpe]

Here's Sietsema's review - sort of so-so

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003May28.html

[VivreManger]

Since this last exchange, a month ago I visited the d'Oc with my daughter and finally have gotten around to posting this review:

A Ricard to start. Sides of roasted tomato and pomme frites, while my daughter and I waited for our DC friend to free himself from the Hill. Although the tomatoes had been praised by Tom Sietsema, we were disappointed. They were sprinkled with scallions rather than garlic which while properly colored for Christmas -- six months off -- did not please the palate. The French fries were okay, but nothing spectacular.

When we were three, we started to order the rest of our meal. I had the crab-lobster Vietnamese cigar roll. Anything properly fried with a dipping sauce tastes good for the first few bites. The dish at $9 a pop barely lasted for more than a few. I am sure there was some seafood inside it, but I was not overwhelmed with the taste of the sea. The other two starters were better. I did not taste my friends' cold cantalope soup, but it looked and smelled good. He was very pleased with it -- a good dish for a hot humid Washington evening. My daughter liked her blue cheese, walnut, and apple salad. It was a well-balanced combination of sweet, creamy, and crunchy tastes and textures, the most successful of what she ordered.

I know it is not the season, but I had not had a cassoulet in awhile and I thought this grizzeled French chef could do it justice. For reasons best known to Washington chefs and their customers, Bistro d'Oc is not the only Washington restaurant to offer it in the summer. I noticed it on the menu of au Pied de Cochon -- I think that was the name -- in the heart of Georgetown on the corner of Wisconsin and M.

Perhaps the unsuccessful green scallions and red tomatoes should have warned me that neither Christmas nor Santa come in June, certainly not this close to Virginia. I should have waited until then for my cassoulet. It was one of the dullest versions I have ever had. Three bare pieces of meat alone marred the legumious consistency, a small piece of sausage, one chunk of lamb, and a very tired confit de canard which must have been on duty since last Christmas.

As for the others, the salmon looked good, but was dry. The white bean soup -- same beans as the cassoulet -- was cool and thick, but not terribly tasty.

The sorbet and peach melba were cool and edible -- not much could be done to harm them.

At the next table, a group of eager interns were digging into their steak frites. Perhaps that would have been a better choice.

The restaurant is convenient to the Hill, across from the Ford Theatre, and certainly is a worthy place for a drink and a quick appetizer, but don't count on it for a great meal.

[edsz]

We went to Bistro d'Oc last Saturday after a movie at the E Street Cinema. Since it was late (10:00pm) I didn't want a full meal. The French onion soup was just fine. The baked brie was tasty but the apples with it didn't really add much. Partner had the Croque Monsieur (sp?) with the really, really god french fries. Cozy atmosphere. We will definitely go back when we're in the neighborhood.

-Ed

[frogprince]

would it be advisable to close a restaurant at 830 on a sunday? i shouldn't think so. nevertheless, they accomadated us as we strolled in at half past eight, on the condition that we "order quickly." needless to say, this did not bode well: a phrase portending starters and mains arriving simultaneously, desserts that would be nonexistent and the cold, glaring quartet of eyes ( the manager and waiter ) staring down at us with utter contempt, hoping their gallic glare would terrorize the two americans into scurrying off into the 10th street darkness with our hearts in our mouths.

boy was i wrong. as it turns out, the only organ in my mouth last night only came from a generous, erudite, cultured calf, for i feasted on exquisite, custard-rich sauteed calf's brains with brown butter, capers and parsley. if the contradiction of "crispy flan" makes sense to you, then you can imagine the texture. for all those sweetbread lovers out there, brains just may ruin all future experiences, similar though these two organs may be in taste and appearence; i know it will never be the same again now. and it has manifested itself in an unquenchable thrist to explore the nuances of flavors and textures in grasses, hay and other such ruminant ruminations. had i drank more, i may have chewed the cud.

a cursory glance at the by the glass list (not wanting to keep them longer with a commitment to a whole bottle) revealed notations of the tgi friday's kind: syrah, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay... with nothing else to shed light on this, i went for the unknown quantity: cascadais. delightful, ruby-rich, a punchy anise nose.

this post continues to grow at an alarming rate. speed is of the essence now, as it did not turn out to be last night. the warm, genial manager (the chef's son no less) regaled us with tales of our current administration's alarming practices of allowing shipments from france (notably banyuls and cassoulets (the terra cotta dishes not the stew)) rotting in customs rooms because a certain texan couldnt play nice with others. we were never felt rushed, one cascadais flew into another for a fanstastic veal stew languedocienne, sweet with carrots, salty with olives, sturdy with potatoes, piquant with pearl onions, rich with text-book perfect veal stock, a delicate citrus effluvium perfumed the whole and lifted it out of the ordinary. and oh yes, the cubes of veal of a texture that gave authentic meaning to the terms "fork-tender" "melt in the mouth" and "like butter". a glass of muscat st jean de minervois worked wonders with... well... muscat poached figs. fancy that. and the homemade vanilla ice cream makes me wonder why vanilla hasnt been promoted into the stratosphere of extravagence by sybarites the world over in the manner of foie gras, truffles, caviar, kobe (real kobe! sorry sunnyside...) beef, poulets de bresse, pata negra iberian hogs, grouse (yes, grouse), saffron, fresh leucodermic asparagus and the like.

this is a beautiful space, a thoughtful, cheap wine list with the expected emphasis on the terroir of languedoc-roussillon, a cheery, warm, inviting staff (who remembered my previous visit a year ago and my companion's visits of the past six months), perfectly executed food of this exquisite region of france and no entree exceeds 20 bucks. and there were eight specials last night. and they serve 'effin BRAINS people! come on! no i've not been to the other bistros in town and i'm not worried about it. i've got all i could want here: bistro d'oc, a beacon of hope on the gutted, eviscerated facade of 10th street.

edited for an appalling lack of negation at the beginning: i dont think places should close at 830. now this is written as such.

Edited October 18, 2004 by frogprince (log)

[DCatty]

Great report, thanks. I am so rooting for this place. I live nearby, and have had my fingers crossed that d'Oc makes it through the construction on 10th street. I don't know that I would cross town to get there, but it has the makings of a terrific neighborhood place (now that we actually have a neighborhood). Where else should one go for a quiet cocktail/meal after work? Matchbox, Zaytinya, Jaleo, and Cafe Atlantico are usually too crowded, I don't like Andale nearly as much as most, and Ella's is underrated but not soothing. And sometimes, for me, the piano bar that is 701 looks a little too much like, well, a piano bar.

[Meredith]

I'm hoping it makes it too. The place never seems to have crowds when I visit.

I was just there Friday night after a movie at E Street. I had the duck confit there on Friday night and was happy. The skin was sooo crispy and the potato/mushroom/garlic mixture made me very happy.

The service upstairs seems a little spotty, but I've never had an issue when I'm sitting down stairs.

[JPW]

Welcome DCDelMarVa Meredith.

So by "East Coast" I presume you mean "the east coast of Adams Morgan"

[iamthestretch]

While you all were at Corduroy, me and the missus snuck out for a little bonding in the cozy window two-top at Bistro D'Oc. At 7:30 p.m. it was full but not frantic and we were welcomed as warmly as always. For dinner, we split an order of the pate special -- Languedoc peppered duck liver -- and then went half-and-half on an onglet and an order of duck confit. Both were irreproachable. Dessert was crepes suzette and we (OK, me, though since it's a French place no one harrumphed when the pregnant woman also enjoyed a small glass) got through a nice bottle of St. Chinian, Domaine de Sacre Coeur, a fruity Grenache, Syrah, Carignan blend. By the way, they've finally fixed the friggin' road outside and we were even able to park right in front. Not many excuses left not to go!

[edsz]

Now if they could only make a martini that didn't taste watered down it would be perfect!

[iamthestretch]

Now if they could only make a martini that didn't taste watered down it would be perfect!

←

That's not water, connard Americaine. They're French. They piss in your martini!

(*This is of course not true, nor should the Grenier family take the idea under advisement.)

[frogprince]

veal brains with capers

and pigs feet with mustard,

duck liver pate,

petit fours and banyuls,

these are a few of my favorite things...

[iamthestretch]

Braaains, braaains! Use your brains to help us! Your delicious brains.

[The Doctor]

Do they have a website, or does anyone know anything more about their pre-theater menu?

I've seen websites listing a $19.95 three course pre theater menu, but I have no idea if it would be good on a friday (when I'm aiming to go) or what the menu choices are like.

[Meredith]

Do they have a website, or does anyone know anything more about their pre-theater menu?

I've seen websites listing a $19.95 three course pre theater menu, but I have no idea if it would be good on a friday (when I'm aiming to go) or what the menu choices are like.

←

I've had the pre-theater menu, and it's just okay. There's salmon, pork, and chicken. I think a much better bet is to just order what you like off the regular menu.