Bistrot Du Coin

Oh hey, look at that picture of a little Parisian bistro, I wish I could go to Paris and eat there. What? That's Bistrot Du Coin in Dupont Circle, right here in Washington, D.C.? WHA?! How delightful! Moules and frites for everyone!

So, you're welcome for that intro because as you might have guessed, I'm going to write about Bistrot Du Coin in Dupont Circle.

We went there for dinner Thursday night and I like French food, although I think most French restaurants in the US are rarely extraordinary. Well here's the thing that blew me away about Bistrot Du Coin: the atmosphere and aesthetics of the restaurant were SO Paris. There's no other way to put it. I felt truly like I was not in just another D.C. restaurant while eating there but like I was actually in France, which is saying a lot. I couldn't get over it and probably brought it up too often. (Sorry dining companions!)

Also, the menu, although filled with typical French fare, was extensive and appealing and also featured many of its dishes in appetizer or entree portion sizes, which I thought was a nice touch. One thing Bistrot Du Coin is known for are their mussel pots. They have like 9 varieties of mussel pots and 3 of the 4 of us got one for our entree (with yummy frites of course!) and they were all delicious. I went with the Provencale, which included white wine, garlic, onion, tomatoes and thyme and the tomatoes were gorgeous and the mussels themselves were fresh and delicious. Danny went with the Mariniere, which is garlic-tastic, and the one I tasted was super good and then finally our friend Jeff got the Mussels Roquefurt and oh. my. god. I'm glad I didn't get a whole pot of them because I would have had to be wheeled out of the restaurant, but the one I tasted? It was dripping in creamy, cheesy, briny, garlicky amazingness. So tasty.

One of the afore-mentioned mussel pots. Delicious? Oui!

Also Danny and I split a Bibb salad and as simple as it was, it was SUCH a good salad. It was perfectly dressed, crunchy and fresh. Also our friends got this warm potato salad which had pesto in it and goat cheese melted over the top. Um, seriously? Potatoes, pesto and goat cheese in one bite? So good. Again, a good thing I didn't order it all for me because I would have blown up like Aunt Marge in Harry Potter. (Nerd Alert!)

So if you are ever in D.C. and want some very tasty French food and some Parisian ambiance, go to Bistrot Du Coin, Merci!*

*And thus I have officially exhausted the French words I know.