Le Lutèce

A New Chef From Paris Leads a Total Menu Makeover at Georgetown’s Cafe Bonaparte | Eater DC

"Reopened yesterday after renovations, this 16-year-old Georgetown French bistro has been renamed Lutèce by Bonaparte and features a menu revamped by Martin Senoville, who insists he’s cooking as he would back home in Paris despite a daily language barrier after moving seven months ago. I learned the new menu drops the popular crepes and adds dishes such as chanterelles and fresh truffle in smoked potato cream and foie gras with raspberry vinegar labneh, takes cues from both the Parisian bistro and modern gastronomy where Senoville previously worked, and will change seasonally; the kitchen will bake its own bread, make its own jam, and offer a vegetarian French onion soup, with two-course lunches and three-course dinners at a flat rate. The 26-seat dining room was opened up to reveal exposed brick and planted touches for a cozier vibe, jazz now plays in the evenings, and there are six bar seats plus a new six-seat chef’s counter planned to carry a special menu and possible wine pairings. Co-owner Omar Popal framed the redesign as a move to a more Parisian, more “refined version” of Cafe Bonaparte, and the new name references Lutèce, the old city of Paris." - Adele Chapin