Whisper Over French Fare at This Adams Morgan Wine Bar | Eater DC

"A moody new wine bar set in a three-story Adams Morgan brownstone, filled with Victorian fixtures draped in melted candles and soft rock, this casual offshoot from neo-bistro Lutèce lets you drop in for a relaxing snack and a drink, but you can easily turn it into a French-leaning meal. The original green marble bar glows golden; by 6 p.m. it already feels like late night, with strangers befriending each other at the central bar and couples huddled at round tables in a black floral-lined dining room, while you lose track of time scanning armagnac- and amaro-stacked shelves and a gem-filled wine list backed by a thousand-plus mostly-French cellar and more than 30 by-the-glass options. Chef Matt Conroy is having a lot of fun: crisp choux buns are filled with taramasalata and topped with sweet-and-salty seaweed, or with fig leaf and coconut cream; escargots are cooked out of the shell with hazelnuts and yellow Chartreuse foam under a crackable shell-shaped puff pastry; the rich monkfish over brown butter and capers is a sleeper entree hit, and the brioche-stuffed chicken breast with mushrooms has earned plenty of recognition, alongside pastoral terrines and a creamy-savory smoked eel croquette. Don’t miss the cocktails at this wine bar—the list features wines and wine-based ingredients and shines with inventive, behind-the-bar touches like a butter-washed gin martini with bleu cheese–stuffed olives or the tomato-honey–infused Mild Drama that really smells (and tastes) like tomato leaves. Best for a sumptuous date night, an upscale nightcap featuring dark chocolate cake and cherries, or a fantastic glass of wine with an over-the-top appetizer for under $35; the family-run group behind Lapis, Lutèce, and Pascual has turned this decked-out brownstone into a fanciful hangout." - Emily Venezky