Happy will be the empty stomach that can get over to The Dish, a new eatery in the Chevy Chase area on South Ashland where Le Bistro was formerly located, especially when the evening weather is still optimal for patio sitting. The clock is ticking, but I don't think your experience will be tainted if you saddle up in the nippy late fall or frigid winter and have to sit inside.
That being said, if you're reading this piece with the hopes of finding a first-hand description of the inside dÈcor, you will be disappointed, but from what I saw through the window, it looked pretty.
I hate to sound like such a giddy cheerleader, but co-owners Caroline Meadows and Trish Tungate, along with executive chef Jeremiah Bowman, have offered up an impressive establishment, and my dinner guest and I were beside ourselves with every item put before us.
The half dozen appetizer options on the menu include calamari, beef carpaccio, spiced tuna (with citrus-ginger aioli), duck egg roll, scallop potatoes (sea scallops on sliced butter roasted spuds) and shellfish steamers (mussels and little neck clams). These items ranged from $8 - 12 dollars. We ordered the carpaccio; instead of coming in individual thin slices, the meat was gingerly wrapped around arugula and served on toasted bread. With the horseradish cream and shaved shallots, this was a tidy, savory start that ran at $10.
The handful of entrÈe options, 10 in all, boasted some really brave food choices - the grouper with pumpkin ravioli and the surf and turf (beef tenderloins with cheddar cheese grits and crayfish sauce) stand out in particular. Other items included pork chops with apples, osso bucco (served over red polenta), steak and potatoes, the cleverly named veggie-saurous plate, salmon (with red curry lentils) and a fresh ground daily burger.
I almost ordered the grouper and pumpkin ravioli simply because I've never had pumpkin ravioli, but, remembering I drank a pumpkin flavored ale once because I'd never had one - a decision I still regret - I decided to go with the chicken and dumplings. Do not be fooled, this is not the Sunday dinner fare your grandmother cooked, but comes with herb gnocchi and seasonal vegetables (brussel sprouts) in a shiitake mushroom sauce. And I know my grandmother would come at me with a switch if she heard me say it, but the meal was the best chicken and dumplings I've ever had.
My guest ordered the pasta fare with salmon, even after I tried to talk her into the pumpkin ravioli. It, too, was delicious, served with fettuccini, sautÈed parsnips, pancetta and, get this, fried artichoke hearts. It came tossed in a garlic butter sauce. The artichokes didn't really fit with the dinner, but they were excellent items nonetheless to nibble on.
I finally got my taste of pumpkin with dessert: pumpkin crËme brulee. It was eaten quickly. With the appetizer, two entrees, dessert and coffee, and two beers, the dinner came to under $70 without the tip - a real steal, and your stomach and whomever you take with you will be ever grateful. The menu is seasonal and will probably introduce new items as autumn proceeds. If anybody gets in there to try the pumpkin ravioli, please take a moment to write and let me know.