Bon Appétit! Two New French-Inspired Concepts in Georgetown

Chez Billy Part Deux

Exploring the culinary offerings of Southern France has never been easier thanks to the newly opened Chez Billy Sud at 1039 31st Street in Georgetown. As a sister restaurant to Petworth’s popular Chez Billy, the two will share Chef Brendan L’Etoile, with key differences in ambiance and menu direction.

The elegant dining room at Chez Billy Sud, formerly Café La Ruche, is airy and fresh with light sea foam walls illuminated by gilded mirrors, gold leaf accents and windows. Bistro chairs and white tablecloths are classic and chic without pretension. In the warmer months, patrons can sip a glass of rosè and dine al fresco in the restaurant’s quaint courtyard.

Chez Billy Sud lives up to its name with a menu driven by flavors from the south of France. Hors d’oeuvres range from frisee salads to warm olives fragranced with champagne vinegar, rosemary, fennel and oranges. Entrées vary from pan-roasted trout with lemon caper brown butter to mussels, beef bourguignon and duck confit. Desserts like spiced apple tarts and profiteroles glazed in chocolate satisfy the sweet tooth. Unlike Chez Billy’s large bar program, Chez Billy Sud has a small yet memorable hand crafted cocktail menu for imbibers wish distinguished tastes. Start off with one of five specially crafted cocktails, like an Armagnac old fashioned or a Negroni, to get your evening going. For dinner, pair your meal with a French vin from the venue’s impressive wine list, and let the culinary flair of Southern France come over you, if only for a night.

Chez Billy Sud is currently only open for dinner, but stay tuned in the coming months as they add brunch and lunch services.

A Medley of Flavors at Mama Rouge

The newly opened Mama Rouge at 3000 K Street features a medley of culinary influences, all of which come together to create an exceptional neighborhood dining experience.

Located on the Georgetown waterfront in Bangkok Joe’s old home, this Southeast Asian French bistro has a flair for bringing out the best flavor profiles from various cultures’ cuisines, including Vietnamese, Thai and French. Aulie Bunyarataphan, the chef and owner (along with husband, Mel Oursinsiri) wanted to create a menu based on Southeast Asian and European cooking traditions that was thoughtfully tailored for an American palate and served in a contemporary French bistro setting.

The lively dining room with its red and teal color scheme is subdued with sophisticated French tables and bistro accents. This is the perfect backdrop for the diverse and colorful menu offering at Mama Rouge. Sample everything from pho, Pad Thai and dumplings to crab cake francaise, steak au poivre and duck a’lorange. Cocktails and wine have a French focus, yet Bunyarataphan’s Thai grandmother, the original Mama Rouge, inspires many of the menu items. This dichotomy between Southeast Asian and French influences is what gives Mama Rougea feel entirely its own.