DailyCocaine...I Ingest, So Others Don't Have To...: Washington, DC Patio Dining, French Style

Living in Miami can spoil you when it comes to tropical dining al fresco, as every day can be an opportunity to lounge on the patio. But when spring comes early in Washington, DC, everyone wants to bask in the warm weather. This being Washington, of course the sun is covered mostly in haze; but 70 degrees is 70 degrees. And you are definitely not seeing the tropical fashions, well, any fashion really, and maybe the long winter has left a lot of people pasty and doughy. But enough about me. After the star-studded premiere of 'Tattoo Hunter' at Asylum, we strolled down 18th St. in Adams Morgan, and planted a flag at La Fourchette for a few hours. The French couple who own this place have not changed much in the decades they have lived and worked here, and that is very reassuring in these times of what is often the dreariest of look-alike/taste-alike contemporary menus. We drank a lot, waved to friends and various locals and weirdos-you know who you are-and ate some real French food that in my experience, is the homiest and most well-prepared food on this strip filled with, let's face it, mediocre and worse restaurants. That the French have stuck to their guns and continued to serve the classics against all odds, is a testament to their belief in their cuisine. And they are also (see Michel Richard, Laurent Tourondel, et. al.) re-taking kitchens from the likes of the Italians and especially the Spanish. (Go to http://www.theartofhunger.com/ for the full story.) La Fourchette always gives you the good service, and the prices are also reasonable. And to get you in the mood, check out the photos below.