Brunching with the Bitches: Bistro La Bonne

Editor’s Note: I’m doing a collaboration with my friends, the ladies who write Bitches who Brunch, on brunching on U Street. A few weeks ago we checked out Bistro La Bonne.

Bistro La Bonne on U Street has been open for just over a year; it replaced the beloved Axis Bar. From the same management, Bistro La Bonne still features the great beer selection of Axis but with the added bonus of well done and affordable French food. And a killer brunch.

The Bitches and I stopped by Bistro La Bonne to check out their brunch one cool Saturday morning a few weeks ago.

As Becca noted, it’s not a classic French place unless a crazy Frenchman welcomes you inside. Cue the conversation:

“Bonjour, madame. Comment allez-vous?”

“Ah, oui. Tres bien.”

And then he rattles on in French, to which her five years of French classes answers, “Yeah. I don’t speak that much French.” And then we’re shuffled to a table.

More below the jump…

 

Brunching with the Bitches: Creme Cafe

Editor’s Note: My friends, the ladies who write Bitches who Brunch, will be doing occasional guest posts on U Street Girl when they brunch on U Street. Here’s their first report from Creme. Also, I’ll be doing an occasional post on their blog when I brunch on U Street.

When we suggest brunch on U Street, the first question everyone asks is whether we’ve been to Creme. It’s the classic comfort brunch that the neighborhood relies on, and it’s been so forever (or so it seems).

With all the raving about the place, we were shocked when we stepped inside and realized how absolutely tiny it is. Seriously, there must not be more than 10 tables in the entire restaurant. Big wall mirrors create an illusion of depth, but the crunch of after-church families and couples piling in the front door make it crowded.

When we arrived last Sunday morning, there were no less than five or six groups waiting for tables or vying for a spot at the small bar. Thankfully, the hostess was super efficient, and the restaurant was turning tables faster than we could keep track. Clearly, Creme has service down to a science.

The brunch menu is fantastic. It has all the classics and more, plus some dishes are made with a spicy twist. We began with the fruit bowl which, while enormous, was definitely the lowest point in the meal. There was a lot of fruit – a whole banana, melons, berries, grapes, apples – but it was all kind of mushy, un-fresh, and entirely lacking in flavor. It did, however, have a bit of creamy yogurt underneath and granola sprinkled on top, which was nice.

More below the jump…