With both Michel and Le Mistral shuttered, McLean-ians don’t have many French dining options nearby. Filling the gap: Bistro Vivant, a Gallic eatery from former Locanda owner Aykan Demiroglu and Domenico Cornacchia, the chef-proprietor of Assaggi Osteria. The 100-seat spot is set to open within the next three weeks in the former McLean 1910 space.
Demiroglu doesn’t have a specific culinary area in mind for the regular menu, but each month will feature special dishes from a different region. You may find bouillabaisse and other Mediterranean-style items from Provence in the summer, and hearty Alsatian options such as cassoulet in cooler months. Helming the kitchen is Christopher Carey, whose background includes stints at the Ashby Inn and, most recently, the Wine Kitchen in Leesburg. Guests can sample his cooking during lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch in the dining room, at the 30-seat bar, and, come spring and summer, on the outdoor patio.
Check back in for more details in the coming weeks.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
