Only a handful of places can summon the aura of grand occasion that this Alsatian restaurant brings to a celebration. Formal old-world service, antique-filled dining rooms, and a prix fixe menu with amuse-bouches and other extras make dinners here special.
On a hilly country lane, the half-timbered cottage is a favored spot for family groups who are longtime fans along with empty-nesters and a smattering of younger couples. Jacques’ Brasserie, with its own entrance, draws a more casual crowd (L’Auberge requests jackets for men), with an à la carte menu that zeroes in on some of the kitchen’s greatest hits.
What to get: At L’Auberge: lobster bisque; choucroute with sausages, duck confit, and foie gras; lobster in Sauternes-butter sauce; hazelnut and Grand Marnier soufflés; plum tart with cinnamon ice cream. At Jacques’: simpler versions of choucroute; Alsatian tart with bacon; chicken in Riesling sauce.
L’Auberge open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Jacques’ open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner. L’Auberge very expensive; Jacques’ expensive.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
