Central Michel Richard

Address: 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004

Phone: 202-626-0015

Neighborhood: Penn Quarter/Chinatown, Downtown

Cuisines: Modern, French, American

Opening Hours: Open Monday through Thursday 11:45 AM to 2:30 PM and 5 to 10:30 PM, Friday 11:45 to 2:30 PM and 5 to 11 PM, Saturday 5 to 11 PM, and Sunday 5 to 9:30 PM.

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Nearby Metro Stops: Metro Center, Federal Triangle

Price Range: Expensive

Noise Level: Rowdy

Reservations: Recommended

Website: Click here to open in new window.

Best Dishes Oysters; mussel chowder; “faux gras” terrine; Gruyère gougères; corned-beef sandwich; grilled cheese with a three-cheese béchamel for dipping; fried chicken; cheeseburger with cheddar and bacon; macaroni and cheese; coconut Pavlova; hazelnut-backed riff o

Price Details: Starters, $6 to $18, entrées $16 to $30.

Special Features:
Wheelchair Accessible, Valet Parking Available

It’s easy to take this six-year-old bistro for granted—to lose sight of its exuberance and steady excellence as new restaurants explode on the scene. And then you pop a perfect cheese puff into your mouth or lap up the magnificent banana split like a giddy five-year-old and you remember why you fell in love with it in the first place.

The kitchen may not be as exacting as it once was, but it nearly always manages to make its marriage of the American diner and the rustic French bistro feel natural and unaffected.

Don’t miss: “Faux gras” terrine and country pâté; bacon-and-onion tart; deviled eggs with boquerones; lobster bisque; cavatappi Bolognese; fried chicken; 48-hour braised short ribs; chocolate mousse; napoleon.

Open: Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner. Expensive.