About Et Voila!
Claudio Pirollo’s menu lacks the innovation of most of the
restaurants in its class (his terrific mussel burger excepted), but
there’s a reason his cozy Belgian place is swarmed even on
weekdays—there’s enormous comfort to be derived from steak frites
or a bowl of mussels. The steadiness of the kitchen doesn’t hurt, either.
Nor does the vibe: The narrow room has the feel of a low-key dinner party
in an exclusive neighborhood—the kind in which talk abounds about European
travel, guests try out their French, and name-dropping is
rife.
Pastry chef Andras Horvoth has a gift for making the simple
seem extravagant. His Belgian waffle is as good as anything you’d find
across the pond. Don’t miss: Warm goat cheese with
greens; smoked-trout salad; salmon with lentils and mustard sauce; hanger
steak with peppercorn sauce; pear tart with Hoegaarden-beer ice cream;
profiteroles. Open: Monday for dinner, Tuesday through
Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday for brunch and dinner.
Moderate.
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.
