While La Bise has replaced the Oval Room, one is reminded of the latter if one gets a phone call from Bise to confirm your reservation. If incoming telephone calls are identified with a notice on your TV set, the call from La Bise says the call is from the Oval Room.
La Bise is described as a modern French brasserie.
There is a large patio, which increases the total seating of the restaurant weather permitting. On the night we were there, only two patio tables were occupied tables.
Debbie, Nathan, and I went to La Bise for the first time on a Wednesday night.
As you enter the restaurant there is a greeter station straight ahead. To the right there is a room that seats up to 35 people at various tables. To the left of the greeters there is a bar at which to 8 people can enjoy dinner or a drink as they choose.
Just past the bar is an entry way to the kitchen and to the restrooms. Then you come to the second dining room that seats up to 60 people.
This is the room in which Debbie, Nathan, and I were seated at a table for four.
As you enter this room, to the right is a padded multi-colored bench that stretches the length of the wall and continues along the next wall. This bench and the chairs facing it can seat up to 18 people.
In the center of the room is a single round table that seat up to 6 people.
There are a couple of booths that will seat up to 4 people. At one of the booths were seated two adults and their young children.
Debbie ordered Butter-Poached Maine Lobster – Summer corn, celery, preserved lemon, sauce Americaine; followed by Heirloom Tomato Tart – Moon Valley Farm tomatoes, burrata, herbed biscuit, basil pesto. For dessert she ordered Coconut Souffle – Rum Crème Anglaise.
Nathan started with Chilled Melon Soup – Bayonne ham, local cucumber, melon, basil followed by Steak Frites – House made French fries, local greens, roasted garlic butter, sauce bearnaise. For dessert he ordered Corn Custard – Vanilla-blueberry ice cream, puffed Sorghum, blueberry.
I started with the Poached Maine Lobster, followed by Amish Chicken – Chanterelle mushrooms, confit shallot, Croquette (with a bone in) sauce vin jaune. For dessert I ordered Earl Grey Chocolate Tart – Puffed rice, peaches, Chantilly cream.
The portions of each dish were just right, nothing was left uneaten by any of us.
Our server was Janea who was friendly and appropriately attentive. Dina is one of the people who works the floor, not as a server but weighing in where needed. Seeing all the notes I was making Dina asked what they were all about. I simply smiled.
I thought I recognized the older gentleman who appeared to be the manager and sommelier. I asked him for a list of places at which he had worked, and he mentioned a number of restaurants at which I had eaten.
If there is one detraction, the restaurant is quite noisy.
La Bise
800 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20006
202-463-8700