It’s France vs. Italy.
No, we’re not talking about the Champions League. We’re talking about Georgetown restaurants.
And we’re about to score one for France.
Here’s Maxime, a rechristening of the former Italian Rialto on M Street into a decidedly French steak-frites-and-mussels spot, soft-opening tonight. (See the slideshow here.)
You’ll notice some new touches like lots of brick behind the bar, a mural of Marie Antoinette and a fluttering French flag painted into a long banquette. Other things, wisely, remain the same, like the giant fireplace, the sunlit rear atrium and the bordello-ish private room downstairs.
But let’s talk about how you’ll use this place...
For a casual steak dinner. They’re doing the prix fixe steak thing, with salad and bread, for 20 bucks. But here, you can upgrade from the standard top sirloin to New York strip or filet.
For a damn good happy hour. From 4 to 7pm, Sunday through Thursday, they’ve got all 10 of their drafts and all eight of their mussel preparations for half off.
Egalité, indeed.
No, we’re not talking about the Champions League. We’re talking about Georgetown restaurants.
And we’re about to score one for France.
Here’s Maxime, a rechristening of the former Italian Rialto on M Street into a decidedly French steak-frites-and-mussels spot, soft-opening tonight. (See the slideshow here.)
You’ll notice some new touches like lots of brick behind the bar, a mural of Marie Antoinette and a fluttering French flag painted into a long banquette. Other things, wisely, remain the same, like the giant fireplace, the sunlit rear atrium and the bordello-ish private room downstairs.
But let’s talk about how you’ll use this place...
For a casual steak dinner. They’re doing the prix fixe steak thing, with salad and bread, for 20 bucks. But here, you can upgrade from the standard top sirloin to New York strip or filet.
For dessert and cocktails. Sit at that long bar. Look behind you. That’s a dessert
station cranking out a dozen classic French sweets like crêpes suzette. Look back again. Yes, that’s an
absinthe fountain.
For a damn good happy hour. From 4 to 7pm, Sunday through Thursday, they’ve got all 10 of their drafts and all eight of their mussel preparations for half off.
Egalité, indeed.
