(third installment of the "my-parents-take-me-out" series) The Village Bistro, next to the intersection of Wilson Boulevard and Quinn Street, between the Rossyln and Court House Metro stations in Arlington, is as about as hidden as they get. It sits in the middle of a strip of ethnic restaurants--Cambodian, Vietnamese, Afghan, Italian; let's not forget the strip bar two doors down--across Wilson Blvd. from a couple of vacant lots. Perhaps consequently, it's also one of the cheaper French restaurants around. But it's also one of the most crowded ones around, with good reason. It compares favorably to such credit-card-demolishing establishments as 1789 and Tout Va Bien. I had a smoked salmon with black bean salsa appetizer ($7), a surprisingly good Paris-on-the-Rio-Grande combination that I'd never seen elsewhere. The main course was a deliciously tender grilled duck breast ($17), which I followed with tira mi su for dessert. My only caveats: 1) Like I said, it's very crowded. If you don't like eating dinner with strangers sitting inches away, you'll hate this place. The sparse decor doesn't make it seem any less cramped. 2) Parking can be a pain on weekends. My dad is grateful that nobody was ticketing in Colonial Village's parking lot tonight, since that was the only spot we could find around. 3) The wine list is a little spotty; for instance, there's no Cotes du Rhone available. ________________________________________________ Rob Pegoraro [email removed] Arlington, Va. [email removed] ...Not speaking for my employer, or anybody else for that matter...
Washington, DC