Le DeSales brings modern French cooking to Northwest Washington, with sushi and fusion elements woven through the menu. Raphael Francois designed the space and built the menu here, arriving with more than 20 years of experience across kitchens in the US and abroad, including Le Giverny in Tournai, Belgium, Comme Chez Soi, Château du Mylord, La Maison du Boeuf, Sea Grill, Hôtel de Crillon, Four Seasons Hotel Georges V, Hélène Darroze, Le Chalet d'Adrien, and Château de Curzay, plus a run as executive chef at Le Cirque in New York.
Signature dishes include the simplissime crab with tarragon and potatoes and the bavette — dry-aged beef with grapes, shallot, and parsley — alongside other updated French classics. Reviewers also single out the mayflower and pistachio as dishes worth ordering.
A Saturday jazz brunch draws a regular crowd for live music alongside the food, and the restaurant keeps a happy hour and a dedicated wine and sake list.
The James Beard Foundation named Le DeSales a finalist for Best New Restaurant in 1997, and its chef a finalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in both 1999 and 2000.
Signature dishes include the simplissime crab with tarragon and potatoes and the bavette — dry-aged beef with grapes, shallot, and parsley — alongside other updated French classics. Reviewers also single out the mayflower and pistachio as dishes worth ordering.
A Saturday jazz brunch draws a regular crowd for live music alongside the food, and the restaurant keeps a happy hour and a dedicated wine and sake list.
The James Beard Foundation named Le DeSales a finalist for Best New Restaurant in 1997, and its chef a finalist for Rising Star Chef of the Year in both 1999 and 2000.