Citronelle Bar-3000 M St. NW

For young professionals curious to what the hoopla is about the "world class" and "most popular restaurant in DC" (according to zagat), you do not have to break the bank while dining at Citronelle, just choose to eat in the bar instead. On a breezy spring evening my companion and I made the short walk to Georgetown to visit the home of the culinary wizard, Michel Richard. Upon arrival, sitting outside was none other than Chef Richard, relaxing and sipping a fine French Bordeaux with some companions. The bar takes no reservations, and there was only one other couple dining at prime hours which was nice. To drink, we started with a French White labeled "recommended by Chef Richard" that was only 24$. The wine list affords a chance to drink at resonable prices, up and down France. For an appetizer, I chose the escargot tart, which was lovely. Succulent and garlic infused escargot are baked in a tart resembling a personal thin crust pizza, which was well worth the 14$. To follow I had the halibut, very delicious, but a boring choice by me. The halibut was cooked to perfection, and was draped in a rich lobster cream sauce with roasted fresh vegetables. The overall tab was a little over 100$. Not bad for a Tier 1 restaurant in DC. 91 out of 100.