When we travel we never like to book lunches because we never really know where we are going to be when hunger strikes; so we leave it to the last minute and find a Starbucks sit with an espresso and peruse Yelp for some recommendations in relation to our location! I love that Starbucks has free WIFI! Yelp is an excellent review site where I find most of the reviewers are more foodie than not and their restaurant reviews are excellent! Sometimes we use open table, but it’s only good for establishments who subscribe so it often doesn’t work out.
We landed on Café du Parc in Washington’s elite Intercontinental Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. The restaurant describes itself as a traditional French bistro where the food ‘fuses witha modern atmosphere to provide a truly authentic bistro experience” (from Café du Parc’s website) — well, I’m not sure about food fusing with atmosphere, but the experience was pleasant enough. Have I ever mentioned this thing that I find SO INCREDIBLY annoying? It’s when the wait-staff remove plates before everyone is finished at the table. JT eats faster than I do and I am often left eating on my own with the table cleared. Not this time but I had to tell them to leave the plates alone until I am done! What school of etiquette did these people go to? They’ll loose points on service for that one.
The décor is blues, creams and yellows and the dining room was light and airy; it made me happy to be there! They also had a very lovely patio but the heat was overwhelming so we chose to eat inside; bad choice since all the windows and doors were wide open and the A/C didn’t seem to be on, but we soon acclimated and all was well.
With the exception of the faux pas of the attempt to remove JTs dishes before I was finished, the service was efficient, friendly and quick — we were in and out in less than an hour, but we had places to go and people to see, so we were fine with that.
Overall rating of Café du Parc, DC (in my opinion): Decor 4/5, service 2.5/5, food 4/5, Value 3/5, Noise: 2/5 (1 being very noisy, and 5 being very quiet).
Disclaimer: We purchased our meals for full price and my opinions just that, my opinions.
Cafe du Parc
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 942 7000
Monday – Friday
Breakfast : 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. (a la carte ends at 9:45; 9:45-10:30 buffet only)
Lunch : 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cocktails and Light Fare : 2:30pm – 5:00 p.m.
Dinner : 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday
Breakfast : 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (a la carte ends at 10:30; 10:30-11:00 buffet only)
Lunch : 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Cocktails and Light Fare : 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Dinner : 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Terrace (weather permitting)
Breakfast is served at our courtyard only.
Service starts at 11:30 Mon – Fri and 12:00 noon Sat-Sun until 10:00 p.m.; weather permitting.
[…] never forget the Croque Monsieur sandwich that JT ordered at the Café du Parc at the Intercontinental Willard Hotel in Washington, DC in […]
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The tuna does look incredible. I too find it very annoying when they start clearing when we are still eating, unless they are plates from an earlier course. Sounds like a great find. Yelp is a great help for sure.
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Thanks Mini, the tuna was very tasty indeed. I’m hearing that this type of service happens all over the world.
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That happens to me in restaurants because John eats really fast and I’m as slow as next week. I hate it when they take everyone’s plate and look at me as if I’m a slacker.
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I wondered if it’s a common mistake only in North America, here they just say “you don’t want to be starring at dirty dishes” but I still think it’s rude.
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Good call on the Tuna Nicoise it seems Eva – looks fantastic with the seared tuna steak instead of just some canned tuna!
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Thanks Charles, many restaurants in North America serve the Nisçoise with the fresh instead of the canned.
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I would have been all over the tuna Nicoise, too..looks wonderful!
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Thank you Liz, it was just the right amount on such a warm and muggy day. We’re having those temperatures in TO right now.
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It’s so rare to see fresh tuna in salade niçoise… Lucky you! I like the anchovies there too! Actually both dishes look excellent. I would certainly steal some chips from your husband 😉 Great text once more! You sound really like a professional restaurant reviewer!
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That’s quite the compliment Sissi, thank you. Here in NA it is more common to see the fresh seared tuna than it is in Europe, but then I do love the Italian canned tuna when they use the good stuff (albacore is my favourite).
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Yes it is strange when they remove plates before everyone has finished eating. Most places don’t do that here which is good!
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Your very lucky Lorraine, particularly since tipping isn’t a huge component of the service value statement in Australia.
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What a great set of really helpful restaurant reviews! If I ever get to Washington (it’s on a very long list of places I would like to see), I will keep some of these restaurants in mind!
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Thanks Amber, I really recommend DC, but go for about 4 days to really be able to do it right. If you want to get out to Arlington add an extra day!
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The tuna is just stunning. I’m hungry just looking at it. Tuna – especially raw or rare – is my favorite kind of seafood. And I agree that it’s completely annoying when they clear plates while someone is still eating. It makes you feel rushed and that’s not a good feeling to have while dining. Have a great weekend Eva!
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Hi Kristy, this was a very tasty lunch, I would definitely go back, even with the hasty service! It’s worth a walk through the lobby, it’s such a grand hotel.
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I’m rather in love with pitted Kalamata but agreed, generic pitted black olives can be rather tasteless and uninspiring. The Nicoise looks quite delish – my type of salad and WOW on the gruyère over the Monsieur – my kids would be all over that! (especially with the side of fries which I would be fighting them for ;-)).
Clearing plates – yes, my favorite misstep in this area is when the waiter removes the plate you are actually still eating from!! That recently happened to me at a well-reputed resto (?) – I was enjoying the most delicious French onion soup and off it went only half consumed… arggghhh. First world problem for sure 😉 but in context, a little annoying.
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Wow Kelly, I can’t believe you were still eating!!! Did you complain? That is really disgusting. A friend had her wine glass removed with about a finger of wine still in it, she saw where they put it and went and brought it back! Crazy.
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I must say that the tuna atop that fantastic salad was cooked perfectly, Eva, even if the portion was a bit small. JT’s lunch sounds wonderful, too. It’s a shame that the waitstaff left something to be desired. Still, as you know, it could have been far worse and your lunch ruined. All facts considered, it sounds like your trip to DC was a thoroughly enjoyable one. Next time, see if Jed can do something about the heat. 🙂
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You’re absolutely right John it could have been worse! We’ve had the humidity roll in yesterday and its what you’d call ‘close’ here in the big smoke. Actually it’s brutal. A/C is on full blast!
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Some wait staff are just that – clueless. We find the closer we get to the tropics the worse it is – I think the heat makes them that much more casual. I love the look of your salad – so fresh and that tuna is beautifully rare xx
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Thanks Charlie, it was very tasty. I hadn’t mad the connection to the tropics but it makes sense. One would think they would have some training though.
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We went out to dinner on Wednesday to a nice restaurant for tapas for two. The Koala usually finishes when I am about half way through mine. They cleared the plates when he was done so we went from 6 tapas plates plus The Koala’s plate to just the plate in front of me in an instant. It was very strange.
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That’s really gross Genie, I hope you complained.
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Know what you mean about service. Was at a restaurant, the wait staff was standing around chatting, needed water and tried to get someone’s attention by gesturing but was ignored, had to actually ask for water, never went back.
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I hate that too. Hope the tip reflected it.
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Boy that tuna looks great! That is my pet peeve, too, as Dave always finishes before me and yep…know that feeling of dining by yourself somehow. That should be the first thing they tell wait staff…the second being to not interrupt conversation too often…another pet peeve. Glad the food was good!
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It happened again yesterday at lunch and I told the girl that we’re not finished, but she took them anyway.
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Those are pretty thick slices of tuna on the salad, Eva. I have a wedge of sushi grade ahi tuna in my fridge waiting to be transformed into nigiri and hand rolls. Have to get to the other 2 items first though.
Croque Monsieur … you don’t see those on restaurant menus these days. What makes French ham so unique as I’ve never heard of it. All in all, a pretty fancy ham and grilled cheese sandwich. 🙂 What kind of bread was under all that melted Gruyere?
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Hi Maria, I think it’s usually a baguette that is soaked in an egg batter, like French Toast and then pan fried. It’s a very rich grilled cheese sandwich, I was surprised he got through it.
Fancy to have sushi grade tuna at home, we don’t do it often so it’s such a treat when we do.
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It sounds strange to put off using the tuna but I have other irons in the fire. 🙂
I went to the city market on Wed with the intention of buying the tuna and did. Then I got to talking with the fish monger.
Who told me that he doesn’t carry live lobster because it doesn’t pay but he can order it from Detroit, and I can get it in the next day. Same with live, debearded mussels grown on ropes. So I put in an order for both and at 2pm I picked up a small (1- 1 1/4 pound) live lobster and 2 pounds of mussels. For $15.
Got home at 2:30pm. It’s 4pm … the lobster was delicious. The mussels will be cooked tomorrow as I’m stuffed. When I can move again, I’m doing the dishes and making tomorrow’s dessert.
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Sounds fantastic Maria! We’re having mussels tonight too.
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Have you posted the recipe you’re using? I wonder how similar our dishes will end up being. 🙂
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Yes, it was ages ago https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/moroccan-inspired-mussels-with-chick-peas/
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Can I come next time?
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Sure, JT would like that.
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wow…that tuna steak slices on the salad bed looks extremely tempting!
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Thanks Angie, it was melt in your mouth delicious.
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