Cafe Bonaparte: A Taste of Paris in Georgetown

For any of you who have gone shopping along Wisconsin Avenue, you've likely passed the window of Cafe Bonaparte - or at least heard of this Georgetown establishment. Particularly if you're a connoisseur of crêpes.

To some, Bonaparte seems to be a Georgetown institution. This family-run restaurant deems itself a "quintessential European cafe,"an adage I agree with. Having never visited France personally, the look and feel of Bonaparte is what I would expect to find along the streets of Paris. But why Georgetown for such a place?

Speaking to the manager, "The owners wanted to bring a touch of Europe to match the European feel of Georgetown. They wanted to serve a unique menu of fresh, organic food," something they don't seem to openly advertise. She went on to say, "Bonaparte has been welcomed in Georgetown and has many regular and returning customers, even being a hotspot for visiting celebrities. More than anything, it's a place for people in the neighborhood and city to feel comfortable."

For my culinary experience at Bonaparte, I sampled a wide range of dishes. Pate du jour, French onion soup, Crepe Santorini, duck confit and Crepe Suzette. I commend Bonaparte on their crepes, both savory and desert. While simple in theory, a crepe is easy to ruin. Not the case with Bonaparte. They had excellent execution and I found both the Santorini and Suzette to be delicious. 

The pate, soup and duck were equally delicious as well prepared and presented, but my greatest criticism would be the amount of salt in these dishes. While not overpowering, my dining companion and I agreed that sodium was a strong presence throughout the meal.

If you are a crepe aficionado, I recommend Bonaparte for your dining pleasure. The aura and atmosphere of the bistro have a certain je ne sais quoi that feels of Europe. The rest of Bonaparte's menu is appetizing, but my advice is to go for the crepes, which are both delicious and innovative. As Napoleon once said, "Imagination rules the world." Though in this case, it rules the stomach. 

As always, live deeply and happy eating my friends.