At Le DeSales, classic French cooking receives a creative jolt

Have you met Le DeSales? You ought to. It’s a civilized dining room that shares an alley with the Mayflower hotel...  The chef, Raphael Francois, is easy to spot. He’s the guy with the bushy blonde beard and round glasses. French-Belgian, he comes to Washington from New York, where he served for two years as executive chef of the venerable Le Cirque. Before that, he worked in the same capacity at the Connaught in London.

Washington Post
by Tom Sietsema Food Critic

Strange Ingredients That May Show Up in Your Cocktail: 4. Foie Gras Bitters

The house old fashioned at Le DeSales (1725 DeSales St., NW) is a mix of bourbon, white port, and bitters infused with luxury liver.

Washingtonian
by Anna Spiegel

Tom Sietsema Falls for Le DeSales

The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema visits recent arrival Le DeSales, a restaurant that “trots out familiar dishes in fresh ways.” Set inside a “civilized dining room,” the spot across from the Mayflower Hotel replaces Mediterranean-themed Panache.

Eater DC
by Tierney Plumb

Feast on Family Favorites at Le DeSales

Along with the traditionally French selections he’ll be introducing Washingtonians to on Wednesday, March 29 when Le DeSales officially debuts, chef and co-founder Raphael Francois has mixed in a few tributes to guiding influences in his life.

“The pate … that’s like my dad,” Francois told Eater about a featured appetizer he said his father used to prepare with Montravel wine; Francois prefers using smoked bourbon. “I try to twist it to not be too classic.”

Eater DC
By Warren Rojas, Photos by R. Lopez

Le DeSales:  First Look

Le Desales gets a lot of light considering its location. Across the street from the Mayflower Hotel on a side street, the soon to open French restaurant is bright and warm. It’s hidden from Connecticut Ave., close enough to downtown and prettier than every other nearby option. It’ll be a pleasant spot for Executive Chef Raphael Francois to present some casual French cuisine.

Young Bright Things
Words By Brandon Wetherbee, Photos By Nicholas Karlin,

Think of Restaurant Le DeSales as French Food Wearing a Leather Jacket

Not every French chef can pull off playful food. Locally, Chef Michel Richard did so at Central with his bacon cheeseburger, and Convivial Chef Cedric Maupillier sends plates like fried chicken coq au vin out to the dining room on the daily. Come March 29, Chef Raphael Francois will join the party. 

Washington City Paper
By Laura Hayes

Le DeSales Aims to Liven Up Golden Triangle

In reality, transforming D.C.’s decade-old Panache into its sleek, airy successor, Le DeSales, took roughly seven months. But striking the “relaxed, down-to-earth” feel seasoned chef Raphael Francois said he hopes to convey within the dramatically altered interior has taken him years to refine.

Eater DC
By Warren Rojas, Photos by R. Lopez

DC's 9 Most Anticipated Spring Restaurant Openings

We’ve got our fingers crossed that these 10 spots open in time for DC’s best patio weather, before You Know Who turns up the heat:

Le DeSales  
Set to open soon in Southern Dupont, this French restaurant from chef Raphael Francois and his partners will serve such dishes as red snapper ...

Zagat DC
By Rina Rapuano