Latest Reviews
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Reservations definitely needed, very small restaurant ( maybe 50 seats). Our party of six with reservations, was crammed in a corner, where my dining …
Traveling Gopher
Le Refuge
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Great flavors deluge, at Le Refuge!. French cuisine in my younger years was relegated to the likes of French Onion Soup (soupe l'oignon), Frog Legs (c…
Gastroeclectico
Le Refuge
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My wife and I were referred to Le Refuge after a less than stellar meal at a mouth Old Town French restaurant. We celebrates many special occasion her…
Biscuit's Dad
Le Refuge
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Le Refuge is open for Casual Dining. Le Refuge serves French dishes. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
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8 Reviews on “Le Refuge”
Great flavors deluge, at Le Refuge!. French cuisine in my younger years was relegated to the likes of French Onion Soup (soupe l’oignon), Frog Legs (cuisses de grenouilles) or Snails (escargots) and not preferring much more than the soup… as I matured in my culinary understanding and repertoire of selection and enhanced palate, it has been so satisfying to appreciate the varied offerings from not only different regions of France, but the nuanced variations it has to offer from the commercial chains to home style bistros. Over the past few years weve had the opportunity of tasting some magnifique selections to the point of actually having found preferences to a handful of such delights right in our own Northern Virginia back yard. I lean towards categorizing Le Refuge as one of my top 5 go to French Restaurants. Starting with its latent old world store front, its small village eatery ambiance, family-run feel, patron-friendly and communal comfort, not to mention the food makes you think as if youre in a little bistro in the Loire valley. The fact that over the years this magnificent establishment has remained small is a tribute to its proprietors and their desire to share a culinary and ancestral heritage not found often in American French restaurants. If you are looking for a brasserie (such as Can Can in Richmond), a caf (similar to any Le Madeleine) or the largesse of a French country inn (like LAuberg in Great Falls), this is not for you. Taken as a whole experience here is culminated by an incredible variety of dishes, all of which Im sure youll take pleasure in, and come back for. During our recent last visit we started Evian Mineral Water followed by Perrier Sparking Water. For appetizers, a fantastic rendition of Mushroom Caps stuffed with crabmeat and mustard cream sauce. They have one of the best Soupe a Loignon Gratinee (baked onion soup with Swiss cheese) Ive tried in many years. Their Mousse de foie de canard au Cognac (duck liver mousse with Cognac) was not only tasty, but silky smooth. For our dinner wine we ordered and enjoyed a bottle of Les Plantes de Mayne, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Red 2005, which worked perfectly with the rest of our dinner. For main courses, my wife had the Sliced duck with Raspberry Sauce with squash, sweet potato puree, the best shed had in a very, very long time! One of our friends enjoyed her Le Filet de saumon Bearnaise (Salmon filet with barnaise sauce) and her husband ordered a fantastic to say the least Coquilles Saint Jacque Marseillaise (sea scallops sauted in garlic, parsley, diced tomatoes and Pernod). Although I was sorry they had run out of their reknown Bouillabaisse, my order of Gigot dagneau a lail et au thym (roasted leg of lamb in light garlic sauce) which I can honestly say, was the best lamb Ive ever had the pleasure of having in any restaurant! We finished the meal with a flan like Gteau, a pleasingly prepared Crme Brle, a Parfait; and an Apple Tart, 2 Lattes; and 2 Espressos. Needless to say the service was exceptional. The owners and staff make you feel at home. The food was fabulous. And all put together made for a fantabulous culinary evening event to remember shared with good friends nuff said! Bon apptit!
My wife and I were referred to Le Refuge after a less than stellar meal at a mouth Old Town French restaurant. We celebrates many special occasion here. The pt is amazing and the coq au vin is life changing.
If I had to complain it would be that we were rushed through an awesome dinner. I understand why, small restaurant, need to turn tables. Next time we would order apps and later order mains. That being said they whip out some awesome food. I always worry about escargot out of the shells, and I worried these came out so fast, but they were tender and the sauce was amazing. Beef wellington, who does that any more??? It was perfect as were the sides. Bouillabaise was also wonderful, served properly with garlic croutes and rouille.
Best soft shell crabs. Great ambiance. Quaint neighborhood feel. All food excellent!!!!
Great lunch spot!. We went for lunch–the coq au vin was delicious! I had trout, which I would order again. It was tasty but not as amazing as the chicken. The service was good, and the decor kitchsy–fun!
Sublime. Cramped or cozy, depending on your definition, La Refuge clearly calls it’s own shots. Go ahead and get a bottle if ordering for two, it’s less expensive than by the glass. The Calamari was everything it should be. The Boulibase was a total delight and the star of the meal. The beef wellington was attractive and well prepared, if a little dry. If you show up without reservations with more than 2 people, be prepared for a lecture.
First impressions are important…. My boyfriend made 7:30pm reservations for 4 Saturday night. However, I arrived a few minutes ahead of him and his parents and, upon arrival, the hostess claimed that our reservations had been for 7 pm, so they had given away our table. Additionally, she insisted that they do not take 7:30pm reservations (which sounded like a ridiculous lie to begin with). When I asked how long the wait would be, the hostess said it would be at least 8:30–with virtually no waiting area. I asked why they had not called us before giving away the table, given that we had provided a number for them–the hostess simply sneered and said that it was their busiest time, and that they have no shows all the time so they gave away the table.She insisted WE were wrong, and that they had no obligation whatsoever to try to make amends. BAD business. To add insult to injury, while dealing with this rude hostess who made no apologies or attempts to work with us, three seperate parties arrived for their 7:30pm reservations. This made it painfully clear that they had lied about not taking reservations at that specific time. I have never been treated with such disrespect and rudeness by an employee of a restaurant. My boyfriend has worked in the industry for some time, and I know that this behavior is simply inexcusable and suggests that no one can count on this restaurant to provide a pleasant experience, period. I will never patronize it and will certainly let as many people as possible know about their unprofessional service. It’s about three blocks from me, so I had hoped this might become a neighborhood favorite, but there was absolutely no excuse for the way we were dismissed.