Dynamic couple Didem and Huseyin Kansu, formerly of Le Tire Bouchon, literally set up shop next door with their new French restaurant, La Rue 123. Located in the historic Bailiwick Inn building and on Route 123, the location is also called the Joshua Gunnell house. Joshua Gunnell is the last of the infamous line of Fairfax Sheriffs from the same family. Inside the restaurant has been painstakingly redecorated by Didem including soft yellow paint on the walls, burgundy fabric for the drapes and original art all around. She has also showed her magic in the beautiful patio area in the back of the building.

When we arrived we were greeted on the front porch by Didem sipping her Burgundy Pinot Noir. We sat in one of the back rooms and we could see a large private party of regulars through the closed French Doors. Didem said that they have had very large and loyal followers from their previous restaurant Le Tire Bouchon. We started our meal with Potage D’oignon (French Onion Soup) with Gruyère cheese. We never get tired of this French classic which was created King Louis XV and rumored to be Julia Child’s last meal. We continued with Escargots with Helix snails baked in garlic, pernod, parsley butter. We loved the way this French delicacy is served outside of shells in a porcelain plate with 5 little holes at La Rue 123. Parsley butter masks both the smell and the taste of the snails making it easy for anyone to try it at least once.

We continued our tasting with La Rue 123 Salade with mix greens, walnuts, sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese in balsamic vinaigrette. It provided a good repos before we jumped into our Canard aux Framboises and Saumon sauce Moutarde a l’Ancienne. Canard Framboises is sliced oven roasted breast of duck with raspberry sauce and wild rice. The combination of crispy roasted breast of duck with wild rice was out of this world. Saumon sauce Moutarde a l’Ancienne which is roasted to perfection with a thick crust and served over grain mustard sauce is one of the best we had in a while. While we were having our dinner, we could not help but notice how Huseyin can be seen all around the restaurant both attending to his guests and his employees. He is no doubt a professional restauranteur rarely found in Northern Virginia

To top it all, we tried the warm chocolate molten with raspberry sauce, thin crusted apple tart with vanilla ice cream and Crème Brulée. Warm chocolate molten with raspberry sauce was our favorite and it was a shame that we did not get to try their signature Chocolate Soufflé. Oh well, we will just have to go back soon.

Refined French Food Made Easy As 1, 2, 3
4023 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia
Phone: 703-691-2266
www.larue123.com