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Le Gaulois Cafe Restaurant - CLOSED
- Nearest Transit:
-
King Street Metro Station (Blue, Yellow)
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Le Gaulois Cafe Restaurant
15 reviews in English
-
Review from Kaitlin N.
Washington, DC
1/21/2009
I went to this restaurant with my guests for inauguration weekend, two of my mom's friends... one of which is the wife of a Swiss chef that owns a restaurant specializing in European food. In the words of this guest, the food served by Le Gaulois was what you might call "authentic, country French"... just wholesome, well-prepared food that we got for an excellent price.
We were very pleased with our meals, the service, and our whole experience at Le Gaulois. We ordered salads and the chestnut soup, seafood entrees and the beef stew, all of which were very tasty. The wine that we ordered, a French chardonnay, was an incredible deal and by far the highlight of the night. My guest, the chef's wife, estimated that the wine could be priced at about $10 more than what we paid. (if that doesn't entice you to visit the place, I'm not sure what would??)
Had I paid the bill I might be a bit more critical, but I'd definitely say that the sophisticated simplicity of our meal at Le Gaulois was worth the trip! -
Review from Nina B.
10/31/2007
Although the service was good, the food was subpar.
I ordered the fresh oysters, during the peak of oyster season, and they tasted like they had been sitting in ice for several days. The wine selection was good, and the ambience is definitely cozy, especially their courtyard seating.
They didn't charge us for the oysters, but I still wouldn't return for a second chance. -
Review from Bahareh M.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2007
My friend invited me to eat with him here after he walked by it and thought the courtyard looked cute. I'm so glad he did. This was a wonderful restaurant, and sitting outside really made it that much better. We arrived around 6:30 or so, but by the time we left around 8ish, it was getting pretty crowded outside, so either go early or make a researvation.
We shared a bottle of white wine, Le Penitence, which was actually very nice, and I don't think it was too expensive. For an appetizer we shared the mussels. They were light, well-cooked and very tasty. The waiters brought out bread and refilled our water and wine glasses promptly. Our waiter was very helpful, and had many great recommendations. I went with his recommendation of the crab ravioli. They were very nicely done, though they were too doused in pesto sauce. About half the amount of sauce would have been sufficient. My friend ordered the scallops, which were amazing. There were four large scallops, and each was perfectly crispy on the outside, with just the right amount of heat on the inside. Very well done.
This was a great meal, a great atmosphere, and great service. I'd probably give it 4.5 stars. -
Review from Marivic L.
Alexandria, VA
8/31/2008
I went there for lunch, on a whim. The restaurant is cozy and the service was friendly and attentive.
I ordered the Steak et Frittes, which I thought was as safe bet. The steak and potatoes were cooked perfectly and the red wine glaze was more flavorful than I expected. It was really a great surprise and a great meal. My co-worker enjoyed his beef stew and wine sauce as well. We'll definitely be back and, hopefully, will be able to eat outside. -
Review from Meredith V.
Suffolk, VA
11/25/2008
I heart! (although I am a sucker for french wine)
Me and my bf came here for a drink after a lame dinner at Farrah Oliviah on Saturday night and we were very impressed. Tables were candlit and the music was nice. Our waiter was very friendly and after telling what I was looking for, didnt offer the most expensive wine on the menu, but rather gave me a genuine answer to my taste. THAT is hard to find and I love candor. He later told us about their $1 wine tastings (thats a dollar for the entire tasting, not per glass) every Friday nights. Anyway, the wine was DIVINE. My bf got a french martini and I kind of wanted to drink his too :/ -
Review from Claire B.
Louisville, KY
8/3/2009
As of August 2009 the restaurant has a "for rent" sign on the outside; it never reopened in April. I think it's a goner.
It's unfortunate, as I really enjoyed the couple times I went here. They had an inventive menu. -
Review from susan b.
Alexandria, VA
9/9/2008
recently took our best friend here for her 25th birthday dinner, and it was truly lovely. They do not accept reservations for the patio, however we were able to grab a table for 6, on a Thursday night with ease. We began with a bottle of french sauvignon blanc blend, and the calamari - which were the best I have had in ages. Light, fried and seasoned to perfection, tentacles and all. We waited for the rest of our group for a good 45 minutes, with no pressure to order and get the ball rolling. The patio is gorgeous, and the staff was attentive but not overbearing.
I split the soft shell crrab with the birthday gal - as it was huge. Came with two crabs, served over a bed of sausage corn succotash - perfect, it was outrageously delicious. Another got the pesto raviloi which she enjoyed. The mussels were a hit, while another got a pot of some totally french combination of duck, beans, sausage, and lamb. She didn't dig it, but that might have been due to extreme heat of the dish, mixed with the extreme heat outside.
We could wander to another patio to smoke, the drinks never ran out, and we left perfectly full with a perfectly reasonable bill. It was a hit! -
Review from Viet D.
Alexandria, VA
10/28/2008
I love to eat here and the funny thing is that everytime I eat here, I am always eating by myself. I am such a loser.....no really this place is so chill and relaxed that you can go and eat by yourself and not feel like everyone is looking at you. I love the pate here and the escargo. The escargo comes out piping hot and is out of the shell in a cast iron plate and has puff pastry on top. The puff pastry is very rich and buttery. They give you some nice crusty bread, so I love to dip the bread in all that buttery goodness. Sometimes I come here and just get the escargo and pretend like I am on my iphone doing something important so that I don't look like such a loser but in reality, I'm just playing my sudoku and trying to look cool.
-
Review from Lori S.
Arlington, VA
5/14/2008
I went here on Friday night and was fortunate enough to sit outside. The court yard was very nice and not loud at all. Started off with the escargot; it was good and flavorful-also cooked perfectly. For dinner I had the rack of lamb and a side of spinach. The spinach was not my favorite but it was fine. The lamb was cooked perfectly and paired nicely with the roasted potatoes and green beans. It was one of those meals that I wish was bigger. I mean it was definitely ample size, it was just that good! My dad ordered the duck (which I dug into) and that was also excellent. The food went really well with the sauces and sides and was cooked perfectly. Another wonderful thing about this restaurant was the service. Our server (Joe) was great; funny, personable, relaxed. The other servers that stopped by were just as personable. I was impressed; the owner also came by to see how we were enjoying everything. Overall, it was great food and great service. I will gladly go back! By the way, I had the white and dark chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Yum!
Last note, the server pulled out my moms' chair each time she got up....how many people do that nowadays? He was very thoughtful. -
Review from Bess Anna C.
Alexandria, VA
1/31/2009
Bye Bye Le Gaulois, closed mid January 2009. I was a manager here a while back. I Loved working there; great staff and a talented chef, Tom Meyer. However I left for other reasons. The food was amazing. This restaurant was a staple for Old Town and will be truly missed. When and if it reopens as "Le Gaulois" being under the same name and cuisine influence, hopefully it will be in the care of a true "restaurantuer" to remain afloat.
-
Review from Salty S.
Alexandria, VA
1/7/2009
Sorry, Le Gaulois did not do it for me. My wife and I came here for her b'day dinner, as she is a huge fan of duck. The service was good and the ambience is great, but the food was VASTLY subpar.
She got the duck and I ordered the steak et frittes. The duck was cold and WAAAAY overcooked. Duck should have a nice pink interior - this was grey throughout - very disappointing. The flavor on the steak was nice, but again overcooked. The frittes were on par with most french restaurants.
The prices were fairly decent, if the food had been good. For my buck, I'd rather hit up Les Halles in DC. -
Review from Donna P.
Alexandria, VA
11/17/2008
This restaurant just got MUCH better! Our last trip was over a year ago and we swore to never return.. This time was MUCH different. We heard from some friends that the management had changed so we gave them another try. The mussels were perfect and the butter fish delish! We sat inside by the fire and it was very cozy. The staff however could have been a bit more attentive as we had to sit a long time waiting for our check... The new wine bar upstairs is nice as well.
-
Review from Krista C.
Alexandria, VA
7/18/2006
Mmm, excellent food and perfect for an impromptu, yet romantic dinner in the outside courtyard. I'm sure it would be wise to call ahead for a reservation, but i'm sure it's reasonable to show up on a Friday evening and get a table. You might have to wait a bit. I haven't actually eaten inside the restaurant, just outside, but when I passed through the restaurant on the way to powder my nose, it looked very cozy.
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Review from David H.
Alexandria, VA
3/13/2007
I've lived in Alexandria for a few years now and have mixed reviews for restaurants on King street. This restaurant, I believe, is well worth the visit. The table service was excellent: our waiter was very nice and helpful, the other wait staff was always at hand with the wine and water, clearing our dishes, offerring suggests on the menu. All around great experience. We ate inside and you don't have to be dressy, but I definitely wouldn't call this place a casual dining place.
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Review from Maurina R.
Alexandria, VA
3/4/2009
Their web site says they will reopen in April 09, after renovation. This is the place for a weekend lunch during nice weather, the patio is shady and cool, the service unobtrusive, knowledgeable and professional, and the food very well prepared. We tend to stick with lighter fare for lunch, with a glass of wine, and split dessert, and have rarely been disappointed.
