Sexy Beast - La Bête

You've created a monster, La Bête, and the monster is me. I'm afraid I'll be wanting to spend many an evening, and many a dollar at your gorgeous establishment.

The old Chez Gaudy space is anything but, with a feel that's Art Deco, Edwardian, and completely modern at the same time.

Everything was gorgeous- the people, the rich wood paneled ceiling over the bar, the tables and flatware, the metal work over the windows open to the rain, the molding on the ceiling and the round floral Edwardian ceiling light fixtures, which were little miniature chandeliers. It's a vintage dress of a place, made newly cool by timing and forethought.

Chilled cucumber soup with fresh chickpea fritter, red radish and creme fraiche. Soup was cool, minty, and somehow buttery -served on a delicate tray with matching metal-rimmed bowl. A modernized, tweaked falafel with the daintiest of presentations.

A mass of delicate corn gnocchi under a large pile of sweet dungeness crab meat was stellar.

We split the platter of expertly grilled, super-fresh Daurade, with pea vines, dried scallops and smoked bacon and every flavor worked. A fine, reasonably priced Gruner Veltliner paired perfectly with all.

Highlights: Grilled daurade, corn gnocchi with crab, ambiance.

Disappointments: The bill can add up, if you aren't paying attention. And we weren't.

Mr. Pants: Very, very impressed.

Po Dogs

Though it's early days- too early for an earnest review in fact- so far I'm glad Po Dogs is here with their slightly fancy hot (haute) dogs on Capitol Hill.

Po Dogs has a neat space- cool and strange wallpaper with a guns and bullets motif, wooden booths for two, yellow mustard and ketchup on the tables and white modern chairs at the tables.

After cocktails, that Wasabi Dog would hit the spot. A hot dog in an eggroll (pig in a chinese blanket?) it really worked with the wasabi-mayoed crisp cabbage slaw.

Hipsters (friendly ones!) made our dogs to order. We also got the Chicago dog, (not traditional, no poppyseed bun in sight!) but tradition isn't what this place is about. They use brioche buns, which I liked but Mr Pants thought strange. It worked for me, and I liked the slightly sweet quality it lent to the whole dog. Along with the Wasabi Dog and the so-called "Chicago" dog, we had a regular ol' classic- building our own with mustard and cheese. In a certain decadent mood I'd go back to try the deep fried bacon wrapped dog.

Highlights: Wasabi Dog was chewy and special, accompanying slaw kicky and interesting. An unusual and large choice of toppings, (avocado, jalapeno, cream cheese) so you can build your own dog as you like it.

Mr Pants: "meh" but then he was already in a stroppy mood, and he finished everything in front of him, so there.