Le Refuge

In the 1980s I spent a few years in the small village of Spangdahlem Germany with the Air Force. Spangdahlem was ideally situated in the farming region of Germany, near Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. On city in France that was easily accessible and only a 2-hour drive from Spangdahlem was Metz. Metz was, I would say, a medium-sized city with plenty to see and do along with more than enough dining establishments. I remember them well, especially how cozy they could be, and for the most part the food was spectacular. Which brings me to Le Refuge. Le Refuge is a very cozy French bistro located on North Washington Street in Alexandria, Virginia. I’ve been here a few times, and each time I’ve been blown away by the quality of service and food. Join me as I take you on a journey of the dishes I, or a friend, have tried on the visits to Le Refuge.

Soupe a L’oignon Gratinee

It’s all in the broth with this soup. In my humble opinion the secret to making really good French Onion Soup, lies in a solid foundation, and that foundation is the broth. I can hear you now, “what about the onions?”. Yes, the onions are important, but an excellent broth can cover a multitude of mistakes, specifically under caramelized onions. The Soupe a L’oignon Gratinee coming out of the kitchen at Le Refuge brings a deep and rich broth of immense flavor. This is a traditional French onion soup with a nice, toasted crostini and plenty of melted cheese tops it off. Once you break through the cheese, you’ll catch the aroma of the broth that beckons you to dig in. The onions are flavorful with a perfect bite to them, then the broth floods your palate with its depth of flavor. This is a must try at Le Refuge.

Coeur de palmier an salade

As a person who truly enjoys good food, I couldn’t stop with just the French onion soup, and I decided to pair it with one of the salads created by the Le Refuge kitchen. It was a simple Hearts of Palm salad with a vinaigrette dressing. The hearts of palm sat on a bed of baby spinach and an assortment of other leafy greens. Mixed in with the baby spinach were a few diced tomatoes and shredded carrots. The vinaigrette is mainly atop the hearts of palm and is the perfect amount. Nothing worse than an overdressed salad. I’m not sure about you, but I’m a fan of hearts of palm, and I think it’s still mainly an underappreciated product. The heats of palm were nicely prepared, with a kind of tang to their flavor. The vinaigrette was a perfect complement as it brought a sweetness and sourness to the dish which added the perfect balance to the palm. If you want something different, as opposed to the ordinary, everyday salad, then try the Coeur de palmier an salade.

Pate de Campagne Maison

As the name loosely suggests, this is a homemade country pate made from pork, fat, liver, and seasonings. It is a simple pate but can be made more complex using a red wine and letting the meat marinate overnight. I’m not sure of the preparation style for this pate, but I can tell you it was well seasoned, and delicious. I enjoyed the peppercorns the terrine was rolled in, and the various spices used in the pate. This recipe has as many variations as there are towns in France, and everyone makes it different. The dish is served with a few toast points, and to be honest I wish they had included a few more toast points. I need to order this again, as I’m still trying to decide if I liked it as much as I think I did.

Filet de Boeuf Wellington

I completely adore Beef Wellington and order it every chance I get. This particular dish included a duck liver mousse, and the traditional duxelles of mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. I do not believe beef was wrapped in anything like param or crepe, which was fine as it really was not needed. Everything was traditionally wrapped in puff pastry, and then cooked to a golden brown. The pastry was flaky, with an excellent crunch which held up well to the madeira sauce. To top it all off, it was cooked to a perfect medium rare. I have to say, this was one of my better experiences with beef wellington, and I know the difficulty of getting all the elements done correctly. I have failed many times trying to create this dish, it has always been hit and miss. Along with the Beef Wellington we have carrot puree, scalloped potatoes, roasted zucchini, and a mix of vegetables. This is one of Le Refuge’s foundational dishes, and one I recommend whole-heartedly

Salmon en Croute

Whenever you see “en croute” just know you are about to get something wrapped in some kind of crust. In this case it was a salmon filet wrapped in puff pastry with only the lightest of seasonings. Most of the flavor of this dish comes from the champagne cream sauce that accompanies the Salmon en Croute. I’m not sure if Le Refuge is making their own puff pastry, or using a premade one, but I do know they always seem to bake it to perfection. They did a little visual trick by making the puff pasty take the shape of a fish, and then baking to a beautiful flaky golden brown with a nice crunch to it. The secret to this dish is in the timing and temperature control. To get the salmon cooked to a medium rare or medium, while also cooking the puff pastry to perfection is not easy. In the end, Le Refuge pulls it off. The dish is served with the same accompaniments as the Beef Wellington, carrot puree, zucchini, and a mix of other vegetables. Try this one if you want to stay away from the beef, as I’m sure this will satisfy your palate.

Terrine au Chocolat avec une Anglaise à l’orange et à la Vanille

I will confess this. If the building had been empty, with no one around, I would have picked the plate up and licked it clean. I don’t mean this in a figurative way. I would have picked the plate up and licked it clean. The Crème Anglaise was nothing short of heaven. The subtle orange with the vanilla brought back old memories of Summertime and having a creamsicle, but more refined. When you pair the chocolate terrine, which was light and airy, with the crème anglaise it was one of the best desserts I’ve experienced in my life. The chocolate terrine was intense with chocolaty goodness, it was light and a perfect after dinner dessert. There is just something about chocolate and orange that makes me weak in the knees, and when it’s done with such perfection, I’m left speechless. This is a must try, but please, don’t lift the plate up and lick it no matter how tempted you are.

Peach Melba

I’ve never had peach melba before ordering it at Le Refuge, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I can say after having it I now have a benchmark to compare peach melba to at other establishments. It’s a high bar because this one made me happy with the first spoonful. I let slip a little laugh because I was filled with joy. If food doesn’t affect you that way at times, then it’s cause for concern. Much like music or good art, food should touch the emotions occasionally. I’m not an expert in peach melba, but I can tell you everything about this dessert was delicious. Starting with the peaches, the almond flavor, the crisp biscuit, the not so sweet whip cream, the raspberry sauce, and the vanilla ice cream. How can one go wrong with those ingredients. Again, as with the Chocolate Terrine with Orange Vanilla Crème Anglaise, everything was assembled with care, measured amounts. I’m ecstatic that my first experience with peach melba was experienced at Le Refuge.

This was but a small sample of the things I consumed as they were prepared by the chef of Le Refuge. They have a short menu, but you should also know that on any given night they will have an extensive set of dishes that are not on the menu. If you are ever in Alexandria, VA be sure to put this on your list of places to dine at. I give you fair warning though, call and make reservations as the seating is limited and most nights they are filled up. Do not go without a reservation.