Foodies, Fashionistas & Famous Chefs Cheer DBGB DC Grand Opening At CityCenter

All photography by Joy Asico for REVAMP.com.

NORTHWEST -- It was both a handsome and hungry crowd some 400 strong who crowded the freshly manicured grounds around CityCenter early Friday evening, for the grand opening of DBGB DC.

A casual, French/American-themed restaurant conceived by award-winning Chef Daniel Boulud, the equal parts brasserie and bistro has the distinction of being the upscale neighborhood's first restaurant opening.

And a more fitting Washington welcome would be hard to imagine, with 10+ of the area's top toques joining Boulud himself at the restaurant to celebrate the occasion. It normally takes a black tie benefit to see the likes of chefs Jose Andres, Carla Hall, Patrick O’Connell, Cathal Armstrong, and Robert Wiedmaier in one room, but, sure enough, they were all there with smiles on their faces.

While DBGB DC marks Boulud's first restaurant in the District, the now New York City-based chef is far from a stranger to the city. Indeed, he actually began his culinary career in Washington more than 30 years ago as the Chef for the European Commission.

Plenty of return trips are also now surely in the works. Beyond the new restaurant, Boulud's daughter Alix also coincidentally just moved to D.C. and, naturally, was all smiles at Friday's opening now that her father had yet another reason to come visit her.

It's only natural for a restaurant opening to showcase some of the establishment's both food and cocktail offerings and DBGB DC's celebration was no different. Some 20 different assortments of both savory (escargot fricassee, crispy calamari, sliders, tuna crudo, gourgeres) and sweet (fig tart, warm madeleines, ice cream sundaes) bites were passed around.

This feast amazingly came on top of three dedicated food stations, which featured their own arrangements of charcuteries, sausage, leg of lamb, and both French and American cheeses.

Still, the highlight of the evening by far had to be Boulud's presentation, along with Executive Chef Ed Scarpone, of an 8-foot Basked Alaska dish to the crowd as a thank you for welcoming him back to the District.

Judging by the thunderous applause that he received in reply, DBGB DC will be A-OK.