Southern France The Latest Culinary Coup For Georgetown; Hilton Brothers Open 'Chez Billy Sud'

GEORGETOWN -- It took nothing less than the Death Of A Frenchman (calvados, lemon juice, champagne, pastis) to bring uber-successful restaurateurs Eric and Ian Hilton to Georgetown.

And a summertime refresh of the space formerly occupied by Cafe La Ruche quickly bore fruit, with Chez Billy Sud opening its doors to Washingtonians tonight for dinner for the first time.

In advance of today's official grand opening, Tuesday evening saw a steady stream of the city's influencers (everyone from D.C. Councilmember Jack Evans to Venable rainmaker Tom Quinn to Sports Illustrated supermodel Kathy Leutner) stop by the cozy new neighborhood venue, for a private preview celebration.

An extension of the Petworth neighborhood's original Chez Billy restaurant, the new 120-seat space (60 inside/60 outside) takes its name both from its relative position within the city (south of Petworth) and its culinary focus on Southern French fare (think more Provence and less Paris).

Executive chef Brendan L’Etoile, who also oversees the kitchen at the original restaurant, has created a fresh new menu for the Georgetown eatery that combines elements of fine dining with those inviting qualities patrons would expect from a local mainstay.

Entrees are quite reasonably priced between $17-$29 and include such French favorites as Steak Frites (Creekstone Farms flatiron steak, pommes frites, sauce bearnaise) and Moules Frites (steamed PEI mussels, dijon mustard, herbs de provence, pastis). For those looking for a culinary plot twist, L'Etoile and team also aren't afraid to get creative with such inventive dishes as the Quenelles de Semoule (semolina and gruyere dumplings, spicy tomato sauce, fennel salad) and Truite Grenobloise (pan roasted trout, fennel puree, fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, lemon-caper brown butter).

While Chez Billy Sud's tiny four-seat bar is more decorative than functional, that doesn't mean the new restaurant doesn't offer a premium beverage program. In addition to a smattering of craft cocktails, such as the aforementioned Death of a Frenchman, over a dozen different wines are available by the glass and more than double that by the bottle.

Lunch and brunch services are in the works for the coming weeks, although only a dinner menu will initially be offered. The Hilton brothers have already leased the building next door, so a rapid expansion of the restaurant is expected. In fact, consider it a 'fait accompli'.