One of my favorite places in the whole world is Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, Va. Modeled after the Italian coastal town Portofino, Lake Anne Plaza was the very first development in Reston back in 1964. It has since been a place of non-chain restaurants, unique markets, and the arts.
One restaurant in the plaza is Cafe Montmartre, a small French and Vietnamese bistro near the water. That combination might sound a little odd, but France and Vietnam have quite a bit of history together, so naturally, the different cuisines influenced one another.
This place really does shrimp well. In fact, one of the best dishes I’ve had in my life was a shrimp dish with white rice and roasted vegetables that I ate here a few years ago. Just wonderful.
They didn’t feature shrimp on the weekend lunch menu, though, so I stuck with the steak au poivre.
They always give you a chunk of baguette that’s delicious–crunchy on the outside, super soft on the inside.
As an appetizer, I tried the calamari. It was served with a marinara sauce. Lightly fried and seasoned well.
And then it was time for my steak. I will say: this steak tasted like it was broiled. There was a light sear on the steak, but very light. I think I would have preferred if it had more sear on it, as sear helps add flavor to the meat. But it was still delicious. The veggies were soft and savory. The potatoes were crispy. And that sauce–salty and super deep in flavor. Take a trip to Lake Anne on a Saturday morning. Park on North Shore. Peruse the farmer’s market. Then eat at Cafe Montmarte.
Peripheral Chew 