Cafe Saint-Ex: Good eats, good times from taxiway to takeoff
Locals under 26 years old will know Cafe Saint-Ex as a bar -- rowdy, drunken good time near the U Street corridor with a sweaty basement level for dancing to the guest DJ spinning tunes. But others will recognize it as a neighborhood restaurant serving up modern American cuisine with quirky twists, like fried green tomato BLT. Named for the famed French aviator and author who penned The Little Prince, Cafe Saint-Ex is a popular meeting spot with fun events spread throughout the week, and the interior is replete with aeronautically-themed works of art.
Saint-Ex is inspired by European casual dining, and its interior will remind you of corner brasseries in Paris perfect for people watching and drinking a beer. Brunch is extremely popular, serving up organic eggs and foods from local farms in an American-country style blended with some French provincial touches. For dinner, there are unique items like chilled melon soup, heirloom tomatoes served with lemon goat cheese, and pork chops with blackberry mustard.
On weekend nights, the restaurant turns into a local watering hole, one of the hip places to drink-and-be-drunk of the 14th Street and U Street scenes. The beers and cocktails are well concocted, however, if you're not looking for a rowdy night but a pleasant evening among friends. It's a good place for dancing all night and taking a breather upstairs where conversation is more likely and the bar is always open.
Saint-Ex hosts several fun events, such as a Labor Day pig roast, a Mac & Cheese bakeoff and hot dog eating contest, a Chili Cook-off, and beer tasting dinners. On Mondays, there's “Flight to Scotland” featuring three types of Scotch. On the third Thursday of each month, there's Brazilian Night with caipirinha drink specials and Brazilian music all night.
HelloWashingtonDC Tip: Various DJs showcase their tunes and work on different weekends and are highlighted on the website calendar. Many of Saint Ex's events also raise funds for the local arts, including The Studio Theatre, Constellation Theatre, Washington Improv, The In Series, and The Source.
Posted by Rin-rin Yu
