FYIDC | THE DISH
REINVENTING TRADITIONAL FRENCH CUISINE WITH AMERICAN INGENUITY Cedric Maupillier’s Convivial bistro successfully balances a dual identity while living up to its hype. BY C AT H E R I N E T R I F I L E T T I
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hate trad itiona l ists,” Cedr ic Maupillier says. “I like to open my mind and think of better ways to do things.” These entrepreneurial words ring true for any diner who samples Maupillier’s handiwork at his six-month-old Convivial. At the French bistro in Shaw, don’t expect to find a classic coq au vin on the menu. Instead prepare your palate for the chef ’s ingenious American take on the dish – tender and crisp fried chicken topped with hearty vegetables and a red wine glaze that explodes with f lavor or “Umami,” as Cedric Maupillier (Photo by Tony Brown) Pickled Rockfish (Photo Courtesy of Convivial) Maupillier describes it. At the core of Maupillier’s Convivial menu is nostalgia for his taken on a culinary rollercoaster ride of bold f lavors. French hometown of Toulon, sandwiched between Marseille and “If you take people out of their comfort zone slightly, not fully, Saint-Tropez. Cafeteria meals that may seem off beat to an everyday and they leave satisfied then everyone has fun – the chef especially American, including beef tongue and liver, were the norm for the because he’s trying something a bit different.” French pupil growing up. The way Maupillier sees it, combining French and American The communal element of dining also stood out to young cuisine is the best of both cultures. Having earned U.S. citizenship Cedric. Every Sunday meant gathering around a big table for earlier this year, he too is a product of both places. a meal prepared by grand-mère. The memory, as he recounts it, “This is who I am,” he says of his new wave cuisine. “I’m free sounds quite convivial indeed! After a stint with the local baker to do what I want.” and eventually years of paying his dues at Michelin-starred French It doesn’t get any more American than that. restaurants, Maupillier was ready for America – a place that had always intrigued him. Whether it was his love of John Wayne and Westerns or his interest in America’s Olympic successes, he always WHAT TO ORDER: wanted to make a place in the U.S. When Maupillier planned the Convivial concept, it was Latkes: Small crispy potato medallions served nonetheless essential that he stay true to his French heritage. The under a bed of celery root topped with thin slices of dry cured lamb. balance he achieves is a delicate one. He masterfully prepares lamb tongue in a moussaka style that keeps diners grounded with a Pickled Rockfish: Citrus-spiked whitefish accompanied by familiar Mediterranean f lavor profile. For those who can’t decipher green papaya, avocado, passion fruit and radish. between a vadouvan or a picholine, he has created a food lexicon to accompany each menu. The amenity is a way to compromise with Coq au Vin: This buzzy dish hits the mark. less knowledgeable guests without dumbing down the menu. Maupillier doesn’t concern himself with conser vative 801 O St., NW, Washington, D.C. traditionalists who may turn their noses up on his playful 202-525-2870 www.convivialdc.com ($8 - $22) renderings of classic dishes. He is much more inspired by the younger generation of self-proclaimed foodies, who want to be
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