Alexis Soto

La Jambe

Forget classic bistros with dark wood and mirrors: This bright, cheery French bar in the heart of Shaw looks like a place you might stumble across in one of Paris's cooler neighborhoods, maybe the Haut-Marais or near the Canal Saint-Martin. One wall is covered with graffiti en français, and old travel posters hang near Daft Punk fliers of a more recent vintage. There's a full cafe menu — moules, quiche, pasta — but on a date night, it's more fun to split one of the meat or cheese "plateaux," which can include house-cured sausages, fragrant cheeses, Italian ham or a lovely pork-and-pistachio terrine. -The Washington Post