Indebleu

I never expected to eat dinner at Indebleu. I’ve only heard negative things over the years, and just didn’t want to waste my $ on a place that I always considered to be better suited to as a lounge/club versus a dining venue. However, I had the opportunity for my friend’s 30th bday dinner in March, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

Let me preface by pointing out that Indebleu did get a new chef, which is why they have been enjoying more favorable reviews as of late. I believe the cuisine use to be Indian/French fusion, but now it has Indian accents with modern cuisine.

The service was fabulous all night. We were a group of 10, and our waitress was very patient and attentive. She explained the menu well, indicating that the new menu encourages sharing of small plates and large plates. She also made a few mentions of the new chef, implying tastier options.

We were started off with a really tasty basket of bread. The bread had a nice topping spinach, onions and cheese. They were delicious, and we were asked all night if we wanted more. I couldn’t decline, but I should have, b/c they were very filling!

So, my side of the table shared the following mix:

Small Plates:

- Ahi Tartar w/ sweet pepper mousse, jalapeno raita, and papadom- Simply refreshing, and the raita was very tasty. The crispy papadom was fun to eat with the tuna too.
- Caper crusted Diver Scallops w/raisin puree- The scallops were really nicely charred, without being chewy, and also quite large. I didn’t care much for the raisin puree.
- Wild Mushroom Dosa w/ saffron pea coulis, and manchego cheese- This was our favorite small plate. There were a generous amount of perfectly caramelized mushrooms. You can’t go wrong with manchego and mushrooms, and stuffed inside a crispy fried dosa is even better! I couldn’t taste the saffron in the coulis though.

Large Plates

- Butter Chicken w/ naan and rice- The size of this dish was actually bigger than you get at most Indian restaurants. It was good, but I would stick w/ an authentic Indian restaurant for butter chicken. There was nothing special about it here.
- Ravioli of turmeric dill pasta, stuffed w/ paneer and rapini- This dish had 6 large raviolis that were very generously stuffed. The combination of flavors and texture was really tasty and different.
- Lamb Chops encrusted in thai basil w/ Chinese eggplant and bell pepper coulis- This consisted of 3 large chops that were charred to a nice medium rare. The chops were very flavorful even without the coulis and eggplant accompaniments.

Overall, I didn’t think the prices were bad, given the decent sized portions. Also, most of the food is meant for sharing, and we were very full. However, the wine list is definitely on the pricey side. There are rarely any bottles in the $40 range. Mostly all are at mid $50 and above. They should try to readjust their wine list to be comparable with the dinner menu prices.

We didn’t order dessert because we had a cake for the bday girl. But, the options looked very delish, particularly, the l’opera cake, consisting of kahlua cream, chocolate ganache, and pistachio ice cream. I love pistachio ice cream!
The dining room is located upstairs and is decorated beautifully and very trendy. The main floor does turn into a lounge/club after hours, so the décor reflects that vibe. The dining room is laid out nicely, and you have more than enough privacy at your table.

So, for those that had a negative experience long ago, or that have never been, I suggest giving it a chance. Maybe, I enjoyed it so much because I went in with low expectations....I'm not sure. But, I hope the chef remains consistent.

Indebleu
707 G Street, NW
Washington, DC
202.333.2538