Chez Billy Sud Opens in Georgetown Today

CBSud_exterior3

For the first time, restaurateurs Eric and Ian Hilton have opened a duplicate of one of their restaurants. Chez Billy Sud, the French sister restaurant to Petworth's Chez Billy, opens in Georgetown today. Granted, these siblings are far from identical. The two restaurants share chef Brendan L'Etoile, but the Georgetown outpost will have a smaller bar area and focus more on southern French cuisine. ("Sud," meaning "south" in French, also refers to its location south of the original locale.)

Not to fear, no small plates or cutesy menu categories here. The menu is divided simply into hors d'oeuvres, entrees, and desserts. To start, there's a hearty fish soup, chicken liver torchon with pecan raising toast, and frisee salad with smoked bacon and poached egg croutons. Classics like duck confit and steak frites occupy a place on both Chez Billy menus, but Sud entrees also include sea scallops with braised leeks and hen of the woods mushrooms as well as a pan-roasted trout with fennel puree. End the meal with a plate of cheese or profiteroles with olive oil ice cream, lemon ricotta ice cream, and blood orange sorbet plus dark chocolate sauce.

As for why Georgetown? "I'm 42 years old, I grew up in D.C., so I remember when Georgetown was all that I did," Ian Hilton told Y&H back in June. "It's a great neighborhood. It's not something I'm used to, but there's a nice historical value, and it's a good place for reputation building."

The restaurant is open for dinner only right now, with lunch and brunch coming later this fall. Take a look at the food and drink menus below.

Chez_Billy_dinner

 

Chez_Billy_drinks

Chez Billy Sud, 1039 31st St. NW; (202) 965-2606; chezbillysud.com

Photo by Alfredo Flores