Where to dine?  After a long day of travel fiercely resisting all of that yummy airport and airplane food I arrive back in Washington tired and hungry.  I always think of DC as being a vibrant, late night city – but the reality is that Washington has many small town characteristics.   Primarily being that most restaurants close by 10:00pm.  In Italy dinner would just be starting – and here in the nation’s capitol – we are shut down.  Even pizza delivery is cut off by 10:00.  Having travelled for the last four weeks there isn’t a bite to be had at home.  Funny how our two sub-zeros used to be full to bursting and now they just store a Brita water filter and a collection of mustard.

Thank God for Bistro du Coin.  The one restaurant in town that still knows how to make a mean steak frites and make sure everyone has a good time.  This is our usual go to spot for that last bottle of champagne after everyone else has closed up.   We stroll in around 10:30 and the place is packed.  Apparently we are not the only Washingtonians who want a late night dinner that doesn’t come from a drive thru window.  We settle in to our steaks and fries and order up a bottle of bubbly.  Welcome home.