THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bistro 936

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bistro 936 Restaurant Review:

Pioneering restaurateur Peter George has returned to his roots with Bistro 936, an Italian/French venture that he and his wife, Tricia, opened on the original site of his highly successful Peter’s Restaurant and Bar. Peter’s moved uptown to the tony Keystone at the Crossing neighborhood, but George never gave up on his Virginia Ave. location. The Bistro offers a more casual side of fine dining in a revived neighborhood comprised of art studios, antique shops and renovated turn of the 20th century homes. At the request of long-time patrons, reservations are now accepted at this bustling spot. If your table is not ready upon arriving, be grateful for the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere in the stately decorated downstairs bar. Upstairs, on two levels, it’s bistro fare featuring contemporary dishes from French and Italian cuisines. The pizzas give a new meaning to the common dough and topping pie, especially the version with yellow tomatoes and thyme, and chicken, roasted garlic and caramelized onion. Pasta dishes are equally innovative with grilled squid steak, stewed tomatoes and capers over couscous, or mushroom ravioli in a sage-brown butter sauce. Entrées are pure comfort from the steak and fries to the lamb shanks with creamy polenta. The wine list is impressive and affordable and there is a dandy selection of fine wines by the glass. Suds drinkers are not forgotten; the list of great brews also is impressive.