La Brasserie Closes Doors After 27 Years

Capitol Hill institution La Brasserie closed its doors last month, after 27 years of serving French food to Hill neighbors and a procession of VIPs, but the space certainly won't stay empty for very long.

"The restaurant enjoyed a long history: on February 15, 1979, a pair of enterprising French-men—Raymond Campet and Gaby Aubouin, who had honed their culinary skills at the French Embassy—unveiled La Brasserie, which had previous[ly] been a little café called La Ruche," wrote Voice of the Hill. "With Raymond running the 'front of the house' and Gaby supervising the kitchen, La Brasserie became a neighborhood favorite."

The Washington Times reported on the famous faces who dined there over the years: "It served such politicos as the late Sen. Daniel Moynihan, New York Democrat, former Vice President Al Gore and the late Rep. Sonny Bono, California Republican, as well as actors like Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman and Jane Fonda, said Lynne Campet, a former co-owner of the restaurant."

What interests Metrocurean is what will take over the prime real estate at 239 Massachusetts Ave. NE. With its spacious garden patio, the property will surely attract the attention of would-be restaurateurs.

Lynne Breaux, executive director of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, "does not expect La Brasserie's space just a few blocks from Union Station and the Capitol to be vacant for long," the Times article stated. " 'Something will take its place,' she said. 'It's evolution.' "

(Photo from Voice of the Hill.)