The new French Brasserie Duck Duck Goose on Norfolk Avenue is ready to start serving its take on dry-aged duck, squid ink spaghetti and charcuterie.
The Bethesda restaurant from chef and owner Ashish Alfred, who also owns nearby 4935 Bar and Kitchen, is set to officially open to the public Tuesday, but passersby may be able to get a table this weekend as the restaurant finishes offering its “friends and family” pre-opening dinners.
Alfred said he decided to open a second restaurant after 4935 Bar and Kitchen became a hub for late-night drinks and private events. 4935 opened in January 2014.
“In Duck Duck Goose, I was looking for a pedestal for my food,” Alfred said.
The spring opening menu is a mix of small plates such as baked scallops and beef tartare as well as entrees such as halibut with puff pastry and salmon served with artichokes and tomatoes.
Alfred said he plans to highlight the French cuisine he learned to cook while attending the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. After leaving the prestigious cooking school, he started his career in New York City with an internship at Daniel Boulud’s French restaurant Daniel and then a two-year stint cooking at the Italian restaurant Lupa.
Duck Duck Goose creates the brasserie feel with dark hardwood floors, café patio tables along Norfolk Avenue and a white marble bar in a cozy 35-seat space with room for 20 more diners on the outdoor patio. The restaurant’s signature cocktails emphasize the duck theme of the restaurant. “The Golden Goose” is made with Grey Goose Citron, white cranberry juice, fresh lemon and champagne and topped with gold flakes.
The restaurant will initially open only for dinner service, but in a few weeks will offer lunch as well, Alfred said. It fills the former space of Brasserie Monte Carlo, which closed in August.
Interior and bar.
The corner location looks out onto the intersection of Norfolk and Cordell avenues.
Menus (zoom in for clearer view):
Duck Duck Goose opening dinner menu
