Michael Fusano Returns to His Roots at La Bise

From the time entered to the last bite, La Bise curated a memorable experience that left me dreaming about dishes I admittedly don’t know how to pronounce. 

With Michael Fusano now taking the reigns of La Bise’s kitchen, each dish is prepared with precision and artistic flair. Stand-out dishes include the masterfully cooked Spanish octopus accompanied with charred fennel, Kalamata olives and a bright nduja vinaigrette, and the rich salmon coulibiac enveloped in a buttery puff pastry and paired with a lemony mousseline sauce. 

Mentored by Fabio Trabocchi of Fiola Mare, Fusano served as executive chef at Trabocchi’s Sfoglina and more recently at Fiola’s new location in Miami. Fusano is now back in D.C. and although working for years with primarily Italian cuisine, shifting to French is fitting as Fusano was trained at Le Cordon Bleu. 

As a nod to his training, classic French dishes are peppered throughout the current menu including coq au vin and cassoulet, as well as more modern interpretations like the raspberry soufflé with pink peppercorn, which was sky-high when brought out and exceeded our table’s expectations.

While La Bise comfortably sits in the fine dining realm, the atmosphere and service is warm and inviting. Formerly the Oval Room, La Bise’s interior comparatively boasts a more playful vibe with blue trimmings, striped booths, and a floral pink statement wall. 

A final notable dish was the gougères, which are savory poppable chees puffs made from aged Comté. When the meal came to a close, two homemade candies came out as a literal chef’s kiss: One of the candies was a rhubarb peppercorn red candy in the shape of lips, in honor of the restaurant’s namesake and logo. 

 

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La Bise: 800 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; labisedc.com  // @labise_dc

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Nicole Schaller