<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>L’Auberge <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Chez” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Chez</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”François” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>François</span>, the elegant French restaurant nestled in a secluded Great Falls farmhouse, has been delighting locals for <strong>more than 60 years</strong> and the reviews keep getting better.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>The <strong>family-run</strong> establishment on six bucolic acres has recently been named:</span></p>
<ul style=”text-align: justify;”>
<li><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>“<strong>Virginia Restaurant of the Year</strong>” by the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association</span></li>
<li><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>One of the “<strong>100 Best Restaurants in America</strong>” by <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”OpenTable” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>OpenTable</span> for the 4th straight year</span></li>
<li><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>One of the “<strong>100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America</strong> ” by <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”OpenTable” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>OpenTable</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>None of the accolades surprise Northern Virginia “foodies” as the cozy restaurant with <strong>impeccable service</strong> and <strong>classic French cuisine</strong> has been the go-to location for a special occasion such as a birthday, anniversary or wedding proposal.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Put simply in a <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Zagat” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Zagat</span> review of L’Auberge <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Chez” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Chez</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”François” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>François</span>: “<strong>everything clicks</strong>”.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Founder <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”François” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>François</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Haeringer” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Haeringer</span> <strong>opened the restaurant in 1954</strong> inside the <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Claridge” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Claridge</span> Hotel in Washington, D.C. He <strong>moved</strong> operations to <strong>Great Falls in 1976</strong> after the hotel made way for office space.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Dining at L’Auberge <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Chez” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Chez</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”François” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>François</span> is a step back in time with the <strong>intimate space</strong> filled with <strong>family mementos</strong> and murals depicting<strong> life in <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Obernai” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Obernai</span></strong>, the Alsatian town <strong>where <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Haeringer” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Haeringer</span> was born</strong>.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”><strong><span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Haeringer” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Haeringer</span></strong> started cooking at age 16 and his skills were sharp enough that when <strong>captured by the Germans in</strong> World War II while fighting with the French Army he was sent to <strong>work as a prisoner</strong> at a <strong>Four Seasons hotel kitchen</strong> in Munich.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>After the war, he <strong>immigrated to the United States</strong> to work in his uncle’s Washington, D.C. restaurant. After a stint to run a frontier hotel kitchen in Alaska, he returned to open the now-iconic restaurant, which he help run until <strong>passing away at the age of 91</strong>.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>The restaurant, with its half-timbered construction, <strong>looks like a Hollywood casting call for a French Country Inn</strong>. Much remains the same from its relocation to Great Falls, including the <strong>fixed price dinner</strong>, which runs between <strong>$75 and $85 for six courses</strong>.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Haeringer’s sons (<a href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/history/chef-jacques-biopic/” data-cke-saved-href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/history/chef-jacques-biopic/”>Jacques is Chef de Cuisine</a> and Paul handles front of house) have kept the restaurant moving forward with the addition of <a href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/jacques-brasserie/” data-cke-saved-href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/jacques-brasserie/”>Jacques’ Brasserie</a> and Jacques’ Bar Rouge. <strong>Jacques’ Brasserie, opened in 2011</strong>, gives diners a more casual option with no reservations required.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Diners may recognize <strong>Jacques</strong>, who has <strong>appeared</strong> in articles in magazines such as <strong>Bon <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Appetit” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Appetit</span></strong> and has hosted a PBS cooking show “<strong>Two for Tonight</strong>” and “<strong>A Bite of History</strong>” on the History Channel.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>From the tasty garlic bread to the delectable dessert, a meal at L’Auberge <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Chez” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Chez</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”François” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>François</span> is a special event.</span></p>
<p style=”text-align: justify;”><span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”>Notably, for a <a href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/dinner-menu/” data-cke-saved-href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/dinner-menu/”><span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”prix-fixe” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>prix-fixe</span> dinner menu</a>, there are a number of options with the current menu featuring <strong>18 appetizers</strong> and <strong>16 entrees</strong>. Those choices include <strong>lobster bisque</strong>, <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”sautéed” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>sautéed</span> veal sweetbreads and frog legs for starters; Virginia rainbow trout filets, Dover sole <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”sautéed” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>sautéed</span> with lobster and Maple Leaf Farms <strong>grilled duck breast</strong> as entrees; and Baked Alaska, <strong>Tahitian vanilla <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”crème” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>crème</span> <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”brulee” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>brulee</span></strong> and homemade cheesecake with raspberry <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”coulis” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>coulis</span> among dessert options.</span></p>
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”><strong>Location:</strong> 332 <span class=”scayt-misspell-word” data-scayt-word=”Springvale” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>Springvale</span> Road, Great Falls, Virginia</span>
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”> <strong>Days:</strong> Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday)</span>
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;”> <strong>Reservations/Hours:</strong> Call 703.759.3800 or visit <a href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/reservations/” data-cke-saved-href=”http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/reservations/”>http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/reservations/</a></span>
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