Albi chef opens hotly anticipated La' Shukran at Union Market
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La' Shukran blends French bistro and Levantine cooking (pictured: escargots hummus). Photo: courtesy Hawkeye Johnson Photography
"Levantine funk" arrives in Union Market District with the Thursday opening of La' Shukran, a bistro and cocktail bar from homegrown star chef Michael Rafidi.
Why it matters: Rafidi, who recently clinched a major James Beard Award, introduced D.C. to his vibrant style of Levantine cooking at Michelin-starred Albi and Yellow Cafes — cueing up his next act to be one of the year's most anticipated openings.
The big picture: The Palestinian American chef with Maryland roots cut his chops in French fine dining with Michael Mina Group in San Francisco. All elements come together at La' Shukran, which Rafidi tells Axios evolved from a French concept to something more personal.
- "A bistro is an everyday hangout, very culturally driven, a place for the collective mind."
The vibe: "A little swanky, a little '60s Beirut," Rafidi says. Think lots of textiles, mismatched colors and greenery.
- "We want it to be fun, unconventional, a little weird."
The intrigue: La' Shukran is designed with mystery in mind — a green door at the back of a historic Union Market building marks the spot — and not easy to access, at least now.
- Reservations for the 35-odd seat dining room are dropped weekly (and snagged quickly) on Resy, but the 13-seat bar is open for walk-ins.
- A 40-person rooftop terrace will open in the future with DJs spinning Arabic rock and global tunes.
Dig in: Classic bistro dishes are reinvented with flavors from Beirut, Jaffa and beyond. Raffidi's French favorite is escargot — his riff includes garlicky, arak-buttered snails over hummus with homemade poppy seed-sourdough for dipping. Head pastry chef Alicia Wang, behind all the creative confections at Yellow, makes fresh bread and sweets in-house.
- Other fun riffs include a seafood tower with dressed bites like oysters and pomegranate; steak au poivre kebabs with sumac onions and herbs; or halva buttered foie gras served with warm beignets and huckleberry.
- Don't get too attached to anything, Rafidi says the menu is designed to change daily.
Drink up: Prolific barman Radovan Jankovic (Minibar, Residents) designs cocktails filled with Middle Eastern spirits, herbs and spices. Arak, an anise-scented distillate, can be sipped in traditional service or mixed in cocktails like a Summaq with mezcal, orange amaro, sumac and pomegranate.
- The mandatory espresso martini is reimagined as a Bedouin Coffee with mezcal, rum and cardamom cream.
- Albi/Yellow sommelier William Simons creates another inspired wine list packed with fun natural bottles alongside pours from the Middle East, Czech Republic and beyond.
What's next: Like a lot of chefs, Rafidi's a fan of after-hours eats like at Old Ebbitt's raw bar. He plans to serve a specialty kebab-style burger until 11pm, and eventually, stay open later.
If you go: La' Shukran. 417 Morse St., NE (in the alley).