Belgian Restaurants in DC

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but in the last few years, 5 to be exact.......perhaps more.....there has been an explosion of Belgian - specific restaurants in DC. Here are some to name a few:
Belga Cafe, on Capitol Hill
Granville Moore, H Street Corridor
Brasserie Beck, Downtown on K Street
Bistrot du Coin, Dupont Circle
Marvin's, 14th and U

I love Belgian cuisine, it is very similar but to me it seems slightly more accessible than French Cuisine. I call it comfort French Cuisine. The really cool thing about Belgian cuisine is that it uses French techniques.
I guess, you can tell I am a French Cuisine enthusiast; Being a former Chef of 10 years, trained using French techniques, I have to be one. As the French say, once you've mastered the French cooking technique, everything else makes sense (cooking-wise).
So, there are also a few favorites in DC:
Bistro D'Oc, 10th street, NW
Bistro Bis, E street by Union Station
Citronelle, Georgetown
Marcel's, Georgetown
Bistrot Lepic, Upper Georgetown

As much of a foodie and impressed by great local chefs that I am.............as of late I am more impressed by simple preparations. I think this is what's missing in the latest American style restaurants. Cooking is like Art painting: too many colors put together, most times comes out brown, grey and less color definitions. Same thing with food; more ingredients, less flavor.
For example, many restaurants offer herb or fruit infused sauces or marinades with many of their sauces and center of the plate offerings. Usually paired with "other" flavors, etc...........
What is wrong with a simple sauce deglacee............sounds complicated, but not!
French style steak preparation involves a very hot sautee pan properly seasoned with fresh cracked pepper and kosher/sea salt. A hot pan will crystallize the salt and pepper and make a crust, especially when the steak is properly dried. The caramelization of the seasonings and steak will leave a "fond" on the pan. This is the best part of the preparation where you "deglaze", hence the word deglacee with either beef stock or red wine and thicken with butter to finish.
It's tedious but very simple........
grill preparations have great flavor but lacks the richness in flavor of French style prep.
Similarly with Fish preparation, caramelization and properly seasoned meats and fish are always key to great dishes.

Anyways.......there many restaurants that don't Half-Ass this process and create great classic American Dishes:
Black Salt, Palisades DC
Black's Bar and Kitchen, Bethesda
Addie's, Rockville
Kinkead's, GWU

Don't get me wrong, places such as Cafe Deluxe (Cleveland Park, Tysons Corner, Bethesda) prepares decent American style comfort food that are not fussy, simple yet tasteful.
Unfortunately, they tend to cater to the cookie cutter mentality of the burbs; Cookie cutter menus. Prime example: Great American Restaurants (Silverado, Coastal Flats, Sweetwater Tavern, Mike's American, etc) and Clydes Group (Clydes, 1789, The Tombs, Old Ebbit Grill, etc). Don't get me wrong, they produce great products, simple menu/recipes, uncomplicated..........BUT Typical.

To be continued............