This post by DCist Food contributor Analiese Bendorf

Since their 2005 inceptions, 14th Street, NW establishments Café Saint-Ex and sister restaurant, Bar Pilar, both headed up by Chef Barton Seaver, have been serving up satisfying fare to Washingtonians hungry for a pre-Black Cat bite or low-key weekend brunch. Seaver, as Todd Kliman recently reported, is bidding farewell to Café Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar, but fans of the chef's casual cooking will be able to get their fill at Seaver's new Georgetown endeavor, Hook (as in "fishhook"). The primarily seafood restaurant will be located in the space formerly occupied by Cilantro at 3241 M St., NW, and will focus on sustainably sourced fish, a long-time interest of Seaver's.

In a phone interview with DCist, Seaver said that having a neighborhood fish restaurant has always been a dream, and that he is excited about the opportunity to promote a sustainable cooking ethic. In addition, he has assembled a "kick-ass" team (Heather Chittum, most recently of Circle Bistro and Notti Bianche, has signed on as pastry chef), and he looks forward to offering "accessible and delicious food" at moderate prices.

If the well-executed Café Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar are any indication, Hook is poised to become a crowd favorite with Captain Seaver at its helm. Seaver, named one of the "hot chefs of 2006" by D.C. Style magazine brings an impressive résumé to Hook, which will also feature a crudo selection ("crudo" is the Italian term for raw fish) as well as a variety of charcuterie. A graduate (with honors) of the Culinary Institute of America, Seaver trained under celebrity chef Jose Andres at Jaleo in D.C. before he was named Executive Chef at Café Saint-Ex in 2005. There, Seaver's relaxed bistro fare drew fans that followed him to the Spanish-influenced Bar Pilar, which opened later that year. Seaver expects Hook to open sometime in mid-April.

Although Seaver's on the move, Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar devotees needn't worry. Seaver says that he will continue his involvement with the beloved eateries by "making sure they are in good hands," and continuing to casually oversee the restaurants' operations. Sure enough, Tom Sietsema reports that Café St. Ex will be headed by current chef de cuisine Billy Klein. We here at DCist, despite some of our reticence to visit Georgetown, wish Seaver and crew the best of luck. Just as long as St. Ex keeps the homemade ketchup and the goat cheesecake, everything will be O.K.

Photo by Ben Scicluna.