Sunlight poured through the windows of Lil’ B on a recent morning, basking the case of fresh pastries in light and filling the small bakery and cafe with an inviting and easygoing feeling. The unseasonably warm and humid weather fit right in with the shop’s Southern-influenced vibe.
Located inside the boutique Darcy Hotel (1515 Rhode Island Ave. NW), Lil’ B “coffee bar and eatery” is the latest project by chef David Guas. Born in New Orleans, Guas is known locally for his work with Bayou Bakery in Arlington (the D.C. location closed this past April).
Guas calls Lil’ B—the name comes from “little Bayou Bakery”——a more polished, yet still edgy, destination for his cooking.
“I wanted to create something that I knew, which was kind of a hybrid of Bayou Bakery,” Guas tells DCist.
The menu draws inspiration from more than just New Orleans cuisine, pulling in other culinary aspects of the South. DCist recently stopped in to talk with Guas and sample some of the signature menu items.
The display of pastries and baked goods from in-house pastry chef Tressa Wiles command immediate attention. Standards like chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies sit next to inventions like everything bagel and baklava croissants. Pick some up with a Counter Culture coffee or house-kegged nitro brew.
With Guas behind the kitchen, Lil B is much more than just a quick stop for a jolt of caffeine or an order of beignets. The small cafe and 32-seat patio is also a worthy spot for light meal or savory snack.
Seafood is a go-to, with product coming in fresh from the Gulf Coast. The gumbo, for example, is made from a shrimp stock and generous portions of crawfish, shrimp, and Carolina Gold Rice. The “Let The Good Times Roll” is a particularly outstanding showcase for the Gulf. It’s filled with chilled poached shrimp that’s been sprinkled with a little heat and packed into a toasted, super buttery roll. The uneven bites are plump and packed with flavor.
“You can tell someone is back there on a cutting board hacking them up,” Guas says.
It’s a solid value at $9, as is most of the menu. Pretty much everything here can be had for under $10.
The shrimp salad is also available in the cafe’s grab-and-go fridge with other picks like pimento cheese and egg salad.
Some of the other sandwiches include a muffaletta (a New Orleans favorite), the “Barnyard Foul” chicken salad with avocado and sunflower sprouts, and a vegetable and cheese melt.
Speaking of vegetables, Guas has gone out of his way to make sure vegetarians have something good to eat. Take Lil’ B’s meat free red beans and rice—something that’s sacrilegious for purists of the dish.
“They’re flavorful without having to add the smoked ham hock or the big chunk or turkey necks or bones, which is typical,” Guas says. He uses smoke salt to help mimic meaty characteristics.
If you stick around to enjoy a bite, take advantage of Lil’ B’s bar, stocked with D.C. and Louisiana beer along with cocktails like Bloody Marys and spiked iced tea drinks seven days a week. You’ll also find Baltimore’s Charm City Meadworks elderberry meade on draft. Get it discounted during happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cafe also hosts a coffee happy hour on weekdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Perhaps the one downside of Lil’ B is the lack of late-night hours. It’s currently only open until 7 p.m., so any dinners here need to be on the early side. Evening meals at The Darcy fall to upscale seafood joint Siren. Still, the 6:30 a.m. opening gives you more than enough time to pop in to experience this slice of the south.
This post has been updated.
Lil’ B Coffee Bar and Eatery is located at 1515 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Lunch and larger items served starting at 11 a.m.
