When it comes to no-fail comfort food, fried chicken is pretty high up the power rankings.

Although the Belgians and the French like to fight over who was the first to put succulent steak on a plate next to a pile of crispy fries, the simple and satisfying dish is a staple of French bistros from here to Paris.

Sit down at a restaurant and a platter of cut up, raw vegetables is probably the last thing that is going to grab your attention. But crudites platters are finding new life as chefs give vegetables the attention they deserve.

When properly cooked, the slimy, shelled mollusks become a savory, earthy, and tender bite.

For when you wish your glass of bubbly had a little more kick.

While there are still a few kinks to be worked out, the joyful food lives up to its billing.

Welcome to the past year in District dining, where long lines, Asian-fusion everything, and hyperlocal produce reigned supreme.