French Passion Tepper Brothers Continue Tradition of Excellence at Bethesdaís La Miche by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana La Miche is a venerable Bethesda, Md., dining establishment. For almost a quarter of a century it has held its reputation on its block in Bethesdaís Golden Triangle. While other French restaurants have come and gone, La Miche has persisted, a favorite of locals and visitors alike. So when chef and owner Bernard Grenier decided it was time to move on, he was faced with the task of finding a new owner with the dedication and passion to continue in the tradition of excellence he worked so hard to establish and maintain. A recent visit to La Miche suggests that Grenier has chosen his successors wisely. New owners chef Jason Tepper and manager Adam Tepper are not new to the restaurant scene in Washington, but in this move to Bethesda, the Rockville, Md., natives have come home, and we hope to stay. Jason Tepper left his most recent post as executive chef at the downtown seafood emporium Oceanaire to fulfill a long-time dream he shared with his brother Adam to own their own restaurant. The chef sports an impr essive resume with stints at Oceanaire, Inn at Little Washington and Galatoires in New Orleans. The Teppers have been respectful in their approach to running La Miche, changing little on the menu or of the dÈcor. The restaurant is comfortable and intimate, with a French country-inspired dÈcor in which the most distinctive feature is hundreds of differently shaped market baskets suspended from the ceiling. The menu offers classic French meat and poultry dishes, as it always has, as well as many fish and seafood choices. Chef Tepperís deft handling of seafood, so aptly demonstrated at Oceanaire, was much in evidence in both of his interpretations of traditional favorites on the La Miche menu, as well as with the new creations of his own. Tepper has brought with him his signature crab cakes ($24.95). With virtually no filler, a liberal dose of butter to hold them together, and subtle but distinctive seasoning, theses might more rightly be called little piles of heaven. The red snapper with crab, capers, basil and artichoke hearts ($23.95) exemplified Tepperís ability to blend a complex set of ingredients into an appealing dish, as does an excellent seafood-based salad. The crabmeat, pink grapefruit and Belgian endive ($8.95) were paired with classic French celeriac remoulade in a light and surprising combination of flavors and textures. The large chunks of rich crabmeat and remoulade-dressed celeriac were subtly balanced by the tart and sweet grapefruit sections and tangy endive. A stuffed avocado ($8.95), offered as an appetizer, married crabmeat and shrimp to a happy end. Although Tepperís culinary talents are clearly evident in his approach to seafood, he is equally skilled in other areas. The duck liver pepper patÈ ($7.95), served garnished with a fresh salsa, cornichons and a port wine sauce, was an excellent appetizer, as was the salad of warm goat cheese served on mixed greens provencale ($8.95). The rack of lamb ($27.95) is mild, delicate and perfectly prepared, although what we had might have been a bit fatty for some diners. As their predecessor did, the Teppers are concentrating on the basics to ensure that things are done right at La Miche. Very fresh ingredients, careful preparation and elegant but simple presentation are hallmarks of the Teppersí rendition of the La Miche menu. The Teppers put together the menu daily to ensure that while they offer traditional favorites, they are also able to take advantage of the finest available fresh ingredients on a daily basis. Seafood is brought in throughout the day, and Tepper is perfectly willing to guide you on what he considers to be the best choices for that day. Desserts are held to the same standards as the rest of the menu, with delightful results. The star was the soufflÈ ($7.95), either Grand Marnier or chocolate. It was so light that it felt almost like eating air, but the intense flavors let you know thereís really something there. It is well worth the time it takes to make each individual soufflÈ to order. The sorbets are also made fresh daily ($6.95). Recent flavors have been peach, raspberry and mango, each with a different texture but all with intense flavors, in particular the raspberry. The raspberry crËme brulee ($6.95) is not as heavily flavored as one might expect, but rather was a very rich, slightly eggy version with fresh raspberries added before baking. Another basic that the Teppers are emphasizing is service. Not only is it efficient and unobtrusive, it is also accommodating. Both long-time patrons and new customers alike can expect the entire staff, including the Teppers, to do whatever they can to meet all the requests that their diners may have. All in all, Chef Grenier did a very good thing when he agreed to pass his beloved La Miche into the able hands of two guys from up the pike. La Miche is located at 7905 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, Md., and is handicap accessible. The telephone number is (301) 986-0707. Dress for the restaurant is casual. La Miche accepts Visa, MasterCard and Carte blanche. Dinner is served Monday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Lunch is served Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Valet parking is available. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.