Mama Rouge

Mama Told Me

A French-Asian Spot at Georgetown Harbor

None 7 Photos Mama Rouge
Take your average pho spot. Nothing wrong with that on a brisk fall day. Unless you happen to want an interesting cocktail with it. Then you’re probably making another stop.

So go here instead: Mama Rouge, a Southeast Asian joint with a thing for cocktail-ery, now taking reservations for a Tuesday opening on the Georgetown waterfront.

This used to be Bangkok Joe’s, but now it’s gone all French bistro—globe lights, ironwork, mirrors. (See the slideshow here.)

The food’s migrated from Thai dumplings to a heavily French-influenced Asian menu (blame colonialism). Shrimp-and-lobster-tail curry comes with a baguette. Ham-and-cheese banh mi is now a thing. And you can follow your pho with crepes suzette and cream puffs.

And the cocktails... well, one could spend some time at the pressed-tin bar in back, sampling the Vieux Carré on tap, or their take on a Death in the Afternoon with cognac and maraschino, or forgotten classics like the Whiz Bang, with single malt, vermouth and absinthe.

Fun to say, that one.

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