Cleveland Park T his Proven al restaurant is so small you might have to squeeze past diners to reach your table, and when it is crowded, the close quarters and low ceiling turn it into an oven. Its Cleveland Park neighbors love its countrified French look, its menu of little-known Proven al dishes and its gentle prices.
Regulars find the service friendly.
And those who know their way around the menu find some very appealing food. And the cooking is no more consistent than the service. An appetizer of chickpea crepe is topped with zesty, well-dressed crab meat and capers, while an entree of lentil pancake with grilled sweetbreads tastes as if the sweetbreads had been boiled rather than grilled, then served without seasoning. So Lavandou can be worth the inconveniences, and your second visit is likely to be better than the first.