As I entered Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C., I thought immediately of Artisanal, a smaller but equally appealing bistro in New York City. Places like Central and Artisanal exude an air of comfortable informality that immediately puts me at ease. Interestingly, each owner is better known for his haute cuisine establishment, Terrance Brennan for Picholine in New York, and the colorful and playful Michel Richard for Citronelle, one of the capital’s best restaurants.

I visited Central on a late autumn day and was immediately struck by its open and festive air. Transparency is a popular political term in Washington these days, and it definitely applies to Central with its huge open kitchen running alongside one wall and a glass-enclosed wine cellar at one corner of the dining room.

We ordered a dozen oysters for the table — plump and juicy Malaspinas from British Columbia; firm, intensely flavored Kumamotos; and plump golden Miyagis — with just a slight aftertaste of watermelon tempering the brine. Surprisingly, there was no representation of nearby Chesapeake Bay, but who could be disappointed with these briny, fresh-from-the-sea delicacies accompanied by a tangy mignonette sauce and good old basic horseradish.