Yes, this blog has covered eateries in the DC area before,
but let’s be real…tastes change as we get older. And I don’t mean
palate-wise (although this is part of it), but also atmosphere and service. I’d
like to share the name of a wonderful place I tried this past Sunday for
brunch: Founding Farmers.
Doesn’t the name just say it all? I love a tongue and cheek
title, especially when it evokes images of a pastoral lifestyle: wholesome and
fresh. Which the restaurant was, and I was not in any was disappointed.
Founding Farmers has 2 locations – we went to the one close to the Foggy Bottom metro stop. Make reservations because from what I gather, the spot is always poppin’ so either be prepared to eat at the bar or wait a looooong time.
We went for brunch but it was nice that they also served off their lunch menu – some places (usually smaller ones) will just offer brunch on Sunday
mornings. The menu is quite diverse, but not overwhelming, which I appreciated.
They also make a lot of things in house: sodas, breads, desserts (think fresh beignets) which is nice to see. The space is gorgeous: light and airy, large
booths and good-sized tables. The wait staff wear farmer aprons which is kind
of cute. They are all on a mission though, and it was a little hard to get
their attention for extra water or pens to sign the tab.
I got the pastrami hash (which came with two poached eggs
and a yummy hollandaise) and the bananas foster French toast. I have a thing
about French toast…it has to be dense and really soft with a good crunch. I
hate dry French toast, which a lot of restaurants unfortunately have come to
market as the norm. This one, however, blew me a way. They use a brioche loaf and
cut it into cute little logs, stuff them with pastry cream, and douse in caramel
bananas foster. It was amazing. Life changing, maybe. Okay, I exggarate… The
pastrami hash was not oily, really fresh, and super flavorful – the fact that
it was covered in a superb hollandaise was a huge plus. You already know my
thing about poached eggs providing a
natural sauce, so this was a great addition.
The hollandaise, by the way, wasn’t really acidic like many I’ve had
recently. I ordered a hash to go – it was that good.
We finalized our meal by ordering the beignets even though
we were stuffed to maximum capacity. Do I regret this? Not a bit. The pate de
choux (aka dough) was perfect: chewy with pockets of air and a great crunch
on the outside. The sauces: chocolate, raspberry, and caramel were great, too.
I’m more a beignet purist so I shy away from dousing mine in sauces, but I tried each separately and they were really quality.
So there you have it: a new must-try in DC. I know it’ll be
a regular revisit for me whenever I have a sweet or savory brunch craving. Which is always.
