DC Eats - Founding Farmers

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. 

Kimchi Fried Rice

Let's just cut the chase, shall we? I procrastinated, I was lazy, life happened, so a year later, I am getting back to blogging. Or trying to. My motto for this year is: be fearless. In other words, don't let myself get intimidated by the "what ifs" in a situation - to woman-up and get things done. And this has gotten me through some rough clinic days because somehow, my D4 year has already been filled with more than a few.

So along the lines of my Be Fearless campaign, I am posting this recipe to help my fellow friends jump on the bandwagon. It's probably one of my favorite go-to recipes and encompasses many things which make a meal super delish: bold flavors and a runny egg which is God's way of saying, "Why are you bothering to make a sauce when I've given it to you?"

I like this blogger's explanation of kimchi and I just might try to make my own sometime. But kimichi is, in a nutshell (or eggshell haha), fermented cabbage. It's a traditional Korean food and I can thank my roommate for introducing me to it. Cabbage is chopped, pickling spices added, and it is usually stored in the ground for some time for the flavors to develop. Her grandma makes it every year and somehow, the idea of a little Korean grandma pickling cabbage and storing jars in her garden makes it all the more delightful to consume because of the love that went into it. What is it about grandmas that make everything better?

You can eat kimchi fresh (as in, just pickled) with meals for a milder taste or you can use the super fermented stuff in something like this, kimchi fried rice. It's so good. You will love me after you make it. One day, I'm going to win a foe over with this stuff.

Some tips when you make fried rice: use day-old rice. I personally never have day old rice, so I make about 4 cups the day before I'm planning to make this and store it in the fridge overnight. Older rice is hard so it fries up really nicely and absorbs the flavors. Also, use short-grain rice. Not Jasmine rice or Basmati...short grain. Can you believe this is coming from a born and raised Persian? My mom would not be happy.

What You Need:

2 cups chopped Kimchi (you can find this at any Asian market, it should be in the refrigerator case)
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 tsp Chili Garlic sauce, also available at the Asian market or Kroger, actually
3 Tbs soy sauce, low sodium
4 cups short grain rice, cooked and refrigerated the night before
salt and pepper
1 egg

What You Do:

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat
Fry the onions till they are translucent, not dark and caramalized. Add garlic and give it a stir
Add the kimchi and fry for about 5 minutes
Dump the rice in - you might need to break it up if it's stuck together
Add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and some pepper (it'll be pretty salty from the soy and kimchi so hold off on that)
Continue cooking until the rice is dark and a little crunchy. It might stick to the bottom of the pan so stir constantly. Stop cooking when it's the color you like (I prefer a darker fried rice). You might need to add a little more oil to get a good crunch on but usually I put enough in at the beginning with the onions that it carries over to when I add the rice.
Transfer the fried rice to a bowl and fry an
egg, sunny side up. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay over top the kimchi fried rice. Maybe sure the yolk runs into the rice when you eat it - it's sinfully delicious.

Till next time, friends! Be Fearless!

A Year In Updates

1. It's almost been a year since my last post. Guilt factor 9 out of 10. I had to take some time off to study and focus on career goals.
2. I was starting to hate myself for being "that" person - you know, the one who sticks their camera in your food. I needed to get back to my roots. 
3. Posting twice a week was a little much for my schedule and I want to post quality, not quantity. So, starting this week I'll be writing 1/week or bi-weekly. 
4. Speaking of quality, notice more stories about the absolutely amazing friends I've made here. 
5. Restaurant reviews are going to be featured a little more seeing as I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR this summer and am not chained to my apartment or at the mercy of others' palates.
6. To kick off the new blog, I've re-vamped the cover page so it's a little fresher and more polished.

Look for new recipes soon - lots of love!

~Sheila

A Long Anticipated Brunch at Millie's

Millie’s in The Bottom has been touted as the best brunch spot in Richmond so when my friend and I were undecided as to where to go for brunch last weekend, I quickly suggested we give it a try.  I was really excited and did my research beforehand: I checked foodie blogs, contacted a local foodie friend, and read the menu to narrow down the options that I liked best. 

We got there right when they opened and there was still a bit of a wait.  It went by really quickly, though and before I knew it we were being shooed into a booth.  I wish I’d had a little more time to look around since we were seated in the side room (the one that’s not part of the bar).  I did manage to catch a glimpse of the kitchen, which is literally to the right of the door.  Just hanging out.  Free as a bird.

I was a little taken aback at how abrupt the servers were.  Don’t get me wrong – they were nice, they just seemed to be rushing us to get in and get out.  But that’s how some local RVA joints operate, I suppose.  Millie’s doesn’t do substitutions, by the way, so don’t try and ask for fruit instead of potatoes or white bread instead of wheat.  I had read this on the menu beforehand and wasn’t going to push my luck once I got there.

I decided I was going to get one of their many “messes” and pass on a drink – although I hear they are pretty good.  I have been craving a Bloody Mary lately, but am just not going to spend $7 on one.  Especially when my meal cost $11.  The mess I chose was the “Cajun” one because I’ve also been wanting some seafood and a little somthin’ spicy.  The others at my table got their “Veggie mess,” the “Cuban mess,” and their Eggs Benedict (which was way too sinful for me since it’s served on a croissant and not an English muffin). 

My mess was good – you could definitely taste the white cheddar and there was a lot of seafood.  The only thing that got me was that the texture was a little mushy.  I get it, I get it: the idea of a mess is to cook the eggs with the add-ins and stir and stir so it because a giant pile of goodness.  But come parts of my portion was really, really chopped up – to the point where I didn’t have to chew.  That was weird.  You should chew your seafood.  But the portion was really big and the flavor was there so I was a happy camper. All entrees come with a side of potatoes which were, in my opinion, the star of the brunch.  They were spicy and crispy and well seasoned.  I especially liked how they have Siracha sauce on the table for you to use instead of ketchup. 

The final bill for the four of us came to about $50 I think – so, reasonable for a brunch spot.  Was it the best in Richmond?  I still think Perly’s gets it.  But I’m biased and I admit it.  I love their omelets.  And the biscuits.  And the breakfast potatoes.  And the fact that they let you sit and catch up with friends for hours and hours.  In fact, Gray will stop by and chat you up too.  And that, dear readers, is the best way to start the day.