Gathering to Ensure Nourishment 10.30.10

So DC was a little bit crowded last weekend and in between all that rallying and partying, we had to make sure we had food. Maria and I had friends and relatives in town for the weekend and, as we have learned from Halloweens past, downtown restaurants were going to get slammed. As much as we enjoy seeing our fair city hopping with activity, we knew we had to have a respite from the weekend hordes.

Enter Bertucci'is. The Dupont Circle location of the storied Massachusetts chain is a few blocks from our Gathering. We had already planned to make it a pizza party, and were going to order from Pete's New Haven, one of the few places in town that passes Maria's muster. But a few days prior we were invited to try Bertucci's new offerings, and while I most confess I pass it often, I am usually hurrying up Connecticut Avenue since its enticing smell is the siren call for my efforts at the gym down the street. Bertucci's was one of the first places in DC-proper to offer brick oven pizzas and their lovely char; the recently introduced menu items really let it shine. They roast their own vegetables, too, which sets it apart from pizzas you can make at home. My favorite at the preview was de Scallop di Mare, a scallop pizza with mozarella, roasted garlic, a lemon pepper cream sauce and roasted peppers. The chocolate crostata, the Bertucci's crust with an artisanal hazelnut spread, is a wonderful play of crunchy and silky.

As much as I loved the Scallop di Mare, not everyone is as pro seafood on pizza as I am. Given that the theme of the weekend was sanity, we picked items that would please everyone: The Sofia, a white pizza with mozarella, roasted artichoke spread, sausage and fresh thyme. The Stella, the star of our night with an amazing smokey sauce, roasted portobello mushrooms, roasted eggplants and peppers (both are new menu items); The Puccillo, Maria's favorite, with pepperoni, Italian Sausage and mushrooms, rouding it off with the Ultimate Bertucci for those who insist on lean protein in their pizza along with everything else.

The best part? Our order (placed the night before) was delivered promptly, to the delight of our hungry and about to start drinking for hours on end friends. The pizzas also came with disposable plates and plastic ware and rolls at no extra charge. At least one thing in DC was working last weekend.


Bertucci's Pizzeria
Dupont Circle
1218 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.bertuccis.com

Shelter from the Storm

I'll admit to having eaten spoonfuls of Illy espresso straight out of the can on more than one occasion, but even a die-hard fan like me is impressed by the care put into every cup at the fabled Italian roaster's outpost (ceramic for those of us who choose to duck in from the summer rain and stay awhile, additional seating in the hotel lobby). When I inadvertently tilted my cup, the barista insisted on wiping the rim of my Viennese (espresso, foamed milk a touch of whip cream, and a light dusting of cocoa). S. still remembers the lemon poppyseed muffin, all the way from Rio.

Illy Caffe @ Renaissance M Street Hotel
1143 New Hampshire Ave NW
Washington, DC 20037
(202) 775-0800

The Joys of Breakfast

I have been meaning to try Founding Farmers since it opened last year. Expecting an Agraria-like experience and not particularly inspired by its institutional location (at the IMF building)I kept putting it off. The sandblasted lettering on the glass panes, the over-sized glass jars for conserved and the in-door clouds were a bit too industrial meets farm whimsy for me, and there are several places in DC touting sustainable and local ingredients.

But then I saw the sign: Open for breakfast at 8 AM. Sold. I normally meet E. for breakfast at Breadline, one block up, but this gave me the chance to try a new place and take advantage of the fact that they have, and prepare, farm fresh eggs. I got there a few minutes before she did and took in the space - the décor is still over done, but the panoramic windows, the comfortable booths and the lovely silverware make up for it. I also noticed that I was the only woman sitting at a table - Founding Farmers seems to be one of the new places to have a power breakfast. I was very happy when E. arrived - I was both starving and bored with the conversation of North American carbon offsets next to me.

We both went with eggs - though the menu also includes hashes, pancakes, waffles, and oatmeal- an exceptional value at $9. Farm fresh eggs have a firmer yolk (I'll have to try the Eggs Benedict for the full effect, as this would show up in a poached egg) and have a vibrant orange to red color. I had the Pan Scrambled eggs (topped with herbs) and E. had the Founding Farmers breakfast, which includes 2 eggs in any style (she went with scrambled). The eggs were firm and, while not greasy, had the distinctive taste of butter. Both came with house-made English muffins, which looked like they had just come from the oven and had a hint of sour dough acidity to them. Split into two, we each used one for the eggs and the other to try the strawberry preserves. I would have preferred honey, but the preserves weren't ladden with sugar the way many are. For sides E. had sausage and I had bacon, which tasted and looked as if if had been dry-cured: long, crispy strips. As a second side E. had the country potatoes (again, butter, and also garlic) and I had fresh fruit. We ordered an extra side of tomato, two slices finished with a bit of vinegar and fresh herbs. The tomato slices were perfect for winter, meaty but bright. The blackberries and grapes made me glad I had opted out of the starch. I don't know where near DC you could get fresh strawberries or an errant slice of pineapple, but they both tasted fantastic.

The staff was friendly and attentive, and they kept my coffee cup filled to the brim - key to making me happy any day.

Founding Farmers
924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC
202.822.TRUE
www.wearefoundingfarmers.com