Posts Tagged ‘french toast’

Caramel Pecan French Toast

This post has been long in the making. I wanted to test out Logan Tavern’s caramel pecan French toast at least 25 times before writing about it, just to make sure it really was the best brunch dish in all of D.C. I stand by this superlative wholeheartedly. Yes, best it is this plate of two thick soft slices of not-too-eggy toast smothered in warm caramel pecan sauce. The sweet buttery taste fills your palette with a sense akin to stepping into a hot bath on a cold day, holding frigid hands over a hot fire, having your back scratched after months of no touch, [fill in the blank with your euphoric experience here]. And of all the 25 some odd times I’ve ordered the $9.75 plate of French toast, it’s always tasted the same. Consistently amazing: now that’s a feat. I should warn that the indulgence of so much sugar in the morning or whenever it is you consume their brunch (Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.) can be quite harrowing to your system: I usually have to nap following the meal and the remainder of my day becomes somewhat unproductive. But the stupor is worth it, especially when you give yourself 6 weeks between splurges. Minimize the sugar shock by having your partner order the omelette. Take a few bites of his, give him a few bites of yours, and you’re set.

Now that Poste just won the Rammy for “Upscale Casual Restaurant,” it’s an appropriate time for me to extol the virtues of its “upscale-casual” breakfast. I’m a big fan of morning dining, yet there are few places that seem to live up to my expectations—especially when I’m throwing down $20 to eat something I could’ve created for $2. I had a great breakfast experience the first time I dined at Poste in 2002; and another good experience when we revisited the place on Sunday. Giant skylights fill the room with natural light; the open kitchen provides good gawking material for sleep-crusted eyes. And the food: It’s top-notch stuff. We shared the Farm Egg Omelette ($14; organic cheddar, wild mushrooms, herbs) and the Brioche French Toast ($11; berry compote, maple syrup). See those potatoes on the omelette plate? If there was only one, that’s the reason to trek downtown in the early morn. [Disclaimer: When food's this good, sometimes my fork beats the camera to the plate. The omelette arrived 20% larger]

I was a big fan of Teaism before it got Rachel Ray-d. She’s right: Their hot Chai is awesome. But my favorite menu item is the French toast. For $8, you get two giant pieces. Sharing with a hungry friend? Order the cilantro eggs to balance out the sugar. Unfortunately, my token breakfast item is only served on Saturday and Sunday. The rest of the week, they serve waffles instead. If you’ve tried one, please give us the report! And, for those of you worker bees looking for an afternoon refreshment, nothing in Dupont beats their $2.75 chai shake.

They serve lunch and dinner items as well (bento boxes and sandwiches), but I’ve never been plowed over by their savory food. Sure, it’s healthy, fast, and relatively inexpensive, but you kind of forget the taste when you leave…unless you’ve ordered the Salmon Ochazuke! On my first visit to Teaism (out of say 20), an employee encouraged me to try this green tea and rice soup. I can eat just about everything, but I literally had to dump this out. It was super fishy, hot, and slimy and I just couldn’t get it down.

Teaism has three locations, but my favorite is the one that’s closest to me (pictured): Connecticut and R Streets, NW.