Foundry mini-review

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

A friend and I hit the Foundry on its opening night, and were pleasantly surprised not to have a wait for a table for two (it was a bit early, just before 6, but still).

The food was good (not great, but good), the atmosphere pleasant, and the service friendly and efficient, even on their opening night, which I found admirable. It's very much a 2010 restaurant, in that it has a charcuterie plate, a range of "classic cocktails," a selection of flatbreads and the standard high-brow-comfort-foods that seem to be on every menu in the area this summer (e.g. heirloom tomato salad, pasta with goat cheese, pork belly confit).

I had the steak frites, and my vegetarian friend had the veggie kebabs. They were both quite good, and the steak was served as rare as I had requested. We also sampled several of the classic cocktails; the ginger smash was especially good.

Overall, a nice addition to the neighborhood, and I hope they'll manage to last in that space longer than Bowl & Board did.

Comments

[talonvaki.livejournal.com]

Just what Davis Square needs...another restaurant. Whoopee.

[ron_newman]

What would you prefer in this space?

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

Runway! To service the planes bringing burritos to the square!

[teko.livejournal.com]

To be fair, it's not just "another restaurant", since they're also going to be making use of the downstairs theatre space to create a cozy brasserie/theatre with a fireplace. It's actually a pretty creative use of the space and is a restaurant with a different atmosphere than anything else in the square (except for, arguably, the bar side of Gargoyle's).

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

actually, davis needs a restaurant that isn't really awful. i think this actually fits the bill fairly well. i would love something a bit more inspired, but i think this works well as a fairly nice neighborhood spot.

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

i agree with you.

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

I think there are plenty of non-awful restaurants in the square: Namaskar, Redbones, Johnny Ds, Orleans, Gargoyle's, Boston Burger Company, Snappy Sushi. None of these are knock-you-over-dead fantastic, but they're all fine places to eat. I would love to have something a bit more inspired as well.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

i didnt mean to say there's nothing not awful in davis, though i do think johnny d's is pretty horrible. it's more just a general "i wish this was a bit better" feeling. the thing is, most of what you just listed (and I'd goto the burren for the 500th time wayyy before ever eating at Orleans again) is fine enough but has something very similar and overall "better" between porter and central. I think it's gotten a lot better, but I've always felt davis lagged behind those other 3 spots.

Redbones is an exception, which I think it pretty awesome :) But, I can't really go there more than once a year or so.

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

OK, I interpreted "davis needs a restaurant that isn't really awful," to mean there as nothing not awful in Davis.

I agree that there's nothing outstanding in the square (I think Gargoyle's used to be, about ten years ago), and there really should be. I think an upscale restaurant on the order of Salts or Menton would do really well here. Anyway, I don't think that The Foundry is outstanding, and frankly it's not all that different from, say Russell House in Harvard Square.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Totally agreed there. I feel like Foundry wants to be the 'better' restaurant in the square, and I hope they can achieve it. Posto, for me, is the current above-par restaurant in the area.

Pity that we came THAT close to getting Ten Tables.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

something like ten tables would fit well, especially with the other features of davis, i could see most of the boston area thinking it could be a good night out.

i miss the wee italian place that was in the spot ten tables almost moved into.

[delahk.livejournal.com]

you don't like johnny d's? omg i thought i was the only one. *tear*

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

i went once for brunch a loooooonnnng time ago and thought it was a bit expensive and *very* gross. Since then I've been twice for small things and both times felt it was pretty yick. They fucked up french fries, yo.

[delahk.livejournal.com]

i haven't had seriously Gross food there, but i've never been very impressed with what you get for the money. the lines they have for brunch will forever boggle my mind.

fucking up french fries is serious shit.