founding farmers

When I go out to eat, its rarely American food that I opt for. I mean, it’s typically in America. But the food itself is usually Italian, or Indian, or Ethiopian, etc. etc. etc. This is to say, I have a very informed-by-Bourdain lack of faith in “American cuisine” as a concept. That is, I did, until my dad, my friend (whaddup Bin), and I swung by D.C.’s Founding Farmers.

Founding Farmers is a restaurant featuring “American-inspired food & drink made from scratch with thoughtfully sourced ingredients from farmers we know and trust.” Its a farm-to-table, good ole’ American joint. It is very nicely upholstered, and our server was partially aided by an AI robo-cleaner, which I guess is nice for the future of that industry (if you aren’t a waiter, a diner, or really anyone other than management). Appearances aside, the menu at this restaurant really does inspire an appreciation for American food, particularly Southern homestyle cooking. As you probably guessed, it was all fantastic. I ate cornbread and Hatchcock chicken.

Cornbread

My dad and friend both grew up in the south, so I’m going to defer to their judgement on this cornbread. From their satisfied grins, I can surmise that it holds up (as best it can) against the real thing. The bread was dense, which I like, and the butter was very sweet. The corn kernels added a nice secondary texture. A great starter if there ever was one.

Texture: 7/10

Taste: 7/10

Overall: 7/10

Hatchcock chicken

This chicken had the perfect texture. It was, in a not-gross way, super juicy and tender. It was also very full of flavor, and the skin tasted incredible. The mashed potatoes were a little too buttery for my taste. The portion size was also massive, so that’s a plus.

Texture: 10/10

Taste: 8/10

Skin: 8/10

Sides: 6.5/10

Size: 10/10

Overall: 8.5/10