We are fortunate to live close enough to Tom’s parents, Sue and Andy, that we are able to get together regularly. They appreciate good food as much as we do so it’s natural that our outings tend to be culinary events. We recently met up in DC for a Sunday Funday, starting with brunch at Provision 14. After sampling their fall dinner menu last month, we knew we were in for a treat.
Everyone started with a cocktail, of course. Cranberry mimosas for the ladies and bacon bloody Marys for the guys. The mimosas packed a little extra punch with the addition of rum along with the standard sparkling wine and juice. The bloodies themselves were spot on, but I was more obsessed with the stacked garnishes. Tom and Andy thoroughly enjoyed the whole pieces of bacon adorning their drinks, while I pilfered the pickled vegetables. Everyone was happy.
We arrived at the restaurant with the mission of trying the fried chicken and funnel cake. Tom and I have been eying it for a while now, but knew that if we went on our own we would barely have room for anything else. Taking advantage of two extra stomachs, we ordered one for the table as a very ambitious “appetizer”.
As the fried chicken expert in our marriage, Tom wrote all about this delicacy in his recent post. I was trying to make sure my bridesmaid dress would zip up on the big day so I only had a few small bites, but definitely agree with Tom’s review. The only slight difference in opinion was over the funnel cake. I’m actually not a huge funnel cake fan in general (odd, because I love fried dough in all other forms), but actually kind of enjoyed this version since it was a little less greasy than the ones typically found at fairs and on boardwalks.
Our stomachs properly prepped, we continued on to our entrées. Sue and I both ordered the huevos rancheros with bean purée, roasted pepper hash, avocado mousse and crispy tortillas.
This plate was lovely to behold, and the flavors were as layered as its presentation. We both found the scant amount of avocado mousse and black bean puree a little disappointing, but the roasted pepper hash made up for those shortcomings. The eggs were cooked perfectly sunny side up and the tortillas had just the right amount of crunch.
Andy went with the Iberico chorizo frittata with shishito pepper and truffle cheddar cheese.
I had one bite of this and definitely appreciated the rich twist from the truffle cheddar. Andy really seemed to enjoy it as well. In fact, we all worked pretty quietly on our food and didn’t leave much on our plates if that’s any indication of our satisfaction.
Tom’s order may actually have been my favorite of the day – the lamb hash with egg, home fries, smoked cabbage and bell peppers.
I love a good hash and this one hit the spot. The lamb was fork tender and melted in your mouth. It may have been a tad bit over-salted, but not to the point that it distracted from the flavor. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from two trips to Provision 14, it’s that you can’t go wrong ordering lamb. They just do it really well, no matter the preparation.
Service was great as well, attentive without being overbearing. We were given ample time to chat and contemplate our orders without ever feeling rushed. Considering that this spot can turn into quite the party brunch upstairs, I was impressed that it was also laid-back enough downstairs to enable easy conversation. My only regret was that we were too full to try some of the other tempting items, like the pound cake French toast and biscuits and gravy. Next time!
Leave a Reply