A wedding appointment in Somerville brought me back to my old stomping ground Davis Square for dinner. I lived in Davis for 2 years, and while we had Red Bones (famous BBQ), Diesel Cafe (amazing sandwiches), and J.P. Licks (enough said), there weren’t many restaurants that I frequented often (besides Orleans, I did love that place). Using OpenTable I came across Foundry on Elm and after viewing their appetizing and appealing menu I decided to try it out!
Bread: Three slices of fresh warm bread came with a side of softened butter. That’s all I ever really ask! Warm fresh bread, soft butter. This specific combo was great, and the bread was even better when dipped in the hummus app (see below).
Menu: The menu is broken down into Appetizers, Raw Bar, Salads, Sandwiches, Flatbreads, Entrees, Sides, and Small Plates. There was at least 1 item from each section that I was eyeing but needed to eat conservatively as I was then on my way to my wedding dress fitting! I was tempted by the Roasted Pear, Gorgonzola, Arugula, Caramelized Onions Flatbread, but alas… app and salad it is.
Food/Presentation:
Hummus with Tahini Yogurt
A generous portion of hummus came with about 6 slices of pita bread. The hummus was really great, smooth & creamy with a dollop of tahini yogurt, but the pita wasn’t memorable. I ended up spreading hummus on the leftover fresh bread; now that was delicious!
Spring Salad: coppa, shaved fennel, asparagus, peas, mint
Both my mother and I ordered this salad with chicken replacing the coppa (type of salami). I’m not a huge fan of frisee but ended up eating the entire thing as everything was tossed in a nice light dressing. The asparagus stalks were thick and cooked perfectly. The chicken was really excellent, juicy, flavorful and well seasoned.
Bathroom: The women’s room has 4 ‘bar stalls’ as I like to call them, with a black & white tiled floor, a white granite sink counter top, and a small TV mounted on the wall. I applaud the automatic flushers, sinks, and hand dryer.
Service: Mom and I sat at a high top corner banquette in the bar area. Our server was prompt, answered all of our questions, and was able to get us out of there in a timely fashion.
Overall: I had no idea what to expect from Foundry on Elm and I was pleasantly surprised. If I was still a resident of Davis Square I like to think I’d visit here often, whether it be to watch a sports game, have a beer with a friend, or even to enjoy a nice brunch or dinner. This is a casual and modern tavern serving much better-than-bar food. Foundry offers great contemporary American cuisine in a comfortable atmosphere with plenty of bar seating, communal bar high tops, banquette high tops, and booths & free-standing tables in the back. Prices are reasonable and the menu offers a little bit of everything (sandwiches, pastas, flatbreads, meats, seafood); I’d certainly recommend stopping by if you’re in the area!
The Perfect Bite: I wasn’t able to sample a big variety of food, but I’ll say the hummus spread on the fresh bread.
The Perfect Bite, Boston 