Kafe Leopold
3315 Cady’s Alley NW, Washington, D.C.20007
http://www.kafeleopolds.com/
How can anybody not love brunch? It means that you can have a little bit longer in bed, build up a bit more of an appetite, and you even get to dress up for it too! The best part is that you’re all finished for the best part of the day, leaving you to tan, shop or nap, whichever you would prefer. It’s truly is an amazing meal, and there are now so many restaurants specializing in brunch Lynchburg based or similar ready to welcome you with open arms. And it’s not just Lynchburg. All across the state of Virginia, right up to Washington D.C, brunch is an important part of the culture. Dozens of restaurants around the city offer amazing brunch menus, bottomless drinks, and brunch specials that allow for your Saturdays and Sundays to be pretty much planned out for you. Brunch in D.C. is also a full and lengthy event. You gather some of your friends, dress up, and plan to stay out in the brunch restaurant of your choice for, at least, 3-4 hours – it is my favorite part of the week! This past Sunday was no different than others; we went out for brunch! My boyfriend looked up some nice places to try out and stumbled upon this interesting-sounding place called Kafe Leopold, located in the beautiful Georgetown neighborhood, on 3315 Cady’s Alley NW that is located on the back of M St.
The alley in which Kafe Leopold is located is so incredibly charming and European, which makes Leopold’s outside terrace an even more appealing spot to dine. Unfortunately, we did not have a reservation and were forced to “settle” for the first available table, which did not take long even though the restaurant was absolutely packed! The hostess was very nice and accommodating and showed us to our table rather quickly.
Let’s start with the theme of the restaurant before we get into the good stuff. I was slightly confused about where in the world the chef was trying to take me with the menu. There was no doubt that the underlying theme is European, with Austrian, German, Swiss and French staples such as Spätzle, Muesli, Croque Madame and Monsieur, and Apfelstrudel (traditional warm Viennese apple strudel). I was so overwhelmed by the different countries and regions represented in the menu that I believe it would be better if they were to stick to a more real theme. With that being said, once I ordered, I was not disappointed, and I couldn’t even care less about the fact that I was traveling across Europe at the speed of light.
First off, I ordered a staple brunch drink – a Bloody Mary. Leopold’s Bloody Mary was pleasantly chunky and spicy, which was the best part. It was garnished with charred cherry tomatoes and green olives; the tomatoes were, unfortunately, not charred enough, which was a shame because a charred flavor would work so well with the chunkiness and smokiness of the Bloody Mary. However, I couldn’t get enough of the green olives that were surprisingly of high quality; they were especially tasty once they got a chance to soak in the Bloody Mary juice and absorb all of the wonderful and spicy flavors.
After much deliberation about what to order, my boyfriend finally decided to order the Tartine, and I ordered one of their brunch “specials”: the Bratwurst and Spätzle breakfast, with two sunny-side-up eggs. This is where it all becomes dreamy. First, the food was served on aesthetically pleasing white plates, and the garnish was simple, elegant and eclectic. The Tartine was a sizable dish, but not an entrée portion. The flavors were nothing short of miraculous: the creamy melted mozzarella; the sweetness and earthiness of the wild mushrooms; the aroma of the fresh herbs; and the saltiness of the Serano ham and the olive bread, on top of which all of these wonderful items were placed. The Tartine was fantastic, but nothing could compare with the dish I was presented with; it was incredible.
My Bratwurst/Spätzle brunch special was served in an iron pan placed on a white plate. On the bottom, the beautiful little Spätzle dumplings were swimming in a creamy Béchamel sauce with Gruyere cheese together with sautéed Bratwurst, Oyster mushrooms and an impressive amount of Thyme. On top of this concoction, two perfectly-cooked “sunny-side-up” eggs were placed and garnished with a generous amount of fresh arugula. I cannot even begin to explain the flavors that this combination produced.
It was a spectacular execution of this German-inspired brunch delight. Kate Leopold received a “ten out of ten” in my book. It is definitely a place I’m coming back to!
