By JODI WESTRICK
Observer Staff
April 2, 2008

It’s Sunday morning – or late afternoon depending on how good your Saturday night was – and you’re aching for some scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, and one large mimosa to fill your stomach. Luckily for you, and your stomach, brunch in the District is a staple – you just have to pick a place to go to get your fill. Let us suggest a few, depending on your neighborhood.

Eastern Market/Barracks Row: Belga Café

This Belgian restaurant, close to the excitement of the fresh farmers’ market, looks like a little “hole in the wall” from the outside, but is nothing but chic on the inside. The food’s not too bad either.

Belga can get busy on Sunday mornings, so try setting up a reservation in advance. The wait usually isn’t too long though, so you might be able to risk doing without.

Try some of Belga’s authentic Brussels waffles with your choice of topping – red berries ($9.95), sugar ($7.50) or fresh fruit and whipped cream ($8.95). Or you can try my roommate’s personal favorite, the gerookte zalm wafel, a puff pastry waffle filled with smoked salmon, roasted tomatoes and chive cream ($10.95).

Belga offers up some more traditional dishes as well. Try the roereitjes – scrambled eggs with fresh herbs or wild mushrooms ($9 and $11, respectively). The meal comes with an English muffin, fresh fruit, two slices of bacon and a heaping portion of tiny potato cubes. Be more daring and try the groene eieren ($10.95), which is green eggs, mixed with fresh
herbs, Belgian cheese, melted spinach and herb pesto, served on top of an English muffin. Either option is delicious.

The restaurant also offers an impressive list of mussels, though I can’t comment on the quality as I haven’t tried them.

Following a meal that I’m sure will leave you filled, head on over to Eastern Market to pick up a few fresh vegetables and fruit for your kitchen to complete your afternoon.

Adam’s Morgan: The Diner


photo by Jodi Westrick
The Diner is open 24 hours, seven days a week.

Open 24 hours, seven days a week, the staff at The Diner has become pros at serving up delicious meals to its patrons. It’s one of those quintessential restaurants you must visit while living in the District, even if just once.

The décor isn’t chic by any means, but it’s homey, inviting and is truly a diner located among the bars of Adams Morgan’s popular 18th Street.

The place is usually pretty busy on a Saturday afternoon, but you can pop over to Tryst, a cute little coffee shop owned by the same people as The Diner, while you wait.

The eggs benedict ($8.95) were served in typical greasy, diner style – and were amazing. They come with bacon and potatoes. They also have a nice offering of omelets. My roommate suggests the vegetable omelet ($7.95). Stuffed with red peppers, onions, mushrooms and Gruyere cheese, the omelet is sure to fill you.

The Diner also offers traditional diner fare from pancakes to french toast. All you have to decide is what you’re in the mood for. The wait staff is courteous and prompt, so you’ll be sure to enjoy your time at the cheery place. Try it again for a
late-night meal (it is open 24 hours) or a weeknight dinner. The menu is generous in its offerings.

Georgetown: Café Bonaparte

If you don’t mind slow, sometimes non-existent customer-service, try Café Bonaparte in Georgetown. I’ve visited the restaurant twice because the food and coffee offerings are beyond good, but have been so annoyed at the inconsistent service and rude attitude from the workers that I refuse to go back.

If you do dare to venture over to the Georgetown café, try to make a reservation as the dining room is small. If you decide to go without one, expect to wait for quite a while. Lots of people show up and place their names, but don’t return. Instead of crossing their names off the list and offering the table to another customer, the restaurant continues to call them and holds the table until they show up 30 minutes later. This is extremely frustrating.

Once inside, order something from their coffee menu – their drinks are delicious. The French press coffee (two servings: $4.95; four servings: $7.95) and hot chocolate ($3.25) are rich and plentiful.

The crepes menu is long, which makes the decision difficult. The Monaco ($9.50) is a simple but delicious offering of sliced turkey and Swiss cheese in a delicate crepe. It comes with a house salad on the side.

If you’re in the mood for breakfast, you must try the eggs benedict ($9.95). Bonaparte’s hollandaise sauce is beyond amazing. The breakfasts are also served with fresh fruit and an offering of potato wedges with a smattering of herbs. The restaurant also has a long offering of omelets. The Dali ($9.25) is a Mediterranean classic – served with spinach and feta. It’s uncomplicated but filled with flavor.

If you’re still hungry, end your meal with a croissant and Nutella or a pain au chocolat (both $2.25). They’re usually fresh, soft and delightful – a perfect end to your meal.

Overall, Bonaparte is very good, which makes it a popular place for brunch. The restaurant itself is tiny and, in turn, creates a frustrating experience for those waiting to eat there. Also, if you’re in a larger group, bring cash as the restaurant will only accept one credit card per order.

The Atlas District/H Street Corridor: Napa 1015

My roommates and I went to Napa 1015 out of convenience (it’s located in our neighborhood), but discovered that the recently opened restaurant’s food is delicious and offers a variety of choices on its brunch menu.

The owners spared no expense on the décor for the restaurant – the walls are painted a calming green and the tables are similar to those you might find in your own dining room. Because many haven’t yet discovered this gem, it’s usually pretty quiet. Don’t be fooled, though – the food is delicious and the wait staff is friendly.

Start off your meal with a mimosa ($7), which comes with a fresh orange slice. I seem to be a creature of habit and always order the eggs benedict ($12). Napa 1015’s version was perfect – the eggs were cooked just right and their hollandaise sauce was unique. It wasn’t as creamy as you’d expect and it had a distinct flavor. The secret might be the cooked spinach they include with the meal.

photo by Jodi Westrick
Napa 1015 will soon open a terrace out back.

Also yummy is the Mexican frittata ($11), which comes with corn tortilla strips, sour cream and tomatillo salsa. It’s served with potatoes. Another good choice is an order of french toast topped with fresh strawberry compote and whipped cream ($11). The portions are generous and the staff is attentive so things are served pretty much to perfection. Also, much of the menu at Napa 1015 offers fresh side ingredients, which really accent the meals they offer.

What also makes Napa 1015 great is that they make their desserts on site – a rare find in restaurants today. We splurged and got a decadent chocolate cake ($4.50) that was easily split among three people. They also offer a bread pudding and carrot cake, which we jealously watched the people at the table next to us eat.

The restaurant will soon open a terrace out back to accommodate brunch guests during the summer.