Fontaine Caffe & Creperie- S. Royal St. In Old Town Alexandria
While Washington D.C. is often referred to as Paris on the Potomac, Alexandria has one more reason to draw Francophiles to the other side of the river. Passing by (the space formerly occupied by The Tea Cosy And British Connection )on a recent chilly evening, I noticed Fontaine Caffe & Creperie had begun to serve their promised sweet and savory crepes in the days prior to the grand opening on Feb. 5th. From the street, I noticed a wood beamed ceiling with small chandeliers illuminating a front dining room, painted in a playful yet warm blue color. Diners inside were tucked into their bistro chairs, chatting intimitely over the small cafe tables while sipping coffee from cafe cups. As I mentioned in a previous post, the menu is filled with food that would transport anyone to a sidewalk cafe in Paris, and I planned to visit soon after their grand opening.
Frank and I visited for brunch on Sunday. Entering into Fontaine, I looked through the glass topped and eponymously embossed wall which separates the entrance from the dining area (a fabulous idea considering the chill I got dining near the door at Jackson 20), to see the Blue Room, with mirrors on one wall and French inspired artwork on the other. We were warmly greeted right away and asked if we wanted our coats hung on the wall by Sunyi, half of the duo behind the new eatery. Sunyi’s sister, Chef Kyong Yi is the owner and chef at Fontaine. Chef Yi, who started cooking for her family at age 12, graduated from the California Culinary Academy of San Fransisco in 1995. She has previously worked at highly regarded D.C. restaurants such as Galileo, Teatro Goldini and The Ritz-Carlton.
From the brunch menu, I orderd the Tuscan crepe-filled with Italian sausage, tomatoes, canellini beans, sauted bell pepper and onions. In a word-delicious. The fennel laden sweet sausage was remarkable to Frank and me- who hail from Northern NJ and Philadlephia, PA respectively- where Italian sausage tastes just like this. Cannelini beans were tender and made even better from steeping with the tomatoes, bell peppers and sausage juices. Salad, included with the savory crepes, consisted of mixed greens dressed lightly with a simple vinaigrette. I enjoyed my salad more and more as I ate because the vinaigrette warmed up a bit and wilted the lettuce as the salad sat next to my crepe.
Frank ordered the Moroccan crepe- filled with spinach and feta cheese and topped with a mint-yogurt sauce. Frank’s crepe came enclosed like an envelope with a balsamic reduction drizzled on top. The crepe was densely packed with feta and spinach and based on how quickly Frank ate it, I’d say he really enjoyed his crepe too. I did get a bite offered to me to sample, and would highly recommend this one.
While we were waiting for our crepes, Frank enjoyed a strong but not bitter coffee. Refills were offered throughout our meal. I ordered the French Cider which came surprisingly in a cafe cup too. The cider was nicely sour which offset the sweetness of the apples. It had low carbonation compared to regular sparkling cider (not a bad thing-I thought it would be more like a sparkling wine). I’d also like to point out that each table has salt and pepper shakers-I find that to be a nice homey touch that says “I want you to enjoy yourself-season your dish as you like it”.
After our savory crepes, Frank and I split a lemon cream crepe which was served with fresh strawberries and blueberries and given a healthy dusting of powdered sugar before it arrived at our table. Creamy light yellow and slightly tart lemon filling oozed out of the crepe and short of licking the plate, we obviously loved it.
After our meal I excused myself to the restrooms in back, and got a chance to see the back room, or Gold Room. Intimate and cozy with a window looking in back of the building, I saw Chef Yi serving and chatting up the smiling customers herself . Bar seating (4-5 seats) is also available in the back of the Blue Room. Stocked with wines, French Cider and a huge coffee machine, the bar was tended by Sunyi who was serving a patron and handling beverage service.
Speaking of wines, there was a fairly extensive list of wines on the back of the menu, priced from the mid $20’s to the mid $40’s.
Feeling sated but not too full, we left really happy with our food and service. We felt comfortable and welcome. Fontaine’s stated mission is “to ensure that each and every customer will return, again and again”. Mission accomplished.
Fontainne Caffe & Creperie
119 S. Royal St.
Alexandria, VA 2231
(703) 535-8151
http://fontainecaffe.com/index.html
Hey Ramona. I came over to check out your post after seeing you mention Fontaine on the DCFoodies site. This place sounds delicious. We plan to give it a try on Sunday. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for coming over Susan! I’ve added you to my blogroll-you’ve got a fun site and really great design.
Well, we went to Fontaine’s for brunch today. I had the Norwegian and my husband ordered the Alexandrian. Both were excellent. Their coffee is very good as well. We are definitely going to go there again.
I’m so glad you like it! I hope to stop in again this week for dessert.
Dear Ramona:
A friend of mine and a neighber, Jennefer, alerted me of the Fontaine Cafe & Creperie. I was delighted to read your good review. It reminded me a little of my student days in Paris. Jennifer and I will go there soon. Since we live in Old Town, we will stroll to the Fontaine with happy expectation. Will send you further comments. Thank you for your review.
Sophie