Breadline, 18th St. and Penn. Ave. Downtown - Sandwich Shop Now Owned by La Brioche Doree

[PandaHugga]

I have an office just up the street from BreadLine so it is all I can do not to eat there every single day. I was there on Monday this week and had the BLT (I always get them to make it on ciabatta rather than whatever they normally use) and noticed that the bacon was rather on the well-done side. I thought about the bacon being so well done, and initially thought it was odd that it was done this way, but I came to realize that it was a good thing that it was, since it added a lot to the flavor (it did not actually taste "burnt", though it was quite dark) and of course enhanced its crispiness.

I also am not fond of their piadine, nor the sausage pizza thing they do. But the soft-shell crab sandwich (again, on ciabatta rather than brioche) is sublime.

[mame11]

Panda,

I love your name!

BUT, I don't get Breadline. As I wrote in my earlier post, I want to love it. However, I have never been able to get consistent food (yes service is consistent) at the place. Hmmmm...

Nancy

[PandaHugga]

My experience of BreadLine is that some things are just the best they could possibly be, while others are pretty run of the mill. The breads, by and large, are among the best in town, so that's a plus right there. And he does some really good fillings for them. Some things, however, are just ho-hum. I guess you have to know what to order when you go there. And another thing, their air conditioning is just awful, so if it's really hot out when you go, plan to take your lunch back to your home/office.

[mame11]

My experience of BreadLine is that some things are just the best they could possibly be, while others are pretty run of the mill. The breads, by and large, are among the best in town, so that's a plus right there. And he does some really good fillings for them. Some things, however, are just ho-hum. I guess you have to know what to order when you go there. And another thing, their air conditioning is just awful, so if it's really hot out when you go, plan to take your lunch back to your home/office.

I have tried most of the items on the menu (except for red meat/pork dishes)... guess my luck isn't that good...

Oh, some of the breads are good but Randolphs does a much better job imho.

[giant shrimp]

What did she get that was undercooked?  Can you be more specific about "wild inconsistencies?"  What gets burned?  And if that's all true, why do you think "there's a lot there worth trying to find?" 

I'm a pretty decent sandwich-maker myself, but I don't have the time to make bread like they do, find the freshest ingredients like they do, and get me through a line in less than ten minutes like they do.  Breadline isn't for everyone, thank God, but i'm a regular and it's not the mess you describe here.

last night i asked her what was wrong, so here are some specifics: a knish tasting of raw flour; a room temperature "pizza" constructed of worthy tomatoes and a sprinkling of cheese placed on top of an inedible tough and half-charred crust; a misconceived "rueben" with grisly meat that was incorrectly sliced, way too thick; italian sausage raw at the center; a bone-dry, rubbery smoked salmon sandwich that went straight into the trash after one bite; and the bread slices on the grilled cheese were too thick. there are other things she always has liked, including an artery-clogging steak and cheese, and soups are consistently top-notch. the french fries receive praise, except they are occasionally soggy and greasy. the line, i am told, is the height of efficiency; maybe more vigilance is required of the customer when their order is being cooked.

it sounds that there are a lot of things here i would like to try, although the location is not exactly in my neck of the woods.

and a short bread line story: last winter, on her way back to the office she was stopped by one of those friendly washingtonians and asked about the powder that had totally whitened the back of her black coat. it turned out to be flour from the undusted wood banquette where she was sitting, and she cleaned it off with snow. this may not be the best place for a blind day.

[laniloa]

The few things I haven't enjoyed at BreadLine have been well prepared but just not to my preference. An example is the gazpacho. While very tasty, they serve a very chunky version and I prefer smooth. I have found that it is better to go before the lunch mobs or at the tail end of the mob. They do prep some sandwiches ahead of time (because of the mob factor) so there is the potential for sauces and stuff to absorb into the bread. If I go during the height of lunch traffic I get the prepped when ordered food. I like my bacon crispy so I think they do BLTs just right. The turkey and chicken dalliah are also favorites. I haven't tried most of the sandwiches people mentioned not liking so I can't comment on them. I agree that the air conditioning is not up to the task of battling ovens and cooling the space.

[brr]

just finished the chicken dalliah, spicy (blazingly hot to my sensitive irish palate) chicken, caramelized onions, peanuts and plantains

great flavor/texture combination - everything worked together really well although the aforementioned spice did dominate a little more than I'd like - recommended

$8.25

[LolaDC]

just finished the chicken dalliah, spicy (blazingly hot to my sensitive irish palate) chicken, caramelized onions, peanuts and plantains

great flavor/texture combination - everything worked together really well although the aforementioned spice did dominate a little more than I'd like - recommended

$8.25

Did you notice how friendly everyone over there was today? It was crazy-busy, but the staff was extra nice. I just finished the good old standby -- grilled chicken & coleslaw sandwich (with fries, of course). Mmmm.

[brr]

Did you notice how friendly everyone over there was today? It was crazy-busy, but the staff was extra nice.

it was extremely busy - I thought service was quick and efficient but was too absorbed in my little ipod universe to realize if it was friendly or not

[shogun]

Yeah, the chicken Dahlia runs from medium to blazing hot. It's like a box of chocolate-covered chile peppers: You never know what you're going to get.

[giant shrimp]

checking this place out for the first time at 1:30 today, no lines but fairly steady business, lots of customers hanging out reading newspapers and chatting, a hive of activity with a nice buzz.

the food: sandwich overstuffed with italian sausage with fennel, pepper, tomato and onions on crisp bread was pretty fine by me. grilled cheese with tomatoes came on light, fluffy bread that was sliced extra thick on one side and thin on the other, a little dry but probably a bit healthier for not being smashed down in butter.

no complaints about over or undercooking; raw onion obligingly jumps out of the sandwich and onto the plate in case you've got a problem with eating it.

lemonade is ready to go by the checkout register. i would have added some ice, but didn't bother looking for any.

[PandaHugga]

You'd have done well to have tried a cookie, too. I love their peanut butter filled cookies, and yet I'm not even a huge fan of that genre.

[Woodleygrrl]

Just went to Breadline for the first time today and I have to say it was one of the best lunches that I have had in forever!

I had the smoked salmon, which is on the lightest of lights wheat bread and is covered with arugula, cream cheese with chives and a thick slice of smoked salmon. it was delightful.

Has anyone written about the fabulous pop and juice choices this joint has? And the flavored water for .50?

Awesome

edited for spellllingz

Edited August 24, 2005 by Woodleygrrl

[FormerHokie]

Can anyone tell me if Breadline is open on the weekends? I've been dying to try it but can't make it down there during the week. My girlfriend and I tried to hit it up for an early Sunday lunch a few weeks ago but it was closed...so we went up to Ben's Chilli Bowl instead! Good lunch at either place.

Thanks in advance.

[DCJono]

Can anyone tell me if Breadline is open on the weekends?  I've been dying to try it but can't make it down there during the week.  My girlfriend and I tried to hit it up for an early Sunday lunch a few weeks ago but it was closed...so we went up to Ben's Chilli Bowl instead!  Good lunch at either place. 

Thanks in advance.

They've recently begun to open on Saturdays. I was driving by in late July and stopped in. Unlike the regular weekeday lunch rush there, it was rather quiet and peaceful. Food was just as fantastic.

[monavano]

Forgive me if this has been posted, but I briefly looked back and could not find a link to a website. I thought I saw it before, but could be wrong.

I'd like to get the hours, what breads they make and what days etc....

Anyone have a link??

Thanks!

[Capital Icebox]

Anyone have a link??

Here you go.

Click on the weekly menus on the right of the page to see what they have that day.

[monavano]

Here you go.

Click on the weekly menus on the right of the page to see what they have that day.

Awesome, gracias.

[giant shrimp]

in case anybody's interested, my wife reports that she got back to the office today with her quesadilla and there was no cheese on it. sounded like a healthy choice to me, but she seems to think it should have been there.

[giant shrimp]

You'd have done well to have tried a cookie, too.  I love their peanut butter filled cookies, and yet I'm not even a huge fan of that genre.

thanks for the suggestion. i doubt i would have discovered these peanut butter sandwiches on my own. they are the size of miniburgers. one of their secrets, i believe, is putting the sugar in the filling and holding back on sweetness in the batter, which works in some nice peanut chunks and a few oats. there's much more complexity of flavor and texture here than the traditional peanut butter cookie. this is some cookie.

[JLK]

I am planning to try Breadline for the first time today after my [painless] dentist appointment nearby. I was eyeing the quesadilla until I read the comment above re: lack of cheese. Hmm...

Today's menu

[giant shrimp]

I am planning to try Breadline for the first time today after my [painless] dentist appointment nearby.  I was eyeing the quesadilla until I read the comment above re: lack of cheese.  Hmm...

Today's menu

but she says she did get more than her money's worth of hot guacamole. i am still trying to figure this place out myself. if there is any better bread in town, i would like to know about it.

[JLK]

I was really excited for my maiden voyage to Breadline. Blah, disappointed.

For some reason, I could not resist the call of guacamole and thus I got the quesadilla. My experience verifies the lack of cheese and I'm completely unimpressed with the guac itself which seems to feature three different kinds of onions - red, yellow and those green spring onions I see most frequently in Asian dishes. Huh?

The black beans have been messed around with too much - they've taken on the pasty consistency of re-refried beans. Blech.

The portion is huge and going to waste. Into the trash it goes.

I will attempt to console myself with the peanut butter cookie ($1.25).

[Capital Icebox]

One issue I have with breadline is the Cheesecake Factory-esque menu, with dozens of items from all sorts of traditions to choose from. Just today you have a Mexican Quesadilla, African Chicken sandwich, Italian Piadina, Empanadas, Falafael, and a seafood chowder on the menu. To me, this breadth of cuisine tends to work against Breadline, making the menu overwhelming (especially to the first-timer being pressured to order quickly) and resulting in less-than-stellar dishes themselves (I hear the empanadas are illustrative of this point). It's just not the place to go to for great guacamole (Where is, though? Oyamel, you have yet to excite me. Same goes for you, Pablano. I sense a new guac thread... ripening).

That said, at Breadline I tend to stick to choices where I know the bread is good (i.e. my current favorite, the BLT or anything on a baguette), the sandwich isn't something too exotic and usually buffer my order with one of the soups or fries and cookies. That way if the sandwich doesn't fully satisfy (though I've never been so satisfied I've thrown one away), you're covered.

[DC in DC]

I was at Breadline as well today. As I usually go on Fridays, and get the fish sandwich (which is awesome), I got to try something new today. After reading earlier raves about the tomatoes, I got the tomato, mozerella, pesto sandwich on a grain-y bread (can't remember exactly what it was). It had iceberg lettuce as well, which I hate and scraped it off. The sandwich was very tasty and fresh. Great pesto. The sandwich was messy (with the pesto and juicy tomatoes), but the excellent bread kept it all from soaking through.

The only sub-par sandwich I've had there is the chicken with goat cheese. The chicken was dry and flavorless and didn't mesh well with the hunks of cheese. (I liked the chicken guacomole sandwich OK, but I think the dryness of the chicken was overcome by the guac, and I probably wouldn't order it again). Other good sandwiches are anything with their cole slaw or remulade sauce (e.g. fish sandwich or soft shell crab sandwich).

Reading these posts makes me glad that I stick to my "usuals" and don't get tempted by the random sandwiches (e.g. the african chicken sandwich with plantains?).

[tenunda]

(e.g. the african chicken sandwich with plantains?).

It's seriously awesome. Try it.

[hillvalley]

I had my first ever BLT at Breadline today because during his chat Furstenburg mentioned that it was his favorite sandwich.

Despite the fact that half the sandwich was a bit soggy and I was hoping for tomatoes that were a little bit better I now understand why people love BLT's. That is an excellent sandwich, crunchy salty bacon with tender tomatoes. They add some kind of mayonnaise slaw thing that I liked but could have done without.

This place is going to be a great incentive to get out of the building during lunch when it starts getting cold and the kids get nutty

[giant shrimp]

sandwich cookie #2, the chocolate mascarpone, will appeal to the cookie monster in everyone, but is a runner up to the more nutritious peanut butter version. Moist, crumbly and chocolate chunky, the cookie uses the cheese more to hold itself together than anything else; the mascarpone would have to be slathered on more thickly to hold its own against the chocolate, though its best attributes are not entirely lost.

in the battle of the sandwiches, the blt and toast tite were running neck and neck when we tasted them recently. the former really brings home the bacon, mayonnaised on one side, with good tomatoes that will be on their way out by the time the squirrels are gathering their acorns. cut on the diagonal, the ends of the sandwich are a bit floppy and the ingredients tend to hop around. does not toasting the bread for the sake of keeping the lines moving deprive this variation of classic stature? i don't know, but was fouled recently at home for the same purported infraction, as well as reaching too high with the variety of lettuce.

there are differences between the toast tite and the one grilled cheese i sampled weeks ago, but i'm unsure of exactly what they are so can't say why i prefer the toast tite, with tomato. they are both on the same fluffy bread. was there some emulsion going on to moisten things up in the toast tite, and a tang of bluish cheese amalgamation that's was missing in my earlier sandwich? technically speaking, this is not a toast tite from your youth, if you have lived that long. i still have the utensil to make them buried in a cabinet someplace. the bread is crimped by the round tool, sealing cheese wiz and butter inside the bread, and toasted over an open frame. you end up with a thick saucer with a hot ooze that will take off the top of your mouth when the contents are released. this is not what they are serving at breadline.

the water with orange peels and other things was fine, but the infusion provided only a hint of flavor so i still don't understand what all the excitement was about.

the french fries were a success. after saving boudu from drowning, i would recommend that he visit this establishment daily to fill up on them as a worthy investment of his alms. (a bit of nostalgia: that son of a sausage maker, michel simon, once deplored the demise of a reliable technique for indicating the ripeness of le fromage -- worms.)

again, our visit to breadline was late, when the operation was winding down, which seems to be a good time here.

[Yentruoc]

I went with some former Foggy Bottom coworkers on Monday- something I haven't seen much mention of here is the salads.

I don't normally like lentils, but the lentil salad option over mixed greens is really good here. And you get one of those wonderful rolls to go with it.

The proscuitto sandwich used to be a favorite of mine when the Bread Line was in my neighborhood- I got one to go to eat later. It was different than I remember, but still good. The fig jam almost seemed more like a chutney to me, and the mascarpone was really much more gorgonzola-ey (I don't remember seeing any description of it being anything other than normal mascarpone). As for the comment in the previous post- yes, it's not a big sandwich ala Carnegie Deli, but for me, it works. I felt that there was enough proscuitto on it.

I was there around 12 and the lines were manageable, but when we left at 1 the place was a mob scene. Not that that should deter anyone.

[Demetrius]

Am relatively new to Washington,DC and been hearing comments about how good Breadline is. Can anyone suggest what to order? Thank you.

[AlliK]

I haven't had it, but lots of people seem to like their Cuban sandwiches (a Thurs. special). I'm partial to the soups, the salami-arugula-roasted peppers on baguette sandwich, the turkey sandwich (if you're eating it right away), and the sandwich-style cookies (peanutbutter or chocolate/marscapone).

[LolaDC]

I'm a huge fan of the falafel. It's massive, and absolutely delicious.

Edited October 6, 2005 by LolaDC

[Capital Icebox]

If they still have the BLT, go for it.

[shogun]

Awesome lunch at Breadline today, by way of a sandwich I had not previously seen on the menu: Merguez sausage on brioche topped with Tunisian salad. I'm not entirely sure of what Tunisian Salad generally comprises, but approximately every foodstuff in the world was represented on top of my juicy grilled merguez this afternoon: carrots, potato, pepper, celery, chopped boiled egg, olives, and other, smaller sandwiches, and at least two kinds of cherry tomatoes, and probably some other stuff I can't recall or perhaps didn't notice in the overall topping. All in a zippy, possibily vinegar-based sauce. The only problem was that between the large size of these items, and the way they split their hot-dog buns in half, most of the toppings would fall out of the bun. Fortunately, these became good accompanyment to the side of fries that comes with the sandwich. Look for this one on Thursdays, assuming it is part of the regular rotation.

[lackadaisi]

Breadline is no longer open on Saturdays. It seems that they discontinued this a couple months ago. Too bad. I walked all the way there for lunch and was terribly disappointed by this. Bummer!

[shogun]

Waiter, there's a moderate ammount of flavorful liquid in my Cup Of Turkey, Noodles, and Veggies. Fortunately, it is delicious.

Man, I need to pay more attention to these soups!

Though the noodles are pretty overdone

[mame11]

Waiter, there's a moderate ammount of flavorful liquid in my Cup Of Turkey, Noodles, and Veggies.  Fortunately, it is delicious.

Man, I need to pay more attention to these soups!

Though the noodles are pretty overdone

So why is the soup delicious if the noodles are overdone? This is what kills me about Breadline... nothing is consistent, not even in the same dish.

[shogun]

So why is the soup delicious if the noodles are overdone?  This is what kills me about Breadline... nothing is consistent, not even in the same dish.

They were a little overdone. They didn't taste bad. The soup was fine.

[Cooter]

Had lunch with the wife here yesterday as she is lucky to work a couple blocks away. I had a roast turkey sandwich with russian dressing which was fantastic. The lady got the burrito special, though, which was absolutely terrible. I know that I'm spoiled for mexican food after living in California for 10 years, but this tasted like it came out of the freezer case at Safeway. Does anyone enjoy the burrito here?

Almost forgot, the french fries were awesome. And at only $1.95, quite a bargain.

[shogun]

Had lunch with the wife here yesterday as she is lucky to work a couple blocks away.  I had a roast turkey sandwich with russian dressing which was fantastic.  The lady got the burrito special, though, which was absolutely terrible.  I know that I'm spoiled for mexican food after living in California for 10 years, but this tasted like it came out of the freezer case at Safeway.  Does anyone enjoy the burrito here?

Almost forgot, the french fries were awesome.  And at only $1.95, quite a bargain.

Never had it, but I'm in no hurry. Whole 'burrito in a sandwich joint' thing. There are a dozen more plausable things to eat there on any given day. Thanks for taking one for the team, though....don't recall the burrito getting a mention here before

You're right about the fries. Where else are you going to get that many fries, of that delicious nature, for $1.95?

[shogun]

Poor Breadline.....

Looks like they've got a new sandwich going. Not sure how new, because I haven't been on Monday in a while. A 'Monte Cristo'. Turkey, bacon, and Grafton cheddar. I'll have to check with the ISO, but it's not fried (it's panini-pressed) so I'm not sure if it's taxonomically a 'Monte Cristo'. It's good, though. Even if through some oversight mine has but a square inch or so of bacon. (Edited to add: Yes, baconlessness greatly distracts from 'it's good', but...with a full complement of bacon it would be awesome)

So then I get to the beverage cooler. It seems as though all of the cool soda (and beer and wine, but not the homemade waters and juices) has through some certainly nefarious action been replaced with Coke products. Hopefully this is simply a case of a mis-directed delivery, and not something like an austerity measure or bending to the will of the be-fannypacked brigade. There WAS still Cricket, so maybe it was due for Potbelly. I don't know.

Edited January 23, 2006 by shogun

[brr]

I had a great Italian sausage sambo there about 2 weeks ago.....was a tough call as they also had a Niman Ranch all-beef hotdog w/ fries on special that day that looked great

[tenunda]

I also noticed that the beverage selection had degraded. They had a bunch of homemade juices (beet/orange, carrot/something, etc). I usually get a Cricket too, but had to grab a lemonade today.

Anyway, what I'm really writing about is the Oyster Po' Boy. Oh. My. God. It is SO good. It has some fantastic slaw (with some pickled cabbage!), a great relishy creamy sauce, and a TON of corn-meal fried oysters. The bread was fanastic as well, none of that cut your mouth kind, but a big, soft, roll that softly cradles the fried to order oysters. I hope its an every-Thursday thing, because it changed my whole day.

Oh, and the saffron tomato soup was good, too.

[DC in DC]

I also noticed that the beverage selection had degraded.  They had a bunch of homemade juices (beet/orange, carrot/something, etc).  I usually get a Cricket too, but had to grab a lemonade today.

Anyway, what I'm really writing about is the Oyster Po' Boy.  Oh. My. God.  It is SO good.  It has some fantastic slaw (with some pickled cabbage!),  a great relishy creamy sauce, and a TON of corn-meal fried oysters.  The bread was fanastic as well, none of that cut your mouth kind, but a big, soft, roll that softly cradles the fried to order oysters.  I hope its an every-Thursday thing, because it changed my whole day. 

Oh, and the saffron tomato soup was good, too.

OMB the Po'Boy is back on Thursdays? I will HAVE to go next week.

[hillvalley]

I got there early so I wouldn't have to wait in line for my po boy. Came back to work and was cursed by staff and students alike because it looked so good. It tasted even better. Tenunda summed it up so I won't bother repeating.

But if you are having a Terrible Thursday and need something to get you through to Fist Fight Friday, go get a po boy.

[shogun]

But if you are having a Terrible Thursday and need something to get you through to Fist Fight Friday, go get a po boy.

But but...Cuban Sandwich day!

Be there in about an hour!

[DonRocks]

Now before you guys become crestfallen, I've sifted through all of this, and I believe the sum total of news is going to be a net positive to the Washington, DC area. I heard from Mark Furstenburg today:

    The BreadLine has been bought by La Brioche Doree, a large French company owned by a single passionate, unique character, Louis LeDuff.  Its US operations are headed by Jean Pierre Lombard, former president of Vie de France. 

    They intend to change nothing at The BreadLine -- no staff, no recipes, no ingredients.  The Coke machine was a mistake and was never installed.  I realize that it was a big mistake because it was so visible; but it was removed.  (There is Coke in the case now but many people believe that I was excessive in not allowing it at The BreadLine.  I really do feel very strongly about empty calories, processed foods, and useless sugar.)

    La Brioche Doree is going to expand in Washington.  They have leased space at 18th and M.  They are going to lease other spaces.  I am going to help them expand.  I am going to develop foods for their menu and their menu will include many of the foods of The BreadLine.  I am also going to be responsible for the quality of the bread.

And there was also one more quoted paragraph I needed to delete which is great news, but alas, it's too soon to divulge the information....

Cheers,

Rocks

[B.A.R.]

hmmm...the Cuban sandwich and Po' boy still kick ass, so I'm not upset. Unless, of course, this cancels our tour?!

Edited February 10, 2006 by B.A.R.

[JPW]

Another ****tease by the master.

Off to join the panic buying at the grocery store. Toodles all!

[shogun]

heh, when did I sent that PM? I swear I figured it out on my own!