DanCole42 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 First time at Breadline today. I didn't think places like this existed! I spent all week drooling over their website/blog, trying to decide what day I wanted to go. I ended up settling for Thursday and the foie gras sandwich on brioche. $15 may seem like a lot to pay for a lunch sandwich, but it was by far the most foie I've ever had in a single sitting: the sandwich was LOADED! It also marks the first time I've ever stood in line and paid at a cash register for foie. It was bizarre, really, seeing throngs of office drones ordering foie gras sandwiches like they were Big Macs. Anyway - everything about it was awesome, although the foie itself was woefully lacking in (of all things) salt. My friend's Cuban sandwich played host to what must be homebrined pickles - they were very pickly and delicious. The bread roll she got with her soup was moist on the inside and delightfully crumbly on the outside (without being hard and sharp!). Even the butter they have in the case was great. I'm definitely making this a regular lunch spot (only four block away!). PS - Try the chocolate and mascarpone cookies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 A Lamb Piadine with Harrissa Hot Sauce and Taboulleh ($9 after tax) leaves me ambivalent. The lamb is pretty tasty, and fairly plentiful (it better be, for a $9 sandwich), but the harissa is a bit overpowering, and as a result, the taboulleh adds almost nothing, except a mess on my desk. It's certainly not a bad sandwich, but I know it can be done better, and thus I am disappointed. Breadline continues to be an occasional trip. It's only 4 blocks from the office, but those are a long 4 blocks when there are more consistently awesome places closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenlover Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Breadline continues to be an occasional trip. It's only 4 blocks from the office, but those are a long 4 blocks when there are more consistently awesome places closer. What are the consistently awesomer places (aside from Greek Deli)? I work in the area and would like to know if I'm missing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edenman Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 What are the consistently awesomer places (aside from Greek Deli)? I work in the area and would like to know if I'm missing something. See lunch link in my sig. Sort by rating, and view all. My go-to list recently has been: Greek Deli (whatever the special is) Naan & Beyond (veggie samosa, side of chicken biryani, chips) Nooshi call-ahead (singapore noodles mostly) Washington Deli (pizza) Casey's Coffee (a newer entry into my rotation: a pretty good unassuming sandwich joint) Also, maybe I was a bit strong in wording it "more consistently awesome". Should be "more consistently very good". Breadline, in my relatively limited experience, has very noticable dips into "not very good" territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCole42 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Had a second lunch at Breadline, this time it was a croque monsieur. As with last time, the bread was excellent. UNLIKE last time, the sandwich as a whole was horrible. The ham was greasy, the cheese sparse, and I couldn't even taste any of it because the bechamel was, well, it tasted like someone had tossed flour in a bowl of cold milk and gave it a whisk (which I wouldn't have been surprised to find was what they actually did). It was floury, gritty, and pasty. If I'm going to eat one of the least healthy sandwiches on the planet, it had damn well better taste like the least healthy sandwich on the planet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPop Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 $2.00 worth of ham + $0.50 worth of cheese + $0.25 worth of bread + $0.01 worth of butter = $9 (with tax)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMIX Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Baffetto at 2005 18th street in Adams Morgan (18th & U area) makes one of the best sandwiches I have ever had (the traditional). They have great ingredients and they toast them in the oven a bit too. Been to Breadline once and It was not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 $2.00 worth of ham + $0.50 worth of cheese + $0.25 worth of bread + $0.01 worth of butter = $9 (with tax)? That's a whole lot of a better deal than a $48 Flat Iron ($7-$8/lb cleaned, 8-12 ounce portion), duck egg or not. Actually, a planned 28% food cost is in line with industry standards and what some chefs need to maintain in order to keep their jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPop Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 That's a whole lot of a better deal than a $48 Flat Iron ($7-$8/lb cleaned, 8-12 ounce portion), duck egg or not.Actually, a planned 28% food cost is in line with industry standards and what some chefs need to maintain in order to keep their jobs. No one is arguing that, but I don't see how Breadline being a better deal than Morton's or BLT doesn't still make it too expenisve. Don't get me wrong, I really don't have a huge problem paying $10 for a sandwich if I'm receiving a) a giant portion (the one I got today was not) or b ) truly superior ingredients (the ones I had today, while good, were not particularly notable). It's funny that you would point this out because if I go to Breadline and get a ham and cheese ($8.20), a small bowl of soup ($4.75), and a drink ($2.00), I wind up paying a few dollars less than I would if I went to RTS and got a hangar steak, mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach. Am I that ignorant when it comes to food costs or are his pretty damn inflated (or are yours that deflated)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedE Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 The softshells are back!! It's a sure sign of spring. Crab itself was nice and meaty, perfectly fried, but I just don't dig the brioche there. A little too crumbly. Fries were pretty much terrible: mushy and bland. That's the first time I've experienced that at BL. Looks like the latest bad news on this year's harvest is trickling down the supply chain. This little delight was a splurge at $14.45 Waiting to see when CFFolks starts getting them in; I've always preferred the preparation there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acevedo81 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I agree about the Brioche there. I always substitute for ciabatta when possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodeats Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 First time at Breadline and had the chicken and goat cheese sandwich. It's a big sandwich for me for $7.55 and at least for me, can easily split this into 2 meals. Whereas (sorry for the bad comparison), I can't do that for a Cosi sandwich or a plain bread deli sandwich for about or around the same price. I find it funny how over-analytical we can get about a sandwich here. Was not keen about the tomato-onion spread on the bottom, but thought the bread was good and chewy/crunchy. The chicken was a bit on the bland side, but that is how I prefer my chicken breast on sandwiches to taste. Wish there was a tad more goat cheese smeared on, but that's ok -- the goat cheese flavor comes through. I just don't dig the contrast of goat cheese + tomato-onion together (even though I do like a salsa-neufchatel dip for my tortilla chips). ETA: Second DanCole42 on the Chocolate-Marscapone cookie. It's turning my Garfield Monday around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 As an FYI, Breadline added tomatoes to the menu for the summer about a week or so ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Tomato heaven: BLT and cup of Gazpacho. Almost $15, and too much food, but worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 In what I view as one of the biggest restaurant stories of 2008, Breadline is discontinuing all wholesale operations as of today. Their ciabatta was about the last decent option available to restaurants in this area. Why, oh why, doesn't a maverick baker set up shop in a piece of cheap real estate, buy a couple of trucks, and distribute a decent product? Washington, DC will never be - and should never be - considered a world-class food town until it has better bread. Cheers, Rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmmboy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 In what I view as one of the biggest restaurant stories of 2008, Breadline is discontinuing all wholesale operations as of today. Their ciabatta was about the last decent option available to restaurants in this area. I have to mildly dissent Rocks. I think the bread from Panorama Bakery in Alexandria (served at Central, among other places) is excellent. Also, I love the Pain de Campagne sold at Whole Foods - it is par baked locally (can't remember the name of the bakery, though I can dig it up if someone wants to know) and finished off at the market locations. I'm not sure if any local restaurant is using it. Interestingly, Whole Foods has, to my taste, the best bialys in the DC area. Mind you, they are not going to make you forget Kosar's on Grand St. in Gotham, but they are far better than the pathetic discs normally seen in these parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeHoya Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 In what I view as one of the biggest restaurant stories of 2008, Breadline is discontinuing all wholesale operations as of today. Their ciabatta was about the last decent option available to restaurants in this area. Why, oh why, doesn't a maverick baker set up shop in a piece of cheap real estate, buy a couple of trucks, and distribute a decent product? Washington, DC will never be - and should never be - considered a world-class food town until it has better bread. Cheers, Rocks. Forgive my ignorance if this has already been discussed and dismissed, but I did a quick search and didn't see any references to Catania Bakery on North Capitol. Have you tried their breads fresh from the shop on a Saturday morning? I know they're the bakery that supplies A. Litteri, but I'm not sure who else they sell to. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giant shrimp Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I have to mildly dissent Rocks. I think the bread from Panorama Bakery in Alexandria (served at Central, among other places) is excellent. Also, I love the Pain de Campagne sold at Whole Foods - it is par baked locally (can't remember the name of the bakery, though I can dig it up if someone wants to know) and finished off at the market locations. I'm not sure if any local restaurant is using it. don't even recall seeing the pain de campagne lately at the p street whole foods, but i sure wasn't looking for it, either. it may be a step up from their other loaves, primarily in flavor, but i don't think a restaurant should be serving it. slicing it can be perilous when it's too soft, as i have frequently found it, and not that much better than the texture of wonderbread. the bread tells you something when you can roll the dough up into carp fishing balls. the one time i tried it, buck's fishing and camping home-made bread from the comet pizza oven would have been well worth eating, except that it was woefully oversalted. i assume they were able to get that problem under control fairly easily, but i'm not certain if it's even still available. the last few times we have eaten at buck's were sunday nights, when they resort to stale bread from marvelous market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCole42 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 American Flatbread now makes their loaves available for purchase. $4.00 for a decently sized round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 American Flatbread now makes their loaves available for purchase. $4.00 for a decently sized round. Too bad it is in the hinterlands... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmmboy Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Forgive my ignorance if this has already been discussed and dismissed, but I did a quick search and didn't see any references to Catania Bakery on North Capitol. Have you tried their breads fresh from the shop on a Saturday morning? I know they're the bakery that supplies A. Litteri, but I'm not sure who else they sell to.Mike If we're talking retail I've alwys liked the breads (particularly the seeded rye and challah) and rolls (especially the killer onion rolls) at Breads Unlimited in the Bradley Blvd shopping center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ Cooper Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 In what I view as one of the biggest restaurant stories of 2008, Breadline is discontinuing all wholesale operations as of today. Their ciabatta was about the last decent option available to restaurants in this area. Why, oh why, doesn't a maverick baker set up shop in a piece of cheap real estate, buy a couple of trucks, and distribute a decent product? Washington, DC will never be - and should never be - considered a world-class food town until it has better bread. Cheers, Rocks. GAS PRICE AND FLOUR PRICES!!!!!!!!!!! THATS WHY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbucher Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 GAS PRICE AND FLOUR PRICES!!!!!!!!!!!THATS WHY Dont forget rent! however panorama bread in va, is a great source of bread. you can get it at citronelle and central........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marketfan Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 We Farmers market are always looking for good bakers! And a new baker does not need a retail location to sell lots of bread in farmers markets. Dont forget rent! however panorama bread in va, is a great source of bread. you can get it at citronelle and central........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakerman Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Just wait.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeHoya Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Just wait.... Wow...I would have sworn this was a Landrum post. Waiting - but eager to hear more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walrus Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Just wait....-------------------- The guy that bakes the bread at Eve. AKA - Jr., Junebug, or Skinny Texas freak I'm on tenterhooks -- anything you have to say about bread is worth hearing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Just wait.... Talk about really good ciabatta bread. Bakerman, you rock! Will your breads be available somewhere else besides Grape + Bean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 It's difficult to express how bitter I am about the alleged bread I bought from Breadline today. Their bread went from brilliant to mediocre after Furstenburg left but today they moved from edible to crap. The two alleged ficelles I bought had all the charm and personality of a Safeway "French Bread Loaf." It was theft. It was a faked orgasm. It was an ex-girfriend who mortgaged her personality for a boob job. It wasn't fucking bread. Do not patronize these thieves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakerman Posted November 2, 2008 Share Posted November 2, 2008 Thank you finally someone on the same page as me. I salute you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synaesthesia Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Few days ago... me: Bastard. You're going to New Orleans. I want a po' boy. I am going to try the oyster po' boy at Breadline. jparrott: You should go to Acadiana. At least they have the bread. me: But Breadline is closer. Today... me: This bread sucks. WHAT is this? friend: <shrug> Yeah weird since it's called Breadline. me: Dried out, oddly textured. YICK. I need to go back to New Orleans. Oh well, the slaw is really onion and spicy. Kinda nice. Wish there was cocktail sauce, instead of just mayo. It reminds me of the Asian breads at the Asian bakeries, except not sweet, and maybe a day or two too old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I think I'm finally done. Was in the neighborhood a few minutes before 1, and the line was out the door. So I went to the side takeout counter, and grabbed a "French Madrange Ham & Swiss Baguette" to go. This had been my go-to sandwich in the past, especially when faced with the long line, because there's never a line at the side counter. But there was little worthwhile on this sandwich. The bread was ok - at least there was some snap to the crust, but the interior was dry dry dry. But the ham was no better than Boar's Head, the cheese had no taste at all, and the bread was swimming in butter. They've clearly gone down several notches in the quality of their supplies, so at $9/sandwich, no reason to go again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkS Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 I used to work around the corner and my go to was the fish soup with hot sauce. Amazing.... Makes me want to walk 7 block in the rain today!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruslev Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I went to Breadline to get a scone and there is a sign on the door that they were closed to make improvements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyssa Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I went to Breadline to get a scone and there is a sign on the door that they were closed to make improvements. So it's only temporary? That's good news. I heard on Twitter that they were just flat out closed, which worried me. Any news on what the improvements will be or when it will reopen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmmboy Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Michael Bichenall is reporting on facebook that Breadline is closing for good - considering the volume of business they do that is very hard to believe?? ANyone know something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyssa Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Michael Bichenall is reporting on facebook that Breadline is closing for good - considering the volume of business they do that is very hard to believe?? ANyone know something? Just tried calling and it rang for 2 minutes straight with no message and no pick up. I heard from Washingtonian on Twitter that they were closed for good as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 Really???????? Noooooo. I would have gone for one last chicken and goat cheese or sausage sandwich. Some things were hits, some things were misses (the awful poboy). But all in all I loved this place. It was the go-to at my old work. So sad, it couldn't be business. Business was always good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruslev Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 as a follow-up, a guy in my building next to the breadline said that there was some sort of inspection on Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 Just tried calling and it rang for 2 minutes straight with no message and no pick up. I heard from Washingtonian on Twitter that they were closed for good as well. Here's a piece that Washingtonian published online at 12:25 PM that seems to contradict their own tweet: click. Isn't new media FUN? It can create the illusion of urgency, even when nothing is urgent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) According to the Going Out Gurus Blog: "The Breadline, a simple lunch spot that had earned a place in Tom Sietsema's 2006 Dining Guide, is temporarily closed for health code violations...." --- [Edited to remove text of article (it's only fair that the Post gets the web traffic since they wrote the piece, so just click on the link). Cheers, Rocks.] Edited June 22, 2009 by DonRocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 From TC at Y&H Blog http://twitter.com/timcarman"timcarman: RT @bestbitesblog A phone call confirms it: breadline is closed. For good. 11:40 am on Monday, June 22" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarman Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 If you feel like reading all the ugly details, we have the full inspector's report available on the Young & Hungry blog. Warning: It's not pretty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy510 Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 If you feel like reading all the ugly details, we have the full inspector's report available on the Young & Hungry blog. Warning: It's not pretty. Um. Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Despite the situation in June, I ventured back to Breadline today with my parents in tow (visiting from Richmond). The bites of my Chicken Guacamole with guac on them (all of it seemed to be in the crease of the baguette) were delicious, but the bites without were a bit dry. The turkey on my mom's Turkey sandwich (with Russian dressing) were warm, moist and quite tasty. I think I preferred her ciabatta roll to my baguette since it was a bit softer and easier to bite off. Dad's Meatloaf sandwich (daily special) was good, but had more pepper flavor than I normally associate with meatloaf. The sandwich was ridiculously large (all of them were) and impossible to finish. I was excited to try the Ribollita soup since it was one of my absolute favorites when I studied abroad in Florence, but this one bore little resemblance to what I had in Tuscany. It was good, but had way more white beans, way fewer vegetables and far less bread than the thicker stew I thought I was ordering. Dad's french fries were excellent (I have never thought to order fries here, but this was a great version). All in all a very good and filling lunch. Can't wait to go back another day for the Spicy African Chicken and Cuban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al the Pal Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I use to frequent Breadline weekly but no longer work in the area. Stopped by today and had a Cuban sandwich. What a disappointment! It cost $9.50 and while still quite large was rather tasteless. There were large slabs of what seemed like mystery meat but I guess was pork. gone was the cumin flavor or any flavor for that matter. I remember I use to really like this sandwich and could make 2 meals out of it. Today's sandwich was large enough but not appetizing enough for 2 meals. did I just hit them on the wrong day or has this place gone downhill? Or could I just have an exaggerated memory of how good the Cuban sandwich use to be???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBooneJr Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 ...did I just hit them on the wrong day or has this place gone downhill? I had a very similar experience last week. I used to love this place but hadn't been in a while and was disappointed to return. They still make a decent sandwich, but I wouldn't go out of my way for anything there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkstar965 Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Has anyone been here in the past 8 months who can comment on the current state of affairs? Like so many others, I used to go regularly and loved the place years ago but haven't been back in a few years given the descent into 'big company operator-chain-cost control-over-quality-hell'. Is that unfair? Have they improved things? Or still to be avoided given other options? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genericeric Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Has anyone been here in the past 8 months who can comment on the current state of affairs? Like so many others, I used to go regularly and loved the place years ago but haven't been back in a few years given the descent into 'big company operator-chain-cost control-over-quality-hell'. Is that unfair? Have they improved things? Or still to be avoided given other options? Thanks! I go for lunch a few times a week - I can't compare to years past as I recently moved jobs to downtown from the hill, but it's still one of the better carry out lunch places in the area that I've found. The spicy chicken sandwich (special) with a peanut sauce and fried plantains is one of the better sandwiches I've had recently, and a lamb flatbread has a good balance of lamb flavor and spice. The softshell crab is a decent-sized softshell - I just find the sandwich to be overwhelming (too much fried+bread+creamy sauce) The soups often look more appealing than they taste... I've tried G Street foods a few times in the past month and find myself sticking with Breadline. It isn't something I'd drive across town for, but a reliable option when in the neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbucher Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I've come to fond out that Bruno Bertan (prior director of catering for Jean George ) is at the helm of Breadline now, even grinding the flour for their bread onsite. Hmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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