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EmailThis is one in an occasional series about eating establishments in neighborhoods near Tufts’ three campuses. Have a suggestion for a place for our roving diners to explore? Email us at now@tufts.edu. You can also follow Dish on Foursquare.
I know, you’re thinking Foundry on Elm, who hasn’t been? Yet that’s exactly why it’s never a bad time to file a report. Already a fixture but not quite an institution, the place may soon be on the road to being taken for granted. It’s no secret that it’s not really about the food. A scan of the clientele conveys pretty much all you need to know: young and youngish professionals, Davis Square habitués and Somerville scenesters, the requisite contingent of Jumbos. It’s obvious that everyone is here to enjoy a night out in a congenial atmosphere.
The anodyne menu tells the rest of the story. Something for everyone, this thing could have been spit out by a phone app. At first glance, nothing much out of the ordinary—mussels, burger, calamari, flatbread pizza, cheese plate, salads and sandwiches. Fair enough, I say. No need for exotica. Just show me what you do well.
On closer inspection, the list of entrees the night we went seemed slightly tilted toward the sugary. That’s fine if you fancy fruit on your seafood. Mushroom risotto appeals, but we know you counted on spending those calories on the porky item. Perhaps not scallops with bacon—did I just stifle a yawn? And baby back ribs in this close proximity to Redbones elicit a bemused titter.
How to pick your way through a menu minefield? If seated at the bar, identify the most confident and stylish bartender. (His name is Patrick.) Order an adventurous cocktail, and you can subsequently get the lowdown on the best menu items. You’re welcome.
There is poutine here. I shouldn’t need to play my French-Canadian ancestry card, since this dish has been embraced by all the chowhounds and their restaurateur masters the past few years. The righteous combo of fries, cheese and gravy requires no special advocacy, only a proper appreciation of its magic. At Foundry on Elm, the spuds are enterprisingly nestled in a shallow dish, better to receive the sloppy blanket of cheddar and gravy (bacon, on this visit). Wisest to share; resistance is futile.
What else we tried: butternut squash bisque with ginger crème fraiche, rye croutons and an unbilled drizzle of basil-mint emulsion appeals to the eye as well as the palate. And linguine “White Clam”—their quotes, not mine—is cooked al dente with littleneck clams, shelled mussels, chiles, garlic and fresh oregano in a buttery sauce. This was done exceedingly well and tasted greater than the sum of its parts, if that’s conceivable. What we didn’t try: I’ll be back for the oysters, and the bartender-approved steak frites spied at a neighboring table looked eminently worthy of attention. Further explorations are clearly indicated.
I could wax enthusiastic about the cocktails, but that’s another story.
Foundry on Elm, 255 Elm St., Somerville; 617-628-9999. Lunch: Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sunday brunch, 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; dinner: Sun.–Wed., 5–10 p.m.; Thurs.–Sat., 5–11 p.m. More information, including menus, can be found here.
Fred Kalil can be reached at frederick.kalil@tufts.edu.
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