Foundry Kitchen and Tavern — Restaurant in Newtown

Like a total rookie, I waited until a few days prior to Mother's Day to start investigating brunch options. I don't recommend that approach. Thankfully, Foundry was more than willing to accommodate me, and my mom and I stopped by this past Sunday. The parking was super easy to locate/utilize - if there are no available spaces right by the building, there's a spacious lot a little further away. Unfortunately, it was pretty nippy/gloomy out, otherwise I would have tried to take advantage of the outdoor seating options overlooking the river. Regardless, the inside is pleasant as well, and we were seated in a dining room to the left of the entrance with lots of black and white pictures on the wall and tasteful wood paneling; several reviewers mentioned modern farmhouse vibes, and I second that sentiment. It was a little chaotic when we first came in and it took a few minutes to be seated. Not a big deal, and everyone we encountered was super nice and apologetic (which was unnecessary in my opinion but still a classy touch).

At my insistence, we split the short rib dumplings app ($15), and ended up both getting the same entree, the bread pudding French toast ($18). The dumplings were very flavorful, and I can see why they're so popular. Texture wise it was a little too crunchy for my palate - I think there were pickled onions or some type of crispy cabbage in there. One of the main reasons I enjoy dumplings (and its sibling the empanada) is because they contain a lot of scrumptious items that I normally wouldn't eat because of texture, but they're basically melded together within the shell or dumpling so it's not as noticeable. That's not the case here, and your mileage may vary on this.

I was a big fan of the bread pudding French toast, which is exactly what it sounds like. Great consistency, great taste, and the fruit compote/berries they used complemented the bread pudding well. It was super filling though, and I was pretty stuffed afterwards. My mom didn't finish hers, and I gladly took the leftovers and munched them on the way home. She also ordered the creme brulee ($10) for dessert (I thought it would be redundant to get dessert after the bread pudding) and enjoyed it. She was a little lukewarm on the fruit topping, which she didn't think meshed well with the rest of the dish, but I was able to use it for my bread pudding leftovers.

The service was pretty good though it did slip towards the end (we had to notify the busboy to get our waiter for the check). We also had a pleasant conversation with I think the manager or owner at one point, who helpfully refilled my water without being prompted. The hospitality aspect was strong.

Definitely a pleasant experience overall; the Asian-influenced menu is a unique twist for the area. I'd come back, especially to investigate the intriguing...

EDIT - hallelujah, rejoice, for once was dead has risen. The nachos have been restored to the former glory and the world is healing.

We are gathered here today—not out of hunger, but in reverence—for a dish that once brought us unspeakable joy. The Street Corn Nachos, formerly of The Foundry, have departed this earthly menu in spirit, if not in name. What remains is but a ghost, a shell of its former glory.

It wasn’t just food. It was a revelation. Charred sweet corn with the smoky kiss of the grill, lovingly tangled with crumbles of cotija cheese, cilantro so fresh it could redeem your worst day, and a drizzle—no, a benediction—of lime crema that brought the entire creation into transcendent harmony. It arrived not as an appetizer, but as a moment of clarity. Friends were silenced by its arrival. Conversations paused. We didn’t eat it; we communed with it.

But then, the chef—whose hands once blessed this masterpiece—sought change. Hubris disguised as innovation. The corn now canned, the crema cloying, the cotija replaced with something grated and anonymous. Chipotle aioli has made a violent entrance, uninvited and overconfident. What was once the delicate crunch of lightly salted tortilla chips has become a soggy battlefield, lost under an avalanche of excess.

We do not blame. Not entirely. The kitchen must evolve, we are told. But some things are not meant to change. Some dishes are temples, not test kitchens.

So let us not mourn what was lost, but celebrate what was: a dish that made strangers into allies and cynics into believers. To the Street Corn Nachos of old—we loved you well. We tasted perfection once, and we will carry that memory forever, one crisp, creamy, sweet-spiced bite at a time.

Rest in peace. Or, perhaps,...

What a nice establishment and one tbh I'm surprised it took me so long to visit being local to the area. First n foremost this will def not be my last time coming here as the food and ambiance were outstanding for a Sunday lunch. All the food ordered came out in a timely fashion and there were no grievances w/errors or any other such issues. Everyone loved their particular items and I was very pleased myself. My only gripes that hold me back from a 5star rating are merely of ny own personal accord as I felt the hummus starter plate which I found to be light and pleasant with a wonderful play in the olive/date tampanade and tabouli that accompanied my lone annoyance was that the two grilled flatbread that came with it were not nearly enough for a group to share (pita chips or mini naans?) And for my entree I picked the wonderful smoked brisket dip w/yucca fries. This sandwich was fantastic...it was rich and beefy with a nice smokiness to it that wasnt too assertive. The simplicity of it really defines this one because u just need a good swiss (which comes thru and adds richness and a nutty saltiness that cuts thru the smoke) the charred local onions have a strong sweet caramelized nite to them that just works and the briney pickles slice thru all those fatty flavors and breaks it up a bit all on a perfectly toasted baguette and u got a winner. Again my only issue is a personal one, being that its brisket (a fattier cut) I wished that the meat got a nice sear or grilled char to it to render down a lil bit of that fat and add a lil extra depth. But thats just me so dnt be discouraged from tryin this sexy beast its a spot I'll be frequenting...