The decor is common to most new (smallish) restaurants nowadays, what might be termed "Hipster Authentic". There are stools along the front window and up against the diner-style open kitchen area. Rustic, wooden benches or pews provide seating. Large Communist stars adorn the brick walls and bare lightbulbs hang from the ceiling.
They offer typical lunch/brunch fares including Eggs Benedict and Cubano sandwiches. I opt for tangerine juice ($3.75), a small French Onion soup ($3), and The Ploughman's Lunch ($12) - a platter of meat and cheese. I don't recall ever drinking tangerine juice and now I know why it's not popular: it tastes like watered down orange juice. The soup disappoints: instead of gooey cheese and thick bread, it was a thin layer of cheese melted over crusty bread.
The main is much better. Today we have a rabbit and pork terrine (stuffed with nuts) with a selection of pickles, a mild cheddar, and Asian pear. The terrine is leaner and lacks that strong, fatty tone of pork terrine. It goes well with the pickles: spicy cauliflower, sweet relish-like green peppers, and super tart pickled berries. When I mentioned that the cheddar was simply too mild for my taste, I received an additional thin slice of blue cheese. This hits the spot, adding a rich, earthy contrast to the meat and condiments.
A nice addition to the neighbourhood, The Federal Reserve fills up quickly after 12. You'll be waiting in line for week-end brunches if you show up fashionably late here.
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