Lunch Bunch at Normandie Farm

Today I went with my Navy wives friends to our monthly "Lunch Bunch" outing. As implied, every month on the last Tuesday of the month, our group leader Betty picks a restaurant in VA, MD or D.C. that she may have either read about in the newspaper, gotten a recommendation from someone, looked good in the Zagat ratings or a place that may have just opened up and she makes reservations for us. There's usually between 10-15 ladies and they're a lot of fun. Navy wives always are, aren't they?   *wink*

This month we went to Normandie Farm in Potomac Maryland (an hour drive - thank you Debbie for driving!). The restaurant has such an interesting history. This is straight from their website: The land where Normandie Farm Restaurant is located was originally the "Myers Farm." A country club was under construction on the site in the late 1920's but work was halted due to economic conditions of the time and the bank foreclosed on the project. In the spring of 1931, Marjory Hendricks, returning from cooking school in Normandy, France, passed by the property one afternoon and noticed a sign reading "For sale by mortgage holders." Within 45 minutes she had negotiated the purchase of what is known to this day as Normandie Farm Restaurant.

I took this pic just as they opened at 11:30 and they seated us (see our group at that round table?) right away. After noon, the place really filled up.

 If I had thought to take a picture of the walls when we first walked in, they were lined with photographs from 1931 and throughout history and to be honest, the only thing that has changed is that they've updated the tables/furniture over the years, but they have left the original Pensylvania Dutch decor and feel of the restaurant in tact. It's so friendly and warm!


And very upscale. I don't know what I expected. Well....Yes, I did. The place is called "Farm" so naturally I expected to order chicken dumpling soup and a huge slice of apple pie, yum!  No! We were given a wine list & a beautiful menu which included filet tips with mushrooms and sundried tomatoes (that's what I ate), stuffed cod with crab imperial, shrimp with roasted beets, escargot, chicken waldorf salad....and other delicious choices, including eggs benadict. Go figure. I was really taken aback. In a good way. They even serve an elegant afternoon tea! I have some ideas brewing...

Normadie Farm's claim to fame is their "popovers." We each got one (those golden brown, crispy delacacies on our bread plates). Mine looked like a pig head and Nani's looked like a duck. Sorry. It's the way my mind works. Anyway, they were served with butter and fresh blackberry jam. The popovers were a huge hit at our table.


The whole place was decorated for Christmas and felt wonderfully festive.


"NOSC Lunch Bunch" I took the photo so I'm not in it and that's okay by me! Normandie Farm is definitely a place I will return to with Johnny while they are decorated for the Holidays.  

Shelly just emailed this pic to all of us taken at the table. You'd think I could've taken off my scarf and stayed awhile. Although it IS a great way to hid a double chin. Wish I could get away with this look in July.

My diet starts tomorrow  ;o) Or the next day....