It’s important to note that I believe organic and conventional agriculture, backyard and rooftop gardens, and even herbs growing on the window sill all have a place in food production. I also believe that none of these “sides” in our food debate has all the right answers. How arrogant and short sighted to think that one way is the only way.
Good friends in D.C. asked if we wanted to try dinner at a place in Georgetown that their daughter had found for us online—Restaurant Nora, the first certified organic restaurant in America. Of course we would.
We checked out the menu online—mouth watering. The prices were in line with what one might expect for a nice place in that part of the world. Plus, this seemed like a heck of a good opportunity to continue exploring how America’s (and the world’s) food culture is evolving.
But back to dinner. We had to take a 5:45 reservation because nothing else was available until much later in the evening. (Owner Nora Pouillon must be doing something right.)
Nora herself was not in the house. Our knowledgeable waiter and the hostess were able to shed a little light on the restaurant’s philosophy. Perhaps it is best summed up in the statement at the top of their menu:
“America’s FIRST CERTIFIED ORGANIC Restaurant. We buy from certified organic farmers & producers who do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones or GMOs.”
Of course I was wondering just who certifies a restaurant as organic. It’s certainly not the USDA. The answer is a, “nonprofit research and education membership organization,“ Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. You can check out the certification application if you like.
As the lack of available reservations indicated, the place was packed. Most tables appeared to be in the three-course mode at minimum. While all that accompanied it was organic, my main course itself was not. The black cod was wild, something that can’t be certified for obvious reasons. Our meals, by the way, were excellent.
There are those who would argue deep into the night that the food at Restaurant Nora tastes better and is better for you. Many, of course, would scoff at such a notion. Regarding one thing, however, there is no doubt: There’s this little place on Florida Avenue in D.C. that has built a business on its beliefs. By all accounts it is thriving. God Bless America.
