Fond

“Hidden away in a residential area near a post office and a convenience store, this French-American fusion gem is a true "find." It’s a cozy, BYOB establishment with limited seating, so reservations are a must. We visited as a party of four and had an excellent experience. What we ordered: For appetizers, there was foie gras, rich, buttery, and creamy duck liver; and a crab cake, which was fresh. Escargots ($17) & monkfish with risotto ($36): Both were standout dishes; the monkfish was fresh and served in a delicate white wine sauce and al dente rice. Celery Velouté ($14): A creamy, savory blend of celery, onions, and leeks in a rich beef broth. Radicchio Salad ($15): A bit too bitter for my personal taste, though well-balanced with sweet fruit, nuts, and creamy cheese. Seafood Pasta ($36): Very tender and fresh. Beef Stroganoff ($72): This was the priciest plate on the menu, but the portion was large enough for two to share. It was prepared traditionally with mushrooms, onions, and mustard over egg noodles. The service and the atmosphere were great. Overall, this is definitely a place we’ll return to!”

“Fond is such a gem. We have enjoyed several visits and the food is always delicious. I appreciate that they keep the menu small so they can deliver excellent quality from every dish they put out. We always love the seasonal butter and soup shot starter. The BYOB policy helps keep it a nice but not extravagant meal out. I would strongly recommend a visit to anyone.”

“Mainline Today recommended 10 new restaurants in the area so Evan and I tried brunch at Fond BYOB (Ginny was working). It was okay. Long way to drive for good, but not great food. Probably cannot tell how dinner would be from what we tried at brunch. My butternut squash soup was good, but pretty standard. Evan liked his onion soup as well. We both got the double smash burgers on a brioche bun. Pretty good. Ordered some roasted potatoes on the side. They were good. Service was very good. The restaurant is very small (cozy) and I could fully expect it to be very loud when fully occupied. Parking was a little tight. Pricey for brunch.”

“We were glad to hear that one of our favorite Philly restaurants was now reincarnated in nearby Wallingford. The menu at the new Fond is a somewhat confusing mishmash, maybe to appease diverse tastes. While ostensibly French, there are dishes, including a Hummus appetizer and Lamb Kofta that one can expect pretty much around any corner of a Turkish (or European) city. The couscous with the lamb dish was the Israeli version of small pasta balls, served cold under the two lamb patties. I was interested in the gnocchi with roasted mushrooms but a server's information that truffle oil (a chemical formula from the flavor industry) was used in that dish dissuaded us. Very enjoyable: excellent tuna crudo in coconut broth, the carefully composed Belgian Endive salad, and hummus with house made pita bread. Someone in the kitchen took the searing of the foie gras a little too far but the small piece of liver was delicious. The roasted shrimp came with more of the very good pita bread, the beef burgundy had a satisfying rich taste. The small apple tart reminded us why we loved the old Fond: a flaky, scrumptious crust encasing warm apples with dabs of caramel. Addictively good. We came on a night when the restaurant was full and the noise was deafening! A decibel meter showed high 80s throughout our meal, with occasional forays into the 90s when someone said something funny at the neighboring table. We shouted at each other across the table the entire meal. Some type of noise-reduction remedy should be installed right away for times when the restaurant is full.”

“Came here on a Thursday night and there were plenty of seats available. My party ordered the gnocchi, salmon and beef burgundy. The gnocci was ok, wish there were more than 10 pieces. Salmon was good, it did have a piece of hair in it but since the place just opened I decided not to cause a hassle and send it back. Beef was also good but it was so tiny. For dessert we got the Apple pie and chocolate cake. They were honestly, just ok. All the dishes were very small and left us still hungry. For the price Fond charges, you can get great French food in NYC. I’m a bit disappointed since I had high hopes. I think if they increase the portions and work on their presentation this place could be better.”