Francis “Fritz” Brogan, the co-owner of Kitchen2404 in Glover Park, is a tall, imposing guy who is never one to sit still. He’s also a Hoya, having graduated from the College in 2007. Kitchen2404 is one of two restaurants Brogan owns (the other is the Gin & Tonic Tavern located next door). If you’ve got a hankering for some Southern comfort food just like mom used to make—if mom were professional chef, that is—then Kitchen2404 is the place for you.
Brogan worked as a bartender during his undergraduate years, so owning a restaurant came quite naturally.
“I loved talking to people, hearing their stories, and interacting with them,” he explained.
Brogan brings that same friendly quality to Kitchen2404.
“Brandon’s the kind of friendly chef who walks around the restaurant, talks to the customers, and is passionate about what he does,” Brogan said in reference to Brandon Williams, the restaurant’s Executive Chef.
The Kitchen2404 menu is full of traditional Southern comfort food and home cooking, dishing out meat loaf, pork chops, chicken-fried steak, burgers, and sandwiches.
“I’ve always been a huge fan of Southern food,” Brogan said. “It’s the kind of stuff your parents made for you, and I missed that home cooking at college.”
Brogan and Williams both recommended the fried pickles to start.
“We’ve never been afraid to fry anything,” Brogan explained.
Though I was dreading the worst—why would anyone fry a pickle?—I was pleasantly surprised by the five large, crunchy dill pickle wedges which adorned my plate, each covered in a tasty breading. I ordered a distinctly southern combination for my entrée—Fried Chicken-N-Waffles. The waffle was cooked to perfection—crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
“But everyone can make a waffle,” Williams pointed out. “It’s the fried chicken recipe that’s important.”
Luckily, the chicken delivered. The breading was crispy and well seasoned, and the meat inside was juicy and had me licking my fingers. It was neither too greasy nor too salty, but flavorful and hearty. Thankfully, I had enough room left for dessert.
While Kitchen2404 offers the old standbys like pie and cobbler, the fried Twinkies piqued my interest.
“We’re probably the only restaurant in D.C. or even the country that serves them,” Brogan bragged.
I was soon presented with a plate of two plump, powdered sugar-topped fried Twinkies. As I cut into the first, molten white Twinkie cream oozed out of its pores. This dessert probably represents everything that’s wrong with modern American food culture, but it was warm and sweet, and didn’t taste too much like cheap carnival food. The tartness of the accompanying raspberry sauce pleasantly offset the super-sweetness of the Twinkies.
Brogan, who is currently studying at Georgetown Law School hopes to one day enter politics, his self-described first love. Until then, he’s doing just fine in the restaurant business. Kitchen2404 is the perfect destination for those craving an affordable and hearty home-style brunch, lunch, or dinner—or anyone jonesin’ for an entirely fried three-course meal.
Kitchen2404 is located at 2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Anthem in Boston has been making fried twinkies for years… Kitchen is hardly the first.