Plant-Based Goodness at Postmodern Foods

In the land where Lululemon and Lily reign supreme, Washingtonians know Georgetown can be painfully lacking when it comes to dining options (aside from bright spots such as Baked and Wired, Chaia, Simit + Smith and Chez Billy). Although absolutely beautiful, the chains and tourists roaming M street cause distractions to abound and lead locals to quicken their pace out of the neighborhood. This is precisely how Postmodern Foods, an organic food and drink company, can easily be missed by the unobservant.

Which is a shame, because it’s a true Georgetown gem.

Tucked inside a rowhouse just off of the corner of 30th and M, Postmodern appears to be a small room with a cold-pressed juice-filled refrigerator – a common sight around D.C. However, after stepping inside, you’ll see it’s an airy, relaxing space flooded with natural light, good music and artwork featuring the heart and soul of its business – plant-based foods.

We were invited to Postmodern Foods after our exclusive cocktail preview with Torrence Swain and team at Bourbon Steak. It was Postmodern’s raw turmeric juice that provided the yellow-orange hue in the “Beet You to the Punch” cocktail, Swain’s fun way of healthifying his booze with summer produce. After learning all about Postmodern, it’s no surprise Swain chose their products to add nutrients to his drinks – everything produced by this company is organic, vegan, gluten-free and nutrient-dense. In fact, founder Denise Hicks, a Washington native and UVA alumna, attended America’s only accredited “health supportive” culinary school, the Natural Gourmet Institute in Manhattan.

After revamping her lifestyle to confront stress-induced illnesses she developed in Los Angeles, Denise committed to sharing her important discovery with others – the physical, and mental, changes that accompany eating well. The idea behind Postmodern Foods is “postmodernism” itself, which challenges convention. In this company’s case, Hicks wants diners to challenge conventional food consumption by thinking critically about what goes into their dishes.

We discussed all of this and more with members of Denise’s team over an array of food and juice samples. The turmeric juice was already a winner after we sampled it at Bourbon Steak (granted, with a little kick from Canadian beet spirits), but other great offerings include the Watermelon Matcha (with pink Himalayan salt and vanilla bean), Sweet Potato Pear and Raw Sunny Squash. The menu closely reflects what’s currently in season and changes often, almost weekly, depending on what’s ripe for the picking…and juicing.

What may have impressed us more than the unique juice menu, however, was the delicious house-made food. The healthified pad Thai with spicy almond sauce had stunning flavor and none of the guilt that accompanies a regular Thai binge. For a sweet snack, the raw donut holes made with soaked almonds and cashews can satisfy cravings without blowing a diet.

“We aren’t approaching the business as a trend,” says founder Denise Hicks. “I attended culinary school. So, there’s a real chef designing our menu and putting constant thought into how best to serve our customers.”

Ultimately, Postmodern is the place to go when diners want to be social, but conscious; get full, but feel good – which doesn’t often happen at foodie hotspots the Hungry Lobbyist team is all too guilty of frequenting. It’s a place where flavor and wellness happily coincide, and where patrons can enjoy a cold juice, fresh meal, wi-fi and a sense of community. Whether you’re a vegan looking for options, or a carnivore looking to detox, it’s time you paid a visit to Postmodern Foods.

To learn more about Postmodern Foods, visit their website, like them on Facebook and follow them on Instagram and Twitter.