Local is Better: From Northern Virginia to Dubai

Posted by Sally Traynham / Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

On weekends during spring, summer and fall, many Northern Virginians, myself included, flock to farmers markets in search of fresh, local produce. During winter we miss the abundance of fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits that are offered at these beloved stands.

This past week, I had the opportunity to travel to Dubai where I was able to quench my farmers market thirst by visiting a budding farmers market, the first of its kind in Dubai. The market takes place every Friday on a beautiful terrace of Souk Al Bahar and features fresh herbs, vegetables, hot peppers and fragrant spices along with prepared items, such as beautiful breads, kale chips, pastries, confections and an assortment of jams.

You might be thinking, “A farmer’s market in Dubai? Isn’t it mostly desert?”

While you are certainly true about the latter, you might be shocked (I know I was) that there are actually about 38,000 farms in the U.A.E. Many are located within Dubai, while others are rooted in neighboring cities like Abu Dhabi.

With today’s worldwide focus on local foods and reducing carbon footprints, this farmers market has the locals ecstatic. Why? Because many of the locals’ favorites, such as freshly squeezed juices, salads and pickled vegetables, feature fresh produce and fruits at their simplicity. With the market, they can now get these products at the peak of freshness from neighboring farms without a middleman. After experiencing many of these local delicacies first hand, I am not surprised by Dubai’s jump on the farmer’s market bandwagon.

One of my favorite things I tasted while in Dubai was a simple, tall glass of pomegranate juice. It was deep ruby in color and had the perfect balance of tart and sweet with a blaring freshness from being squeezed moments before.

As locals were showing me around, I had the opportunity to eat food that was truly authentic to that region. In Dubai every meal is a feast created from yogurt dips, hummus, pomegranate-dressed salads, fresh bread, fried lamb pieces, lentils, stewed okra, chicken and rice, tabbouleh and stuffed grape leaves. As the weather during this time of year is absolutely perfect, holding consistently around 75˚ with a slight breeze, everyone sits around for hours on end to enjoy the food and each other’s company.

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First Look at Renovated 2941: Battered Economy Led to Dismissal of Fancy French Restaurant

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

“The French isn’t going to die. It’s still me cooking,” Chef Bertrand Chemel says, defending his menu change at 2941. The Falls Church restaurant closed last year to renovate the kitchen and to rework the entire menu, turning from fancy French to upper-scale Mediterranean. Chemel expects 2941 to reopen next week.

“For about four years we tried to change the perception,” the French chef admits about his struggling high-end restaurant. “People come here for celebrations and at the end of it, their check was high and that was the only thing they remembered.”

The economy played a role in Chemel’s decision to temporarily shutter the restaurant, acknowledging that selling a tasting menu in this climate–and in Falls Church–wasn’t working any longer. But the dramatic act of closing also let him finally shift attitudes. “We tried to do so many different types of menus and different types of advertisements, but it never changed,” Chemel says, adding, “We do run a business and it shows over the years that the percentage of tasting menu we used to sell, to now, declined a lot.”

With his kitchen equipment starting to break about two years ago, and the battered economy impacting sales about a year ago, Chemel used the opportunity to campaign for his updated restaurant.

Although, the menu won’t reveal a complete change as Chemel has been showcasing pasta dishes for years. The new 2941 will unveil different types of pasta, including buckwheat and chickpea. Another shift stems from ingredients. Before the renovation, only 20 percent of 2941′s ingredients came from local sources. That number will now jump to 50-60 percent.

Local sourcing, however, doesn’t translate to local drinking. Chemel hasn’t warmed to Virginia wines. “It’s very hard to sell to a guest a Virginia wine that we [buy at] $40 a bottle, and after we do the mark-up, they can have another one that comes from California and the quality will be much better,” says Chemel.

Creativity still reigns in 2941′s blended Italian-Spanish-South of France-American restaurant.  ”If they like the dishes I used to make on the tasting menu, I think they will enjoy it as a la carte size or appetizer size,” says Chemel, noting he’ll transfer some of his tasting menu dishes to the standing menu. “What I think those people are looking [for] is to come to a beautiful place, but still to have the same quality food.”

But that doesn’t mean white tablecloths and what New Times food critic Melissa McCart terms, “dinner prison.” “People don’t want to stay two or three hours at the table,” Chemel observes, “and that’s the thing that changed from a long time ago.” Of course though, it will all circle back. “I think food is like cosmetics and clothing,” Chemel opines, ” it’s always going to come back.”

Chemel’s not too saddened about the change though,”I try to make myself happy to make my guests happy. I will still do fine dining, but in a more casual way [with] more friendly service, not surly service…” The native French-speaking chef then quickly chimes in, “I’m not sure about the exact wording.”

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Photos by Sally Traynham

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Have It Your Way, Now At Home: Burger King Tests Delivery Service in NoVA

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Can’t get your ass to the drive-thru? No worries. Burger King recently started delivery service in Virginia and Maryland and will expand to 16 delivery-starting points by January 23rd.

Check back next week as NoVA Mag HQ will attempt an order from the Centreville location. Unfortunately, it won’t be all our way: BK refuses to cart fountain drinks, milkshakes, coffee and breakfast foods.

And if you’ve ordered already, we’d love to hear from you. Tweet us a pic @NorthernVAMagazine or email the food desk.

Burger King tests out delivery service in Virginia, Maryland [Washington Post]
BK Delivers [BK]

Screen shot from BK

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Perplexed: Why Are Eggs Banished to Weekends?

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Eggs. Runny. Threaded with saffron. A slip of prosciutto. Why is this beauty only offered on weekends? Why do we banish eggs to Saturday and Sunday? Why? Why? Why?

Photo by Stefanie Gans

Hungry for Linkage: Chicken Farming, Murder Mystery Dinner and Pork Belly Dancer

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, January 11th, 2012

Should backyard chicken raising be allowed in Arlington? Reserve your spot at the meeting tonight at Marymount University. [Committee of 100 via ARLNow.com]

Make the terrible, kind of sexist, menu items go away. New food truck Hot People Food list “bikini beef,” “pork belly dancer” and “golDDen egg” as viable lunch options. Barf. [Hot People Food]

Elevation Burger closes. Partying ensues. [Clarendon Culture]

Need to bring a little drama into your life? Join a murder mystery dinner by  City Square Cafe and Three Fox Vineyards. [CSC]

California Tortilla promotes veggies this month. Tell the cashier “Veg Me” and they’ll sub out the meat for a mix of  corn, red onions, zucchini and bell peppers. For every meatless item sold, Cal Tort will donate 50 cents to local food banks. [Cal Tort]

After your vegetable fill, join the carnivores at Meat Week. Yup, Meat Week, with stops in DC and NoVA. [Meat Week]

Enjoy draft beer from your own fridge by filling up a growler at these local bars and breweries. [MtVernonPatch]

Another chain restaurant in Ballston. [ARLnow.com]

NoVA Mag Dining Intern Wanted, Yo. [CL]

Photo by Stefanie Gans, vegetable don at Yoko Sushi

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A Girl Can’t Eat With One Mouth Alone: Dining Intern Wanted

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

The Food Desk at Northern Virginia Magazine is looking for a dining intern for the winter session. We want a writer, an eater and someone who can drive to Chantilly a few days a week.

Interested? Check out our ad and apply today.

41 and Counting…Limited Black and Gold King Cakes from Bayou Bakery

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Monday, January 9th, 2012

As of 3:18 today, Bayou Bakery‘s sold eight of the 49 black and gold sugar-coated king cakes celebrating the playoff run of the Saints as they face the 49ers on Saturday. (Of course, it’s also the famed Mardi Gras treat.) Filled with créole cream cheese, the New Orleans dessert feeds up to 18 and can be ordered online until Wednesday for $39.95.

More of a Tebow fan? You can also buy the traditionally rainbow-decorated pastry.

Photo from Bayou Bakery

Sign of the Times: Peaceful Yin Yang Appears in Chef Morou Ouattara’s Soup

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Monday, January 9th, 2012

I haven’t seen a yin yang since I carved one into my 4th grade desk. I asked my editor, a mother of two, the last time she saw one: her 7 year old son “tattooed” one on his arm just this past weekend.

The coolness of a 7-year-old probably trumps my what’s-in-knowledge, and considering that Chef Morou Ouattara is the father of young children, the yin yang just might be coming back.

Morou’s Italian restaurant, Kora, features “painted soup,” a (delicious) tomato basil and (bland) eggplant curry soup swirled into a yin yang. But the idealic graphic doesn’t stem from his daughters. Maybe Ouattara’s a hippy.

“It’s a peaceful sign, right?” laughs the chef, a student of taekwondo and what he calls, “peaceful integration.” Ouattara likes the idea of the complimentary soups “living next to each other peacefully.”

Plus, he wanted to please his Crystal City customers. “People deserved more than one soup,” says the generous chef, adding the dish is “a little more for the buck.”

Kora joins into this month’s Restaurant Week fun, but with a bonus: for every two people at dinner, the team will throw in a free bottle of wine.

Photo by Stefanie Gans

Hungry for Linkage: Free Coffee, Sandwiches and the Return of Restaurant Weeks

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Friday, January 6th, 2012

Drink up: Virginia named top 10 spot for wine lovers. [Wine Enthusiast]

Roti Mediterranean lands on this side of the river and celebrates Tuesday, January 17th with FREE sandwiches from 11AM – 1 PM in Arlington. Nice charity tie-in too. [Roti]

Is the cupcake trend dying: DC pioneer Cake Love closing shop. [Washington City Paper]

So you can join it or avoid it: Alexandria Restaurant Week runs from January 13th to 22nd. [Visit Alexandria]

DC’s RW bleeds into Virginia from January 9th to 15th. [Open Table]

Guide to grocery store labels. [Lifehacker via @bitchinkitchen]

FREE coffee at the new Dunks on Liberia Avenue. Complimentary caffeine valid through January 18th. [ManassasPatch]

Will Crispy & Juicy keep its lease…dunn dunn… [Falls Church Times]

And I just realized that Rachael Yamagata is from Arlington. [h/t The L Word and @duresport's tweet]

Photo by Stefanie Gans, Cheesetique’s check comes with nibs of chocolate

Where Will the Obama Family Eat in 2012?

Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

The Obamas flew back from Hawaii yesterday and now it’s Game On for where the First Family will dine in 2012. Being an election year, the Os will probably not find much time to eat in their home city, which will make an appearance all that more special.

I’m thinking they’ll want to try the re-vamped 2941, the eat-in-only cheesy, porky and salty calzone from Pupatella, or ribs from Pork Barrel BBQ.

Any other guesses?

More in Barackulars after the jump.

Photo by Andrew Harrer / Getty Images via Mrs. O

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