Spring Cleaning: Chlorine in Your Drinking Water
Posted by Sally Traynham / Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
If you drink from the tap and live in Arlington County or the City of Falls Church, be warned that your drinking water might have a slight chlorine-like taste and smell (lasting until the first week in May).
The change comes as a by-product of each area’s annual spring cleaning of of water lines and poses no health risks—just unfortunate taste differences.
From late-March to early-May both areas will temporarily switch the water disinfectant from chloramine to chlorine, which “is standard practice for many U.S. water systems that use chloramine during the majority of the year,” states the City of Falls Church in their latest news release.
Concerned?
Using water filters and refrigerating tap water for a few hours before drinking can reduce the chlorine taste and color.
Or, visit one of these local restaurants from the EatGoodFood Group (Restaurant Eve, Society Fair, Eamonn’s, The Majestic, Virtue, and PX), each using its own in-house filtration system.
Happy spring cleaning.
Photo: ifong/Shutterstock
[tips for the food desk]
An App a Day for Foodies to Play
Posted by Sally Traynham / Monday, March 19th, 2012
Who doesn’t own (and love) at least one Apple product—whether that be an iPad, iPhone or iPod—these days? Technology bombards us with updates on food, local restaurants, daily grub deals and recipes.
Now, I might call you crazy if you slept outside of a store this past Friday hoping to swipe your finger across the glossy screen of the newest iPad, however to build up your app library, here are two local, food-specific apps that can help you navigate NoVA’s food scene:
Virginia Wine in My Pocket ($3.99)
Written by native Virginians, this travel-size guide details information on all Virginia wineries, wine trails, dining and maps.
Food Truck Fiesta ($0.99)
Find your favorite mobile meals with this real-time, automated food truck tracker including commentary.
Also Lucky Peach—if you aren’t already addicted to this new food publication, you need to get on it—is coming out with an app. Stay tuned!
Photo: Sally Traynham
[tips for the food desk]
A Match Made in Drunken Heaven: Kegs and Eggs for St. Patrick’s Day
Posted by Sally Traynham / Friday, March 16th, 2012
St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, enabling the opportunity for only one thing: KEGS AND EGGS MOFO!
Kick start the day of the Irish with this morning tradition—waking early for beer, eggs and all kinds of green-inspired festivities—to prime yourself for the day’s remaining celebrations.
Dogfish Alehouse, Fairfax
9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Specials: Eggs, sausage, huevos rancheros a la carmen and breakfast burritos with beer specials.
Kilroy’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, Springfield
9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Specials: Eggs, bacon, sausage and hash browns with 99-cent green beer and two-dollar Guinness.
Old Towne Sports Pub, Manassas
7 a.m.- noon
Specials: The classic, eggs and beer.
The Breeze Restaurant & Sports Bar, Herndon
6 a.m.-1 p.m.
Specials: Breakfast buffet with 50-cent 10-ounce drafts until 11 a.m.
The Bungalow Sports Grill, Arlington
8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Specials: All you can eat buffet ($7.99 pp) and $5 green beer, Jameson shots and Irish coffees.
What to do after you stock up on kegs and eggs? Click here for more St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Photo: Vadim Georgiev/Shutterstock
[tips for the food desk]
If You Like It, Put a Pin On It: NoVA Mag Now on Pinterest
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Thursday, March 15th, 2012
Facebook, over. Twitter, done-zo. Pinterest, of the moment.
Head on over to the world’s newest time suck and enjoy wonderful photos courtesty of Gut Check and the other, awesome NoVA Mag blogs.
Like us. Pin us. Lick your screen.
Pinterest: Lick Your Screen Board
Chicken Alert: Task Force Assembled with Voiced Opposition
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, March 15th, 2012
Our March issue investigates the movement in Arlington toward urban backyard chicken farming. Here are some updates, keeping the chicken train moving (even amongst opposition):
Last week, Arlington County Board scheduled its first meetings to launch Participation, Leadership and Civic Engagement (PLACE), an initiative to improve interaction and engagement between residents and the county government. Mary Hynes, County Board Chair, hopes this will get more people active in making key decisions to shape the county’s future. Perhaps a possible place for a backyard hen forum? PLACE’s next events are scheduled for today (March 15) and this Saturday (March 17) with multiple 90-minute sessions during each day. [ARL now]
Two formers chairs of the Arlington County Civic Federation advised Arlington County Board members to stop the proposal to change current zoning regulations to allow backyard hens. Robert Atkins, a vocal civic activist, echoed this suggestion stating, “send it [the proposal] to the slaughterhouse.” [Sun Gazette]
On March 13, Arlington County Board assembled its anticipated Urban Agriculture Task Force with a unanimous vote among board members of 4-0. The task force is made up of 17 members—many whom are associated with environment-friendly, education or community-based projects—and will look at the possibilities of backyard hens among its many other urban initiatives. The force was given one year to collect information, after which there will be at least another round of community input before any changes are made. [Sun Gazette]
For more information, check out the article in Northern Virginia Magazine’s March issue on stands now.
Photo: Dmitriy Shironosov/Shutterstock
[tips for the food desk]
Show Your Work: Does Table-Side Guacamole Make a Difference?
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Few people can really deliver a show. Liza Minnelli, for one. Terrell Owens, Beyonce, Bob Ross. But can the average waiter, at the average Tex-Mex restaurant, perform well under the watch of hungry patrons?
My guess is no. Or so my terribly under-salted guacamole told me a few weeks ago.
I watch Mad Men and I adore the restaurant scenes where groomed masters of ceremonies perform impressive culinary feats like steak Diane or a proper wooden bowl Caesar. But these days, I don’t see the care. Or the panache that must accompany such public displays of cooking. I’m not enticed watching an avocado mashed into the sides of crevassed stone.
I’d rather my guacamole meet my table perfect, where the chef had full concentration, rather than deal with a noisy dining room and eager stares.
Do you prefer table-side preparations?
Photo: Stefanie Gans
[tips for the food desk / follow @gansie]
Palates Behind the Plate: Tarver King of Ashby Inn
Posted by Joey Hernandez / Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
A series dedicated to the palates behind NVM’s 2011 Fifty Best Restaurants. We know what they serve, but what do they eat?
Restaurant: Ashby Inn
2011 Rank: #4
Executive Chef: Tarver King
NoVA’s best dish:
Chicken served with green mole sauce at Casa Maria in Winchester.
Never would I ever eat:
Boiled veal brain. I love brain prepared any other way but boiled.
After work grub:
My fiancé and I are really into making homemade pizza. So, we make the dough, freeze it and take it out when I come home. Last night, we made a cheese, bacon and brussel sprout pizza.
At home cooking:
Steamed fish served with tzatziki sauce. My fiance is vegetarian so we take turns on cooking meals to accommodate both of us.
Burger, burrito or bánh mì:
Bánh mì.
Photo: Ryan Haury
[tips for the food desk / follow @JoeyHndz]
St. Patrick’s Day 2012: Drink Up at Irish Pubs
Posted by Sally Traynham / Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
Although St. Patrick’s Day, technically, has nothing to do with drinking—it started out celebrating a saint named Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland—drink we will.
With this year’s festivities falling on a Saturday, wake up bright and early to celebrate all day at one of these NoVA Irish hot spots.
Finnegan’s Irish Pub, Ashburn
Specials: Traditional Irish breakfast at 9 a.m., cornhole on the patio and live music on their outdoor patio with a heated tent.
Ireland’s Four Provinces, Falls Church
Specials: K’eggs breakfast at 8 a.m., new outside bar (rain or shine), live music, Irish dancers and giveaways.
Kate’s Irish Pub, Springfield
Specials: Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for a day of live music and drink specials.
Molly’s Irish Pub, Warrenton
Specials: Kegs and eggs at 9 a.m. with live music, Charlie Donnaelly and Magick Kat.
Ned Devine’s, Herndon Read the rest of this entry »
Specials: Green beers served all day accompanied by a rotation of live bands starting at noon and three performances of The Boyle School of Irish Dancers.
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Tuesday, March 13th, 2012
The Cheap Eats issue has been out for about three weeks now, which is just enough time that you should have started chowing your way through the list. To help you keep track of what you liked, join on our Cheap Eats: The Game, to rate each dish.
Play on. Cheap Eats: The Game
[tips for the food desk / follow @gansie]
Should Northern Virginia Magazine Review Chain Restaurants?
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Monday, March 12th, 2012
Marilyn Hagerty, an 85 year old restaurant critic for the Grand Forks Herald, reviewed the town’s 6-week-old Olive Garden. Hagerty notes the opening was much anticipated, with waits stretching an hour long at lunch.
She compliments the “attractive bar area” near the entry way, as well as the Italian-American classic, chicken Alfredo, which she called “warm and comforting on a cold day.”
Hagerty’s review has since gone viral, landing the critic on national television shows (see video above). The attention rotates between out-right mocking (who would eat at an Olive Garden, let alone take it seriously enough to write about it for a newspaper) and endearing condescension (oh, look, that little old lady is so cute and so out-of-touch with current food trends.)
But does Hagerty have a point?
Chain restaurants are by nature not supposed to vary from location to location. Jack Daniels flavored ribs should taste the same in Birmingham as in Oakland. This type of restaurant, where consistency is valued over creativity, would not normally deserve editorial ink.
Unique, locally-owned restaurants open with regularity in Northern Virginia, allowing this magazine to focus on these community-building businesses instead of a new TGI Friday. But do occasional check-ins at chain restaurants offer any incite into the dining scene? Is it important to eat how “corporate America” wants us to eat, to understand mass-appeal, nationally-enjoyed dinners?
Should Northern Virginia Magazine ever review a chain restaurant?
[tips for the food desk / follow @gansie]