NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

I’m always fascinated when new restaurants appear and then you can’t remember what life was like before them.

Something tells me that’s how Ashburnites feel about Ford’s.

Chef/owner Tony Stafford appears to have struck a chord with frustrated seafood lovers, displaced Northeasterners or some combination thereof, because seats are scarce at this nautically themed newcomer, even mid-week.

The crowd skews older, mostly 50-plus-year-old couples, and tends to include more nuclear families than not. But then, so does Ashburn. That being said, the bungalow-esque bar readily accommodates those who prefer to grab a quick bite and craft brew and then split.

Seasonal specials ran the gamut from grilled arctic char over pappardelle to chicken pot pie to pumpkin cheesecake. But if you are here, chances are you’re angling for lobster.

You’ll get a good deal of the sweet stuff in Maine chips, hand-cut spuds tossed with basil pesto—which puts nuttiness into play—tender morsels of spiced lobster and bubbly blobs of piquant blue cheese.

The signature lobster roll features succulent claw and tail meat heaped into a buttered bun and dressed with a very refreshing, celery-and tarragon-powered slaw.

Fancy blueberry pies fall flat (less presentation, more fruit) while gooey whoopie pies typically rise to the occasion.