NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

Most nights, the seemingly stop-and-go traffic leading out to Middleburg makes it feel like life has screeched to an absolute halt. As you inch along Route 50 West, congested commuter byways recede into single lane roads bisecting family farms. Busy suburban cityscapes gradually give way to wide-open, star-lit skies. But as you slide onto the rustic-looking bench in the clearly Colonial, but very lively Red Fox Inn, it becomes glaringly obvious your dinner quest has actually led you back through time.

The main dining room at the historic Red Fox is like a piece of living history. A collection of hardwood tables, communal benches and antique-looking chairs greet patrons looking to be seated in the main dining area; the adjoining “pub” looks like it holds another dozen tables or so. Pewter mugs and sterling plates are prominently displayed on stained pine ledges (which show some wear, but look as sturdy as ever). A basket of pure lump coal, burning in the huge stone fireplace, casts a warm glow across the entire room. Portraits of loyal hounds and strapping horses hang on different walls. And a sly-looking stuffed fox sizes up unsuspecting guests as they pass by on their way to the restrooms.

Most meals start with a basket of warm whole grain rolls, accompanied by a tin of whipped butter served on a white doily. An order of the baked brie produces delectable phyllo-bound pockets of tart green apple slices enveloped by melted cheese, all covered in a tempting caramel sauce (very sweet, enticing). Mini crab cakes are deliciously meaty, and come with a “spicy” cocktail sauce that conveys more zest than heat. A portobello and mozzarella tart yields a huge mushroom cap smothered in melted cheese and caramelized onions, all spread across a crispy focaccia round (terrific).

A mammoth French rib eye (bone-in, it weighs in at about 14 ounces) sports great sear marks, yet remains ridiculously juicy. The steak comes with a sassy Dijon mustard sauce that’s not to be missed. Meanwhile, a tender filet of grilled salmon capped with a light mustard glaze gets twirled around a bundle of roasted peppers and spinach; the inventive dish is sweet throughout. Other notable house specialties include the twin jumbo lump crab cakes (pretty good, for an inland establishment), a pecan-encrusted Chilean sea bass (a firm, filling fish) and the rack of Australian lamb (grilled to perfection).

Service is prompt, but not at all rushed, making it quite easy to forget about all the hustle and bustle of everyday life for at least a few hours—an ideal place for those who prefer to spend their evenings catching up on old times rather than racing though another meal.