NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

Food: 8.4 Ambiance: 8.0 Service: 8.0

Foti’s is so welcoming, one fearless pair of passersby thought absolutely nothing of strolling right in from off the street in order to join the group of friends they noticed through the window for digestifs and a few shared desserts.

Scandal-free meal crashing? Someone alert the Salahis …

Had he been in the dining room at that particular moment, I’ve no doubt chef/proprietor Frank Maragos would have laughed off the impulsive intrusion—given the genial Greek’s propensity for visiting each table during slow nights to see if there’s any way he could personally increase your enjoyment of the evening.

Believe me, chef. You do plenty.

Pesto-brushed escargot (anointed in basil and ground walnuts) and unctuous pork belly float in a cloud of whipped turnips.

Smoked Andouille sausage and cayenne pepper push chicken paella into Cajun country.

Cooked-to-order steak (part of a new custom grill program) brings the beefiness, while potatoes and creamed spinach lock arms in a dynamite gratin.

By Warren Rojas

Food: 8.2 Ambiance: 8.3 Service: 7.9

Foti’s continues to walk a fine line between quaint exurban gem and commuter-luring dining haunt.

And methinks loyal patrons are just fine with that.

The scene can be as serene as a night in your own study, as evidenced by the solo diner who peacefully devoured her meal, a book and a bottle of wine over the course of a couple of hours. Or as lively as the evening one family coaxed owner Frank Maragos out of the kitchen to regale them with stories of Greece and his barrel-chested, meat-carving pater familias (a man Maragos fondly describes as “a humble butcher”).

The kitchen follows suit, balancing subtle flavors and flamboyant techniques with ease.

Cornmeal-crusted okra and grilled shrimp are buoyed by a seductive sweet corn-tomato-cream medley.

Sweet crab and savory shiitakes huddle under the covers of ornate ravioli, but the flavors fizzle out much too quickly (no staying power).

A veal duo of braised cheeks (juice-laden lobe) and grilled loin (pure, steak-y bliss) marries the majesty of beef to the spoils of the garden (broccoli rabe, roasted tomatoes are superb).

By Warren Rojas

Food: 8.6 Ambiance: 8.5 Service: 8.4

Frank and Sue Maragos have helped turn Culpeper into a culinary crossroads, luring guests from across the state (visitors from Stafford, Lake Anna and Winchester were all present one night) to sample Frank’s near-lyrical creations.

Foti’s sticks close to home for many things, tapping neighboring Calhoun’s for ham and local dairies for breathtaking cheeses (including a terrific piedmont tomme).

Lobster remains a hard-sought commodity—which means the restaurant’s signature vanilla lobster plate is occasionally AWOL (they do special orders upon request).

Brie smothered in peppers and olives swings from creamy rich to boldly ripe with each bite. Hollowed zucchini houses walnut pesto-bathed ratatouille. Bread pudding swoons from whiskey caramel sauce.

By Warren Rojas

Food: 8.8 Ambiance: 8.6 Service: 8.5

I know, I know. Driving beyond the Beltway for a meal sounds preposterous in our rush hour-ravaged corner of the universe. Luckily, memories of the inspired cuisine at Foti’s tend to last significantly longer than the round-trip commute.

First-time restaurateurs Frank and Sue Maragos seem to be flourishing, having received regional acclaim as well as ample praise from Culpeper natives happy to have such fine cooking right down the street.

Most nights, extended families and spiffed-up couples mingle freely amidst the exposed brick walls and hardwood floors that frame the longish main dining room. Nattily dressed servers (dig the electric blue shirts) can speak at length about their favorite wines—expect about a dozen mixed reds/white by the glass, all less than $11; bottles start below $30 and climb to $140 for a 2004 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape—or specialty dishes, but occasionally disappear for unexplained stretches.

The menu holds few real surprises, but offers plenty to enjoy.

Tender snails arrive sauteed in a terrific garlic-butter-bacon broth worth sopping up with the polenta cake bedding (a Gallic-Roman masterpiece). Doubly cooked chicken (flash-seared, then baked) benefits from a homemade rosemary-oregano-thyme rub, while pork gets a boost from a grilled onion and hickory smoked tomato-based barbecue sauce. Meanwhile, one unforgettable chiller folds goat cheese, raisins, mint chocolate and lavender into dark chocolate ice cream (my tongue is still doing back flips).

By Warren Rojas

F 8.8   A 8.6   S 8.5

Establishing a restaurant invariably requires some luck. Of course, it never hurts to have talented staff, ambitious owners and an inscrutable pedigree on your side-a dream scenario that has propelled Foti's to the top of the local dining scene in near-record time.

The comfortable locale combines the best of fine dining (innovative wine list, adventurous cuisine) with small town charm (lax dress code, rustic decor). The fledgling operation is overseen by a group of alums from the renowned Inn at Little Washington, including Frank Maragos (chef/owner), Sue Wilson (manager), Tyler Packwood (sommelier) and Jenna Ortner (pastry chef). But don't expect much of a floor show, because this place is all about the food.

The much lauded fried egg sandwich bears toasted ciabatta topped with country ham, shaved Parmesan and a sunny-looking egg anxious to soak everything through with its quivering yolk. Vanilla lobster propped atop syrup-drenched corn cakes unite the South and sea brilliantly. Roast chicken bears a crispy hummus coating while basking in a pool of citrus-herb bliss. Elsewhere, a Greek surf-and-turf plate heaps jumbo shrimp over a juicy filet baked in a fabulous Byzantine sauce (teaming with tomatoes, lobster stock and herbs).