Battle Baguette: The French Win at LeoNora Bakery

Posted by Sally Traynham / Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

When visiting Paris a few years ago, devouring a simple baguette slathered with butter was all I wanted. And until recently, I haven’t been able to find an authentic Parisian baguette in NoVA.

Nestled on a side street right behind Clarendon’s Liberty Tavern, LeoNora Bakery opens with gigantic windows, inviting you to see inside the kitchen where bakers are preparing pastries and rolling out fresh dough. It’s a small space offering big flavors of (mostly) Parisian breads and pastries by Carolina Garcia, a woman who returned to NoVA with a love for Parisian baked goods after living in France for two years. Not being able to find the breads she enjoyed, she returned to France to study bread-making under award winning Parisian baker, Arnaud del Montel and opened her shop up late last year.

LeoNora Bakery Highlights:
Parisian Baguette: When you break it open, its crisp crust crackles as only an authentic baguette would. It envelopes a soft, chewy interior awaiting a slather of butter.

Alfajores: I was not expecting to run into this Argentinian cookie at LeoNora’s, but it will definitely be a repeat purchase. The soft, delicate cookie crumbles as you bite into it, contrasting to the layer of sweet dulce de leche and coconut sandwiched in between.

American Brioche: A new find for me, this muffin-sized bread was described as similar to a croissant, but with a chewier, softer inside. It has the classic egg-y, soft inside found in a brioche roll with a crisp, buttery crust on the outside; the best of both worlds.

Photo: Sally Traynham

[tips for the food desk]

Stone Soup Bakery Taking Holiday Orders

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, December 13th, 2011

The holidays are closing in on us fast! With all the preparations for out of town families and incredible feasts, who has time to make dessert? These guys! So, let them make it for you!

They’ll meet you in the Burke Centre VRE parking lot in our regular Saturday Farmer’s Market spot on the evening of Friday December 23rd at 7pm with your pre-ordered desserts.

If you happen to need dessert for New Year’s as well, don’t hesitate to order. Provided are freezing and defrosting/reheating instructions to make the storage and presentation of your desserts a breeze.

Pies:

Pumpkin Pie from Stone Soup Bakery

Large $15 each * Small $6 each
Apple
Apple Crumble
Pecan
Sweet Potato
Apple Butter Pumpkin
Key Lime

Assorted Cookies:
$ 10 a dozen
Semisweet Chocolate Chip
Double Chocolate Chip
Oatmeal Raisin
Almond Sugar Cutouts
Gingerbread

Assorted Brownies:
$1- 1.50 each
(must order 20 or more of the same brownie)
Super Fudgy Brownie
Walnut Super Fudgy Brownie
Chunky Pecan Pie Bar
Almond Shortbread Brownie
Peanut Butter Blondie

Place your order with us now to reserve your delicious no-hassle Holiday desserts. I bought an apple butter pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit- not one slice remained!

Stone Soup Bakery – contact Jennifer Graybill & Johnny Connolly
(703)909.6089 * stonesoupbakery@yahoo.com

– Jennie Whistler

Crop Rapport – Stone Soup Bakery

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

Farmers Market in Burke

Even through the driving rain and cold wind that blew through the area last weekend, loyal patrons, decked out in galoshes and ponchos, shaking water from their hair still cheerily shopped the mini streets of the Burke farmers market. It’s heartening to see that even the foulest weather couldn’t deter those tried and true local clients, hurrying to get their fresh apples, fragrant herbs and bright vegetables.

Local, seasonal vegetables

Among the local produce vendors, intermingled with startlingly vivid flower stands and fresh-baked breads rests a small, unassuming tent piled high with fresh cookies, pies and brownies and manned by the cheeriest people, despite the nasty weather.

Owners Jennifer Graybill & Johnny Connolly

I’m talking about Stone Soup Bakery, a brand-new business run by local brother and sister team, Jennifer Graybill and Johnny Connolly. The bakery name, I’m told, is derived from the folk tale of the same title. “The message we took from the story is that if everybody contributes a little, it can make a whole lot,” Graybill said.

Well said. A duo that has always been baking, the two recently decided to take their wares public and have made their debut at the Burke Farmers Market. As of right now, all the cooking is done out of Graybill’s home kitchen and their products are sold only at this location.

An assortment of delicious goodies

This family is an example of team work at its finest; Connolly does the pie baking while Graybill creates the cookies and all of their products are made with as many local ingredients as possible. Because they work a lot with local produce, their flavors are more seasonal- right now apple and pumpkin pies are being highlighted in honor of Thanksgiving!

I had the opportunity to taste their pumpkin pie, of which they are especially proud- and with good cause! The smooth, custard-y filling is made from half fresh apple butter and half pumpkin. It simmers in a mix of sweet and savory spices for hours before it’s poured over a ginger snap pecan crust. The crust is truly what makes this dessert special. It’s thick and flaky, with just the right amount of texture that just melts away in your mouth.

Pumpkin pie with ginger snap, pecan crust

You’re gonna want to order this bad boy in advance for your Thanksgiving dinner- or perhaps just for dinner tonight.

What’s more, you can order it for your Thanksgiving dinner and pick it up from them in the same location (Burke VRE parking lot) the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving to ensure you the freshest possible dessert. That that, Sara Lee!

Get your order in now!

Their cookies are all moist and chock-full of delicious fillings. Whether it’s double chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin (my personal favorite), you won’t be disappointed- there’s something for everyone!

Fresh cookies by Stone Soup Bakery

Not only were the baked goods a delightful treat, it was a real pleasure talking with and getting to know this family. Not only are they creating wonderful desserts and baked goods, but they’re contributing a positive image to farmers markets everywhere. You could tell that they took great pride in what they were doing and that they truly enjoyed doing it. Fresh, local ingredients and friendly faces are what helps the local markets persist and thrive in today’s economy- and Stone Soup is doing everything right.

Come see for yourself! Visit Stone Soup every Saturday at the Burke Farmers Market. “We love being at Burke Market,” said Connolly. “We live here, sell our products here, and contribute to our home community.”

And that’s what it’s all about, kids.

Visit them on Facebook and “Like” their page!

Visit them in person:
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon

Stone Soup Bakery – 703.909.6089; stonesoupbakery@yahoo.com

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Northern Virginia Farmer’s Market and Hours:

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon 
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon 
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m. 
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon 
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m. 
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon 
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon 
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m. 
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m. 
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon 
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon 
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

– Jennie Whistler

Freeze Jag: Breeze Bakery Cafe

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.

The place: Breeze Bakery Cafe – 4125 Hummer Road, Annandale; 703-462-9093

The prescription: fruit bingsoo. I know, I know. If you’re gonna bother to eat bingsoo you HAVE to get the red bean paste-laced variety. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t feeling red bean-y when I strolled into Breeze. In fact, I almost settled for one of their single serving fruit pops. Until I spotted a gaggle of giggling, pony-tailed Asian co-eds gleefully chipping away at a mountainous bowl of bingsoo. I opted for the same and was rewarded with a Technicolor treat loaded with a cornucopia of vivacious fruits (orange, kiwi, strawberries, honey dew melon, pineapple, cantaloupe), wildly sweet fruit syrup, condensed milk and big chewy globs of mochi (very marshmallow like). The syrup turned the shaved ice hot pink and intensified the latent sweetness of the complementary produce, while the sweetened milk gave the entire enterprise a decidedly dairy edge.

Solo diners should probably stick to the aforementioned fruit pops or gelato, as the bingsoo is clearly meant to be shared (preferably with a team of seasoned competitive eaters). Still hungry? Snag one of the ultra crunchy sweet cream twists from the self-serve bakery bins.

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Freeze Jag: Red Fox Creamery

Posted by Warren Rojas / Saturday, August 6th, 2011

August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.

The place: Red Fox Creamery – 130 N. Cameron St., Winchester; 540-545-8630; www.facebook.com/Redfoxcreamery

The prescription: Honey-Walnut scoop. Middleburg’s loss–founders Brian and Kathy Lewis actually began cranking out their homemade ice cream over a decade ago in Middleburg; it’s still carried by certain area retailers–turned out to be Funchester’s crazy sweet gain. For it is they, our neighbors to the northwest, who now get first dibs on the Lewis’ intensely flavored frozen treats, including: after dinner mint chip, vanilla malt-chocolate chip, mocha-toffee crunch (javariffic), cookies and cream, french vanilla-capuccino, cinnamon-oatmeal cookie (zesty cinammon and crunchy oatmeal crumbs were muy simpatico) and key lime pie. But the most mind blowing of the bunch we tried had to be the honey-walnut. This one goes, well, totally nuts, littering dulcet, honey-laced ice cream with huge, honking whole walnuts.

The modest shop appears to be a must stop for everyone from tow-headed tots to snowy-browed retirees traveling along the bustling pedestrian mall .”I do believe this is the third time I’ve seen you today,” the scoop girl remarked to one particularly circuitous regular. If we lived closer, confidence is high we’d be in the same rotation.

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Red Meat: Warren Brown

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

It’s been a decade since local cheflebrity Warren Brown dropped the legal briefs and picked up a rolling pin:

(Image: Joshua Cogan)

He’s since opened several bakeries/cafes, helped pioneer the reality cooking show/travelogue concept and has penned a few cookbooks (with at least one more already in the works for next spring).

WR: Butter. Sugar. What other culinary elements could you not live without?

WB: It’s equipment for me. My mixer. My stainless steel skillets (always skip the non-stick). My coffee grinder – to mill spices and whole grains.

WR: What’s the very first dish you ever mastered? How long did it take? Do you still make it today?

WB: Sweet & Sour Chicken. Haven’t made it in years, but first did it in high school. I remember feeling especially proud when I got the recipe right and successfully fried the chicken strips, and when I tasted the sauce and liked it!

WR: What seasonal ingredient(s) get your creative juices flowing?

WB: Stone fruits

WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …

WB: Moro–kinda old, by Sam and Sam Clark, published in England. Love the foods they share.

WR: What’s the most challenging dish you’ve ever attempted? Would you make it again?

WB: Timpano – after the main dish from the movie Big Night. I’ve made it twice, both times was years ago. It was an all day affair and making the sheet of pasta was a real work out!

WR: If I could the spend the day working alongside any local chef, I’d love to collaborate with …

WB: Darren Norris @ Kushi.

WR: What’s the easiest/quickest–but still wholly satisfying–meal you make for yourself?

WB: Tough one. I like scones in the morning with scrambled eggs. Scones with oats and raisins and multi-grain.

Nothing is measured so I don’t really know measurements, but roughly speaking:

WR: In the next six months you won’t want to miss my …

WB: New line of cupcakes we’re test running this summer in our Summer Loving freestyle cupcake-a-thon. Strawberry cheesecake, Key Lime pie are just two early eye catchers.

WR: It’s quitting time. I’m pouring myself …

WB: This summer, a Peak Organic pale ale, or a cold glass of white wine.

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Key Lime pie cupcakes sound like a little slice of heaven. Can’t wait to try one…

Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.

–Warren

Another Look at Sweet and Savory Breads

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

After reviewing a few of the breads from Breeze Bakery Cafe, I thought it would only be fair if I reviewed of some of the breads that Shilla Bakery offered as well.

Shilla has been around a lot longer than Breeze, so the Annandale location is comparably smaller than Breeze, but Shilla must be doing something right if their business is still booming and have locations in both Centreville and Fairfax.

Breads from Shilla (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

1) “Pizza Sausage” – This savory bread is topped with hot dog slices, chunks of pear, pineapple, corn, green peas, ketchup, and mayonnaise. The ingredient list had my taste buds and I confused. The hot dogs make it taste savory but the fruits make it sweet (is it just me or did they try to fit whatever they could on here?). I wouldn’t really call it a pizza since it isn’t on pizza dough and ketchup can’t substitute for tomato sauce, but it is a pretty interesting.

2) Banana bread – It is adorable since it comes in two banana-shaped breads. I’m a huge banana bread lover, but this left me severely disappointed. It was extremely dry, had very few walnuts (which it forgot to mention on the ingredient label), and barely tasted like banana. I was surprised at how dry it was seeing how bananas normally make the bread really moist.

3) Ham Roll – This is a mini ham sandwich on a dinner roll. The sandwich includes ham, a slice of tomato, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise. It was a pretty good sandwich, albeit a bit soggy from the tomato. The dinner roll is also a little bit sweet, but not too sweet.

4) Sausage Roll – This is essentially a larger version of “pigs in a blanket” except fried. The bread has been fried, but I guess since it has been sitting out, it was soft and chewy.

5) Corn Crown – Along with banana bread, I also adore corn bread, but this too was a disappointment for me. The bread was really dry, dense, and lacked that corn bread flavor I was expecting.

6) Almond Cream Bun – This is a bun filled with a smooth almond flavored cream and the bun itself is topped with slices of almond.

7) Croquette – This too was fried, but was soft, chewy, and oozing with grease when I bought it. The inside is filled with mashed potatoes, and tiny chunks of pork, carrots, and onions. It is a savory bread, but was way too greasy for me.

Mixed Berry Boba from Shilla Bakery (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

While I was there, I noticed flyers for a new flavor of bubble tea that they had, the mixed berry boba. It is a frozen smoothie of blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. It was relatively sweet and I enjoyed it, except for the small blackberry seeds that got annoying to chew or spit out.

For anyone who is allergic to nuts, they have a few lists around the bakery that states which breads have nuts and which don’t. While you’re at Shilla don’t forget to try their bing soo!

Shilla Bakery in Annandale
7039 Little River Tpke
Annandale, VA 22003
(703) 333-2001

Shilla Bakery in Fairfax
3250 Old Lee Hwy
Fairfax, VA 22030
(703) 352-1446

Shilla Bakery in Centreville
6015 Centreville Crest Ln
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 266-6001

- Mai Nguyen

What’s For Lunch: Sweet and Savory Breads

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, June 6th, 2011

I was running a bit late for work this morning, so I didn’t have the time to pack lunch. Instead, I stopped by Breeze, a local Korean bakery and café, to pick something up. Breeze carries a large selection of savory and sweet baked goods and also sells homemade gelato as well as various beverages. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out and chat or do homework since they offer free Wi-Fi. Since I was in a rush today, I just grabbed a few things to go.

Starting from the top left going clockwise: Curry bread, bread with blueberry cream filling, white bean manju, and bread with green tea filling. (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

There’s this saying in Vietnamese that directly translates to, “Your eyes are hungrier than your stomach,” which means that you end up getting more food than you could possibly ever eat because everything looks extra good when you’re hungry. In this case, I had that dilemma and bought way more than I generally eat. But for the sake of reviewing these items, I slowly forced myself to eat them (not that I’m complaining).

Curry Bread (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

The curry bread was the only savory bread I bought and even though it sounds strange, it did not disappoint. The bread itself is drizzled with a bit of ketchup and the filling is curry-flavored with small chunks of beef and green peppers.

Green Tea Bread (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

I thought this bread was adorable since it’s shaped like a leaf (at least it looks like a leaf to me). The filling is more like a bean paste that tastes like green tea and is a tad sweet but not overbearingly so.

Blueberry Cream Bread (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

It looks like normal bread on the outside, but has an extremely smooth blueberry cream filling on the inside. The bread itself is really soft and somewhat chewy.

White Bean Manju (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

The filling for this is a white bean paste, and is a little harder than the green tea filling from the other pastry. The texture, shape, and filling all remind me of a Chinese moon cake. The white bean paste isn’t too sweet, but sweet enough for my tastes.

Since it’s a bakery, their selection changes daily which keeps the items fresh. I’ve also been there at night and before they close they will generally have 30% off on certain items to get rid of their stock. In general, I find Breeze relatively cheap since most of their breads average around $2 to $4 a piece depending on what it is. I haven’t had the chance to try their coffee yet, but I do like their ginger tea (granted it’s just ginger, sugar, and hot water).

There are a lot more things I didn’t get to cover such as their chic interior and the cakes that they offer. So if you have the time, I definitely recommend paying them a visit yourself.

Breeze Bakery Cafe
4125 Hummer Road
Annandale, VA 22003
703-462-9093

- Mai Nguyen

Just A Taste: Northside Social

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Mind you, they’ve only been baking and a-brewing for about a week.

But Northside Social founder Stephen Fedorchak insists management sees plenty of room for improvement.

“We’re our own toughest critics,” Fedorchak said of the auto-scrutiny and fine-tuning NS staff are applying to the combo coffee shop/artisan bakery/wine bar. He noted that the public response has been very encouraging.

“People are hanging out outside. There are dogs, kids and neighbors … which is exactly what we wanted,” Fedorchak said.

The completely remodeled space bares little resemblance to its more bohemian predecessor, Murky Coffee.

Northside boasts four, inviting seating environments: a sun-splashed, streetside patio, the mixed-use main dining room (retail shelves tempt line standers with gourmet blends of Counter Culture coffee and fresh-baked artisan breads; refurbished chairs and galvanized buckets recast as light fixtures offer guests reclamation-inspired comfort), a cozy, library-style rear lounge (complete with communal bookshelf; pictured at right) and the farmer’s table-style wine bar located upstairs (antique backgammon table is pretty cool, too).

The wine bar remains very much a work in progress, according to Fedorchak. He said the plan is to open it up every night (except Sunday) from 4 p.m. till … well, till the crowds clear out–which will most likely be on the earlier side at the beginning of the week and much later from Humpday on (currently open past midnight from Wednesday – Saturday).

Meanwhile, general manager/sommelier Alison Christ has pieced together a very approachable craft beer and boutique wine program with an eye on value and variety (though, sadly, no Virginia wines).

Pastry chef Rob Valencia knows from moist cakes, whipping up a rotating roster of signature coffee cakes (vanilla painted with a lip-smacking lemon glaze comes to mind), cookies and brownies whose fans will, no doubt, be legion.

I fear that savory options, on the other hand, may be limited by the truncated kitchen set-up (only heating elements I spotted were a pair of panini presses). That said, a pork belly–advertised as “crispy;” turned out more brisket tender (an unintended win in my book)–and broccoli rabe pairing proved so scrumptious, I was soon left with a lap full of ciabatta crumbs and a gnawing desire to scoop up an encore serving for the road.

With Northside (finally) up and running, Fedorchak has now turned his attention to breaking the seal on companion project, Lyon Hall.

“We’ll open Lyon Hall this week,” Fedorchak pledged, touting a Thursday debut–while reserving the right to back things up till Saturday–as go-time for the highly anticipated brasserie.

–Warren

Northside Social, Lyon Hall Coming to Clarendon

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, November 13th, 2009

With their flagship now firmly anchored in the Clarendon dining scene, Liberty Tavern owner Stephen Fedorchak and his hospitality crew stand poised to unveil their latest historical property repurposings:

* Northside Social, a bakery/lounge erected from the ashes of the now-defunct Murky Coffee, and;

* Lyon Hall, a “casual neighborhood brasserie” moving into the former home of Dan Kain trophies.

Northside Social will be managed by Willow‘s one-time sommelier Alison Christ, while ex-Murky Coffee general manager Marianne Tolosa will step in as director of coffee (look for Counter Culture java and dairy goods from Trickling Springs Creamery). Baker G. David King is expected to trot out around a half dozen bread varieties per day.

Liberty Tavern executive chef Liam LaCivita will oversee both the Northside and Lyon Hill kitchens–though the search is on to lock in a full-time sous chef for Lyon Hall.

Northside Social is expected to feature “work-friendly farm tables” as well couches and love seats for maximum lounging, while second story guests will now enjoy an aerial view of the ground floor. The from dawn-to-dusk venue is also expected to field various alternatives to your morning joe (think: fully developed wine and beer program) as well as live music.

Northside’s menu will turn on breakfast, lunch and other lite-fare, and is tentatively set to include: Polyface Farm egg sandwiches, homemade granola and yogurt, chicken liver rillettes and apple pie topped with Fiscalini cheddar (FINALLY!).

Northside is currently projected to open right around Christmas.

Lyon Hall appears to be more of a bistro/bar project, uniting nearly two dozen craft beers–gourmet suds junkies can expect 20 draft lines–with Eastern European cuisine, including: Alsatian tarts, hanger steak and frites, skate schnitzel, roast chicken and a Bohemian sausage platter (stocked with homemade jagdwurst, bratwurst and kielbasa).

The three-story establishment will also feature an open kitchen (basement), 18-seat marble bar, outdoor patio, semi-private dining in the “Trophy Room” and reclaimed New York City subway light fixtures throughout.

Lyon Hall is expected to debut early February 2010.

Northside Social – 3211 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, late-night dining, Thursday through Saturday.

Lyon Hall – 3100 Washington Blvd., Arlington. Open for dinner, Tuesday through Saturday.

–Warren