Memphis BBQ Opens in Crystal City

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Photo Credit: Memphis Barbeque

It seems like Pork Barrel BBQ may have stolen its thunder, but the grand opening of Memphis Barbeque tomorrow, December 1, should not be missed either.

So, a little sneak preview to what will appear in the January magazine: Memphis native and former DC chef Chris George is bringing the heat to Crystal City with the restaurant’s large smokers and hickory grills to cook up their Memphis style meat — and lots of it.

Of course, they’ll have the traditional Memphis-style barbeque like pulled pork sandwiches (the pork is smoked in their smokers for 20 hours) and ribs — their famous Memphis style spare ribs (slow-cooked over a charcoal fire pit, served either wet of dry) and baby back ribs (smoked and then finished over the hickory grill).

But Memphis BBQ is also serving more experimental barbeque items like pulled pork egg rolls, brisket enchiladas, and spicy BBQ shrimp.

Side dishes include barbeque baked beans, baked four-cheese mac & cheese, grilled marinated zucchini and squash, and buttermild battered onion rings.

And there’s a bar, too — a tequila and bourbon focused bar, serving some southern specialties, along with beer on draft and over 50 wines.

In this suddenly nippy weather, doesn’t hot barbeque sound good? I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering.

Memphis Barbeque is located at 320 S. 23rd St., Arlington (571-970-2727; www.memphisque.com).

-Julia Harbo

Shakespeare, Synetic and Scandal Oh My!

Posted by clara / Friday, August 12th, 2011

Friday, August 12, 2011

Whether you’ve been a regular follower of our Theatre Guide & Reviews, or you’ve skipped the shows because of the crazy expensive ticket prices, this upcoming show at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Sidney Harman Hall is for you. Their summer “Free for All” program presents William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” opening August 18. This year, STC is providing an online ticket lottery for patrons who want to plan ahead instead of waiting in the ticket line before the performance.

“Julius Caesar” is a story about the tyranny of politics. Shakespeare’s three leading men: Julius, Brutus, and Marc Antony, become three voices for the various factions in Rome’s government. Though the play deals with a power struggle in the government, it also gives audiences a well-rounded picture of those involved in a government scandal, and the good and bad traits that make up a person’s character.

Dan Kremer as Julius Caesar, Kryztov Lindquist as the Soothsayer and the cast of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s 2008 production of “Julius Caesar.” Photo by Carol Rosegg.

More than 600,000 people have attended Free for All since its inception in 1991. Artistic Director Michael Kahn says, “One of the major goals of the Free For All is to make Shakespeare accessible to diverse audiences—people who have never been to the theatre, people who are unable to pay for tickets or afford a babysitter, young people, students, people on fixed incomes. They all come to experience the magic of Shakespeare, to see how his words and ideas still resonate with us more than 400 years later.”

“Julius Caesar” was first presented by the Shakespeare Theatre Company during their 2007-2008 season. The timeliness of their “Caesar” re-staging is uncanny; this October, George Clooney takes another stab at directing with “The Ides of March.” This film is sure to have audiences buzzing; with the presidential election season fast approaching, the commentary of this movie will not only offer insight into our slate of candidates but give us a new spin on the age old phrase “history repeats itself.” Based on the play by Beau Willimon, the movie stars Ryan Gosling, a staff member of presidential candidate George Clooney whose life is turned upside down by the dirty politics of running for the United States presidency.

In other theatrical news – albeit more lighthearted news – comedian Richard Lewis is coming to Synetic Theater!

Richard Lewis. Photo Courtesy Synetic Theater.

Lewis is going into his eighth season on TV’s hit comedy “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” which has received six Emmy nominations. His character performance in the series has been lauded by SAG and magazines like Vanity Fair. He is performing in Arlington as a part of the Misery Loves Company Stand-Up Tour on Friday August 19 and Saturday August 20. Tickets are $40.

For more information about “Julius Caesar,” visit www.shakespearetheatre.org. For more information about “The Ides of March,” click here to visit their IMDb page. For more information about comedian Richard Lewis, visit www.arlingtoncomedy.com.

–Clara Ritger

Synetic Theater Hosts Second City and Former VA Resident This Weekend

Posted by clara / Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Second City's Chris Witaske, Mark Piebenga, Kate Duffy, Lyndsay Hailey and Tim Stoltenberg. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Performing for a brief two nights only, Second City will make their appearance at Synetic Theater in Crystal City Friday July 15 and Saturday July 16. Touring with the company is Lyndsay Hailey, former resident of Richmond, VA.

“I love Virginia!” she says. “I wish improv comedy had more legs in the state and I’d be there.”

Hailey didn’t always know she wanted to have a career in comedy. In fact, she went to college to study marketing and after working on the set of One Tree Hill she started auditioning. “Comedy kind of found me,” Hailey says. “I always had a part of me that wanted to be on stage but never did.”

After a stint with an improvisation troupe in North Carolina, Hailey picked up and moved to Chicago where she soon became a member of Second City. Some of her favorite characters are written by legendary comediennes Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch. “I’ve auditioned for Saturday Night Live twice,” Hailey says, “and I’ve gotten really close. That’s a big dream of mine.”

She’s got a YouTube channel, which has drawn the most traffic from her “Captain Juggles” music and “A Diamond Lasts a Real Long Time” skit. “I found the ‘WHORE’ choker and it all unfolded from there,” she says. “That combined with the fact that I’ve always had a thing against those diamond commercials, and the girls who swoon over a piece of jewelry.”

This weekend, catch her and the rest of her Second City troupe in “Best of Show.” Hailey says that though their performance is mostly a combination of great archive material and some cast original material, their general theme is that technology is taking over the world. She’s got her very own original piece in the second act, which she says she wrote “for Virginia and the Virginia culture.”

Photo Courtesy Lyndsay Hailey

As though it needed to be said, Hailey reassured that the evening would be enjoyable. “I can guarantee you’ll be laughing,” she says. Tickets cost $40 and are available online www.arlingtoncomedy.com.

–Clara Ritger

Crop Rapport: Keeping it FRESH at Crystal City

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Emily Thompson May be a Crystal City Newcomer, but She Knows Her Cheese (Image: Johnisha Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

At 97 degrees yesterday, it was a scorcher more typical of this area’s July-around-the-corner weather than the balmy, breezy days that have soothed our disbelieving souls in recent weeks. But I was eager to step out to the Crystal City FRESHFARMS Farmers Market, just a stone’s throw from the Crystal City metro stop on the blue line.

The first sight to greet you as you round the corner of Crystal Drive (between 18th and 20th streets) is the cheery green and yellow Sweetflow mobile. The farmers market here is a well-organized aisle of blue and white tent coverings gently shading the fruits of labor of 16 vendors.

The market is a relatively young one. Although it opened in 2009,  its current manager, FRESHFARM Markets has only been in charge of  Crystal City since 2010. This is FRESHFARM’s first Virginia venture; all its other markets are located in D.C. and Maryland.

FRESHFARM makes on-site visits to all vendors to ensure that Crystal City is a producer-only market, and that agricultural products are not simply being resold. FRESHFARM Markets also works in partnership with the Arlington Food Assistance Center in order to provide the Center with leftover produce from farms and producers at the end of the market day. This is a particularly important endeavor given the new 10-cent-per-pound produce fee facing area food pantries.

Market attendance is already up since last year. I (wrongly) anticipated that the market would be busiest after 5 p.m. when people start to leave work, but according to Cindy Olson, the farm market manager, the early bird gets the worm here. “It gets busy early,” she said. “Today, we were super busy at 3:30 p.m. with about 150 people [shopping].” Many of these shoppers look forward to the market as a good afternoon break and can’t wait until the end of the work day.

The Crystal City market is relatively small but offers a great cross section of options for the farmers market enthusiast. In addition to beautiful produce (cherries are in season and yesterday marked the debut of peaches), you will find locally pasture-raised bison (Gunpowder Bison & Trading), chicken, beef, pork, seasonal floral bouquets (from Gainesville, Virginia’s LynnVale Studios), fresh-baked breads by Atwater’s Bakery, and both goat’s milk and sheep’s milk cheeses. Today’s market also featured the tranquil vocals of Betsey O’Malley.

While visiting the market, I was particularly enticed by the sheep’s milk cheese produced by Everona Dairy. Emily Thompson expertly guides her customers through a selection of artisan cheeses, butter crackers (including herbes de provence, cinnamon, and cocoa varieties), and the dairy’s own version of membrillos, a spread of dried fruit and nuts formulated to enhance the flavors of the various cheeses. (Everona has future plans for a more traditional membrillo made with quince.)

Customer Steve Polk has become a regular at the Everona table and is practically a co-salesperson. He keeps returning for the Stony Man cheese: “It reminds me of a mild Parmesan, which I love. And it has a sweetness I can’t describe.” For me, the “perfect bite” is Everona’s Marble cheese (not a blue, but veined with vegetable ash), the cherry and peach membrillo (call it adult candy), and a corn spice cracker (that heats the tongue slightly):

The Perfect Bite (Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

Steve is right when he warns that my purchases may last only three days. Try one day!

Next time you are looking for a Tuesday market in Northern Virginia, swing by Crystal City. If you are interested in volunteering to transport market donations on Tuesday nights to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, contact puwen.lee@afac.org for more information.

Want to learn more about eating local? Be sure to visit Crystal City next week between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. when Diane Welland, M.S., R.D.,  will be signing her book, “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Local.”

-Johnisha M. Levi

Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets 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
McLeans’ Lifestyle and Farmers Market • 7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean; Saturdays, 9-1p.m.
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 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
Rosslyn Farmers Market • Wilson Blvd. & N. Oak St.- Thu, 11-3 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.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets

Red Meat: Gordon Vivace

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Wild animals are fair game on Gordon Vivace’s prep table:

The self-taught chef turned restaurateur opened Cucina Vivace on Crystal City’s fabled “restaurant row” a few years back and has been cultivating a loyal following ever since. He has since spun off a personal cheffing gig/meal delivery operation and has a cookbook in the works.

WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?

GV: Basil, cumin, any number of hot peppers

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

GV: I tend to cook in an old-fashioned Mediterranean style, so “mastered” could have a lot of meanings. My dishes often come out a little different from one attempt to another on purpose, and none are necessarily better than the others. It’s more a matter of what’s on hand to make them special that particular time. But, I suppose the first dish I feel I made that was unanimously accepted where people might not have liked it cooked by others is … chicken liver! I have a few secrets for transforming this ugly little morsel and, oh yes, I still make it whenever I can.

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

GV: Summer tomatoes, winter squashes and local meats like venison and boar.

WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …

GV: I don’t actually read too many cookbooks, though I’m fond of all the Lidia Bastianich books.

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

GV: Whole stuffed wild boar. And probably not.

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

GV: José Andrés

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

GV: Roast chicken.

I stuff the cavity with lemons, rosemary, peppercorns and a few ice cubes to help the flavors get into the breast once steam forms.

Roasted in a 400 degree oven, the prep time is about 10 minutes. Then I’m off with a glass of wine until I check on it 45 minutes later. Then it rests for 10-15. Total involvement time is about 15 minutes, 20 if I decide to make gravy (though it doesn’t need it). And it’s wholly satisfying.

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

GV: Italian Summer Grill Menu. Our entrees this summer are particularly geared toward the grill and many items will be disappearing in the fall.

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

GV: Elijah Craig bourbon
————————————————————————————————————————————————

Chef, stuffed boar and venison are right in our wheelhouse. But it sounds like we may have to give your chicken livers a whirl…

Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.

–Warren

In the mood for some light-hearted fun?

Posted by clara / Monday, June 20th, 2011

Monday, June 20, 2011

Have you heard the good news?

Crystal City BID and Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse are bringing the famous Chicago Improv Group “Second City” to the Synetic Theater stage! Mark your calendars because they’ll be in town July 15 and 16. Tickets are now on sale for $40 www.arlingtoncomedy.com.

We’re told that the new partnership is pushing its efforts toward making Crystal City a suburban center of comedy. We couldn’t be happier.

Image: Shutterstock/Laurie Barr

Also, we wish congratulations to the 1st Stage Theater in Tyson’s Corner! Their production of “Jack and the Beanstalk” won the Helen Hayes Award. Written for children and adults by DC playwright Mario Baldessari, with music by Rex Daugherty and directed by Leslie A. Kobylinski – “Jack and the Bean-Stalk” is a fun-for-the-whole-family, comic, rollercoaster ride of quirky characters, including an irreverent Cow, a crafty, bean-peddling Stranger and a saucy Hen What Lays the Golden Eggs.  Aimed at younger audiences, but with lots of laughs built in for adults, it’s a perfect fit for families who want to share the joy of live performance theater. Tickets are $15, and the production closes this Sunday, June 26. For more information, visit www.firststagetysons.org.

Photo Courtesy of Georgetown Waterfront Festival

Don’t forget this weekend is the Georgetown Waterfront Festival! They’re hosting D.C.’s largest water balloon battle. Get your super soakers and swim trunks ready, because the festivities last from Noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 26 at the Washington Harbour. The water war starts at 2 p.m. But no festival would be complete without food. Tony & Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill will be serving up fresh seafood and burgers. For more information, visit www.georgetowndc.com.

–Clara Ritger

Red Meat: Danielle Turchetti

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Executive chef Danielle Turchetti must be hot:

Attractiveness aside, I was actually referring to the natural consequence of his working in front of Tagolio‘s pie-charring, coal-fired oven. Not that he’s any stranger to raised temperatures–the man is a red pepper flake aficionado (fratello!).

WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?

DT: Garlic and pepperoncino (red pepper flakes). Because in Italy these two ingredient [SIC] are quintessential to all flavor profiles in most recipes.

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

DT: During my apprentice years, the first food I successfully mastered was burrata cheese. It took me several weeks as it requires repetitions and, yes I still use and it is on Tagolio menu.

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

DT: Spring time is, to me, the most exciting time of the year. My favorite ingredients are many, however, I get excited to cook with fresh young artichokes and zucchini blossoms.

WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …

DT: From my friend Fabio Trabocchi – Cucina of Le Marche

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

DT: Ricotta gnocchi with Swiss chard and black truffles

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

DT: Fabio Trabocchi

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

DT: Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes, capers, garlic, basil and extra virgin olive oil

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

DT: Homemade spaghetti “chittara” with spring vegetables and baked ricotta cheese.

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

DT: A nice strong espresso with a splash of Sambuca Romana,

————————————————————————————————————————————————

House-made burrata and fresh zucchini blossoms? Chef, you are speaking our language.

Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.

–Warren

Lobsters line the shores of the Potomac; Cross-dressing shoplifting suspect caught by cops; Get to the beach soon, it’s eroding; 40 acres of Tysons to possibly carry new development; and Hate stickers found across Crystal Drive in Crystal City

Posted by Lynn Norusis / Thursday, February 24th, 2011

Lobsters line the shores of the Potomac

WTOP

Cross-dressing shoplifting suspect caught by cops

ArlNow

Get to the beach soon, it’s eroding

FOX

40 acres of Tysons to possibly carry new development

FFX Times

Hate stickers found across Crystal Drive in Crystal City

WUSA9

Crystal City’s 1K Wine Walk

Posted by ryan / Monday, February 21st, 2011

-Ryan Robertson

Farrah Olivia Resurrected Within Kora

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Renowned perfectionist Morou Ouattara is ready to slide back behind the burners.

And he’ll be doing just that at TWO new(ish) Northern Virginia restaurants. They just happen to share the same address.

Beginning tomorrow, devotees of Outtara’s short-lived fantasy dining project, Farrah Olivia, will once again be able to indulge in fanciful, multicourse tasting menus–think: beef tartare embellished with berbere, “shocked” tuna, roasted quail with banana bread stuffing–courtesy of the tasting-room-within-an-established-restaurant model Ouattara is utilizing to reintroduce his critically-acclaimed cooking style within Kora ‘s four walls.

The embedded Farrah Olivia will feature 3-, 4- or 5-course tasting menus ($45, $55 and $65, respectively) to be served in a separate 50-seat dining room from 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. “There are separate menus, decor, staff,” Ouattara promised of the custom-tailored, fine-dining experience Farrah Olivia regulars have been clamoring for ever since the shuttering of his restaurant in Alexandria.

Ouattara is also retooling the menu at Kora, having assumed control of the kitchen after his brother, Amadou, stepped down in November.

“I found that most of our diners were slightly disappointed not to be tasting my cuisine since my name was on the restaurant. They were expecting Italian with a twist, not traditional Italian cuisine,” Ouattara said, owning up to the lukewarm response Kora has received to date.

According to Ouattara, Kora’s lunch fare will likely remain undisturbed. But he’s already begun fine-tuning the dinner program, eschewing convention in favor of fresh interpretations.

“I’ve fused Italian with modern American, some French and a few other things,” he expalined. Tentative updates include: steak tartare, tuna with caponata, balsamic and olive pearls, goat cheese gnudi with fried artichoke hearts and pan-roasted, walnut-crusted chicken breast flanked by bacon mac and cheese.

And that’s just for starters.

“I’ve also been experimenting with zero-calorie pastas,” Ouattara mused, casually floating plans to make calorie counting obsolete by marrying noodles and insoluble fibers into a guilt-free go-to.

And while he’s not entirely given up on his dream of returning to downtown D.C.–”My wife and I just had another daughter, Lily,” the proud papa reported (Kora and Farrah are the names of his earlier progeny)–he’s in no immediate hurry to race back across the river.

“Farrah Olivia will stay in Virginia for the foreseeable future,” he suggested, adding that he has nothing but fond memories of the friends he made on the outskirts of Old Town Alexandria. “I still remember the names/faces of our regulars: the Brunos, the Singers, the Outlaws, Michelle Boggs, the Jaffee Family. These people saw us on a weekly and sometimes daily bases [sic],” he shared. “I don’t know if I can find that downtown.”

Farrah Olivia will re-open Wednesday, January 5. For reservations, call: 703-445-6571.

–Warren