Happy Hour: Give Me Liberty

Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Thursday, January 5th, 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

… and give me a half-priced glass of wine.

Liberty's happening happy hour. / Photo credit: Lorin Drinkard

Yes, in the bustling corridor of Clarendon nightlife there sits a restaurant/bar that stands out among the rest. With their high-ranking menu of deliciousness (named to NoVA Mag’s 50 Best Restaurants) and classy bar-like appeal, The Liberty Tavern  calls to us as a neon beacon of rest for weary 9 to 5ers, saying, “Do step out of the cold. Why don’t you grab a drink, order some food and stay awhile.”

“The food tastes like home cooking,” one female patron told us, as she sipped on Magic Hat #9. “I’ve been coming here since it first opened. We always come here before going out anywhere else.”

Even Mr. POTUS himself has dined at Liberty, enjoying an evening of conversation and swordfish.

Although happy hour specials at Liberty are only drink-related (fingers crossed they have a sudden change of heart and decide their menu should be deeply discounted, too!), they’re not too shabby. Wine is half-off (try the Hacienda del Plata Zagal Malbec) and beers are $5 a pop. Quite a few good draft picks, including Bell’s Oberon, Dale’s Pale Ale, Brooklyn Lager and Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen.

They also serve up some mean specialty cocktails. A group of 20somethings ordered a round of Industrials (Liberty’s agave nectar margarita), then another. Happy hours prices brings them to $5 each. Another good choice: the LT G&T ($10), which is Hendrick’s gin, cucumber, lime and bottled Fever  Tree Tonic.

Foodwise, the smells drifting from your neighbor’s plate will have you ordering in no time. Any of the wood-fired pizzas are a big hit and run from $12 to $15. The house smoked salmon “lasagne”  ($11) is a small plate but packs great flavor. For other small bites, try the crispy shrimp/Ipswich claims ($9), Tavern salad with radish ($6) or hand-cut fries ($5) topped with herbs.

For full menu options, check out Liberty’s website here.

The Liberty Tavern
3195 Wilson Blvd.  
Arlington, VA 22201
703-465-9360
www.thelibertytavern.com

HH: 4 to 7 pm

Price: $3.50 and up for wines, $5 for beer and Industrials

–Lorin Drinkard

Pizza Segways and ’80s Rosés (aka Why I Love Clarendon)

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, June 27th, 2011

I’m going to declare my love right now: IMHO, Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza is the best pizza that has happened to Clarendon. And there is a LOT of  pizza being thrown these days in the Clarendon corridor. (Between the Rossyln and Ballston stops alone, you’ve got Piola, Listrani’s, Faccia Luna, Liberty Tavern, Fireworks, Pizza Autentica, Vappiano and Bronx Pizza yet to come. Seems pizza is becoming the new cupcake . . .) And then there is Pete’s. (Sigh of relief). Pete’s pies have helped to ease my pain over the premature demise of N. Filmore’s American Flatbread.

These are (burly) man-sized 18″ pies. (I take my leftovers home for dinner and reheat them beautifully in a skillet as per Pete’s suggestion). No fooling around with individual-sized canvases. The apizza (pronounced ah-Beetz) crust is crisp, bites back, and doesn’t sink and sag from the weight of the generous toppings. My favorites right now are the Elm City (White Pizza, Fontina Cheese, Grilled Chicken, Sautéed Wild Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions) and the Merritt Parkway (Proscuitto di Parma, Kalamata Olives, Caramelized Onions, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil).

And in a few weeks, you will be seeing Pete’s delivery Segways, retrofitted with special pizza baskets, roaming the sidewalks of our fair neighborhood. As ARLnow.com reports, and Pete’s tweets, the Segways will be making deliveries within a mile radius of the restaurant. For deliveries more than one mile and less than two miles from the restaurant, Pete’s will employ gas-powered scooters. And of course, delivery cars will be used for more distant dispatches and during inclement weather.

Co-owner Joel Mehr cites multiple advantages to the Segway mode of delivery:

– Unlike foot delivery, the Segway will be able to transport multiple pies
– A Segway can park almost anywhere, as opposed to a delivery car
– The Segway is also economical and ecofriendly (i.e., $.20 overnight charge for eight hours of operation)

Some on ARLnow.com have expressed doubts about the advisability of the Segway on the tight sidewalks of Clarendon. Others are gleefully gunning for a Segway-jogger showdown. (Says one commenter: “I hope they get to tangle with the joggers–some of whom even run between the passengers getting off a bus and the bus.” For real.) And then there are all those Clarendon pups . . .

Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
3017 Clarendon Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 527-PETE

Housemade Artisinal Food and Local Wine Tasting at Northside Social, Arlington

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Image: Northside Social

Thursday night in Arlington, the folks at The Liberty Restaurant Group will be putting on an artisanal foods and wine tasting at Northside Social, which will feature a range of house-made cheeses, charcuterie, pickles, mustard and more.

According to Northside Social’s Emer O’Rourke, the event will feature house made goods from all three members of the Liberty Tavern Restaurant Group, which includes Northside Social, Liberty Tavern and Lyon Hall, and will be curated by Liberty Tavern’s Executive Chef Liam LaCivita.

House made meats will include smoked prosciutto and porchetta, and cheeses will include smoked ricotta and goat ricotta. Food that’s bad for your blood pressure, basically. Local wine made by Virginia winemaker Claude Thibaut will also be available. To counteract all of the salted meat and sour flavors, for desert, Pastry chef Rob Valencia will also present his own house-made chocolates.

The event lasts from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and tickets are still on sale. Prices are $23 for members, and $28 for non-members.

Northside Social

3211 Wilson Blvd, Arlington

703-465-0145

- Kris King

Top Dog Challenge

Posted by ryan / Monday, April 11th, 2011

Domaso of the Hotel Palomar in Arlington is hosting a charity fundraiser on Sunday, May 1 at 3 p.m.  At least ten renowned chefs from across the region will engage in a friendly cooking competition. The best interpretation of a half-smoke could win the coveted title of Top Dog.

Participants include Victor Albisu of BLT Steak; Nathan Anda of Red Apron Butchery; Danny Bortnick of Firefly; John Critchley of Urbana; Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck; Liam LaCivita of Liberty Tavern/Lyon Hall; Dennis Marron of Jackson 20/The Grille at Morrison House; Peter Smith of PS 7′s; Chris Watson of BRABO; and Ed Witt of 701 Restaurant.

The panel of judges are comprised of Graffiato’s owner Mike Isabella, Robert Rollins of Ben’s Chili Bowl fame, The Washington Post’s Tim Carman, and Nycci Nellis from The List Are You On It.

For a $20 fee, attendees can sample all of the same food and vote for their favorite as well. Admission includes one cocktail featuring Skyy Vodka. Additional beverages like Flying Dog Beer and Whitehaven Wine can be purchased.

All of the proceeds benefit a non-profit organization called Brainfood, which uses food to develop life skills in a fun and creative setting. They teach active learning, self reliance, and healthy living in order to empower youth as resources in their own community.

Online tickets are available now. Visit the website, or call (703)-351-1211 for more information.

The Hotel Palomar is located just two short blocks away from the Rosslyn Metro Station. Street and valet parking are also available.

Hope to see you there!

-Ryan Robertson

(image: Domaso)

Liberty Tavern on Food Network

Posted by rebecca / Sunday, March 13th, 2011

It’s fun to eat at the featured  restaurants that the shows on Food Network or the Travel Channel will rave about, such as The Best Thing I Ever Ate. For example, a few years ago, Rice to Riches in New York was featured in an episode (can’t remember which show) and I knew that I had to go try it if I ever visited NYC. I eventually did, and it was delicious! Really overpriced, but 1. it’s NY and 2. I loved the modern container and spoon that it came in! Oh how I wish there was a shop dedicated to rice pudding in NoVA so that I wouldn’t have to resort to Kozy Shack’s.

Anyhow, our own Liberty Tavern in Arlington will be part of the new Food Network show, Meat and Potatoes, hosted by Rahm Fama. It will air on March 28th at 10:00pm (Liberty Tavern is also having a viewing party). The episode is all about pork, as Fama will be “pigging out” in Houston, Arlington, and Los Angeles.

A little bit about the show: Fama is a chef and “meat nerd”, originally from New Mexico. He has a passion for meat and his show travels across America to sample the choicest cuts. He also tastes the side dishes that complement and complete the overall meat dish. Rated “M” for meat, he warns vegetarians to beware.

Visit Food Network for more.

(image: Food Network)

Liberty Tavern
3195 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-465-9360

-Rebecca Kim

“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, June 7th, 2010

The 2010 RAMMYS kicked off with a strong start last night, glammed up for the evening with its Casablanca theme based on their own version of the famous line “We’ll always have…restaurants.”  Northern Virginia made a respectable showing – with 2941 taking the award for Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year and the Pastry Chef of the Year to its Anthony Chavez.  Vermilion claimed the trophy for Best Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year.

Anthony Chavez of 2941 accepts his award as Pastry Chef of the Year

In the past, the awards ceremony took place during a seated dinner.  But the 2010 RAMMYS is introducing a new format with a theatre-style ceremony followed by buffet-style dinner in the main ballroom.  Chef Liam LaCivita of Liberty Tavern (and nominee as Rising Culinary Star) says yes to the latest changes.  It was quick, he says.   LaCivita is currently busy with the recent opening of Northside Social, a coffee and wine bar in Clarendon.

Theatre style seating for the new RAMMYS format

The table of 2941 also reports glowing praise of the new format.  Executive Chef Bertrand Chemel says the RAMMYS of 2009 had been a disaster as it seemed like people didn’t care.  But he found this year’s set-up to be much more “tasteful.”  (Yes, he did use that exact word, but I don’t think he knew how much his unexpected pun delighted me!)  Chemel says that the new format shows that it is more about the event than the party.

However, Anthony Chittum, Executive Chef of Vermilion might disagree.  He was not a fan of the changes, saying it was too chaotic.  I was surprised when he told me that he had to stand during the ceremony as there were not enough seats.

Miles Vaden, Executive Chef of Eventide, had the same problem.  I’ll attest to that as I was standing on the side of the show right next to him.

I didn’t have the chance to survey every guest, but from the handful of reactions I gleamed, I may have recognized a pattern.  Those nominees left without a chair in the house were less inclined to embrace the new style.

RAMW President Lynne Breaux absolutely loves the theatre-style format and reports a positive consensus.  She concedes that with any new thing, we will have to tweak it to make it better in the coming years.  For RAMMYS 2010, she says people paid attention to what was important.

Scott Drewno, recipient of the Chef of the Year title, especially appreciates not having to worry about going up on stage with spinach in his teeth.

Anthony Chittum and his girlfriend, Dominique

In other exciting news, Anthony Chittum tells me he is headed to Crete for some culinary research.  I hope we get to see some of that Greek influence in their next Outstanding in the Field dinner, an evening of al fresco dining set for September 12^th. (Opa!) In the meantime, Chittum and his girlfriend, Dominique recommend we try Duangrat’s Thai Restaurant in Falls Church, a traditional family restaurant which they say is not recognized enough.

- photos and story by Jamel Daugherty

NoVA Well Represented in 2010 RAMMY Race

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

(Image: RAMW)

Restaurant awards season is now officially underway, with the James Beard Foundation unveiling its 2010 finalists yesterday and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington shining a light on the D.C.-Metro area’s culinary superstars today.

Though they are two very different competitions, there are at least one pair of hometown hopefuls in the running for both the national Beard Awards and local honors: restaurateur Jose Andres–whose minibar has him in contention for a Fine Dining RAMMY and Beard’s Outstanding Chef award–and CityZen pastry chef Amanda Cook (nominated for her delectable sweets by both hospitality scrutinizing bodies).

Meanwhile, Northern Virginia restaurants figure prominently in nine of the 14 RAMMY categories, including:

* Fine Dining: 2941

*Upscale Casual: Liberty Tavern, Vermilion

* Neighborhood Gathering Place: EatBar

* New Restaurant: Eventide, Inox

* Chef: Bertrand Chemel/2941

* Rising Culinary Star: Liam LaCivita/Liberty Tavern, Shannon Overmiller/The Majestic, Jon Mathieson/Inox

* Pastry Chef: Anthony Chavez/2941, Josh Short/Buzz (Neighborhood Restaurant Group)

* Wine Program: 2941

* Beverage/Mixology Program: EatGoodFood Group (AKA Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve/PX/The Majestic fame)

You can browse the full list of 2010 RAMMY nominees here. The winners will be feted June 6th during an awards gala at the Marriott Wardman Park.

Northern Virginia Magazine would like to congratulate all the nominees–yes, even you D.C. restos–and wish you all the best of luck on awards night!

–Warren

Let The Good Times Roll

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Image: Cajun Grocer

Mardi Gras. Carnival. Fat Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday. Pancake Day.

Whatever you want to call it, it’s time to participate in some serious celebrating at local restaurants.

-Throw on the party beads and eat your King Cake at 2941.  In honor of Mardi Gras, all diners will receive a complimentary King Cake today, regardless if you order off the prix-fixe four-course menu or a la carte.

-Fat Tuesday’s will have several bands performing throughout the evening, starting at 3 p.m.

-Clyde’s at Mark Center will have their annual Mardi Gras party featuring live music starting at 6 p.m. For $25 enjoy an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil with corn, potatoes and andouille sausage.

-Buzz will have King Cakes all day.

-The 2^nd Annual Mardi Gras on King Street will take place at the Fish Market.  Celebrate five days of Mardi Gras with traditional New Orleans style cuisine and cocktails. The festivities begin tonight with music by DC Motors and end with a masquerade ball on Saturday, February 20.  There will be a charity bead toss and Mardi Gras Masks available to benefit Multiple Sclerosis.

-King Street Blues will  offer “Cajun Specials” all day, including several po’boy varieties, jambalaya pasta and red beans.

-Try one of Trummer’s on Main’s signature cocktails from New Orleans, Brazil and Italy. Don’t forget to wear your masks, costumes or beads for 25 percent off special cocktails, beer and wine.

-Join Okra’s Louisiana Bistro for their annual Mardi Gras pub crawl and Cajun cuisine.

-Liberty Tavern will have $4 Abita Purple Haze and $5 Hurricanes all day long.

- Union Jacks will host a Mardi Gras Bash tonight. Collect the most beads and you can win a trip to the Caribbean. Their Creole menu includes shrimp po’boys, etouffee, and bananas foster. The celebration begins at 4 p.m.

-Learn to make classic New Orleans dishes at Open Kitchen. The menu includes crawfish etouffee and seafood and andouille sausage gumbo. $75; 7-10 p.m.

-On Wednesday, February 17, Chef Roberto Donna will host a six-course ‘Il Carnavale’ Dinner at his private residence. The menu includes stuffed lamb chops with braised chicory and Piemontese style rice fritters in parmesan cheese sauce. $100 per person.  Email tambolisa1@aol.com to make a reservation.

-On Saturday, Feb 20 Sunset Hill Vineyards celebrates Mardi Gras with a special Cajun menu and live music by the Yvonne Johnson Jazz Trip from 12-6 p.m. Don’t forget to wear your purple, gold, and green!

-IHOP celebrates National Pancake Day on February 23 this year from 7 a.m.- 10 p.m.  Guests will receive a short stack of pancakes for free. While you’re there, help others by donating to the Children’s Miracle Network or other local charities.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

NoVA Restaurants Score Big at 2009 RAMMYS

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Sunday, June 7th, 2009

(Image: Michael Birchenall)

A cadre of stellar local toques and restaurants (many of whom we’ve crowed about in the magazine) did NoVA proud at the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s 2009 RAMMY awards.

Top honors takers from here in the Old Dominion included:

* Restaurant Eve (Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year)

* The Liberty Tavern (Neighborhood Gathering Place)

* Anthony Chittum (Rising Culinary Star of the Year), and,

* Kate Jansen (Pastry Chef of the Year)

Congratulations to all the 2009 nominees and, of course, to the aforementioned award winners. Peruse the full list of 2009 RAMMY contenders  here.

–Warren