As NVM food editor Stefanie Gans reported in our May issue, Cafesano reopened this past January after an exhaust-related fire put the restaurant’s operation on hold for a couple months. But starting tomorrow, Cafesano is taking their Italian and Mediterranean cuisine to a new level with the addition of their daily breakfast (7-10:30) featuring creations from Alan Manstof, original owner of Chesapeake Bagel Bakery.

The standout ingredient on the breakfast menu is the Italian sausage, available in several different forms. We savored the authentic sausage flavor in both the breakfast torta (Italian quiche in a hash brown crust filled with a fresh egg mixture, red and green peppers, provolone cheese and herbs) and the Classico panini (grilled on a regular or whole-grain ciabatta roll with egg and cheddar cheese). The torta housed a happy texture combination between the crunchy shredded potato shell and the soft and fluffy, fresh filling. Similarly, the crust of the panini snapped between our teeth before we sank through the smooth sausage and thinly folded eggs, releasing a seasoned smokiness. 

Cafesano’s new breakfast menu, with all dishes under $6, also offers up an unusual number of vegetarian options. We tried the Bianca wrap with egg whites, diced tomato, basil pesto, fresh spinach and provolone in a grilled Greek pita. The Mediterranean salsa provided a saltiness that the wrap lacked on its own, and a quick sprinkle of pepper brought the flavor to perfection. This definitely felt like a no-guilt dish.

And it’s not a meal without a few side dishes! We munched on some hash browns (russet potatoes, grated and lightly fried in olive oil), which seemed more like mashed potatoes in a thin, crisp casing. The potato peel was grated into the mix, which made for a nice touch of added texture and provided that homemade comfort food feel that potatoes are known for. We balanced out our starches with the acidity of the tomato Parmesan, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and baked until the oregano was melted into the cheese. The tomato was prepared perfectly. Our only request: more cheese, please! You can never have enough cheese…

The end to our big meal called for something sweet. We stirred up a cup of pears, melon, grapes and oranges with Mediterranean yogurt, honey and granola to get our fruit and yogurt parfait to the perfect consistency. It was a light and refreshing way to enjoy some fruits that we don’t normally see in parfaits in Northern Virginia. 

Cafesano: South Lakes Village Center,11130 M South Lakes Drive Reston, VA 20191; www.cafeasano.com

Photos by Steve Stratton

The Curious Grape is back.

After shutting its doors Memorial Day weekend last year, The Curious Grape opened this Monday just around the block from its previous address. The multi-functional space serves as a coffee shop with grab-and-go options during the day, a wine bar with a full menu at night and a retail space with a selection of wine, gourmet cheese, single-origin chocolate and gourmet food products.

Among the new elements to the shop is the private dining space that doubles as tasting room for educational seminars. Suzanne McGrath, co-owner and pastry adviser, presses how important food and wine education is at the Curious Grape—a favorite pastime of Curious Grape regulars—and is excited to have a larger space to use.

While the amount of options might seem overwhelming, the vision is clear for guests: to make wine and food more accessible and to learn how to enjoy them together.

Bar seating where patrons can interact with the cheese expert.

The wine bar is meant to encourage and facilitate wine and food pairings and get the diner involved. Unlike most wine and food pairings where the menu recommends a certain wine with each dish, the Curious Grapes’ menu recommends a style of wine that would go with each dish. Then the customer can go to the list of that style of wine and pick one that he or she would like to try.

McGrath explains that this gives the customer options and let’s them explore. “Most menu items and wines come offered in half-portions and half-glasses so the diners can enjoy multiple wine and food pairings over the course of one meal,” says McGrath.

“The menu and cafe pastries will also feature items sold in the retail store, which will show people how to use some of the lesser known products,” such as the log of Parmesan Butter—made from the milk used in making Parmesan cheese—that McGrath will add to popovers. She is also excited about a coffee and chocolate pairing that would allow participants to taste coffee and chocolate from the same origin together, ultimately showing the nuances that geographical location imparts on flavor.

As I was walked around the store, I could hear the gasps from Curious Grape regulars as they walked into the new store for the first time. The Curious Grape is back.

>>>Click for more photos.

Decorative wine racks

A table setting in the private dining room.

The private dining space (which will soon be enclosed in glass doors).

The cafe area and pastry case.

A broad look at the new Curious Grape.

Photos: Sally Traynham

[tips for the food desk]

Restaurateur Michael Sternberg tried to give up the daily grind of a local eatery, dedicating the past four-plus years of his hospitality career tending to the marquee contracts fielded by catering giant Centerplate.

In the end, he’s returning to the Arlington scene and crowd he so loved serving there.

Sternberg launched the original Harry’s Tap Room years ago and is back to, once again, shake up Clarendon’s culinary landscape with Market Tavern. “When we first opened Harry’s, we were the upscale option in the neighborhood,” he recalls, marveling at the alternative-rich scene that’s cropped up around him since departing.

The new venture will retain a few touchstones—roaring fireplace, high ceilings, stone walls—that were near and dear to the Harry’s faithful, but the similarities will end there.

First off, Market Tavern will be split into two, separate atmospheres: the lower level bar/lounge, and slightly fussier (think: white table cloths) Chophouse at Market Tavern up above.

Sternberg has also reunited with chef Richard Beckel (last spotted working for the Thompson Hospitality folks out in Reston) and has tasked his long-time friend with producing a pair of menus designed to appeal to both high-end and casual diners. Chophouse guests can look forward to the “Gold Standard” burger, featuring a patty forged from ground short loin, short ribs and brisket, as well as homey casseroles, while lounge-goers will be courted with small plates and myriad burger (lamb, bison, beef) options.

2800 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-778-7788; www.mtavern.com
Open for dinner daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday.

(December 2011)

The 15-year old restaurant in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria has been closed for the past month while undergoing fun and communal renovations.  Today, December 8, the restaurant re-opens with a revamped look, new menu and new chef Jim Jeffords.

Doors open to the neighborhood today to reveal a refurbished space — original wooden banquettes still line the walls, but a new center with bold blue, plush benches boost the seating capacity to 60. New lighting and artwork by local artist Rick Singleton brings a retro feel with old junk turned into new art, in particular, an old Erector set that hangs the lights from the original ceiling in the dining room.

If you look around the restaurant, you’ll notice small vintage details from unique light fixtures made out of old metal to the trophy display on the back wall of the Majestic Lounge bar (the trophies were donated by community members and date back to 1901).

A light fixture made out of vintage jars hangs over the Majestic Lounge's bar.

As a matter of fact, everything about the renovation process has involved the community, from old trophy donations to a yard sale to sell the old furnishings from the pre-renovated restaurant, to a cocktail-naming night that will take place a couple weeks after today’s opening.

The Evening Star menu still features classic-meets-modern American comfort food, but with a more Southern tone. The back bar (dubbed “The Majestic Lounge”) now features 30 bottles of craft beer, 19 draft beers — served from 1950s vintage refrigerators — and one cask, which will feature local brews and rotate constantly. The bar will be serving original cocktails, including “The Hipster,” made with mezcal, chipotle peppers and PBR. You can also order any bottle of wine from Planet Wine next door with your meal.

The kitchen gets cookin’ today for dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. — and it sure isn’t going anywhere for a while.

The Evening Star Café is located at 2000 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria (703-549-5051). Visit www.eveningstarcafe.net for more information.

-Julia Harbo

The legendary restaurant formerly known as The Jockey Club, which served celebrities and politicians in D.C.’s Fairfax Hotel on Embassy Row, has reopened as 2100 Prime with a fresh focus on all-natural ingredients.

Executive Chef Mark Timms aims to serve an approachable cuisine that has been prepared with traditional techniques with the freshest ingredients. “An important piece of my work is to involve the local community, children, students and adults, introducing them to fresh, organic, aromatic and tender vegetables, herbs, fruits, fish and grass fed, hormone free meats. I want to bring what’s growing outside to our table here at 2100 Prime, creating a local dining experience for our guests,” Timms said.

The new fall menu includes items from quality organic farms and all-natural producers, such as:

Vermont Butter & Cream Co., Vermont (butter, goat cheese, and marscapone)
Pineland Farms, Virginia and Maine (beef strip loin and tenderloin)
Blue Mon Acres, Pennsylvania (chicken)
Grafton Cheddar, Vermont (cheddar cheese)

Featured on the fall menu is also a section called “Memory Lane,” which will bring back some of the old favorites of The Jockey Club, including their Lobster Thermidor and Dover Sole and Prime Steak Tartare.

New dishes of 2100 Prime include Heirloom Tomato (from Blue Mon Acres) Soup, Brie Spinach and Prosciutto Salad, Chicken ‘n’ Crepes, and Braised Lamb Shank.

“I believe in providing the freshest regional foods available incorporating hormone free meats, fish that is not over produced, and produce grown locally with no pesticides or chemicals. I hold an encompassing respect for farmers who nurture and protect the land,” said Chef Timms.

The restaurant also showcases a wine list with other 130 bottles of domestic and international wines.

2100 Prime is located in the Fairfax Hotel at 2100 Massachussetts Ave., NW (202-835-2100). See the full menu and restaurant website here.

-Julia Harbo

The Auld Shebeen, Old Town Fairfax

In old Irish, a “shebeen” was akin to a speakeasy- an after-hours hub where you could always find good spirits, great food and better camaraderie. That’s exactly what you’ll find at The Auld Shebeen Irish Pub and Restaurant in Old Town Fairfax.

Located in a low, unassuming brick building, this popular local spot is also very close to my heart; as a former employee for over 3 years, I can personally say that the atmosphere is as warm and inviting as the people who own it. Dominc Keane and Mick Boyle, partners and life-long friends, opened their doors about 6 years ago and have been thriving ever since.

On any given night you might see a variety of souls: a mix of older gentlemen nursing amber glasses of Irish whiskey or college students in carefree clusters along the bar. This is always the way it is- an eclectic mix of old and young, newcomers and regulars, families and singles which make the atmosphere fun and full of constant change.

The only authentic Irish pub in the Fairfax area, The Auld Shebeen offers a mix of old Irish classics and new American menu items. Such favorites as shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and corned beef and cabbage can be found alongside thick cut pork chops, a variety of fresh salads and hearty pastas.

Not to mention the beer.

Let’s be honest. You can’t have a great Irish pub without an extensive selection of great Irish beer. Not only does The Auld Shebeen pour a mean pint of Guinness, they also boast Smithwick’s (pronounced, “Smitticks” to all you genuine Irish), Harp and Magner’s Hard Cider, along with an impressive array of imported drafts as well as bottles.

But my heart still lies with a perfect pint of Guinness; thick, creamy and wonderfully dark with hints of cocoa and rich coffee- this is almost better than a meal any day!

So pretty!

I said, “Almost!”

When it comes down to it, nothing beats a pint and a plate of stew. Atop a mound of creamy mashed potatoes is a thick stew swimming with thick cut carrots and beef so tender you can cut it with a spoon. What could be more homey and comforting on a seemingly endless rainy day (or month)?

The perfect dinner

How about classic fish and chips? Perhaps the most popular dish on the menu, they are indeed a force to be reckoned with. At The Auld Shebeen they are crispy, light and oh so flaky and delicious. Never greasy or thick, and piled high with chips, onion rings and coleslaw, you definitely will be coming back again and again for this fan favorite.

Can you say, "Yum??"

One other thing you should NOT miss out on is the curry sauce. I know, it sounds a little odd at first, but curry is a true staple of Irish and British cuisine and traditionally served with chips or fish and chips. It’s fragrant and mild, so don’t worry about the spice factor. Trust me, once you’ll try it, you’ll go back for more.

Aside from the tasty food and friendly service, there’s always something going on at the ‘Been (“bean”). Join them every Friday and Saturday night from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. for live Irish music, Pub Quiz on Tuesday nights and Irish music sessions on Saturday mornings. They also feature a lower-level area called “The Cellar” which is a great late-night venue, hosting live bands and DJ’s every weekend, as well as Karaoke every Tuesday! Phew!

Going back there for me is always like coming home- there’s always a smile and a tall, frosty Guinness waiting. So whether you’re in the mood for a couple of pints after work, meeting friends for dinner or just wanting to cut loose, The Auld Shebeen is a true Fairfax landmark and can always be counted on for having a craic.

And if you don’t know what that means, you’ll just have to go there and find out!

The Auld Shebeen, 3971 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax; (703)293.9600

For a complete list of Irish pubs in your area go here.

– Jennie Whistler

The place: Buzz – Multiple NoVA locations; www.buzzonslaters.com

The prescription: open-faced oatmeal cookie sandwich with cereal milk ice cream. “It’s supposed to taste like the milk leftover after you eat a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch,” a Buzz worker says of pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac’s whimsical creation. Maybe–if you’re used to having breakfast at Charles Bukowski’s house. The cookie—spot warmed right when you order—is great, delivering mouthful after mouthful of whole grains, golden and traditional raisins plus bonus cinnamon spice. But it’s the boozy cereal milk, which gets a boost from a long pour of bourbon, that had us cleaning our plate and clamoring for more.

Should you (unlike me) happen to NOT be a raging alcoholic. MacIssac’s treat churning prowess extends to virgin flavors (the aptly named “exotic” weaves together ultra tart mango and lusty spice cake; vanilla is plain delicious) as well as seasonal sorbets (raspberry, apricot).

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

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.

The new spot will be due to open on Oct. 1.

And that’s it for now. All we have now is this picture from the Galaxy Hut facebook page:

Image via Facebook

- Kris King

(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