Posts Tagged ‘restaurants’
Meatless Love: Vegetarian Dining on Valentine’s Day
Posted by Joey Hernandez / Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
Surprise! This is vegan.
Valentine’s Day means flowers, chocolate and a delicious dinner. In the years prior, I have celebrated the day of love by enjoying a juicy, grass-fed steak, cooked rare. But, this year is different; we are expecting our second child and eating a well-done steak (under-cooked meat is a no-no for pregnant women) is not on my bucket list.
Sure, I can eat chicken but I have consumed so much chicken in the past few months that I swear I can see feathers growing on my head. So, instead I chose to join vegetarians on a search for a romantic spot for meatless eaters.
Here is a list for the no-steak crowd:
In Paris: The Ashby Inn offers a $79 vegetarian and vegan four course fixed price menu which includes: smoked Brussels sprouts, parsnip purée, soy emulsion and honey crust.
In Falls Church: Sea Pearl Restaurant offers a la carte items, such as toasted pearl couscous, raisins, toasted almonds, chickpeas, preserved lemon and harrissa for $19.
In Clifton: Trummer’s on Main offers a $72 vegetarian three-course fixed-price menu which includes: Swiss chard and cannellini beans served with Parmesan broth, pine nuts and trumpet royale mushrooms.
[tips for the food desk]
Photo: Shutterstock
Posted by Eunice / Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
By Warren Rojas
Growing up, they say, is hard to do. For now, at least, local restaurateur Chris Lefbom appears to be having fun with it.
The co-founder of neighborhood haunts Ragtime, Rhodeside Grill and Dogwood Tavern is adding a fourth, slightly tonier sibling to the family with William Jeffrey’s Tavern, a triple-tiered retreat for those who fancy eating, drinking and relaxing.
Lefbom describes the interior as having a “rustic industrial” feel. But don’t expect too much artsy, fartsy from these vets of the laidback scene. You can count on basking in the eternal glow of over a dozen flat-screen TVs, and catching up-and-coming bands on the small stage carved out for musical acts.
Journeyman chef Sam Adkins—he’s manned the burners at Jackie’s, Cashion’s and Matchbox, to name a few—will tweak the restaurant group’s standard fare a bit, but will still be working on “upscale comfort food.” Lefbom says that leaves plenty of room for fan favorites like nachos, wings and buffalo chicken wraps, while granting Adkins the latitude to play around some (as he has done with cioppino, swordfish and steak options).
The bar will embrace Prohibition era indulgences (think: gin, absinthe, champagne cocktails), while blue collar types can chase their blues away courtesy of 16 draft beer lines. “We will have local beers,” Lefbom asserts, pointing to neighboring Port City Brewing as a must-have for their gourmet suds list.
2301 Columbia Pike, Suite 100, Arlington; 703-746-6333; www.williamjeffreystavern.com
Open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner and late-night dining daily.
(December 2011)
Soup-Tastic Eats at Mon Ami Gabi
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Image courtesy of Anjali Pinto
As 2011 comes to an end, the New Year isn’t the only occasion to be excited about: the month of January officially marks National Soup Month! And right now, there’s no better place to commemorate the delectable occasion than at Mon Ami Gabi!
Stop in to celebrate appropriately and order up the restaurant’s warm and tasty Winter Soup Flight for just $5.95. When there is a sumptuous trio of specialty soup favorites, why order just one, when you can have a perfect-portion taste of all three?
Warm yourself from within and taste delicate spoonfuls of the classic Onion Soup Au Gratin with bubbling gruyere cheese, the decadent Four Mushroom Soup with roasted wild mushrooms and herb brioche croutons and the always-changing Cream of Root Vegetable Soup, featuring a new seasonal variety each week.
As temperatures start to plummet and the wintry chill sets in, one thing is for sure – Mon Ami Gabi will be ready and waiting to serve guests a piping hot trio of deliciousness. Raise your spoon and cheers to National Soup Month all of January at the go-to dining destination.
Guests are encouraged to call Mon Ami Gabi Reston at 703-707-0233 for more information and to make their reservation.
Mon Ami Gabi – 11950 Democracy Drive, Reston
– Jennie Whistler
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
Image: Eireann/Shutterstock
The Christmas season is also the tastiest season!
Virtue Feed & Grain, the comfortable escape to tasty morsels, beer inspired ‘hoptails,’ big screens and vintage arcade games is prepared to provide the classic backdrop for the holidays.
Decorated with hanging Christmas trees (kissing under trees is better than kissing under mistletoe), sparkling Christmas lights, and reefs on many walls, the decorations are only a precursor for the seasonal beer list that will feature a different holiday beer everyday from now leading up to Christmas. (Stay tuned to Facebook/Twitter for announcements.)
Pastry Chef Rebekka Baltzell’s special creations for the holiday season include a Chocolate Candycane Cake, Guinness Gingerbread Cake and White Chocolate Eggnog Mousse.
New Year’s Eve at Virtue Feed and Grain:
For New Years, the restaurant will be serving the full menu, including Feast Specials of Lobster, Prime Rib, and Whole Suckling Pig. There will be a midnight toast alongside the dropping of the ball on the big screen.
– Jennie Whistler
Mollydooker 5 Course Wine Dinner
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, December 12th, 2011
Bazin's on Church
Wondering what to do for dinner tonight? Want something new, exciting and scrum-diddly-umptious? Head to Bazin’s tonight and enjoy an elegant 5 course dinner paired exquisitely with a variety of wines.
Short ribs, pork confit and coconut tapioca soup are just a few of the delicacies you’ll enjoy. Don’t miss out- seating is extremely limited so call today for reservations.
Check out the menu:
MENU
Seared Maine Scallop
cauliflower purée, golden raisin, creamed onions
The Violinist Verdelho 2010
Short Rib Ravioli
tiny vegetables, foie gras sauce, parmesan
2 Left Feet Shiraz, Cabernet, Merlot blend 2010
Maple Glazed Pork Confit
rosemary, wild mushroom ragout
The Boxer Shiraz 2010
Braised Veal Cheeks
truffled potato gnocchi, garlic herb bread crumbs ,natural sauce
Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Coconut Tapioca Soup
caramel, passion fruit granite
Ederton Semilon
RSVP 703 255-7212
Bazin’s on Church, 111 Church Street, NW, Vienna; (703)255.7215; www.bazinsonchurch.com/Dec12.html; $100 per person, excluding tax and gratuity
- Jennie Whistler
Chef Jacques Haeringer of L’Auberge Chez Francois Makes Chocolate Tart!
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 9th, 2011
One of the most respected and admired chefs in Northern Virginia, Chef Jacques Haeringer, was featured on WUSA 9, showcasing his classic chocolate tart. Simple and delicious!
Chef Jacques is one of America’s most respected and innovative culinary personalities. His menus feature classic Alsatian and French cuisine reinterpreted for American palates. For more information on Chef Jacques or L’Auberge Chez Francois visit www.laubergechezfrancois.com or www.chefjacques.com.
L’Auberge Chez Francois - 332 Springvale Road, Great Falls; (703)759.3800
– Jennie Whistler
Chef Michel Richard Pays Tribute to a Culinary Legend
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
JLP tribute dinner menu- happening now!
Diners take for granted ingredients like white truffles, sea urchin, and fresh foie gras, dishes that were hardly known in the United States when Jean Louis Palladin arrived in Washington in 1979. It’s been a decade since the passing of this legendary chef but the mark he made on the culinary community lives on.
During the month of December, Michel Richard honors Chef Palladin serving dishes at MICHEL by Michel Richard, Tysons Corner, which reflect the inspired culinary creativity that Jean-Louis brought to the table.
“Jean-Louis was an ambassador of cuisine uniting all chefs of different culinary accents. He was a French chef but his quest for the freshest local American ingredients was an inspiration to us all”, says Michel of his friend and colleague.
From December 6-10, MICHEL in Tysons Corner will serve a six-course Jean-Louis Palladin Tribute prix-fixe menu, offered in addition to the regular a la carte dinner menu. Throughout the month of December, “JLP” special menu items will be incorporated into the regular a la carte dinner menu.
The Jean-Louis Palladin Tribute menu, a $150 six-course prix-fixe, includes an amuse bouche of Quail Eggs with Smoked Salmon in Brioche; followed by Chestnut Soup; Terrine of Foie Gras with Black Truffle Tricolor Pasta, Prosciutto and Fresh Herb Tomato Sauce; Fricassee of Snail with Crispy Sweet Breads, Mirepoix, Chanterelle Mushroom and Shallot Sauce; Roasted Duck Breast with Date Puree and Date Sauce; and for the sinfully delicious dessert, Chocolate Pasta, with Mocha Sauce and White Chocolate Curls and Petits Fours. Jean-Louis’ famous Brioche with Anchovy Butter will be served with the meal. The Jean-Louis Palladin prix-fixe menu will be available Tuesday- Saturday, December 6- 10, 5:30-10pm.
Courtesy of the James Beard Foundation, a limited quantity of the out-of-print Jean-Louis Palladin cookbook will be available for sale at MICHEL in December. This magnificent 220 page cookbook includes recipes that revolutionized the way chefs and food lovers viewed fine dining in America. The book was beautifully photographed by world-renowned photographer, Fred Maroon, whose work includes one of the most highly regarded photographic collections of Washington, DC. The book will be on sale at MICHEL for the month of December, priced at $50, with 100% of the proceeds going to the James Beard Foundation whose mission is to celebrate, nurture and preserve America’s diverse culinary heritage and future. Both Michel Richard and Jean Louis Palladin have been recipients of the James Beard Outstanding Chef Award, the most prestigious chef award in the U.S.
MICHEL At The Ritz-Carlton - 1700 Tysons Boulevard, McLean; (703)744.3999
– Jennie Whistler
Networking Benefit at Caribbean Breeze
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, December 5th, 2011
Networking For Good- Connections for a Cause
Networking For Good, a new organization that works to create networking opportunities for local business professionals in the Washington DC Metropolitan area, while also benefiting charities and non-profit groups around the globe, is hosting its first ever charity networking event tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6 at the Caribbean Breeze Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia.
This first charitable networking event will help benefit the Capital Area Food Bank, the largest nonprofit hunger and nutrition education resource, in the DC Metro area. Unlike some other charity events, one hundred percent of the net proceeds from every Networking For Good event will go directly to a featured charity. Each event will be hosted at a different area restaurant or local business, and a host committee made up of local business professionals will coordinate and market each event. The featured charity will benefit from ticket sales as well as a portion of the hosting restaurant’s revenue for the night of the event.
Mike Cordero, Chef/Owner Caribbean Breeze, AguaViva & PrimeTime Sports Bar
Connect with like-minded business colleagues for a good cause! Bring plenty of business cards AND a non-perishable food item for a chance to win one of our fabulous door prizes! The more items you bring, the more chances you have to win!
Enjoy complimentary appetizers with a Latin flare while you network with a great group of professionals. The more people that attend, the more money that is raised for the Capital Area Food Bank!
There will be $2 Drink Specials and complimentary desserts from Chica Bom Bom!
Tickets are $15 at the door but just $10 if you register online now! 100% of the net proceeds from this and every Networking For Good event go directly to the charity.
And now for your enjoyment, Mike Cordero, Chef/Owner Caribbean Breeze, AguaViva & PrimeTime Sports Bar shares his family recipe for the ultimate holiday drink. So get into the holiday spirit everyone!
Coquito – Puerto Rican Coconut Milk-Rum Christmas Drink
Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup white rum, or to taste
1 cup water
3 cinnamon sticks
4 egg yolks, well beaten
ground cinnamon for garnish
How to make Coquito
Combine all of the milks and the rum in a blender or a food processor, set aside. Boil the water with the cinnamon sticks. Cool to room temperature. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
Combine all of the ingredients except the ground cinnamon and beat well in a blender or food processor in batches. Pour the eggnog into glass bottles and refrigerate until ready to use (a fewweeks is best).
To serve, transfer the eggnog to a punch bowl and sprinkle the cinnamon on top. “My grandfather used to make this the beginning of December,” Cordero said. That way it could “brew” properly and be “ready for Christmas eve.”
**Networking for Good hosts exciting networking events in the DC Metro area that benefit both the business and non-profit communities. Look for new event announcements on their website, www.networkingforgood.com. When you attend a Networking for Good event, everyone benefits.
– Jennie Whistler
Port City Beer Meets RedRocks Pizza
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 1st, 2011
Tonight from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Beer? Check. Pizza? Check. Awesome? CHECK.
Go out to RedRocks Pizza Napoletana in Old Town Alexandria TONIGHT for fun, food and beer! Join them to celebrate Alexandria’s own Port City Brewery and RedRocks Pizza.
Port City founder Bill Butcher will be there to showcase his fine selection of draft beers, accompanied by samplings of RedRocks famous Neapolitan pizza, small plates, charcuterie and dessert!
Port City Brewing Company is an innovative brewer of top-quality beers right in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. A new craft brewery, they take great pride in producing locally crafted ales for the DC and Mid Atlantic market. If you haven’t tried it yet, tonight is the perfect time to sample their IPA, Pale Ale, Witbier, and Porter.
Beer and pizza: possibly the best combination since peanut butter and jelly.
Tonight, December 1, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at RedRocks Pizza Napoletana in Old Town. Admission is $35 pp + gratuity.
For more information or to make a reservation call (703)717.9873 or email info@redrocksoldtown.com.
RedRocks Pizza Napoletana – 904 King Street, Alexandria
– Jennie Whistler
Pajama Brunch at Virtue Feed and Grain
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Virtue Feed and Grain in Alexandria
At Virtue Feed and Grain, wearing your pajamas is not only encouraged, but rewarded!
On the first Sunday of every month, Virtue Feed and Grain is going to be offering a pajama brunch where you can enjoy traditional Irish breakfast, great beer and live music- all in your coziest pair of jammies!
And on Sunday, December 4th, Virtue Feed and Grain will host the Georgetown Saxatones, who will perform some of their greatest hits for Virtue’s guests.
The Georgetown Saxatones are the newest co-ed a cappella group on Georgetown’s campus. Originally founded as an oldies group in 2000, the Saxatones have expanded their repertoire to include everything from Motown to Michael Jackson, Alanis Morissette to Stevie Wonder, and Timbaland to Taylor Swift. The Saxatones were created with the purpose of serving the community through performance and music, and regularly partner with organizations both on the Hilltop and in the greater DC region.
Virtue Feed and Grain is the latest culinary endeavor from Chef Cathal Armstrong and his business partner/wife Meshelle. Specializing in modern American “pub grub,” Virtue is the ideal spot for a relaxing Sunday brunch. Chef Ryan Wheeler compiled a menu based on all time brunch favorites, including Corned Beef Hash with poached egg, French Toast with bacon and even the traditional Irish Breakfast, a nod to Chef Armstrong’s upbringing in Dublin.
Priced at $23 per person, prix fixe brunch includes coffee & juice, your main course, and the morning spread: assorted pastries, organic yogurt with various fruit fillings, assorted cereals, fruit salad, cured meets, cheese, smoked salmon, fresh bread and other goodies—the perfect way to get your appetite going.
Virtue Feed and Grain - 106 S. Union St., Alexandria; (571)970.3669
– Jennie Whistler