Posts Tagged ‘The Wine Kitchen’
Friday File: NoVA’s Much-Deserved Attention; Three Week Summary; Dining Anticipation; Eating Cheaply
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Friday, December 30th, 2011
Some news, eats, ideas, questions, rants, you know, it’s Friday.
NoVA’s Much-Deserved Attention
The lists pour in this time of year and our region’s getting a few nods: Washingtonian names 21 Northern Virginia restaurants in its 100 Very Best Restaurants cover story and Going Out Gurus‘ reader-submitted hit list pegged 25 NoVA dishes out of 40 DMV most essential eats.
Three Week Summary
Hey there. So I’ve been at the mag for three weeks now. It’s a pretty rad gig (although I’m sad to say goodbye — Part 1, Part 2 — to my blog, Endless Simmer).
Thus far, I’ve enjoyed the quaint main-drag of Leesburg, especially the checkerboard tables at Shoes, Cork and Cup; the gorgeous rava masala dosa — and the almost-charming surly service — at Amma Vegetarian Kitchen (pictured); the Santa sighting at Skorpios; the shortribs dog at Lyon Hall; and the seared beef carpaccio at Tallula.
But it hasn’t been all hits: I will ignore the bland mussels at The Grille at Morrison House; I should have taken the bartender’s advice and skipped EatBar‘s chicken and waffles; I should have taken my co-worker’s advice and not have been so excited to try The Wine Kitchen‘s barely-bacony version of chicken and waffles; and I should not have trusted ravioli that needs to rely on a blanket of melted provolone and two sauces, at San Vito Italian Restaurant.
Dining Anticipation
I’m really pumped to dine around Northern Virginia. That’s all.
Eating Cheaply
Help a new girl out. Any cheap eats recommendations? (But no cheap chicken, please.)
Get In Touch
While I’ve lived in Washington, DC for over 10 years, I’m still figuring things out this side of the river. Dining suggestions are welcome. Email me at fooddesk@northernvirginiamag.com.
Happy New Year Dudes.
Photo by Stefanie Gans
Wine Kitchen to Cross the River
Posted by Warren Rojas / Thursday, June 23rd, 2011
Wine Kitchen co-founder Jason Miller is exporting his award-winning brand to Frederick this fall–and he’s tapped a VOLT vet to help him do so.
Miller didn’t have much by way of design specifics, hinting only that the sister restaurant to his original wine bar/bistro in Leesburg would take up residence in “downtown Frederick” later this year.
But he did share that the kitchen will be helmed by VOLT alumnus Adam Harvey.
“We are very excited to have him [Adam] join us in our new venture,” he said of the well-seasoned new hire.
Miller suggested that the Frederick shop–”It is an up and coming food and wine destination that already has some really great restaurants. We hope to join the scene there and offer something unique to the area,” he said of the northern expansion–would likely adhere to the same small plates and artisan winemakers model, but with totally fresh and different interpretations.
VOLT chef/founder Bryan Voltaggio, who is in the process of doing a little empire building of his own in historic Frederick, sounded genuinely excited about the potential competition.
“I welcome that fact that he’s going to be my neighbor,” Voltaggio said, offering nothing but praise for Harvey, a constant presence in the VOLT kitchen from August 2008 till earlier this spring (Harvey’s younger brother, Evan, is still at VOLT). “I congratulate him on commanding a new kitchen.”
A Frederick native, Voltaggio seems pleased by the hospitality boom he’s helped usher into his hometown. “We’re not popping up restaurants overnight here in Frederick. But we are opening new ones rather than closing’em,” he posited.
But he also held out hope that other restaurateurs might still come, and that greater dining diversity would eventually follow.
“I think I always knew the people here were looking for more choices,” Voltaggio suggested.
Miller couldn’t agree more.
That’s why Leesburg’s Wine Kitchen is prepping a new lunch menu–poised to debut next month–tentatively set to offer gourmet updates ranging from a reimagined Cobb salad, to local sirloin-laden steak and cheeses to tuna burger BLTS.
“The lunch menu will be seasonal and rotate throughout the year,” Miller pledged.
–Warren
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, September 16th, 2010
The Wine Kitchen in Historic Downtown Leesburg always has great specials going on. Wednesdays are taco night at The Wine Kitchen and for $12 you can get two tacos made of homemade tortillas, shredded short ribs, and avocado cream. For a lunch special, they are offering fondue for two and two glasses of wine for $8. This is in addition to their regular lunch special and is available 11:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. every weekday for the rest of September! The Wine Kitchen is closed on Mondays.
7 S. King St.
Leesburg, VA 20175
-Liz Stevenson
(Image: The Wine Kitchen)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Not to be outdone by the now near-constant flood of event dining opportunities, local vintners hope to take center stage during Virginia Wine Week (3/22 – 3/28).
Participating restaurants/retailers are obliged to feature at least three Virginia wines by the glass.
But many hospitality purveyors we’ve spoken to are taking the opportunity to trot out a bevy of regional pours, including:
* Capital Ale House: plan to offer Afton Mountain Vineyards Gewurztraminer (bottle only), Autumn Hill Vineyard Chardonnay ($6.95), Autumn Hill Cabernet Franc Vineyard ($7.95), 2005 Blenheim Vineyards Meritage ($8.95), Blenheim Star Chardonnay ($10.95), Burnley Vineyards Riesling ($8.95) and Green Springs Winery Sweet Rose ($6.95).
* The Dock at Lansdowne: plan to offer 2008 Horton Vineyard Viognier ($8), 2006 Barboursville Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($8), 2007 Breaux Vineyards Chere Marie ($8), Breaux Equation Merlot ($8) and 2006 Prince Michel Chardonnay ($8).
* The Majestic: plan to offer Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay ($18), Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($13.50), Pollak Chardonnay ($11), Boxwood Winery Boxwood blend ($14) and a wine flight ($18) featuring Thibaut-Janisson, Boxwood and White Hall Vineyards Viognier. “We have featured the wine flight before and it has been quite popular,” Majestic manager Maria Chicas said.
* Vinifera: plan to offer 2006 Horton Vineyards Viognier ($9), 2006 Gabriele Rausse Cabernet Franc ($9), 2008 Loudoun Valley Vineyard Vinifera Red and Vinifera White ($28 each per half bottle).
* Vintage 50/Vintage 51: chef Aaron McCloud assured me they’ll be pouring something from Fabbioli Cellars and said they were still vetting other potential wine partners.
* The Wine Kitchen: plan to offer Kluge Estate New World Red ($3.50 – taste, $9 – glass, $31 – bottle) , 2007 Michael Shaps Chardonnay ($3 – taste, $11 – glass, $42 – bottle) and Tarara Winery Long Bomb Edition Two ($4 – taste, $7 – glass, $28 – bottle), as well as a discounted flight ($7) featuring all three.
A Virginia Wine Marketing aide said they’ve recruited over 160 participants to date and hope to cross into the 200s before registration closes on Monday, March 15.
Meanwhile, we’d like to know: does your favorite restaurant serve Virginia wine? And if not, might this promotion entice you to sample something local?
–Warren
NoVA Bows to Southern Favorite
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
(Image: Jonathan Timmes)
While the food cognescenti busy themselves with prognosticating next year’s restaurant trends, we’d like to slow things down a bit and simply give thanks for the sudden revival of one of our all-time favorite dishes: fried chicken and waffles.
We first stumbled upon the best-of-all-possible-worlds soul food staple last summer while poking around the Shenandoah Valley, but have since seen the dish (or fanciful variations thereof) pop up everywhere from the Wine Kitchen’s dinner carte to Restaurant 3‘s retooled brunch offerings to Eventide‘s just updated lounge menu.
If this trend continues, we fully expect 2011 to be a banner year for terrific eating.
–Warren
LoCo Works to Take Wine Kitchen Viral
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Leesburg’s Wine Kitchen gets some love from the Loudoun Convention & Visitors Association via a new web video:
(Video: Visit Loudoun HD)
I particularly enjoyed WK co-founder Jason Miller’s explanation of their reverse-engineered architectural vision:
“Parties always end up in a kitchen. So we’ll just build a kitchen and the party will start here.”
If you’ve not yet been, scoot on over for one of chef Chris Carey’s seasonally inspired ice cream sandwiches (homemade ice cream pressed between fresh-baked cookies) before he puts his summer desserts back on the shelf.
–Warren
