Fcrestaurantweek2016

the

presents the 4th Annual

Little City. Big Eats.

MARCH 14 - 20, 2016 23 RESTAURANTS • 7 DAYS • 1 LITTLE CITY

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Where’s the Food?        

Argia’s • 124 North Washington St. Backyard BBQ • 2910 N. Sycamore St. Blackfinn Ameripub • 1750 Gallows Rd. Cafe Kindred • 450 N. Washington St. Dogfish Head Alehouse • 6220 Leesburg Pike Dogwood Tavern • 132 West Broad St. Famous Dave’s • 370 West Broad St. FDB Eatery • 6641 Arlington Blvd.

There’s 23 restaurants particpating in this year’s Falls Church Restaurant Week, so don’t waste time standing around asking for directions. Use our handy dandy map to plan your dining strategy and get on to the good stuff: EATING.        

Hot N Juicy Crawfish • 116 West Broad St. Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar • 2190 Pimmit Dr. Mad Fox Brewing Company • 444 West Broad St. Moby Dick of Falls Church • 444 West Broad St. #A Pistone’s Italian Inn • 6320 Arlington Blvd.

Plaka Grill • 513 West Broad St. Present Restaurant • 6678 Arlington Blvd.

Saffron Indian Cuisine • 1077 West Broad St.

      

Seven Corners Pub • 6315 Leesburg Pike Sfizi Cafe • 800 West Broad St. Taco Bamba • 2190 Pimmit Dr. Suite G Takumi • 310B South Washington St. TRIO Grill • 8100 Lee Highway Yayla Bistro • 2201 North Westmoreland St. Zpizza • 1051 West Broad St.

Now offers

703-534-2510 Order your BYBBQ favorites for delivery! and for Restaurant Week March 14-20, delivery orders will be

10% OFF Tues-Sat • 4:30-8PM • 3 mi radius • $25 min delivery order

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PAGE 18 | MARCH 10 – 16, 2016

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Local Restaurants Rebrand in Changing City

by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

FDB Eatery did it to continue to serve the community as they have been for over a half century.

Seven Corners Pub did it to turn around an establishment that had fallen out of favor with the community. But both local restaurants have recently rebranded in order to survive in a Falls Church that is rapidly changing amid development and a booming population.

FDB Eatery, formerly known as Frozen Dairy Bar and Boardwalk Pizza and just Frozen Dairy Bar before that, opened in 1950 as a frozen custard stand and added pizza and other light fare to its repertoire in 2004 in order to offer customers something during the winter months, when Frozen Dairy Bar regulars were less likely to eat the chilly treat.

And in 2014 the Eakin family, the owners of FDB Eatery, have transformed it more radically than it has before in order to create a dining experience for the growing number of young families moving into Falls Church.

“Branding is so important in today’s market in Falls Church,” said Michael Natoli, general manager and executive chef of FDB Eatery.

“With the amount of corporate restaurant proliferation in the area we really need to be on the cutting edge. It’s a lot more today than providing excellent service and excellent food. You have to be branded as well.”

Natoli mentioned the growth in competition over the last decade – the opening of a Paisano’s and Flippin’ Pizza store to compete with the pizza side of their business and the opening of three Sweet Frogs to compete with the frozen custard side – when talking about the need for FDB Eatery to rebrand.

Despite the steadiness of FDB Eatery’s frozen custard business, there was a slight dip in business because of the arrival of Sweet Frog and several other frozen yogurt or ice cream shops in the area.

“In addition to the Paisano’s, we had a Chipotle open up, we had a Red Robin open up,” Natoli said. “So we’ve just had a tremendous amount of restaurants open and we won’t even get into Merrifield because that’s a whole other world. But that’s a lot of competition.”

Natoli said that the Eakin family is the constant in all of the change that’s taken place over the

FDB EATERY general manager and executive chef Michael Natoli and Kevin Eakin, part of the family that owns the restaurant, sit in the restaurant’s new dining room in the photo above. The restaurant, formerly known as Frozen Dairy Bar and Boardwalk Pizza and just Frozen Dairy Bar before that, started a rebranding effort in 2014. In the image to the right, the Frozen Dairy Bar stand, the original iteration of the restaurant, opened in 1950 and operated until 2004 as only a frozen custard shop (Photos: News-Press/Drew Costley & Courtesy Photo)

last year. The family has owned the property where FDB Eatery is located for four generations, since the 1930s and even made a play to save the Frozen Dairy Bar when it was going to go out of business.

“So the family has the wherewithal to hang in with the business whereas if it was a mom and pop type of operation it would have gone to the wayside,” Natoli said.

“I don’t think there would have been the money to rebrand. But seeing as there were emotional ties to Frozen Dairy Bar business...they decided in 2014 to rebrand it to bring it into the metropolitan type of restaurant that it is now.”

The Eakin family spent over $250,000 to renovate the interior of the restaurant as part of the rebranding campaign. What was once a shop with over the counter and delivery service is now a full-service dining room. Instead

of just frozen custard, pizza and other light fare, FDB Eatery’s menu is more of an “Americantype” bistro, Natoli said.

There are many things about FDB Eatery, which the Aiken family trademarked as part of the

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

RYAN COOLEY, general manager and executive chef of Seven Corners Pub, stands behind the restaurant’s bar, where he sometimes serves as a bartender. Formerly Public House No. 7, the restaurant has undergone a transformation over the past year and is now attempting to win back the trust of the Falls Church community.

The photo on the left shows the old Public House No. 7, which, according to Cooley, had a tarnished name among many in the surrounding neighborhood. (Photos: NewsPress/Drew Costley & Courtesy Photo)

rebranding process, that honor the tradition of what was once a Falls Church institution. Natoli said they decided to change the name the way they did in order to reflect the fact that they serve more than just frozen custard and pizza, but kept the FDB as a nod to those who have patronizing the business throughout the years. Also, the menu, which now includes Duck Empanadas, Fried

Oysters and Cabernet-Braised Short Ribs, still has pizza and frozen custard.

“We have pizza as our mainstay on our menu – it’s New York style and it’s very good – and we have our full menu for takeout,” Natoli said. FDB Eatery has one of a kind pizzas like the Drunken Duck Pizza and speciality toppings like exotic mushrooms and grilled jalapenos.

“So we have a niche with the pizzas and we have a total niche with the custard,” Natoli said.

“Frozen custard, because it’s also a mainstay in our business, we serve things in our dining room that are phenomenal that use the custard like our Bananas Foster and some really awesome sundaes and parfaits that use the custard….

That’s one of the things we did with the rebranding. We added

some really high-end items in the dining room that feature the frozen custard.

“At one time it was a really simple product. When it was just the iconic, old ice cream stand that stood on this property for many, many years. Back then it was just chocolate and vanilla.

Later on they added shakes and sundaes to the menu, but now we’ve taken it to another level where we offer a lot of interesting blend-ins and toppings and we make a lot of cool desserts with the frozen custard.”

Natoli said that FDB Eatery’s target market is two-fold – they are offering up something for the

MARCH 10 – 16, 2016 | PAGE 19

foodies and for young professionals with families. And they rebranded in order to fit in with dining scenes like the ones in Clarendon in Arlington and the Mosaic District in Merrifield.

Only minutes down Arlington Boulevard in the direction opposite the Mosaic District, Seven Corners Pub recently opened as a rebranding of Public House No. 7. But the impetus for rebranding was altogether different for the owners and manager of Seven Corners Pub. “When we took over here in February of last year, we took over the name Public House No. 7,” said Ryan Cooley, general manager and executive chef at Seven Corners Pub. “And the place had kind of tarnished name with it.”

Cooley said that he and the owners tried to make internal changes at the restaurant, such as repairing and renovating the interior of the restaurant, hiring new staff and doing a menu overhaul.

But that just wasn’t enough.

“We tried to change everything up, clean the place up and get the trust of the community,” Cooley said. “And it just wasn’t happening.”

So they (mostly) got rid of the English theme of the old restaurant, changed their name and are now marketing themselves and operating as an American bistro style pub.

But, like FDB Eatery, Cooley kept a few menu items, like the Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips, that are a nod to the restaurant’s old theme. And Cooley and the owners have been putting in footwork around Falls Church to gain the community’s trust.

“We’re basically trying to rekindle the relationship with the neighborhood and make sure that everyone knows that we aren’t drunken buffoons like the last guys who were here,” Cooley said. “We’re a professional business and we’re going to carry ourselves that way.”

Cooley said that there were staff at the restaurant who weren’t delivering good customer service, so there was an overhaul in that arena. He said that he wants staff that actually care about the community they’re serving.

And although he said that the target demographic for Seven Corners Pub is young professionals, he wants the restaurant to have a familial feel.

“We’re trying to make it more of like a Cheers, like that neighborhood kind of pub that welcomes family and friends and stuff like that,” Cooley said. “Now we’re kind of a family-based atmosphere.”

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F. C . R E STAUR A NT W E E K

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANT WEEK 2016 MARCH 14 - 20

The News-Press is proud to present the 4th Annual Falls Church Restaurant Week! This year’s culinary celebration features an exciting selection of restaurants from in and around The Little City serving up special dining deals all week long starting Monday, March 14 and running through Sunday, March 20. All partcipating restaurants and their dining specials are listed below and are also available online at www.fcrestaurantweek.com.

Argia’s 124 North Washington Street, Falls Church argias.com 2-Course Lunch (no dessert) for $12.95 3-Course Dinner for $21.95

First Course (choose one): Arancini (lunch and dinner)- meat sauce stuffed risotto croquettes with fontina cheese and peas, served with spicy maranar and crispy basil Italian Farmhouse Salad (lunch and dinner) - Greek feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, peeled cheery tomatoes, country olives, red onions and capers tossed in Italian vinaigrette with baby romaine hearts Roasted Red and Yellow Beets (lunch only) with housemade ricotta, toasted pistachios, orange segements, frisee and lemon oil Mozzarella en Carozza (dinner only) - breaded crispy mozzarella over cherry tomato ragout with basil Second Course (choose one): Tuscan Chicken Salad (lunch only) - grilled lemon chicken breast, roasted almonds, grilled red onions, red peppers, mesclun greens, tomatoes, red onions and goat cheese in a lemon-thyme vinaigrette Margherita Pizza (lunch only) - topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil and sliced tomatoes Meatball Hoagie (lunch only) - toasted Amoroso’s roll stuffed with nonnina’s meatballs, amrinara and melted mozzarella and choice of side Seared Salmon (dinner only) - grilled parmesan-herb polenta and olive vegetable relish Lasagna (dinner only) - oven-baked fresh pasta layered with ricotta cheese, mozzarella and bolognese Chicken Saltimboca (dinner only) - chicken scallopini with prosciutto, sage and angel hair pasta in light lemony pan sauce Third Course (choose one): Tiramisu OR Volcano Cake Backyard BBQ 2910 N. Sycamore St, Arlington backyardbbqcompany.com 10% off all delivery orders Blackfinn Ameripub 2750 Gallows Road, Vienna blackfinnameripub.com

4-Course Meal for Two for $30/each

Appetizer (choose one): Hummus Duo, Tuna Poke, Southern Nachos, Soft Pretzel Salad (choose two): Greek Salad, Blackfinn Salad, Caesar Salad, Kale Quinoa Entree (choose one): Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf, Lime-seared Salmon, Fish and Chips, Lemon Chicken cream sauce and served alongside homemade linguine tossed in an aglio e oilo sauce Dessert (choose one): Chocolate Chip Avalanche, Funnel Fries, Blackfinn Hot Chocolate, Cheesecake Cafe Kindred 450 North Washington Street Suite F, Falls Church cafekindred.com 3-Course Menu for $24

Appetizer: Citrus Avaocado Salad Entree (choose one): Beef Pie and Chips OR Fish and Chips Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream Dogfish Head Alehouse 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church dogfishalehouse.com

Appetizer: $9 - Salmon Rolls - salmon, spinach, cilantro and seasonings, deep fried and served with soy lime ginger sauce over bed of green cabbage Entrée Special: $15 - Baked Stuffed Salmon - fresh salmon filet stuffed with crab imperial and topped with a lemon sauce.

Served with feta orzo pasta Dessert Special: $6 - Banana Cheesecake Tort - banana and cheesecake in a flaky fried pastry, rolled in cinnamon sugar and topped with caramel. Served a la mode Dogwood Tavern 132 West Broad Street, Falls Church dogwoodtavern.com 3-Course Prix-Fixe Menu for $25

First Course: Lobster Bisque Main Course: Cider-Brined Stuffed Pork Chop - stuffed with cornbread, apple and pecan stuffing, bacon-braised collard greens and a bourbon BBQ sauce Dessert: Chocolate Souffle with vanilla ice cream Famous Dave’s 370 West Broad Street, Falls Church famousdaves.com

1/2 slab platter of ribs (St. Louis-style of Baby Back) with choice of dessert, paired with choice of small draft beer or glass of wine for $25 FDB Eatery 6641 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church fdbeatery.com

Free Frozen Custard per $15 of dine-in purchases Receive a free two scoop cup of frozen custard per $15 purchase in dining room (i.e. spend $30, get two cups) Dine-In only, not to be combined with other offers, toppings extra Hot N Juicy Crawfish 116 West Broad Street, Falls Church hotnjuicycrawfish.com Seafood Feast for $55 includes Fried calamari, 1 lb. crawfish, 1/2 lb. shrimp, 1/2 lb. green mussels, 1/2 lb. black mussels, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, 1 dozen Andouille sausages, cajun or regular fries, fried brownie dessert, 2 sodas Lobster Lovers for $100 includes 2 lobsters, 1 lb. crawfish, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, cajun or regular fries

Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com 3-Course Lunch for $20.16 3-Course Dinner for $30.16

Choose any one appetizer, one entree and one dessert from regular lunch or dinner menu Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 West Broad Street, Falls Church madfoxbrewing.com 2- or 3-Course Lunch for $20 3-Course Dinner for $25

Lunch: Choose any Mad Fox small seasonal salad, any entree and dessert OR any seasonal salad with protein and dessert Dinner: Choose any small seasonal salad, any entree and dessert Moby Dick of Falls Church 444 West Broad Street #A, Falls Church mobysoline.com

Starters (choose two to share): Green Paradise Spring Roll - fresh spring roll with peanut sauce; Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Roll special crispy roll with fish sauce; Phoenix Shrimps - crispy tiger shrimp with coconut sauce; Red Sea Calamary - chef calamari with salt and pepper; Jewel-Green Papaya - green papaya salad with beef liver jerky Main Entrees (choose two): Mosaic Pathway - cellophane noodle wok sauteed with jumbo lump crabmeat and vegetables; Cow on the Open Field - tenderloin beef cube wok shaken in high flames on top of fresh salad; Duck in Tamarind Basket - marinated duck breast with chef’s special tamarind sauce; Shrimp in the Fresh Ocean - jumbo salted prawns sauteed with salt and black pepper; Wicked Wishes - soft shell crab with tamarind sauce or lemon sauce; Gregarious Lemongrass Chicken - fillet breast chicken with lemongrass sauteed with garlic, onions and spicy chili Dessert: Coconut banana fritters a la mode

Meal for Two for $19.99

Saffron Indian Cuisine 1077 West Broad Street, Falls Church saffronfc.com

Choice of one starter plus entree including 1 joojeh (chicken breast), 1 chenjeh (chunks of beef), 1 spicy ground chicken OR kubideh (ground beef) with rice, bread and yogurt sauce

20% Off everything Dine-In only

Pistone’s Italian Inn 6320 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church pistoneitalianinn.com 3-Course Menu for $30 (Dine-In Only)

Seven Corners Pub 6315 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church sevencornerspub.com Buy 1 entree at full price, Get 2nd entree 50% off

Plaka Grill 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church plakagrill.com

Sfizi Cafe 800 West Broad Street, Falls Church sfizi.com

3-Course Dinner Menu for $25

20% off all meals plus 50% off select bottle of Italian wine served with lunch or dinner

1st Course (choose one): Zucchini Fritters; Choice of 1 Dip with Pita Bread; Choice of Spanakopites or Tyropites 2nd Course (choose one): Calamari Dinner - fried calamari, Plaka fries and small Plaka salad Peter’s Braised Lamb Shank - lamb shank marinated in robust red wine then braised and slow-cooked for hours served on a bed of orzo pasta with side of Plaka salad Vegetarian Moussaka - alternating layers of housemade tomato sauce, eggplant, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, feta and parmesan cheese, then finished with bechamel sauce and baked.

Served with a side Plaka salad and warm pita triangles 3rd Course (choose one): Baklava; Galaktoboureko; Rizogalo Add any bottle of house wine for $10 more Present Restaurant 6678 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church presentrestaurant.com 5-Course Dinner Menu for Two for $32/person

Taco Bamba 2190 Pimmit Drive Suite G, Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com Three Traditional Tacos and Mexican Street Corn for $10 Takumi 310B South Washington Street, Falls Church takumiva.com

Restaurant Week Bento Box for $18 (lunch only) 3-sampler appetizer: Brussels sprouts with ginger dressing, 2 pieces aji furai, 2 piece kaki furai Sushi: 4 pieces nigiri sushi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp); 1 maki sushi (crunchy shrimp roll)

Trio Grill 8100 Lee Highway, Falls Church triomerrifield.com 3-Course Restaurant Week Menu for $35

First Course (choose 1): Soup of the Day; Spinach Salad - baby spinach, hard boiled eggs, crispy fried shallots, crumbled blue cheese, warm bacon vinaigrette; Classic Caesar - crispy romaine, parmesan herb crostini, white anchovies, parmigiano reggiano Entree (choose 1): Stuffed Free-Range Chicken - wild mushroom and proscuitto duxelle, trumpet mushroom au gratin, rosemary jus; Hickory Smoked Atlantic Salmon - five spice brined, red quinoa pilaf, butternut squash puree, crispy parsnips; Berkshire Pork Chop - 8 oz., braised collard greens, bacon and apple marmalade, spicy habanero mustard Dessert (choose 1): Key Lime Pie - toasted coconut crust, mojito reduction, blackberry coulis, meringue brulee; Pecan Pie - butter pecan ice cream, maple caramel; Chocolate Mousse - raspberry coulis, dark chocolate fudge, whipped cream Select Restaurant Week Wines for $45

MARCH 10 - 16, 2016 | PAGE 21

What are you In the Mood For? With the amount of participants in this year’s Falls Church Restaurant Week, deciding on where to eat during the celebration of Little City cuisine can get overhwelming. While we plan on visiting each and every restaurant on the list, we can’t, in good conscience, recommend that strategy for everyone’s bellies.

So in order to make your dining decision a little bit easier next week, we’ve categorized participants by their cuisine in a handy 2016 F.C. Restaurant Week cheat sheet. Good luck and happy eating!

AMERICAN Blackfinn Ameripub, Cafe Kindred, Dogfish Head Alehouse, Dogwood Tavern, FDB Eatery, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Mad Fox Brewing Company, Seven Corners Pub

BARBECUE Yayla Bistro 2201 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington yaylabistro.com 3-Course Prix Fixe Menu Lunch for $20

First Course (choose 1): Red Lentil Soup - red lentils pureed with onions and herbs; Yayla Soup - lemon rice soup with Turkish herbs; Half Arugula Salad - fresh arugula with tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and vinaigrette; Half Shepherd’s Salad - diced tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onions, feta and lemon olive oil (All first-course options served with homemade bread) Second Course (choose 1): Adana Kebab - ground beef and lamb mixed with red peppers, onions, garlic and herbs and grilled on a skewer. Served with choice of rice pilaf, burger pilaf or sauteed vegetables; Chicken Shish - marinated chicken breast chunks grilled on a skewer and topped with tomato sauce. Served with choice of rice pilaf, burger pilaf or sauteed vegetables; Moussaka - roasted eggplant layered with ground beef and lamb mix and bechemel sauce, topped with tomato sauce and shredded parmesan cheese. Served with some greens; Spinach Pie - flaky filo dough layered with spinach, onion and feta. Baked until golden brown and served with cacik and mixed greens Third Course (choose 1): Baklava - fresh filo dough layered with walnuts and baked in honey syrup until golden brown; Sutlac - creamy traditional Turkish rice pudding topped with currants and pistachios (Requested entire table participate in Restaurant Week)

Backyard BBQ, Famous Dave’s

GREEK Plaka Grill

INDIAN Saffron Indian Cuisine

ITALIAN Argia’s, TRIO Grill, Pistone’s Italian Inn, Sfizi Cafe

PERSIAN Moby Dick House of Kabob

PIZZA Mad Fox Brewing Company, Zpizza

SEAFOOD Hot N Juicy Crawfish

SUSHI Takumi

TACOS Taco Bamba

TURKISH Yayla Bistro

zpizza 1051 West Broad Street, Falls Church zpizza.com 20% OFF order, dine-in or carry-out

VIETNAMESE Present Restaurant

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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

F. C . R E STAUR A NT W E E K

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANT WEEK 2016 MARCH 14 - 20

The News-Press is proud to present the 4th Annual Falls Church Restaurant Week! This year’s culinary celebration features an exciting selection of restaurants from in and around The Little City serving up special dining deals all week long starting Monday, March 14 and running through Sunday, March 20. All partcipating restaurants and their dining specials are listed below and are also available online at www.fcrestaurantweek.com.

Argia’s 124 North Washington Street, Falls Church argias.com 2-Course Lunch (no dessert) for $12.95 3-Course Dinner for $21.95

First Course (choose one): Arancini (lunch and dinner)- meat sauce stuffed risotto croquettes with fontina cheese and peas, served with spicy maranar and crispy basil Italian Farmhouse Salad (lunch and dinner) - Greek feta, cucumbers, tomatoes, peeled cheery tomatoes, country olives, red onions and capers tossed in Italian vinaigrette with baby romaine hearts Roasted Red and Yellow Beets (lunch only) with housemade ricotta, toasted pistachios, orange segements, frisee and lemon oil Mozzarella en Carozza (dinner only) - breaded crispy mozzarella over cherry tomato ragout with basil Second Course (choose one): Tuscan Chicken Salad (lunch only) - grilled lemon chicken breast, roasted almonds, grilled red onions, red peppers, mesclun greens, tomatoes, red onions and goat cheese in a lemon-thyme vinaigrette Margherita Pizza (lunch only) - topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil and sliced tomatoes Meatball Hoagie (lunch only) - toasted Amoroso’s roll stuffed with nonnina’s meatballs, amrinara and melted mozzarella and choice of side Seared Salmon (dinner only) - grilled parmesan-herb polenta and olive vegetable relish Lasagna (dinner only) - oven-baked fresh pasta layered with ricotta cheese, mozzarella and bolognese Chicken Saltimboca (dinner only) - chicken scallopini with prosciutto, sage and angel hair pasta in light lemony pan sauce Third Course (choose one): Tiramisu OR Volcano Cake Backyard BBQ 2910 N. Sycamore St, Arlington backyardbbqcompany.com 10% off all delivery orders Blackfinn Ameripub 2750 Gallows Road, Vienna blackfinnameripub.com

4-Course Meal for Two for $30/each

Appetizer (choose one): Hummus Duo, Tuna Poke, Southern Nachos, Soft Pretzel Salad (choose two): Greek Salad, Blackfinn Salad, Caesar Salad, Kale Quinoa Entree (choose one): Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf, Lime-seared Salmon, Fish and Chips, Lemon Chicken cream sauce and served alongside homemade linguine tossed in an aglio e oilo sauce Dessert (choose one): Chocolate Chip Avalanche, Funnel Fries, Blackfinn Hot Chocolate, Cheesecake Cafe Kindred 450 North Washington Street Suite F, Falls Church cafekindred.com 3-Course Menu for $24

Appetizer: Citrus Avaocado Salad Entree (choose one): Beef Pie and Chips OR Fish and Chips Dessert: Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream Dogfish Head Alehouse 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church dogfishalehouse.com

Appetizer: $9 - Salmon Rolls - salmon, spinach, cilantro and seasonings, deep fried and served with soy lime ginger sauce over bed of green cabbage Entrée Special: $15 - Baked Stuffed Salmon - fresh salmon filet stuffed with crab imperial and topped with a lemon sauce.

Served with feta orzo pasta Dessert Special: $6 - Banana Cheesecake Tort - banana and cheesecake in a flaky fried pastry, rolled in cinnamon sugar and topped with caramel. Served a la mode Dogwood Tavern 132 West Broad Street, Falls Church dogwoodtavern.com 3-Course Prix-Fixe Menu for $25

First Course: Lobster Bisque Main Course: Cider-Brined Stuffed Pork Chop - stuffed with cornbread, apple and pecan stuffing, bacon-braised collard greens and a bourbon BBQ sauce Dessert: Chocolate Souffle with vanilla ice cream Famous Dave’s 370 West Broad Street, Falls Church famousdaves.com

1/2 slab platter of ribs (St. Louis-style of Baby Back) with choice of dessert, paired with choice of small draft beer or glass of wine for $25 FDB Eatery 6641 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church fdbeatery.com

Free Frozen Custard per $15 of dine-in purchases Receive a free two scoop cup of frozen custard per $15 purchase in dining room (i.e. spend $30, get two cups) Dine-In only, not to be combined with other offers, toppings extra Hot N Juicy Crawfish 116 West Broad Street, Falls Church hotnjuicycrawfish.com Seafood Feast for $55 includes Fried calamari, 1 lb. crawfish, 1/2 lb. shrimp, 1/2 lb. green mussels, 1/2 lb. black mussels, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, 1 dozen Andouille sausages, cajun or regular fries, fried brownie dessert, 2 sodas Lobster Lovers for $100 includes 2 lobsters, 1 lb. crawfish, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, cajun or regular fries

Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com 3-Course Lunch for $20.16 3-Course Dinner for $30.16

Choose any one appetizer, one entree and one dessert from regular lunch or dinner menu Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 West Broad Street, Falls Church madfoxbrewing.com 2- or 3-Course Lunch for $20 3-Course Dinner for $25

Lunch: Choose any Mad Fox small seasonal salad, any entree and dessert OR any seasonal salad with protein and dessert Dinner: Choose any small seasonal salad, any entree and dessert Moby Dick of Falls Church 444 West Broad Street #A, Falls Church mobysoline.com

Starters (choose two to share): Green Paradise Spring Roll - fresh spring roll with peanut sauce; Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Roll special crispy roll with fish sauce; Phoenix Shrimps - crispy tiger shrimp with coconut sauce; Red Sea Calamary - chef calamari with salt and pepper; Jewel-Green Papaya - green papaya salad with beef liver jerky Main Entrees (choose two): Mosaic Pathway - cellophane noodle wok sauteed with jumbo lump crabmeat and vegetables; Cow on the Open Field - tenderloin beef cube wok shaken in high flames on top of fresh salad; Duck in Tamarind Basket - marinated duck breast with chef’s special tamarind sauce; Shrimp in the Fresh Ocean - jumbo salted prawns sauteed with salt and black pepper; Wicked Wishes - soft shell crab with tamarind sauce or lemon sauce; Gregarious Lemongrass Chicken - fillet breast chicken with lemongrass sauteed with garlic, onions and spicy chili Dessert: Coconut banana fritters a la mode

Meal for Two for $19.99

Saffron Indian Cuisine 1077 West Broad Street, Falls Church saffronfc.com

Choice of one starter plus entree including 1 joojeh (chicken breast), 1 chenjeh (chunks of beef), 1 spicy ground chicken OR kubideh (ground beef) with rice, bread and yogurt sauce

20% Off everything Dine-In only

Pistone’s Italian Inn 6320 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church pistoneitalianinn.com 3-Course Menu for $30 (Dine-In Only)

Seven Corners Pub 6315 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church sevencornerspub.com Buy 1 entree at full price, Get 2nd entree 50% off

Plaka Grill 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church plakagrill.com

Sfizi Cafe 800 West Broad Street, Falls Church sfizi.com

3-Course Dinner Menu for $25

20% off all meals plus 50% off select bottle of Italian wine served with lunch or dinner

1st Course (choose one): Zucchini Fritters; Choice of 1 Dip with Pita Bread; Choice of Spanakopites or Tyropites 2nd Course (choose one): Calamari Dinner - fried calamari, Plaka fries and small Plaka salad Peter’s Braised Lamb Shank - lamb shank marinated in robust red wine then braised and slow-cooked for hours served on a bed of orzo pasta with side of Plaka salad Vegetarian Moussaka - alternating layers of housemade tomato sauce, eggplant, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, feta and parmesan cheese, then finished with bechamel sauce and baked.

Served with a side Plaka salad and warm pita triangles 3rd Course (choose one): Baklava; Galaktoboureko; Rizogalo Add any bottle of house wine for $10 more Present Restaurant 6678 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church presentrestaurant.com 5-Course Dinner Menu for Two for $32/person

Taco Bamba 2190 Pimmit Drive Suite G, Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com Three Traditional Tacos and Mexican Street Corn for $10 Takumi 310B South Washington Street, Falls Church takumiva.com

Restaurant Week Bento Box for $18 (lunch only) 3-sampler appetizer: Brussels sprouts with ginger dressing, 2 pieces aji furai, 2 piece kaki furai Sushi: 4 pieces nigiri sushi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp); 1 maki sushi (crunchy shrimp roll)

Trio Grill 8100 Lee Highway, Falls Church triomerrifield.com 3-Course Restaurant Week Menu for $35

First Course (choose 1): Soup of the Day; Spinach Salad - baby spinach, hard boiled eggs, crispy fried shallots, crumbled blue cheese, warm bacon vinaigrette; Classic Caesar - crispy romaine, parmesan herb crostini, white anchovies, parmigiano reggiano Entree (choose 1): Stuffed Free-Range Chicken - wild mushroom and proscuitto duxelle, trumpet mushroom au gratin, rosemary jus; Hickory Smoked Atlantic Salmon - five spice brined, red quinoa pilaf, butternut squash puree, crispy parsnips; Berkshire Pork Chop - 8 oz., braised collard greens, bacon and apple marmalade, spicy habanero mustard Dessert (choose 1): Key Lime Pie - toasted coconut crust, mojito reduction, blackberry coulis, meringue brulee; Pecan Pie - butter pecan ice cream, maple caramel; Chocolate Mousse - raspberry coulis, dark chocolate fudge, whipped cream Select Restaurant Week Wines for $45

MARCH 10 - 16, 2016 | PAGE 21

What are you In the Mood For? With the amount of participants in this year’s Falls Church Restaurant Week, deciding on where to eat during the celebration of Little City cuisine can get overhwelming. While we plan on visiting each and every restaurant on the list, we can’t, in good conscience, recommend that strategy for everyone’s bellies.

So in order to make your dining decision a little bit easier next week, we’ve categorized participants by their cuisine in a handy 2016 F.C. Restaurant Week cheat sheet. Good luck and happy eating!

AMERICAN Blackfinn Ameripub, Cafe Kindred, Dogfish Head Alehouse, Dogwood Tavern, FDB Eatery, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Mad Fox Brewing Company, Seven Corners Pub

BARBECUE Yayla Bistro 2201 North Westmoreland Street, Arlington yaylabistro.com 3-Course Prix Fixe Menu Lunch for $20

First Course (choose 1): Red Lentil Soup - red lentils pureed with onions and herbs; Yayla Soup - lemon rice soup with Turkish herbs; Half Arugula Salad - fresh arugula with tomatoes, olives, feta cheese and vinaigrette; Half Shepherd’s Salad - diced tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onions, feta and lemon olive oil (All first-course options served with homemade bread) Second Course (choose 1): Adana Kebab - ground beef and lamb mixed with red peppers, onions, garlic and herbs and grilled on a skewer. Served with choice of rice pilaf, burger pilaf or sauteed vegetables; Chicken Shish - marinated chicken breast chunks grilled on a skewer and topped with tomato sauce. Served with choice of rice pilaf, burger pilaf or sauteed vegetables; Moussaka - roasted eggplant layered with ground beef and lamb mix and bechemel sauce, topped with tomato sauce and shredded parmesan cheese. Served with some greens; Spinach Pie - flaky filo dough layered with spinach, onion and feta. Baked until golden brown and served with cacik and mixed greens Third Course (choose 1): Baklava - fresh filo dough layered with walnuts and baked in honey syrup until golden brown; Sutlac - creamy traditional Turkish rice pudding topped with currants and pistachios (Requested entire table participate in Restaurant Week)

Backyard BBQ, Famous Dave’s

GREEK Plaka Grill

INDIAN Saffron Indian Cuisine

ITALIAN Argia’s, TRIO Grill, Pistone’s Italian Inn, Sfizi Cafe

PERSIAN Moby Dick House of Kabob

PIZZA Mad Fox Brewing Company, Zpizza

SEAFOOD Hot N Juicy Crawfish

SUSHI Takumi

TACOS Taco Bamba

TURKISH Yayla Bistro

zpizza 1051 West Broad Street, Falls Church zpizza.com 20% OFF order, dine-in or carry-out

VIETNAMESE Present Restaurant

PAGE 22 | MARCH 10 – 16, 2016

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

Woods’ Chef Bon’s Yum Truck Goes Vegan/Vegetarian

by Drew Costley

Falls Church News-Press

Bonita Woods, owner of Chef Bon’s Yum Truck and the Bonita Woods Institute, has transformed the menu of her food truck so that it is exclusively vegetarian and vegan.

She told the News-Press that she wishes she had thought of making the change, which was partially inspired by the closing of the all-vegan Native Foods Cafe, sooner than she had.

But now the truck is open for business, five days a week during the late morning/early afternoon hours, next to the Bonita Woods Wellness Institute at 140 Little Falls Street.

“Currently there are no vegan grab and go places in our local community,” Woods said. “And I have a community wellness education center, so I felt that since I could I should fill that void.

“And part of it is when I cook I try to put as much added nutritional value to every bite and every calorie and give as much sustaining energy as we can while making the food taste really good and that draws us more and more to a plant-based menu.”

The vegetarian and vegan dishes now on the Yum Truck’s menu were previously featured for a limited time on the original menu, which was omnivorous.

She will be serving food like grilled veggie white pizza, sweet potato-ginger soup, mediterranean season sprouted lentil burgers and Chocolate Cherry Yum Bites. Woods prefers using whole ingredients and maintaining their integrity when creating recipes.

For example, the Sweet PotatoGinger Soup only has three ingredients: sweet potato, ginger and water. But that doesn’t take away from the dish – it’s still full-bodied and rich.

Another example is the salad that is featured on the Yum Truck’s menu: The salad consists of leafy greens, orange slices, tomatoes and kalamata olives, but the dressing for the salad is what is exceptional.

It only consists of citrus juice from oranges and olive oil and is more flavorful than the salads at several restaurants around town.

“Fruits and vegetables, in their own right, taste really amazing. And then we add salt and cream and cognac and butter, we overwhelm the natural delicate flavors and people forget what the fruits and vegetables taste like,” Woods said.

“So by keeping the ingredients simple and uncorrupt, we allow people to remember what the food tastes like.

“It’s funny, when people eat our food they actually get repressed memories or forgotten memories returned to them,

THE SALAD IN THE IMAGE above is made up of leafy greens, tomatoes, kalamata olives and oranges. The salad’s dressing is made of citrus juice and olive oil. (Photo: Drew Costley/News-Press)

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

THE CURRIED TEMPEH and the Veggie Pizza from Chef Bon’s Yum Truck are two of the food truck’s newest dishes.

The Curried Tempeh is served over a bed of watercress and fried rice, which is made up of brown basmati rice, quinoa and seeds. Bonita Woods, owner of Chef Bon’s Yum Truck, said that she’s trying to get more rise out of the Veggie Pizza so that it’s more like a traditional pizza and less like a flatbread. (Photos: Drew Costley/ News-Press)

like childhood memories or when they were in the countryside and it brings so much joy to them that it gives a really beautiful experience to us when they eat the food and they smile and say ‘This reminds me of when I was a kid and visiting my grandparents and my grandmother would make an apple pie and I hadn’t thought of that in 30 years.’ So when you bring food back to its real ingredients, that’s the kind of joy you tap into for people.”

But there is a lot of science that goes into creating that joyful experience for people.

Woods’ professional background includes experience as a fine dining chef, food scientist and nutritionist and she uses all of the experience when creating new dishes for the Yum Truck’s menu.

“When I was learning her recipes, I found that her conversions are down to the molecular level,” said Daniel Steinberg, chef with

Chef Bon’s Yum Truck. “She knows how to break it apart and put it back together. She really knows the science of what she’s using.”

Woods also has food products, like the Chocolate Cherry Yum Bites, that are soon to be featured in local Whole Foods stores and she has a booth at the Falls Church Farmers Market.

She said that she often gets into the minutiae of ingredient usage with regular customers, which she enjoys.

And she isn’t one to back down from a challenge. She has been trying to figure out how to convert some of her vegetarian recipes, like the crust for the Yum Truck’s veggie pizza, and the vegetarian blueberry muffins, into vegan ones.

“I’ve tried vegan baking and it’s challenging, which I love,” Woods said. Currently, she’s working on getting more rise out of the crust of the vegan veggie pizza.

One surprising element of Woods’ transformation of the Yum Truck’s menu was that, according to her, food costs remained relatively the same from when the menu was omnivorous. Because there is a niche market for vegans and vegetarians, vegan ingredients and food products are usually expensive, sometimes costing twice what the alternative costs.

Actually, the creation of an exclusively vegan and vegetarian menu has allowed Woods to include ingredients she couldn’t originally afford.

“I chose to keep the food costs the same and what we’re doing is increasing the exotic ingredients we couldn’t afford to have before,” Woods said.

“So we were comfortable with our food cost and our profit margin. So we’re just bringing in things like the PowerGreen chips, which we couldn’t afford before.”

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

MARCH 10 - 16, 2016 | PAGE 23

Falls Church’s Favorite Bites

There was a time when eating out in Falls Church was limited to fast food, Red Lobster or a booth at the Pizza Hut. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) In recent years, however, the City’s blossoming restaurant scene has brought with it a whole new wave of dining options. So what are diners of The Little City eating when they choose to eat out? We asked some Restaurant Week participants about their most popular dishes. (Photos and words by Jody Fellows)

Mad Fox’s

Frickles 444 West Broad Street, Falls Church

A constant through the years of chef changes at Mad Fox has been its frickles. House-brined kirby pickles are spice-dredged, fried and served with spicy ranch for dipping. Another diner favorite is the brew pub’s deep-fried Nutella and banana cheesecake.

Plaka Grill’s

Plaka Gyro 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church

The eponymous gyro from Plaka is made with slow-roasted marinated pork, tomatoes, onions, tzatziki and then jam packed in a housemade pita along with a handfull of french fries. Also popular is Plaka’s lamb-and-beef Chicago gyro.

Taco Bamba’s

Taco Bamba 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church

It’s only fitting that Taco Bamba’s most-loved taco is the one it named after itself. Filled with skirt steak, chorizo, guacamole and chicharrones, the Taco Bamba is one the taqueria’s biggest sellers along with its carne asada, Mexican street corn and the monstrous Torta Bamba.

Dogwood Tavern’s

Pretzels 132 West Broad Street, Falls Church

Dogwood Tavern added Bavarian pretzels to its menu just a few months back but the appetizer has already become a crowd favorite.

The trio of warm pretzels are served along with apple slices, spicy whole grain mustard and a delicious warm beer cheese dip.

PAGE 24 | MARCH 10 – 16, 2016

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

at Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar

March 14-20 – 3 Course Lunch - $20.16 • 3 Course Dinner - $30.16 Choose Appetizer • Entree • Dessert from the Entire Menu!!!

What Our Fans Say About Us Online: “Excellent wine bar with great selection of wines in super atmosphere for individuals or groups.

The restaurant is excellent with wonderful selection of dishes.”

“The pace was perfect - relaxed & unhurried – allowing my friends & I to catch up while enjoying a wonderful meal.”

“One of the best spots in the area. Owner & all staff are awesome,kind, friendly and always smiling. Food here is amazing.

You have to try it. Hands down!”

“Dined here Saturday night for the first time with friends who recommended it - what Next Dinner & Jazz • Wed, March 23rd • 7-10pm a delightful discovery!”

“In addition to the wonderful wine and food we were treated to a great jazz trio. If you are in the area put this at the top of your list!”

BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH

Make your reservations EARLY!

IN TOWN!!!

11:30am to 2:30pm “Mussels, Seafood omlet, eggs benny, save room for the key lime tart...all made in house!!!”

Open for LUNCH: Mon thru Fri, 11:30am to 2pm Open for DINNER: Mon - Thurs, 5 to 9:30pm • Fri & Sat, 5 to 10pm • Sunday, 5 to 9pm

Sunday is always Wine Day with reduced prices!

Delicious magic happening here!

Call 703-992-0915 or make them online at www.idylwoodgrill.com

2190-B Pimmit Drive • Falls Church, Virginia 22043 • www.idylwoodgrill.com • 703-992-0915

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

3 F.C. Restaurants Named 2016 RAMMY Award Finalists The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington has announced its 2016 RAMMY Award finalists and, once again, Falls Church is well represented in the group of the Washington, D.C.-area’s best restaurants.

Last year’s RAMMY Chef of the Year winner, Victor Albisu, is back as a finalist, this time with his Falls Church taqueria – and Falls Church Restaurant Week participant – Taco Bamba up for “Favorite Fast Bites.” Also representing Falls Church is Pizzeria Orso, a finalist for “Everyday Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year,” and its swanky sister restaurant, 2941, is up for “Wine Program of the Year.”

Several other restaurants with Falls Church ties are also up for RAMMY awards including Mosaic District’s DGS Delicatessen (Everyday Casual Brunch), Red Apron Butchery (Favorite Fast Bites) and Cava Grill (Favorite Fast Bites), all nominated as finalists for their District locations.

The 2016 RAMMY Award winners will be announced at the association’s 34th annu-

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

MARCH 10 - 16, 2016 | PAGE 25

al gala on Sunday, June 12 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

Taco Bamba Begins New Guest Chef Series For the next several months, Victor Albisu is inviting his chef friends to create tacos at Taco Bamba as part of a new guest chef series at the Falls Church taqueria.

Kicking off the promotion is Water and Wall chef Tim Ma whose Ma’s Crabs taco with Maryland crab, green Goddess dressing, spicy slaw and chicharrones is available throughout the month of March.

The tentative schedule for the guest chef taco series at Taco Bamba includes Mandu chef Danny Lee in April, Roofer’s Union and Ripple’s Marjorie Meek Bradley for May, Jennifer Carroll of Requin in June, The Source’s Scott Drewno in July and Mike Friedman of The Read Hen in August.

Taco Bamba 2190 Pimmit Drive | Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com

ASTRO’S NEW CHERRY BLOSSOM doughnuts will be sold throughout cherry blossom season at its Falls Church and D.C. locations. (P����: A���� D�������� � F���� C������)

New Doughnuts at Astro Through Cherry Blossom Season With the weather finally turning for the better and blooming cherry blossoms just around the corner, Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken is getting ready to debut an all-new seasonal doughnut special.

Available later this month, Astro’s new creation is a vanilla doughnut topped with vanilla cream cheese glaze and stuffed with a cherry filling and features a cherry blos-

som design made with chocolate and buttercream mixed with cherry puree.

The new doughnuts will be sold for $3.25 each at both Astro’s Falls Church and D.C. locations during cherry blossom season, running from March 21 through April 17.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken 7511 Leesburg Pike | Falls Church astrodoughnuts.com – Jody Fellows

Monday - Thursday Join us for Happy Hour

703-534-4200 6641 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church Va 22042

www.FDBEATERY.com

(4:30 - 6:00 pm) 1/2 price house wine by the glass all tap beer and select appetizers (not to be combined with other promotions)

Tuesday Night

(after 6:30 pm) 1/2 price all bottled wine

Wednesday Night

We appreciate those who serve!

Military Appreciation Night

(after 6:00 pm) 20% off your dine-in check (with your active military ID or active DOD ID)

Thursday Night

The Iconic Frozen Dairy Bar, a fixture in the Falls Church area since 1950 is still very much a part of our business.

March 10, March 24 and April 7 Acoustic Thursday at FDB with Wires and Wood The Gravel Road Duo

Sunday Brunch 9:30 am - 2:00 pm

PAGE 26 | MARCH 10 - 16, 2016

the

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K

presents

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

FALLS CHURCH RESTAURANT WEEK 2016 MARCH 14 -20

Little City.

Big Eats.

Featuring a Week Full of Fantastic Dining Deals From: Argia’s • Backyard BBQ • Blackfinn Ameripub • Cafe Kindred Dogfish Head Alehouse • Dogwood Tavern • Famous Dave‘s • FDB Eatery Hot N Juicy • Idylwood Grill • Mad Fox Brewing Company Moby Dick House of Kabob • Pistone’s Italian Inn • Plaka Grill Present Restaurant • Saffron Indian Cuisine • Seven Corners Pub • Sfizi Cafe Taco Bamba • Takumi • Trio Grill • Yayla Bisro • Zpizza

FCRESTAURANTWEEK.COM