FC Restaurant Week 2018

the

presents

6th Annual

Little City.

Big Eats.

C

ity of

FC ried

hicken

See Story, Page 20

A bucket of fried chicken from Liberty Barbecue in The Little City.

ALSO INSIDE THIS SPECIAL RESTAURANT WEEK EDITION: Falls Church Restaurant Week Specials | St. Patrick’s Day at the Four P’s | Northside Social Update!

Pages 18 – 19 Page 16 Page 17

PAGE 14 | MARCH 15 – 21, 2018

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

PAGE 16 | MARCH 15 - 21, 2018

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

AS LOCALS start to build excitement toward St. Patrick’s Day in the Little City, Ireland’s Four Provinces braces (and then embraces) its biggest day of the year. Starting at 8 a.m. the day of, Kegs & Eggs breakfast will be served and ensure that the dining area will be packed to brim. Folks will then go home to reboot before coming back for lunch and then dinner, where the Four Provinces will be taking reservations for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., and is open to walk-ins around 10 p.m. that evening. While some may be there for the food, the bar will be packed all day, with guests donning their favorite green threads and enjoying one of the thousands of pints of Guinness draft that will be served alongside the occasional glass of distinguished Irish whiskey the Four Provinces is known to serve. (Photos: News-Press)

Irish Hospitality Fuels St. Patrick’s Day at F.C.’s Ireland’s 4 Provinces

by Matt Delaney

Falls Church News-Press

Grab your finest green attire and make sure you’re parched as you won’t want to leave your seat once you get a taste of the homey St. Patrick’s Day experience at Ireland’s Four Provinces.

The man himself, Saint Patrick, is the patron saint of Ireland. Back in the motherland, the holiday was a serious affair where citizens got a day off from school or work and took a trip to church. Across the pond, the holiday’s American cousin was more about a general celebration of Irish heritage (and mind you, just a wee bit more fun).

And while St. Patrick’s Day is commonly seen as an excuse to imbibe well beyond the legal limit, in reality it’s a reminder of the Irish’s welcoming nature that infatuates neighbors and strangers alike.

“Irish bars were ‘Cheers’ before ‘Cheers,’” Colm Dillon, the Four Provinces owner, said. “There’s a line in that song, ‘Where everybody knows your name,’ and that’s what it’s about.

You see them everywhere, and there’s a reason you see them everywhere: People feel safe in there and they feel like they’re gonna have a good time. It’s just the Irish

hospitality.”

Chatting up guests and keeping them comfortable throughout their stay is the fun part for Dillon and Four Provinces’ staff.

But from a business side, preparing for St. Patrick’s Day – especially when it’s on a Saturday, making it essentially a four-day green-out from Thursday through Sunday (and that’s discounting the Irish pub quiz that took place last night as the weekend’s informal lead-in) – is their own annual Operation Overlord.

Accumulating the rations starts a week in advance when Dillon places orders for everything he needs for the celebration.

A refrigerated truck delivers all the goods, from triple orders of cod to satisfy the boatloads of fish and chip meals assembled during the Lenten Friday to the abundance of the best-selling corned beef and cabbage that will be gobbled up during the festivities.

Dillon even breaks off from his traditionalist roots by ordering in pre-peeled potatoes to keep pace with the starch’s high demand throughout the holiday.

Then of course there are the decorations.

Streamers emblazoned with full glasses of Guinness and Irish-flag pennants are accompanied by kelly green wallpaper and heavy doses of shamrocks.

However, when it comes to the libations Dillon doesn’t need to get fancy because his customers don’t request it.

“Guinness by a country mile,” Dillon continued. “It’s a purist deal. And some people don’t even drink Guinness, but they’ll drink a half a pint of Guinness just for the celebration.”

By the end of St. Patrick’s Day alone, Dillon estimates that at least 2,500 pints of the famous beverage will be consumed by patrons.

And for those looking to enjoy some of the harder stuff, the Four Provinces can provide a select amount of premium whiskeys, including Red Breast or Green Spot Irish Whiskey. The fact that Red Breast was selected as the winner of a blind taste test the Four Provinces staff participated in during a trip to Ireland last September is probably good sign it’ll appeal to any whiskey savants in the area.

Dillon’s gotten the preparations down to a science in what will be his 35th St. Patrick’s Day on the job and 14th year as the owner of the Four Provinces. With each new St. Patrick’s Day he’s been thrilled to see how the annual holiday has evolved in the eyes of celebrants.

What used to be a festivitie overwhelmingly embraced by Americans with Celtic

ancestry (or who happened to be newlyimmigrated Celts themselves) is now a holiday that encourages everyone to delve into the Irish experience.

Although there is one caveat with the holiday’s proliferation: More inauthentic, chain-based Irish pub competitors have sprouted up. In Dillon’s eyes, they definitely know how to run a restaurant — you know, feeding and serving people in an efficient and professional manner.

But the bones of the business aren’t fortified with the fraternal feelings of Irish congeniality that’s detectable in every independently-owned pub. “[Independently-owned pubs] are character-driven; chains are corporate-driven.

There’s a big difference since you just don’t get that same feel,” Dillon stated.

“You don’t need to have the greatest Kobe beef, incredible decor and great service.

That’s not what hospitality is — that’s just great restaurants. What we do is hospitality. We want to know how you’re doing, how your kids are and how your mother’s been.”

It’s a winning formula for Dillon and the Four Provinces. Starting tonight Metro area residents far and wide will be finding their way into a booth or bar stool at the Little City’s home away from home and likely planting themselves there for the next three days.

Before getting back to work, Dillon paused for a moment and tried to fathom what life would be like inside an office or elsewhere instead of the pub.

Luckily he’s so good at what he does, he doesn’t have to give that thought anything more than a chuckle before greeting his next guest.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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

MARCH 15 - 21, 2018 | PAGE 17

Northside Social Trending Toward April Opening

BY ORRIN KONHEIM

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The Northside Social on Park and North Maple Avenues will be opening by mid-April at the latest according to the upcoming café’s co-owner Stephen Fedorchak.

Along with chef Matt Hill and business partners Brian Normille and brother Mark Fedorchak, the restaurant group also owns the new Liberty Barbecue in Falls Church (which opened this past December) as well as Northside Social, Lyon Hall and Liberty Tavern in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington.

According to Fedorchak, the reasons for the wait in opening was that the management wanted to focus on getting the Liberty Barbecue up and running before shifting to focus to their other Falls Church establishment. The biggest focus in the launch has been on staffing.

“For us, we want to make sure we have the right people in place. Restaurants are somewhat defined by their building or construction, they’re somewhat defined by their building, but the most essential factor is the

ALL THAT REMAINS is putting the �inishing touches on Northside Social at the intersection of Maple and Park Avenue before the shop’s ribbon-cutting in April. (P����: N���-P����) quality of the people who are in the same four walls every day,” said Fedorchak. “We want people who are good at what they do and extremely welcoming.”

Erin Hutchins will serve as the general manager of the new store and will oversee the hiring process.

The menu will be largely

similar to that of the Northside Social coffee shop in Clarendon but they will have an expanded menu because the larger basement will have the capacity for a

commercial-sized bakery. Under the guidance of Hill, the restaurant will also have wider lunch and dinner options.

Hill has been the head chef at Liberty Tavern since 2014 and has previously worked as head chef for such notable Washington, D.C. establishments like Range and Charlie Palmer Steak.

In terms of the location, Fedorchak and his colleagues are most excited about his proximity to the Falls Church Farmer’s Market which he hopes to draw upon for the café’s offerings.

“I think it’s one of the best farmer’s markets I’ve ever been to. I think it’s fantastic and we are so excited to meet the people who sell there every week and buy from them,” he said.

Similar to the Northside Social location in Clarendon, the coffee shop will offer two floors of seating and management envisions using it as an event space. Among the events Fedorchak discussed were birthday parties, art openings, and music.

“We hope to do as many community-oriented events as we can for both families and adults,” Fedorchak said.

PAGE 18 | MARCH 15 – 21, 2018

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE EK

ARGIA’S

LUNCH, DINNER

124 North Washington Street, Falls Church argias.com 3-Course Prix Fixe for $35.18 Appetizer (choose one): • Garlic and herb stuffed portobello mushroom with oven dried tomatoes and whipped goat cheese • Arancine di Saltimbocca (Rice croquettes filled with Prosciutto, sage and Fontina cheese • Calamari with spicy marinara Entrée (choose one): • Chicken Scallopini with sun dried Picatta butter with house made angel hair pasta • Mushroom Trio Risotto (Creamy Arborio rice topped with truffle scented funghi mista, julienne spinach and crumbled goat cheese • Steak Pizziola (Grilled Angus sirloin simmered with slow cooked peppers, mushrooms, onions , red wine and tomatoes, topped with gorgonzola bread crumbs and served with garlic whipped potatoes Dessert (choose one): • Tiramisu • Cannoli • Chocolate Volcano

ART’S TAVERN LUNCH, DINNER

2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church artstavern.com 2-course meal for $18.95 Blackened Shrimp or Tilapia Tacos topped with homemade Asian slaw, pico de gallo, cilantro aioli, served with rice plus your choice of dessert 3-course meal for $10.95 Chili Mac served over spaghe� topped with cheese and onion, includes salad and your choice of dessert 75¢ wings (choice of buffalo, honey mustard, barbeque or parmesan) all day before 7 p.m.

BB.Q CHICKEN LUNCH, DINNER

7115 Leesburg Pike #107, Falls Church facebook.com/bbqchicken.fc $35 Meal for Two • 2 Appetizers (choice of Takoyaki, Shrimp Shumai and Edamame) • 10 piece boneless or bone-in chicken (your choice of flavor) • 1 Korean main dish • 1 dessert to share

CAFÉ KINDRED DINNER

450 North Washington Street, Falls Church cafekindred.com 3-Course Meal for $20

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

The News-Press is proud to present the 6th 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 lunch and dinner dining deals all week long starting Monday, March 19 and running through Sunday, March 25. All partcipating restaurants and their dining specials are listed below and are also available online at www.fcrestaurantweek.com.

Appetizer: • Kale and white bean soup with parmesan crisp Entree (choice of): • French dip with fries or • Mushroom curry veggie burger with fries Dessert: • Tiramisu with Vigilante espresso syrup

CLARE & DON’S BEACH SHACK LUNCH, DINNER

130 North Washington Street, Falls Church clareanddons.com 4-Course Meal for $29 Appetizer: • Chilled crab claws Salad: • House chopped salad Entree: • Crab-stuffed. pan-seared grouper with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce Dessert: • Key lime pie

DOGWOOD TAVERN LUNCH, DINNER

132 West Broad Street, Falls Church dogwoodtavern.com 3-Course Meal for $25 1st Course: • Starter Salad: shaved Brussels hearts and crispy leaves, goat cheese, Granny Smith apples, dried cranberries, toasted almonds and maple cider vinaigrette 2nd Course: • Meatballs and Parmesan Polenta: house made beef and pork meatballs, spicy-braised kale, marinara, creamy parmesan polenta with basil pesto 3rd Course: • Chocolate Nutella Souffles: warm chocolate and Nutella souffle with vanilla ice cream

FALLS CHURCH DISTILLERS LUNCH, DINNER

442 South Washington Street Suite A, Falls Church fcdistillers.com 3-Course Meal for $19.33 • Pick any antipasta (starter), pia� principali (main dish) and dolce (dessert) • Add one of a selection of bottled wine for $18 or $21 (Guess the theme of the Restaurant Week pricing and enjoy a

complimentary 0.5 oz. spirit tasting of your selection)

HOT N JUICY CRAWFISH LUNCH, DINNER

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 corns, 2 potatoes, 12 Andouille sausages, cajun or regular fries, fried brownie dessert, 2 sodas Lobster Lovers for $100 includes 2 lobsters, 1 lb. crawfish, 2 corns, 2 potatoes, cajun or regular fries

IDYLWOOD GRILL & WINE BAR LUNCH, DINNER

2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com 3-Course Lunch for $20.18 3-Course Dinner for $35.18 Choose any one appetizer, one entree and one dessert from regular lunch or dinner menu

IRELAND’S FOUR PROVINCES DINNER

105 West Broad Street, Falls Church 4psva.com 3-Course Dinner for $24.99 1st Course: • House salad or cup of potato leek soup 2nd Course: • 8 oz. top sirloin steak with Jameson Irish Whiskey peppercorn sauce, champ potatoes and market vegetables 3rd Course: • Homemade bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce

LA CÔTE D’OR CAFÉ LUNCH, DINNER

6876 Lee Highway, Arlington lacotedorarlington.com 3-Course Lunch for $22 1st Course (choose one): • Onion soup with toasted baguettes and Swiss cheese gratinee • Potage Bourguignon: potato, leek, carrot, celery, cabbage • Homemade pâte, cornichons, pearl onion, celery remoulade • Fresh beet salad, oranges, mesclun, onion, vinaigrette • Boston lettuce, mesclun, Belgium endive with French vinaigrette • Caesar salad, anchovy dressing, croutons and parmesan cheese Main Course (choose one):

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

• Salad Benjamin: mesclun, apple, cranberry, walnut, smoked Gouda cheese • Salad Niçoise classic • Smoked salmon, avocado, asparagus, corn, mango salad • Omelet (choice of 3): Ham, Swiss cheese, mushroom, onion, tomato, bacon. Served with choice of French fries or salad • Quiche Lorraine served with choice of French fries or salad • Crab quiche served with choice of French fries or salad • Quiche of the Day served with choice of French fries or salad • Croque Monsieur: grilled ham, béchamel and Swiss cheese on white toast. served with choice of French fries or salad • Seafood crêpes in champagne cream sauce • Trout sautéed with toasted almond • Tilapia filet sautéed with white wine cream sauce • Coq au vin • Pork loin, Basquaise sauce Dessert (choose one): • Crème caramel • Crêpes with chocolate sauce • Apple tart • Ice cream / sorbet of the day • Bread pudding with vanilla sauce • Floating island with caramel, toasted almond, vanilla sauce 3-Course Dinner for $35 Hors-d’oeuvre – Appetizers (choose one): • Onion soup with toasted baguettes and Swiss cheese gratinée • Potage Bourguignon; potato, leek, carrot, celery, cabbage • Frog legs sautéed with garlic in a parsley butter sauce • Burgundy Escargots parsley, garlic butter, puffed pastry dough • Homemade Pâte, cornichons, pearl onion, balsamic onion compote • Boston lettuce, mesclun, Belgium endive, tomato, carrot, and cucumber • Caesar salad anchovy dressing, croutons, and parmesan cheese • Smoked salmon, avocado salad, asparagus, corn, mango salad, basil • Avocado, baby shrimp, Russian dressing, mesclun salad, boiled egg, tomato • Cheeses platter, apple champagne jam, peach & tomato compote, pickled cantaloupe, walnut and raisin • Fresh beet salad, roasted goat cheese, oranges, mesclun, onion Plat de résistance - Main course (choose one): • PEI Mussels Marinière, white wine cream sauce, French fries • Rainbow trout sautéed with toasted almond butter sauce • Seafood crêpes, shrimp, mussels, bay scallops, mushroom, cream sauce • Codfish, shiitake mushroom, Chickpea crêpe, 4 grilled vegetables • Bouillabaisse; Fish, seafood, saffron broth, croûtons, rouille, parmesan • Salmon filet, tomato white wine basil sauce • Chickpea crêpe (gluten free), 4 grilled vegetables, mushroom, onion confit • Homemade Gnocchi, mushroom, tomato, parmesan cheese, cream sauce • Beef Bavette steak with black peppercorn cream sauce, French fries • Calf liver lyonnaise with onion, red wine vinegar, demi-glace • Coq au vin, potato, bacon, pearl onions, mushroom • Beef Burgundy, bacon, pearl onions, mushroom, gnocchi • Steak tartar served with French fries or mixed green salad • Pork loin, Basquaise sauce Dessert (choose one): • Crème caramel • Apple tart • Ice cream/sorbet of the day • Bread pudding, cinnamon, peach, walnut vanilla sauce • Floating island with caramel, toasted almond, vanilla sauce • Chocolate mousse with red coulis Dinner items also available a la carte

LAZY MIKE’S DELICATESSEN LUNCH, DINNER

112 North West Street, Falls Church mikesdeliatlazysundae.com 3-Course Meal for $16

F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K 1st Course: • Matzah ball soup 2nd Course: • Open faced turkey with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce 3rd Course: • One scoop hot fudge sundae

LIBERTY BARBECUE DINNER

370 West Broad Street, Falls Church libertyfallschurch.com $10 Fried Chicken Dinner includes 1/2 fried chicken (4 pieces), coleslaw, hot honey and 1 side. Dine-in only.

MAD FOX BREWING COMPANY LUNCH, DINNER

444 West Broad Street, Falls Church madfoxbrewing.com 2-Course Lunch for $20 Choice of handheld or salad or entree, plus dessert 3-Course Dinner for $32 Choice of one sociable, one entree and one dessert

PANJSHIR DINNER

114 East Fairfax Street, Falls Church panjshirrestaurant.com 4-Course Dinner for $34.18 Choice of one salad, one appetizer, one entree and one dessert (excludes lamb chops)

PLAKA GRILL LUNCH, DINNER

513 West Broad Street, Falls Church plakagrill.com Lunch (11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday-Friday): Buy one entree, get one 1/2 off (dine-in only)

MARCH 15 – 21, 2018 | PAGE 19

• Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Roll: Hand-made rice thread wrapper filled with marinated prawn, pork slowly fried until crispy served with fish sauce • G�i HẢI SẢN TRÁI THƠM - Treasure from the Sea: Salad made with fresh pineapple, julienned carrots, sweet onions, lemongrass, fried garlic, peanuts, shrimp, and ivory calamari on a bed of half-cut pineapple • Lotus Flower Garden: Lotus stalks salad with pork and shrimp tossed in vinaigrette dressing with peanuts • Jewel-Green Papaya: Green papaya salad, topped with beef and liver jerky, peanuts served with special sauce Main Course (choose one): • Wicked Wishes: Soft shell crab (2) with Chef’s special lemon sauce • Duck in Tamarind Basket: Roasted duck until crispy then topped with Chef’s special tamarind sauce • Gregarious Lemongrass Chicken: White meat chicken sautéed with lemongrass, garlic onion and spicy chili.

• Shrimp in the Fresh Ocean: Jumbo salted prawns sautéed with salt and black pepper on a pineapple bed.

• Cow on the Open Field: Marinated beef tenderloin tips shaken in high flames on top of fresh lettuce and sliced onion • Mosaic Pathway: Chef’s signature jumbo lump crabmeat and cellophane noodle sautéed with fresh vegetable Dessert (choose one): • Banana fritters with coconut cream sauce • Chocolate molten with vanilla ice cream

SFIZI CAFE LUNCH

800 West Broad Street, Falls Church sfizi.com 20% Off Lunch

TACO BAMBA LUNCH, DINNER

2190 Pimmit Drive Suite G, Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com Three Traditional Tacos and Mexican Street Corn for $10

TAKUMI LUNCH

310-B South Washington Street, Falls Church takumiva.com

3-Course Dinner for Two with Wine for $55 (5 p.m.–close, Monday-Sunday): 1 dip appetizer, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and a bottle of Elios red or white wine (take out or dine-in)

Lunch Special for $18

Vegetarian stuffed pepper special (Thursday-Friday), Lamb Bowl special (Saturday-Sunday)

Green Salad with ginger dressing

Miso Soup (choose one): • Wakame & Tofu • Mushrooms

DINNER

Appetizer Sampler (choose one: • Tempura assortment • Aji Furai (deep fried horse mackerel) • Kaki Furai (deep fried oysters)

3-Course Dinner for $30

Sushi: • Nigiri sushi: walu, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp • Maki sushi: spicy tuna and crunchy shrimp

PRESENT RESTAURANT 6678 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church presentrestaurantusa.com

Starter (choose one): • Red Sea calamari: Slices of center cut calamari with Chef’s special seasoning with salt, blackpepper served on top of fresh lettuce with sweet onions

Dessert (choose one): • Ginger ice cream • Green tea ice cream

FC

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

PAGE 20 | MARCH 15 – 21, 2018

NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

ried Chicken of Falls hurch

A

A bucket of fried chicken is eight bucks at Harris Teeter and just $5 on Fridays.

Photos & Words by Jody Fellows

long with the recent Little City Restaurant Revolution, there’s been a bit of a Falls Church fried chicken revolution as well. It all started with Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken’s expansion to Pimmit Hills in 2015, followed a year later by the debut of a Harris Teeter flagship store in the middle of the Little City serving all-day fried chicken. Then last year, two more destinations entered the game when Korean fried chicken favorite BB.Q Chicken opened across from George Mason High School in August and Liberty Barbecue brought its picklebrined chicken to the former Famous Dave’s space in December. Along with the chain gang – KFC, Popeyes and Pollo Campero — that’s a lot of fried chicken. So, in service to the chicken-eating public, we went on a fact-finding mission to all of the above and conducted a totally unscientific study to find out just which bird is the best.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

7511 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church | astrodoughnuts.com Astro’s fried chicken can be easily paired up with a doughnut or three.

ing process using buttermilk and highquality flour made for one of the juiciest bites of meat we had out of the whole lot. Tasters called it “really” and “solidly” juicy and praised the flavor as “nice” and “above the bar.”

Notes on crispiness were more varied however with one taster giving it top scores for crunch but another calling it “not very crunchy at all.”

BB.Q Chicken

7115 Leesburg Pike #107, Falls Church | facebook.com/bbqchicken.fc

4.8

Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken is one of two restaurants in our roundup where the bird shares the spotlight on the menu. But even though doughnuts get top billing CRISPiness at this Pimmit Hills joint, the chicken more than holds its own.

Astro co-found- JUICINESS er Elliot Spaisman says they went through many different versions and FLAVOR tweaks when deciding upon the final recipe and in the end, a 24-hour brin-

4

4

3.7

OVERALL

3.8

OVERALL

Thanks to two CRISPiness trips to the deep fryer, Korean fried chicken is known for its crunch, so it’s no wonder BB.Q Chicken JUICINESS earned closed-to-top marks for crispiness.

In addition to its double dip, the fried FLAVOR chicken is prepared using olive oil which BB.Q’s Ryan Ham says make a big difference in health and taste.

While all agreed on the top-notch crispiness, BB.Q’s Golden Olive fried chicken was the most polarizing of the bunch when it came to flavor. Several tasters thought it was “bland” and “boring” while others lauded the flavor as “standout,” highlighted by a touch of “sweet” acting as a “great compliment to the saltiness.”

3.2

3.5

3.6

Harris Teeter

301 West Broad Street, Falls Church | harristeeter.com Harris Teeter’s chicken is just about CRISPiness the definition of fried chicken mediocrity. Featuring pieces doublebreaded by hand, JUICINESS the chicken is prepared fresh in-store every four hours or as needed, with two FLAVOR options available: via pre-made buckets or straight from the the hot bar. We found the quality varied depending on the source, with the hot bar, by far, the better choice (the lids create a bird sauna in the bucket, turning the once-crisp skin soggy).

Tasters found the flavor average through

2.9

3.7

2.7

OVERALL

3

Double fried in olive oil, BB.Q Chicken packs some serious crunch.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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

MARCH 15 – 21, 2018 | PAGE 21

and through, calling it “just OK,” “good but nothing unique” and “not outstanding.”

The best thing going for Harris Teeter fried chicken is the price. Buckets are $7.99 each for about one-and-a-half pounds of chicken (hot bar is pricier at $8.99/pound) and on Friday, buckets are just five bucks.

Pro-Tip: try catching a fresh batch when the hot bar opens daily at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

KFC

5711 Columbia Pike, Falls Church | kfc.com

OVERALL

It’s been sev- CRISPiness eral years since the Colonel packed up his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices and moved out of JUICINESS Falls Church proper.

However, just outside City limits in Baileys Crossroads, redFLAVOR and-white buckets of fried chicken are churning out of the KFC on Columbia Pike — and there’s a drive-thru to boot.

While Colonel Sanders has the most storied and pedigreed chicken of the bunch, tasters found inconsistency prevented KFC from scoring higher. Comments like “nothing remarkable,” “kinda boring” and “decent” were noted though one also called it “the best yet.” It was also commented that “extra crispy was less flavorful than the original recipe.”

Tasters’ praise of the chicken having “a nice crunch” and being “crispy” was juxtaposed against others who called it “nowhere close to the crispiest I’ve had” and “soggy.”

4

3.9

3.7

3.8

Liberty Barbecuelibertyfallschurch.com 370 West Broad Street, Falls Church {

While most come through the door for smoked meats, Liberty Barbecue’s fried chicken can rival both the ribs and brisket on the menu. Created and CRISPiness refined at Liberty Tavern in Clarendon, chef Matt Hill says they tweaked the JUICINESS recipe a bit before bringing the bird to Falls Church. After a 36-hour pickle brine and a buttermilk marFLAVOR inade, the chicken then gets pressure fried before coming to the table dressed with lemon slices and thyme, with a cup of hot honey on

4.4

3.5

4.5

OVERALL

4.2

Liberty Barbecue’s fried chicken presentation is by far the prettiest of them all.

the side.

All the prep and recipe honing paid off, as Liberty’s chicken scored top marks for flavor, with tasters calling it “so good” and touting it as leaving a “lasting impression.”

Crispiness fared well, too, earning praise as “excellent” and “solid,” while juiciness was a bit more varied, getting called “good but not great” but also “on another level.”

4.9

Pollo Campero

5852 Columbia Pike, Falls Church | us.campero.com Founded in Guatemala in 1971, Pollo Campero is hugely popular in Central America and has acquired a dedicated following at its 70+ locations in CRISPiness the U.S. The concept is similar to a Popeyes or KFC with fried chicken meals paired with JUICINESS an assortment of sides, though here it’s yuca and street corn rather than mashed potatoes FLAVOR and mac ‘n’ cheese.

The Central American recipe was a hit with some who enjoyed a “hint of citrus” and “unique flavor” from the breading but others thought it “needed more flavor.”

The skin was a high point, too, with both options — traditional and extra crispy — scoring well with tasters.

4.3

3.3

3.7

ings, earning top marks in all three categories.

Thanks to its 12-hour marination in “Louisiana seasonings,” the group gobbled up both mild and spicy flavors and earned remarks like “perfect” and “my favorite.” With its tell-tale flaky skin, CRISPiness Popeyes even outcrunched the double-fried Korean chicken, earning a JUICINESS near-perfect (4.9) score for crispiness.

The only minor quibble was from FLAVOR one taster who commented “one bite could have been a little more juicy.”

OVERALL

3.7

Popeyes

6134 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church | popeyes.com

The iconic red-and-white KFC bucket.

It turns out, “Love that Chicken at Popeyes” is a pretty accurate tagline for the 36-year-old Louisiana fried chicken chain as the fast food stalwart cleaned up in our rat-

Pollo Campero offers two types of fried chicken: traditional and extra crispy.

4

4.5

OVERALL

4.4

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

PAGE 22 | MARCH 15 – 21, 2018

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

MARCH 19-25, 2018

$35 for Two Special: •2 of our appetizers (Choice of Takoyaki, Shrimp Shumai and Edamame) •1 of 10 pieces Boneless or Chicken Wing •1 of Korean Main Dishes •1 Dessert to share *Dining only / tip is not included

dogwoodtavern.com Phone: (703) 237-8333

(DINE IN ONLY)

1/2 DOZEN RAW OYSTERS - $4 1/4 LB. PEEL N’ EAT SHRIMP - $4 1/2 DOZ STEAMED CLAMS - $4 1 DOZ SAUTEED P.E.I MUSSELS - $4 SNOW CRAB CLUSTER $6 EACH

the

presents

the 6th Annual

FEATURING

Argia’s • Art’s Tavern • BB.Q Chicken • Cafe Kindred • Clare & Don’s Beach Shack La Cote d’Or Cafe • Dogwood Tavern • Falls Church Distillers • Hot N Juicy Crawfish Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar • Ireland’s Four Provinces • Lazy Mike’s Delicatessen Liberty Barbecue • Mad Fox Brewing Company • Panjshir • Plaka Grill Present Restaurant • Sfizi Cafe • Taco Bamba • Takumi

For a complete list of Restaurant Week specials, visit FCRestaurantWeek.com

Little City.

Big Eats.

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

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

MARCH 15 – 21, 2018 | PAGE 23 Restaurant Week Special

App Chilled Blue Crab Claw Cocktail

Salad House Chopped Salad

Entree Crab Stuffed Pan Seared Grouper Served With Vegetable and Mashed Potatoes

Dessert

130 North Washington Street Falls Church, VA 22046

Key Lime Pie

$29.00

(703)532-WAVE (9283) • www.clareanddons.com

MARCH 19-25, 2018

Soup

Homemade Ice Cream & Delicatessen

OUR NEW LOCATION

Matzo ball

Entree Open faced turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce

7049 Leesburg Pike

(703) 532-5299

Dessert one scoop hot fudge sundae

$16.00

MARCH 19-25, 2018

Come Enjoy Our Restaurant Week Speical!

4-Course Dinner for $34.18 1 salad, 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert (excl. lamb chops)

panjshirrestaurant.com

703-536-4566 114 East Fairfax Street Falls Church, VA 22046 Lunch: Monday - Saturday 11:00am - 2:30pm Dinner: Monday - Sunday 5:00pm - 10:00pm

PAGE 24 | MARCH 15 – 21, 2018

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

FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM

Home. Cooked.

GOODNESS The taste of togetherness.

Save 75%* on Omaha Steaks

The Family Gourmet Buffet 2 (5 oz.) Filet Mignons 2 (5 oz.) Top Sirloins 2 (4 oz.) Boneless Pork Chops 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts (1 lb. pkg.)

4 (3 oz.) Kielbasa Sausages 4 (4 oz.) Omaha Steaks Burgers 4 (3 oz.) Potatoes au Gratin 4 (4 oz.) Caramel Apple Tartlets OS Seasoning Packet (.33 oz.)

51689CXJ $ $199.90* separately Combo Price

Plus, get 4 more Burgers and 4 more Kielbasa

FREE!

4999

*Savings shown over aggregated single item base price. Limit 2 51689 pkgs. Your 4 free burgers and 4 free kielbasa will be sent to each shipping address that includes 51689. Standard S&H will be added per address. Flat rate shipping and reward cards and codes cannot be used with this offer. Not valid with other offers. Expires 7/31/18. All purchases acknowledge acceptance of Omaha Steaks, Inc. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Visit omahasteaks.com/terms-of-useOSI and omahasteaks.com/info/privacy-policy or call 1-800-228-9872 for a copy. Š2018 OCG | Omaha Steaks, Inc. | 18M0094

1-877-649-6485 ask for 51689CXJ www.OmahaSteaks.com/family86