A guide to falls church breakfast PAGES 20 – 21
ALSO INSIDE THIS SPECIAL RESTAURANT WEEK EDITION: Falls Church Restaurant Week Specials | How Clare & Don’s Gives Back | Where F.C. Chefs Shop | The Man Behind Idylwood Grill Pages 18 – 19 Page 16 Page 17 Page 22
PAGE 14 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 15
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There are 15 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.
Argia’s • 124 North Washington St. Art’s Tavern • 2190 Pimmit Dr. Cafe Kindred • 450 N. Washington St. Dogfish Head Alehouse • 6220 Leesburg Pike Dogwood Tavern • 321 West Broad St.
Hot N Juicy Crawfish • 116 West Broad St. Idylwood Grill • 2190 Pimmit Dr. Ireland’s Four Provinces • 105 West Broad St. La Côte d’Or • 6876 Lee Hwy Lil City Creamery • 114 West Broad St.
The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill • 502 West Broad St. Mad Fox Brewing Company • 444 West Broad St. Plaka Grill • 513 West Broad St. Present Restaurant • 6678 Arlington Blvd. Taco Bamba • 2190 Pimmit Dr.
PAGE 16 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
DAVE AND REBECCA TAX don’t only feed the people of Falls Church at their two restaurants, Clare & Don’s and Mike’s Deli, the brother-sister team also does its part helping those in need with free monthly meals to the homeless and by working with schools on free and reduced lunch programs. (P����: �������� C���� � D��’� B���� S����)
Clare & Don’s Brother-Sister Team Donate Time, Meals to Those in Need BY SAM TABACHNIK
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
David and Rebecca Tax, owners of Clare and Don’s Beach Shack and Mike’s Deli in Falls Church, understand the importance of a good meal. After all, the sibling duo has filled the bellies of hungry locals for over a decade. But the Taxes also recognize that not everyone in the community has the means to eat well, even in a place like the Little City. So they decided to help. Whether it’s serving meals to the homeless at the Safe Haven Day Shelter or providing Falls Church Public
School students on free and reduced lunch programs with fresh, healthy food for the weekend, David and Rebecca feel compelled to do their part. It’s not in any mission statement. It didn’t need to be talked about. It just makes sense, David says. “It’s about just reaching across the street to help your neighbors when they need it,” he says. ”Do whatever you can for your neighbors when it doesn’t hurt that much. The Falls Church community has put us in the position where we’re fortunate enough to withstand helping people out and not really suffering too much because of it. “So why not do it? It seems like the right thing to do.” Rebecca got involved with the Safe Haven Day Shelter
Dogfish Head Alehouse Falls Church
F AL
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www.dogfishalehouse.com
NEW SPECIALS! RESTAURANT WEEK March 27th - April 2nd Dogfish Flautas $10 Alehouse Cubano $13 Palo Santo Marron Barebque Ribs $22 Seven Corners Shopping Center
CH
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
at the First Christian Church of Falls Church two years ago after one of her regular customers asked for a gift certificate for a fundraiser. Rather than just give a slip of paper, Rebecca decided to go a step further, offering to provide the food and cook for the homeless constituents. Now she goes once a month to whip up a hearty batch of jambalaya or pasta with sausage — “something a little different,” she says — for 100-150 homeless individuals. Often she’ll bring family members or staff from the restaurant to help out. After serving every month for two years, Rebecca now has a new group of regulars. “It’s really fun,” she says. “The constituents over there are super nice, super grateful. Just an interesting mix of people.” Even when they closed Clare and Don’s for a day in support of “A Day Without Immigrants” in February, David and Rebecca were at the restaurant as usual, cooking and packaging trays of food for their monthly visit to the shelter. Joni Laurence, Safe Haven’s co-coordinator, says she’s never had another restaurant donate a full meal before. For a program that receives zero funding and relies exclusively on donations, the Taxes’ contribution is a true difference-maker. “It’s huge,” Laurence says. “Not having to worry about finding funds or food to provide that meal — that’s a quarter of our monthly budget — it’s great. They’re so generous about it.” All the folks who rely on Safe Haven, she added, “absolutely look forward to a Beach Shack Thursday.” In addition to the shelter, David and Rebecca also work with the Falls Church Public School system on the Backpack Program, an initiative to provide students on free and reduced lunch with meals for the weekend or school break. It may come as a surprise, Rebecca says, that “even though we’re a pretty affluent community here in Falls Church City, there is still food insecurity.” These kids may have parents who are too sick to cook or work two jobs to get by. In these cases, the children may be home for the weekend without access to any healthy food. So the Taxes help once a month by providing boxes of food for a handful of families, stocking them with fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats and starches. Rebecca also likes to toss in toothbrushes, toothpaste and bars of soap, “little things that are expensive and add up at the grocery store,” she says. For David and Rebecca, these extra endeavors outside their normal business are part what makes a tight-knit community like Falls Church thrive. “We worked a long time not making any money and barely paying our bills and now we’re in a position that we’re able to kind of pay it forward,” David says. “So we’re trying to do that.”
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
MARCH 23 - 29, 2017 | PAGE 17
In the Kitchen, F.C. Chefs Love to Keep Things Local BY PATRICIA LESLIE
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
The head chefs at the Mad Fox Brewing Company, Argia’s and Dogwood Tavern don’t have much time to cook at home or shop for groceries. When you’re in the kitchen 10 hours a day, six days a week, it’s hard to find a minute for much else. When these Falls Church chefs do buy ingredients, the goal is to stay as local as possible — sometimes as local as the Falls Church Farmers Market. Steve Benincasa, executive chef at Argia’s, says he sometimes shops at The Local Market on Broad St. and visits a specialty shop for Italian delicacies. Mad Fox head chef Cameron Cousin has developed good relationships with local vendors during his 10 years in the area. He says he buys his meats, fruits and vegetables from farms in Round Top, Virginia, while fish is delivered to the restaurant from the East Coast — always within 24 hours of being caught. Since they spend all day work-
ing in the kitchen, the chefs say cooking at home is not a common occurrence. “Very, very rarely [do I cook at home]”, Carlos Perez, head chef at Dogwood Tavern, says. “I like to cook for other people but not for myself.” Cousin and Benincasa don’t cook too much for guests at home either, they say. Cousin says he does like to test different kinds of tomatoes and beans in his home kitchen before they go on his menu. And Benincasa admits that he sometimes uses his wife’s friends as guinea pigs for new recipes. When he does cook at home, Benincasa says he’s much more relaxed, often sipping wine without the need to fret about call-outs. Cousin and Benincasa are both graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Perez’s culinary education began after he came to the U.S. from Guatemala when he was 16. He spent 10 years working at restaurants in Georgetown, learning the trade as a dishwasher as he slowly climbed the culinary ladder.
STEVE BENINCASA, EXECUTIVE CHEF at Argia’s, says he’ll head to nearby grocery store The Local Market or to Clare & Don’s next door if he needs an ingredient in a pinch. (P����: N���-P����) The chefs pointed to a closeknit Falls Church culinary community. When they run out of food at their respective restaurants, they’re able to visit their neighbors to borrow necessary ingredients. Benincasa goes to Clare and Don’s Beach Shack next door, and he returns the favor if they are ever desperate for an ingredient. “We try to say yes to each other,” he says, but “our menus
are so different.” Perez calls other restaurants to borrow things but, as a last resort, is sometimes forced to go to the Harris Teeter. Cousin said the alliance between restaurants works because they all are working for the same reasons. “A lot of restaurants are pretty friendly,” he says. “We’re all here for one goal: to put out great food.
We’re not all evil. We’re competitive, of course, but we all want to have a good product.” Argia’s Italian Restaurant 124 N. Washington St., Falls Church Dogwood Tavern 132 W. Broad St. Falls Church Mad Fox Brewing Company 444 W Broad St., Falls Church
at Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar
March 27-April 2 – 3 Course Lunch - $20.17 • 3 Course Dinner - $30.17 Choose Appetizer • Entree • Dessert from the Entire Menu!!!
Make your reservations EARLY! Call 703-992-0915 or make them online at www.idylwoodgrill.com Open for LUNCH: Mon thru Fri, 11:30am-2pm Open for DINNER: Mon - Thurs, 5-9:30pm • Fri & Sat, 5-10pm • Sunday, 5-9pm
From recent online reviews:
Next Dinner & Jazz • Wed, April 19th • 7-10pm
“Take a break from chain restaurants to really experience the difference of a locally owned restaurant. So much more relaxing and fun”
Sundays at Idylwood Grill
“The kind of welcoming restaurant every community needs but fewer and fewer have these days.”
20% OFF food check when order placed before 6, Mon-Thurs
“You feel they are cooking just for you.”
BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH IN TOWN!!! 11:30am to 2:30pm
“...a reminder of Paris. Great sauces, very fresh ingredients, extremely reasonable prices, half price wine on Sunday from a well curated cellar. What more could you ask for.”
“Mussels, Seafood omlet, eggs benny, save room for the key lime tart...all made in house!!!”
“The food was excellent and the service was the best we’ve experienced in a long time. It reminded us of being in Europe.”
Sunday is always Wine Day with reduced prices!
2190-B Pimmit Drive • Falls Church, Virginia 22043 • www.idylwoodgrill.com • 703-992-0915
PAGE 18 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE EK
The News-Press is proud to present the 5th 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 27 and running through Sunday, April 2. All partcipating restaurants and their dining specials are listed below and are also available online at www. fcrestaurantweek.com.
3-Course Dinner for $25 First Course (choose one): Duck Arancini – crispy risotto croquettes �illed with duck con�it sugo and warm Brie Crispy Calamari – served with a spicy marinara and lemon Roasted Beets – red and golden beets with oranges and toasted pistachios and truf�le ricotta and baby arugula Second Course (choose one): Lemon Chicken – brined and marinated roasted bone-in chicken with lemon, garlic and oregano over white bean spinach ragout Spaghetti con Buratta – handmade spaghetti in a rustic Pomodoro sauce with olive oil, grape tomatoes and basil, topped with buratta Fettuccine Alfredo – Argia’s signature recipe with diced grilled chicken and broccolini in a creamy Parmesan garlic cream Third Course (choose one): Chocolate Volcano Cake – with strawberries and whipped cream Tiramisu – espresso-dipped lady �ingers layered with a sweet marscapone cream and topped with shave chocolate Mini Cannoli – three petite cannoli �illed with Argia’s housemade chocolate chip cannoli cream
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM Diced Red Onion, Diced Egg and Capers; Homemade Irish Bread;
Entree (choose one): Braised Short Ribs; Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Pearl Onion; Homemade Mashed Potatoes; Dessert (choose one): Warm Chocolate Lava Cake; Vanilla Ice Cream
A��’� T����� 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church artstavern.com
D������ T����� 132 West Broad Street, Falls Church dogwoodtavern.com
L� C��� �’O� C��� 6876 Lee Highway, Arlington lacotedorarlington.com
2-course meal for $15.99 Blackened Shrimp or Fresh Fish Tilapia Tacos topped with homemade Asian slaw, pico de gallo, cilantro aioli plus dessert of your choice
3-Course Meal for $25
3-Course Lunch for $22 First Course (choose one): Onion soup with toasted baguettes and Swiss cheese gratinée; Potage Bourguignon; potato, leek, carrot, celery, cabbage; Homemade Pâte, cornichons, pearl onion, balsamic onion compote; Boston lettuce, mesclun, Belgium endive with French vinaigrette; Caesar salad anchovy dressing, croûtons and parmesan cheese
A����’� 124 North Washington Street, Falls Church argias.com 2-Course Lunch for $15 First Course (choose one): Duck Arancini – crispy risotto croquettes �illed with duck con�it sugo and warm Brie Crispy Calamari – served with a spicy marinara and lemon Roasted Beets – red and golden beets with oranges and toasted pistachios and truf�le ricotta and baby arugula Second Course (choose one): Cacio e Pepe - a classic Roman-style pasta dish meaning “Cheese and Pepper.” Includes handmade spaghetti and Pecorino Romano Panini – garlic roasted shaved beef dipped in Tuscansalted beef broth on toasted Amoroso roll with giardiniera vegetables Fettuccine Alfredo – Argia’s signature recipe with diced grilled chicken and broccolini in a creamy Parmesan garlic cream
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
First Course: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad – roasted beets, strawberries, arugula, goat cheese and a sherry wine vinaigrette Second Course: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast – loaded mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach. Chicken is served with a whole grain mustard cream sauce Third Course: Chocolate Souf�le Mug – chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
2-course meal for $9.95 Chili Mac – homemade chili served with salad plus dessert of your choice
$2 off all appetizers, 50¢ wings all day before 7 p.m.
H�� N J���� C������� 116 West Broad Street, Falls Church hotnjuicycraw�ish.com
C��� K������ 450 North Washington Street Suite F, Falls Church cafekindred.com
Seafood Feast for $55 includes Fried calamari, 1 lb. craw�ish, 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. craw�ish, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, cajun or regular fries
3-Course Dinner for $25 (Available Wednesday–Saturday only) Appetizer: Roasted Cauli�lower Steak with Spicy Cappicolla Entree (choose one): Veggie Burger with fries OR Chimmichurri Burger with fries Dessert: Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
I������� G���� � W��� B�� 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com
D������ H��� A������� 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church dog�ishalehouse.com
Dog�ish Flautas: $10 - wood-grilled chicken, cheese and cilantro, rolled in a corn tortilla. Over a bed of Napa cabbage slaw and topped with queso fresco and pico de gallo Alehouse Cubano: $13 - pulled pork, tasso ham, pickles, Swiss cheese, chipotle mayo and mustard, all in a pressed sweet sub roll. Served with Alehouse potato chips Palo Santo Marron Barbeque Ribs: $22 - Sweet, succulent and smoked pork ribs braised in Palo Santo Marron BBQ sauce. Served with corn bread and Alehouse cole slaw
3-Course Lunch for $20.17 and 3-Course Dinner for $30.17 Choose any one appetizer, one entree and one dessert from regular lunch or dinner menu
I������’� F��� P��������
105 West Broad Street, Falls Church 4psva.com 3-Course Dinner for $39.99 Starter (choose one): Smoked Salmon;
Falls Church Restaurant Week! 3 Course Meal - $25
1st Course - Beet & Goat Cheese Salad 2nd Course - Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast 3rd Course - Chocolate Souffle Mug Spring is here! Weather permitting, our Sky Bar will be open daily!
www.dogwoodtavern.com 132 West Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22046 | 703-237-8333
• 21 HDTVs •18 Beers on Tap •Game Room with •Darts and Pool
Come Check Out Our Restaurant Speicials buy 1 get 1 Half Off breakfast lunch or dinner Breakfast, Mon - Fri, 7AM - 11AM Sunday Brunch, 11AM - 3PM | Happy Hour, Mon - Fri, 3PM - 7PM
502 West Broad Street, Falls Church, 22046 | 703-854-1230 | THELOCKERROOMFC.COM
Second Course (choose one): Salads Main Courses: Chef Salad: cucumber, mesclun, green beans, ham, Swiss cheese, hardboiled egg; Salad Benjamin: mesclun, apple, cranberry, walnut, smoked Gouda cheese; Salad Niçoise classic; Smoked salmon, avocado, asparagus, corn, mango salad; Sandwich and Eggs Dishes (served with choice of French fries or salad) Omelet choices of 3: Ham, Swiss cheese, Mushroom, onion, tomato, bacon; Quiche Lorraine; Crab quiche; Quiche of the day; Croque Monsieur, grilled ham, béchamel and Swiss cheese on white toast; Main Courses Seafood crêpes in champagne cream sauce; Vegetarian crêpes with cheese sauce; Trout sautéed with toasted almond; Tilapia �ilet sautéed with white wine cream sauce; Coq au vin
Third Course (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, jumbo crab meat, Russian dressing, salad, boiled egg, tomato; Cheeses platter, apple champagne jam, peach & tomato compote, pickled cantaloupe, walnut and raisin; Fresh beet salad, roasted goat cheese, blood oranges, mesclun, onion Plat de Résistance – Main Courses (choose one): PEI Mussels Marinière, white wine cream sauce with French fries;Rainbow trout sautéed with toasted almond butter sauce; Seafood crêpes, shrimp, mussels, bay scallops, mushroom, cream sauce; Chicken breast cordon bleu with Beurre Meuniere; Beef Bavette steak with black peppercorn cream sauce, French fries; Calf liver lyonnaise with onion, red wine vinegar, demie-glace; Coq au vin with potato, bacon, pearl onions and mushroom; Beef Burgundy served with potato gnocchi; Steak tartar served with French fries or mixed green salad; Vegetable crêpes cream, mushroom,
F. C . R E STAUR A NT W E E K spinach, asparagus, tomato; Cod �ish, shiitake mushroom, white wine, potato, grilled Italian eggplant; Bouillabaisse; Fish, seafood, saffron broth, croûtons, rouille, parmesan; Bronzino �ilet in brick dough, pesto, tomato orange sauce, vegetable tian; Italian eggplant, risotto, red pepper, butternut squash, celery, carrot, leek; Roasted rack of Lamb, thyme �lower and garlic con�it, cannellini beans; 10oz Rib Eye steak grilled, onion compote, blue cheese, French fries Desserts (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; Vacherin with hazelnut ice cream and chocolate sauce; Chocolate mousse with red coulis L�� C��� C������� 114 West Broad Street, Falls Church lilcitycreamery.com
25% OFF purchase with mention of Falls Church Restaurant Week and ad T�� L����� R��� S����� B�� � G���� 502 West Broad Street #5, Falls Church thelockerroomfc.com
Buy 1, Get 1 Half-Off Valid on all sandwiches, salads, burgers, pizzas and entrees (Must mention Falls Church Restaurant Week) M�� F�� B������ C������ 444 West Broad Street, Falls Church madfoxbrewing.com 2- or 3-Course Lunch for $20 Handheld, salad or entree and dessert 3-Course Dinner for $32 Sociable, entree and dessert
P���� G���� 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church plakagrill.com 3-Course Dinner Menu for $25
1st Course (choose one): Zucchini Fritters; Choice of 1 Dip with Pita Bread; Choice of Spanakopites or Tyropites 2nd Course (choose one): Shrimp Souvlaki Dinner - grilled marinated shrimp souvlaki over Plaka salad, served with side of garlic, lemon, olive oil, roasted potatoes accompanied by pita triangles Lamb Kapama - tender medallions of lamb, slow-roasted for hours in a tomato stew with sauteed onions and garlic served in a bed of orzo pasta �inished with shredded Pamesan, accompanied by a side of Plaka salad and pita triangles Vegetarian Moussaka - alternating layers of housemade tomato sauce, eggplant, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, feta and parmesan cheeses, then �inished 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 P������ R��������� 6678 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church presentrestaurant.com 4-Course Dinner for Two for $25/person (minimum 2 people) Appetizer (select one to share): Green Paradise Spring Roll - fresh spring roll with peanut sauce; Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Roll - special crispy roll with �ish sauce;
MARCH 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 19
Phoenix Shrimp - crispy tiger shrimp with coconut sauce; Red Sea Calamari - chef’s calamari with salt and pepper; Salad (select one to share): Jewel-Green Papaya - green papaya salad with beef liver jerky, peanuts and served with special sauce; Lotus Flower Garden - lotus stalks salad with pork and shrimp tossed in vinaigrette dressing with peanuts; Gỏi 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 Main Course (select two to share): Mosaic Pathway - cellophane noodle wok sauteed with jumbo lump crabmeat and vegetables; Cow on the Open Field - tenderloin beef cubes wok shaken in high �lames 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 - �illet breast chicken with lemongrass sauteed with garlic, onions and spicy chili Dessert: Coconut banana fritters a la mode T��� B���� 2190 Pimmit Drive Suite G, Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com
Three Traditional Tacos and Mexican Street Corn for $10
What are you In the Mood For? With the amount of participants in Falls Church Restaurant Week, deciding on where to eat during the celebration of Little City cuisine can get overhwelming. In order to make your dining decision a bit easier next week, we’ve categorized participants by their cuisine in a handy 2017 F.C. Restaurant Week cheat sheet. Happy eating!
AMERICAN
GREEK
Art’s Tavern, Cafe Kindred, Dogfish Head Alehouse, Dogwood Tavern, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Lil City Creamery, The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill, Mad Fox Brewing Company
Plaka Grill
BURGERS Cafe Kindred, The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill, Mad Fox Brewing Company
FRENCH La Côte d’Or Café
ICE CREAM Lil City Creamery
ITALIAN Argia’s
PIZZA The Locker Room
SEAFOOD Hot N Juicy Crawfish, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Present Restaurant
TACOS Art’s Tavern, Taco Bamba
VIETNAMESE Present Restaurant
PAGE 18 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE EK
The News-Press is proud to present the 5th 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 27 and running through Sunday, April 2. All partcipating restaurants and their dining specials are listed below and are also available online at www. fcrestaurantweek.com.
3-Course Dinner for $25 First Course (choose one): Duck Arancini – crispy risotto croquettes �illed with duck con�it sugo and warm Brie Crispy Calamari – served with a spicy marinara and lemon Roasted Beets – red and golden beets with oranges and toasted pistachios and truf�le ricotta and baby arugula Second Course (choose one): Lemon Chicken – brined and marinated roasted bone-in chicken with lemon, garlic and oregano over white bean spinach ragout Spaghetti con Buratta – handmade spaghetti in a rustic Pomodoro sauce with olive oil, grape tomatoes and basil, topped with buratta Fettuccine Alfredo – Argia’s signature recipe with diced grilled chicken and broccolini in a creamy Parmesan garlic cream Third Course (choose one): Chocolate Volcano Cake – with strawberries and whipped cream Tiramisu – espresso-dipped lady �ingers layered with a sweet marscapone cream and topped with shave chocolate Mini Cannoli – three petite cannoli �illed with Argia’s housemade chocolate chip cannoli cream
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM Diced Red Onion, Diced Egg and Capers; Homemade Irish Bread;
Entree (choose one): Braised Short Ribs; Roasted Carrots, Parsnips and Pearl Onion; Homemade Mashed Potatoes; Dessert (choose one): Warm Chocolate Lava Cake; Vanilla Ice Cream
A��’� T����� 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church artstavern.com
D������ T����� 132 West Broad Street, Falls Church dogwoodtavern.com
L� C��� �’O� C��� 6876 Lee Highway, Arlington lacotedorarlington.com
2-course meal for $15.99 Blackened Shrimp or Fresh Fish Tilapia Tacos topped with homemade Asian slaw, pico de gallo, cilantro aioli plus dessert of your choice
3-Course Meal for $25
3-Course Lunch for $22 First Course (choose one): Onion soup with toasted baguettes and Swiss cheese gratinée; Potage Bourguignon; potato, leek, carrot, celery, cabbage; Homemade Pâte, cornichons, pearl onion, balsamic onion compote; Boston lettuce, mesclun, Belgium endive with French vinaigrette; Caesar salad anchovy dressing, croûtons and parmesan cheese
A����’� 124 North Washington Street, Falls Church argias.com 2-Course Lunch for $15 First Course (choose one): Duck Arancini – crispy risotto croquettes �illed with duck con�it sugo and warm Brie Crispy Calamari – served with a spicy marinara and lemon Roasted Beets – red and golden beets with oranges and toasted pistachios and truf�le ricotta and baby arugula Second Course (choose one): Cacio e Pepe - a classic Roman-style pasta dish meaning “Cheese and Pepper.” Includes handmade spaghetti and Pecorino Romano Panini – garlic roasted shaved beef dipped in Tuscansalted beef broth on toasted Amoroso roll with giardiniera vegetables Fettuccine Alfredo – Argia’s signature recipe with diced grilled chicken and broccolini in a creamy Parmesan garlic cream
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
First Course: Beet and Goat Cheese Salad – roasted beets, strawberries, arugula, goat cheese and a sherry wine vinaigrette Second Course: Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast – loaded mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach. Chicken is served with a whole grain mustard cream sauce Third Course: Chocolate Souf�le Mug – chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce
2-course meal for $9.95 Chili Mac – homemade chili served with salad plus dessert of your choice
$2 off all appetizers, 50¢ wings all day before 7 p.m.
H�� N J���� C������� 116 West Broad Street, Falls Church hotnjuicycraw�ish.com
C��� K������ 450 North Washington Street Suite F, Falls Church cafekindred.com
Seafood Feast for $55 includes Fried calamari, 1 lb. craw�ish, 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. craw�ish, 2 pieces of corn, 2 potatoes, cajun or regular fries
3-Course Dinner for $25 (Available Wednesday–Saturday only) Appetizer: Roasted Cauli�lower Steak with Spicy Cappicolla Entree (choose one): Veggie Burger with fries OR Chimmichurri Burger with fries Dessert: Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
I������� G���� � W��� B�� 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com
D������ H��� A������� 6220 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church dog�ishalehouse.com
Dog�ish Flautas: $10 - wood-grilled chicken, cheese and cilantro, rolled in a corn tortilla. Over a bed of Napa cabbage slaw and topped with queso fresco and pico de gallo Alehouse Cubano: $13 - pulled pork, tasso ham, pickles, Swiss cheese, chipotle mayo and mustard, all in a pressed sweet sub roll. Served with Alehouse potato chips Palo Santo Marron Barbeque Ribs: $22 - Sweet, succulent and smoked pork ribs braised in Palo Santo Marron BBQ sauce. Served with corn bread and Alehouse cole slaw
3-Course Lunch for $20.17 and 3-Course Dinner for $30.17 Choose any one appetizer, one entree and one dessert from regular lunch or dinner menu
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105 West Broad Street, Falls Church 4psva.com 3-Course Dinner for $39.99 Starter (choose one): Smoked Salmon;
Falls Church Restaurant Week! 3 Course Meal - $25
1st Course - Beet & Goat Cheese Salad 2nd Course - Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast 3rd Course - Chocolate Souffle Mug Spring is here! Weather permitting, our Sky Bar will be open daily!
www.dogwoodtavern.com 132 West Broad Street Falls Church, VA 22046 | 703-237-8333
• 21 HDTVs •18 Beers on Tap •Game Room with •Darts and Pool
Come Check Out Our Restaurant Speicials buy 1 get 1 Half Off breakfast lunch or dinner Breakfast, Mon - Fri, 7AM - 11AM Sunday Brunch, 11AM - 3PM | Happy Hour, Mon - Fri, 3PM - 7PM
502 West Broad Street, Falls Church, 22046 | 703-854-1230 | THELOCKERROOMFC.COM
Second Course (choose one): Salads Main Courses: Chef Salad: cucumber, mesclun, green beans, ham, Swiss cheese, hardboiled egg; Salad Benjamin: mesclun, apple, cranberry, walnut, smoked Gouda cheese; Salad Niçoise classic; Smoked salmon, avocado, asparagus, corn, mango salad; Sandwich and Eggs Dishes (served with choice of French fries or salad) Omelet choices of 3: Ham, Swiss cheese, Mushroom, onion, tomato, bacon; Quiche Lorraine; Crab quiche; Quiche of the day; Croque Monsieur, grilled ham, béchamel and Swiss cheese on white toast; Main Courses Seafood crêpes in champagne cream sauce; Vegetarian crêpes with cheese sauce; Trout sautéed with toasted almond; Tilapia �ilet sautéed with white wine cream sauce; Coq au vin
Third Course (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, jumbo crab meat, Russian dressing, salad, boiled egg, tomato; Cheeses platter, apple champagne jam, peach & tomato compote, pickled cantaloupe, walnut and raisin; Fresh beet salad, roasted goat cheese, blood oranges, mesclun, onion Plat de Résistance – Main Courses (choose one): PEI Mussels Marinière, white wine cream sauce with French fries;Rainbow trout sautéed with toasted almond butter sauce; Seafood crêpes, shrimp, mussels, bay scallops, mushroom, cream sauce; Chicken breast cordon bleu with Beurre Meuniere; Beef Bavette steak with black peppercorn cream sauce, French fries; Calf liver lyonnaise with onion, red wine vinegar, demie-glace; Coq au vin with potato, bacon, pearl onions and mushroom; Beef Burgundy served with potato gnocchi; Steak tartar served with French fries or mixed green salad; Vegetable crêpes cream, mushroom,
F. C . R E STAUR A NT W E E K spinach, asparagus, tomato; Cod �ish, shiitake mushroom, white wine, potato, grilled Italian eggplant; Bouillabaisse; Fish, seafood, saffron broth, croûtons, rouille, parmesan; Bronzino �ilet in brick dough, pesto, tomato orange sauce, vegetable tian; Italian eggplant, risotto, red pepper, butternut squash, celery, carrot, leek; Roasted rack of Lamb, thyme �lower and garlic con�it, cannellini beans; 10oz Rib Eye steak grilled, onion compote, blue cheese, French fries Desserts (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; Vacherin with hazelnut ice cream and chocolate sauce; Chocolate mousse with red coulis L�� C��� C������� 114 West Broad Street, Falls Church lilcitycreamery.com
25% OFF purchase with mention of Falls Church Restaurant Week and ad T�� L����� R��� S����� B�� � G���� 502 West Broad Street #5, Falls Church thelockerroomfc.com
Buy 1, Get 1 Half-Off Valid on all sandwiches, salads, burgers, pizzas and entrees (Must mention Falls Church Restaurant Week) M�� F�� B������ C������ 444 West Broad Street, Falls Church madfoxbrewing.com 2- or 3-Course Lunch for $20 Handheld, salad or entree and dessert 3-Course Dinner for $32 Sociable, entree and dessert
P���� G���� 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church plakagrill.com 3-Course Dinner Menu for $25
1st Course (choose one): Zucchini Fritters; Choice of 1 Dip with Pita Bread; Choice of Spanakopites or Tyropites 2nd Course (choose one): Shrimp Souvlaki Dinner - grilled marinated shrimp souvlaki over Plaka salad, served with side of garlic, lemon, olive oil, roasted potatoes accompanied by pita triangles Lamb Kapama - tender medallions of lamb, slow-roasted for hours in a tomato stew with sauteed onions and garlic served in a bed of orzo pasta �inished with shredded Pamesan, accompanied by a side of Plaka salad and pita triangles Vegetarian Moussaka - alternating layers of housemade tomato sauce, eggplant, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, feta and parmesan cheeses, then �inished 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 P������ R��������� 6678 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church presentrestaurant.com 4-Course Dinner for Two for $25/person (minimum 2 people) Appetizer (select one to share): Green Paradise Spring Roll - fresh spring roll with peanut sauce; Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Roll - special crispy roll with �ish sauce;
MARCH 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 19
Phoenix Shrimp - crispy tiger shrimp with coconut sauce; Red Sea Calamari - chef’s calamari with salt and pepper; Salad (select one to share): Jewel-Green Papaya - green papaya salad with beef liver jerky, peanuts and served with special sauce; Lotus Flower Garden - lotus stalks salad with pork and shrimp tossed in vinaigrette dressing with peanuts; Gỏi 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 Main Course (select two to share): Mosaic Pathway - cellophane noodle wok sauteed with jumbo lump crabmeat and vegetables; Cow on the Open Field - tenderloin beef cubes wok shaken in high �lames 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 - �illet breast chicken with lemongrass sauteed with garlic, onions and spicy chili Dessert: Coconut banana fritters a la mode T��� B���� 2190 Pimmit Drive Suite G, Falls Church tacobambarestaurant.com
Three Traditional Tacos and Mexican Street Corn for $10
What are you In the Mood For? With the amount of participants in Falls Church Restaurant Week, deciding on where to eat during the celebration of Little City cuisine can get overhwelming. In order to make your dining decision a bit easier next week, we’ve categorized participants by their cuisine in a handy 2017 F.C. Restaurant Week cheat sheet. Happy eating!
AMERICAN
GREEK
Art’s Tavern, Cafe Kindred, Dogfish Head Alehouse, Dogwood Tavern, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Lil City Creamery, The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill, Mad Fox Brewing Company
Plaka Grill
BURGERS Cafe Kindred, The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill, Mad Fox Brewing Company
FRENCH La Côte d’Or Café
ICE CREAM Lil City Creamery
ITALIAN Argia’s
PIZZA The Locker Room
SEAFOOD Hot N Juicy Crawfish, Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar, Present Restaurant
TACOS Art’s Tavern, Taco Bamba
VIETNAMESE Present Restaurant
PAGE 20 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
The Falls Church B Breakfast Guide Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken OPEN DAILY AT 7:30 A.M. 7511 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church
It’s perfectly acceptable to eat a doughnut or half-dozen for breakfast, but Astro does its best to take away some of that guilt by including chicken in the mix. Yeah, so what if it’s fried? Located in Idylwood Plaza, the Falls Church doughnut and fried chicken joint serves up souped-up morning sandwiches until 11 a.m. during the week and until 3 p.m. on the weekend. Astro’s version of breakfast-between-a-bun pairs a hot, savory doughnut or cheddar biscuit with a crispy chunk of juicy fried chicken with the option of adding hot sauce and honey butter or sausage gravy. The best part? The ability to add a fried egg to any sandwich. It is breakfast after all. Bonus: a French toast doughnut, eggwashed with milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange and lime zest, finished on a flat top and then topped with vanilla pastry cream and maple syrup, is available on the weekends.
Bentley’s
OPEN Monday–Friday AT 6:30 A.M. OPEN SATURDAY–SUNDAY AT 7 A.M. 6654 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church
Originally a Three Chef’s Pancake House when it opened more than 40 years ago alongside a Route 50 motel, Bentley’s has been a breakfast constant in Falls Church for the past 35 years. The no-frills diner alongside the Governor House Inn is open bright and early at 6:30 in the morning during the week, slinging its early morning fare to regulars and first-timers. At a whopping four pages, Bentley’s breakfast menu doesn’t miss much, filled with pancakes, blintzes, crepes, French toast, waffles, omelets and — the diner’s specialty — a double-digit lineup of eggs benedict.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
reakfast, they say, is the most important meal of the day. Too often, however, that vital first bite is limited to a rushed bowl of cereal or perhaps a cold slice of pizza out of the fridge (not that there’s anything wrong that). In an effort to up your first meal game, the News-Press has created a guide to help you kick-off the day on the right foot. Yes, Falls Church has plenty of big chain options like Dunkin’ Donuts, Einstein Bros., IHOP and Panera, but here we’re focusing on the smaller establishments that are busy churning out early morning fare for you, all week long.
For serious appetites, there’s a layered skillet outfitted with corned beef hash, Swiss cheese, two eggs, hash browns plus pancakes on the side. A meat lover’s version swaps out the corned beef and Swiss for ham, bacon, sausage and cheddar or a pair of meatless options loads up on the veggies instead. And because it’s always five o’clock somewhere, Bentley’s has a selection of morning cocktails on tap for those wanting to kick it off early or just need some hair of the dog.
Cafe Kindred
OPEN Tuesday–Friday AT 7 A.M. OPEN SATURDAY–SUNDAY AT 8 A.M. 450 North Washington Street, Falls Church
The bustling Little City coffee shop by the East Falls Church Metro station is a commuter’s first-meal dream, churning out quick and tasty morning bites including parfaits, oatmeal and egg sandwiches during the workweek. But come Saturday and Sunday, Cafe Kindred breaks out the breakfast big guns. Along with what owner Jennifer Demetrio calls the best breakfast sandwiches in Falls Church (“of course, I may be a little biased!,” she says), the shop serves up a full breakfast menu on weekends filled with both traditional and unique plates. The menagerie of tables and chairs throughout the cafe are perpetually packed on Saturday and Sunday mornings here along with the fullyoccu-
All words and photos by Jody Fellows
pied back bar where families and singles alike happily munch away on dishes like berry brioche French toast, biscuits with sausage and gravy or a full English breakfast. There’s a croque madame, too, plus grilled tomato and avocado and homemade corned beef hash. At the counter, in-house baked scones and muffins sit alongside Nutella-drizzled croissants, where Demetrio and her husband, Gary O’Hanlon, can be found taking orders and hustling around the dining room, serving and clearing tables every weekend. Cafe Kindred serves breakfast until around noon on Saturday and Sunday and during the week, breakfast sandwiches are available until 5 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday and until noon on Sunday and Tuesday.
fairfax inn restaurant
OPEN daily AT 8 A.M.
2946 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church Stationed on the bottom floor of a medical building in Seven Corners, Fairfax Inn Restaurant
is one of the D.C. area’s rare destinations for Filipino food. The small Falls Church diner has been around for more than 50 years but only began serving Filipino fare in 2008. Combining the cuisine of the Philippines with American diner staples, it’s the only place around where you can find a traditional Filipino breakfast alongside a stack of pancakes and homefries. The breakfast dishes all follow the same basic blueprint: a meat served with two eggs, rice and pickled papaya. (Technically, there’s the option of white or garlic fried rice but the garlic rice is where it’s at.) Protein options include cured and marinated beef called tapa, a Filipino sausage known as longanisa, sweet pork tenderloin called tocino and milkfish, a traditional dish that can be ordered smoked or deep fried. There’s also a pair of Filipino-style omelets, too. Most of the meats — the tapa, longanisa and tocino — fall on the more sweet than savory side and are complemented well by the eggs and rice. For those wanting to keep it American, the diner also has all the typical greasy spoon dishes here, too: bacon, waffles, French toast, scrapple and more. Note: You may have to ask for the Filipino menu (like we did) on your visit. Don’t let that dissuade you. Do it and order from it. A big stack of buttermilk pancakes from Original Pancake House.
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
the locker room
OPEN monday–friday AT 7 A.M. OPEN saturday–sunday AT 11 A.M. 502 West Broad Street #5, Falls Church
Since The Locker Room opened at the end of 2014, it’s been gradually expanding its operation at The Broadway in Falls Church. Last September it debuted a new game room with darts and pool tables and now the Falls Church sports bar is trying its hand at another new service: breakfast. On Monday through Friday, The Locker Room is going full-steam ahead with its morning meal, serving a full country breakfast menu from 7 – 11 a.m. There are short and big stacks of pancakes, French toast, ham and eggs, steak and eggs, omelets and a breakfast burrito. The biscuits and gravy is a massive dish, ladling a generous helping of sausage gravy over two, split buttermilk biscuits surrounded by eggs and hashbrowns. And if sausage isn’t your thing, there’s a version with creamed chipped beef, too. For a breakfast sampler of sorts, the Big Locker Room option puts pancakes, eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage and toast all together on one plate. On Sundays, the sports bar switches gears for brunch which offers much of the same dishes along with a Bloody Mary bar. Note: The Locker Room does not serve breakfast on Saturday.
mike’s deli
OPEN monday–friday AT 7:30 A.M. OPEN saturday–sunday AT 8:30 A.M. 112 North West Street, Falls Church
Known more for its lineup of sandwiches and ice cream, Mike’s Deli at Lazy Sundae also has a full breakfast menu that it serves from open to close. While it’s hard to pass up the Dixie Chicken, Mambo Combo or the corned beefand-pastrami-loaded Brooklyn Bridge, the breakfast burritos, banana pancakes and housemade corned beef
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
hash here make it a little easier. Mike’s Deli has just about everything — French toast, omelets, bagels, breakfast sandwiches — but owner David Tax says his go-to favorite is the corned beef hash with two eggs over medium and dark rye toast. As for the rest of the world, Tax tells us the Belly Buster is one of the most popular options. Packing a toasted sub roll with the holy trinity of breakfast meats — ham, bacon and sausage — plus cheese and eggs, we can totally see why. For those still wary of venturing away from the deli’s rest-of-the-day sandwiches or burgers, there’s nothing wrong with ordering one with a side of pancakes or hash browns. We won’t judge.
The original pancake house OPEN daily AT 7 A.M.
7395 Lee highway, Falls Church The Original Pancake House was a Falls Church institution for years before moving outside City limits in 2010. While it no longer can claim The Little City proper as its home, the seasoned vet of the breakfast scene is still a favorite for those both outside and inside the City at its location in The Shops at West Falls Church. With a tome-like menu filled with just about anything a belly could crave in the morning, the Pancake House serves a potpourri of pancake stacks (15 different kinds), crepes (14 types), waffles (nine options), omelets, French toast plus specialties like a Dutch baby, a sauteed apple-cinnamon-and-sugar-smothered apple pancake and avocado toast. A section of the menu dubbed “Creations from Our Grandchildren” does its best to sat-
isfy diners’ daily caloric requirements all in one sitting with options including peanut butter cup, M&M and s’mores pancakes and an ice cream-topped waffle sundae. On the opposite end of the spectrum, gluten-free pancakes are available and a senior menu offers smaller portions of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
taco bamba
OPEN daily AT 8:30 A.M. 2190 Pimmit drive, Falls Church
Taco Bamba’s overstuffed tacos have a fervent following but the love isn’t restricted to its carnitas or al pastor. The taqueria tucked into the corner of Falls Church’s Pimmit Shopping Center has an all-day breakfast lineup which puts firstmeal spins on some of its menu favorites. Breakfast enchiladas are filled with beans, rice, cheese and eggs, a tinga tostada mixes pinto beans, chicken tinga, cheese and fried egg together on a tortilla and chilaquiles combine crema, beans, avocado and crispy tortillas. The most popular options of the bunch, though, are the classic Mexican dish huevos rancheros, with black beans, two fried eggs and ranchera sauce, and an overflowing breakfast taco cramming chorizo, eggs, crema, guacamole and pico de gallo inside a just-barely big enough tortilla. At just four bucks, there’s a temptation to order two but with tacos this size, that’ll probably mean skipping Bentley’s signature dish, lunch. eggs benedict.
MARCH 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 21
Cafe Kindred’s berry brioche French toast is available on the weekend.
The Brunch Bunch While these Falls Church restaurants don’t serve breakfast regularly during the week, they do break out the morning fare on weekends at brunch.
Dogwood Tavern 132 W. broad St. Brunch served on SAturday & Sunday FDB EAtery
6641 Arlington Boulevard Brunch served Sunday
The happy tart
410 S. Mapel Ave. #110 Brunch served Saturday & Sunday
idylwood grill
2190-B pimmit drive Brunch served on sunday
ireland’s four provinces 105 W. Broad St. Brunch served on sATURDAY & Sunday
la cote d’or 6876 Lee Highway
Brunch served on saturday & sunday
mad fox brewing co. 444 W. Broad St. Brunch served on saturday & sunday
open road 8100 Lee highway
Brunch served on saturday & sunday
PAGE 22 | MARCH 23 – 29, 2017
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Idylwood Grill’s Ben-Abdallah is All About the Details BY MATT DELANEY
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS
Details are what set apart the good from the great, and the great from the exemplary. Dedication to the most minute details is what Idylwood Grill and Wine Bar owner Hedi Ben-Abdallah uses to elevate his cozy neighborhood restaurant to a revered status amidst the area’s prominent food scene. But this wasn’t a trait Ben-Abdallah was born with. Like many successful people, he needed a tough lesson early in his career. When applying for a managerial opening at the Holiday Inn in his 30s, Ben-Abdallah was passed over because he failed to understand every aspect of the business. “The corporate food and beverage [representatives] had a meeting with me and told me ‘Hedi, I know you think you know everything, but you’re not ready yet,’” BenAbdallah said. “They asked me, ‘Do you know the different cuts of meat?’ I was like, ‘Uh, no.’ And they said ‘Voila, you see! You need to know everything before we can put you in charge.’” From then on, knowing the cuts of meat served as symbol for Ben-Abdallah’s revised focus in the industry. Already a stellar bartender with gravitational charisma, Ben-Abdallah began training himself to see the big picture within the establishments for which he worked. This mentality is what guided him from the Holiday Inn to the Ritz-Carlton in Washington D.C. and eventually to the general manager position of the private Georgetown Club in 2000. As a general manager, he learned everything about the restaurant business, from washing dishes and mopping floors to dealing with committees, taxes and public relations. He also believed in karma, and his kindness to other restaurateurs was rewarded when they connected him with their purveyors to help him get started. Now that he had the money to make it happen, it was time to take the leap. In 2005, Ben-Abdallah finally made good on the dream of starting his own restaurant — a vision he’d endlessly professed to his kids. He landed at the Idylwood Grill’s current location in an unassuming but homey venue in a strip mall just off
Route 7. Ben-Abdallah stocked the staff with familiar faces such as imaginative head chef Marvin Hernandez, who worked alongside him at the Georgetown Club. Investing in his employees may be the savviest decision Ben-Abdallah made as a new restaurant owner. It allowed him to come to grips with his role while delegating responsibilities to other people more equipped to handle them. “Being a restaurateur is like being a conductor,” he said. “You cannot do everything; you cannot play all the instruments. Surround yourself with good people and let them do the work. You’re going to take all the credit anyways — you’re the owner!” Deciding on a menu was also a delicate dance to master. Ben-Abdallah’s native Tunisia possesses a kaleidoscope of cultural influences from throughout its history. The ancient Romans, Byzantines, Vandals, Spanish, Ottomans and French colonists all controlled the North African flatland at one point, each leaving its mark on the nation’s palette. Merging his homeland’s rich history with French-influenced culinary stylings, Ben-Abdallah sought to seamlessly integrate these diverse cuisines into the restaurant’s offerings. Of course, Ben-Abdallah makes sure to feature items unique to his Tunisian upbringing. Whether it’s the “merguez” (lamb sausage) he cut down from hanging racks in his childhood kitchen or a weekly dinner special of “branzino” (sea bass) that he consumed frequently in his coastal hometown of La Goulette, Ben-Abdallah has peppered the menu with the flavors closest to his heart. Idylwood Grill has been blessed with rave reviews across multiple websites, but that glow is offset by the monthly treadmill of financial hurdles. Ben-Abdallah likes to say most of the problems in his business can be solved with personality or experience. When it comes to monthly expenses, however, you either have the funds or you don’t. This part can be challenging, he said, given his restaurant’s low-key persona. “We are a neighborhood restaurant, like it or not,” he said. “Sometimes we’re busy and sometimes we’re dead. It depends on the mood of the neighborhood.” But Ben-Abdallah would never let that
IDYLWOOD GRILL’S HEDI BEN-ABDALLAH has been hosting and serving Falls Church diners in Pimmit Hills since 2005. (P����: �������� I������� G����) get him down. He’s living out his life’s ambition — and doing it on his terms. On a recent night, the chef sauntered around the rustic interior of his Mediterranean-inspired restaurant with his jet black hair and infectious smile greeting everyone from first-time guests to weekly regulars. But even with his charm and wit captivating those who grace the Grill’s premises, Ben-Abdallah never loses sight of the real star of the show.
“Let’s admit it, what’s our name? Restaurant, so let’s not take ourselves too seriously,” he said. “People come for me? Hell no. If the food is [bad] they won’t come. It’s not called a ‘Hedi,’ it’s called a ‘restaurant.’ We have to be good at that first and foremost, then the other things come into play.” Idylwood Grill & Wine Bar 2190 Pimmit Drive, Falls Church idylwoodgrill.com
F.C. R E STAUR A NT WE E K
FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
MARCH 23 – 29, 2017 | PAGE 23
Monday - Friday 4-7 Thursday
the
Friday
presents
the 5th Annual
FEATURING
Argia’s • Art’s Tavern • Cafe Kindred • Dogfish Head Alehouse • Dogwood Tavern Hot N Juicy Crawfish • Idylwood Grill • Ireland’s Four Provinces • La Cote d’Or Lil City Creamery • The Locker Room Sports Bar & Grill Mad Fox Brewing Company • Plaka Grill • Present Restaurant • Taco Bamba For a complete list of Falls Church Restaurant Week specials visit FCRestaurantWeek.com
Little City. Big Eats.