The Huntōn restaurant is the newest addition to downtown Leesburg’s dining scene.
ON THE COVER
A work by artist Miguel Hobbs. See story, Page 6.
GET OUT LOUDOUN
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CONTRIBUTORS
Katiana Dawn Douglas Rogers Hanna Pampaloni
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Susan Styer at 703-770-9723 or sales@loudounnow.com
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Inside:
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ART SCENE
Army veteran Miguel Hobbs has found healing powers in the bold colors of his abstract art creations.
COCKTAILS
Cool Spring Distillery is the latest addition to Loudoun’s craft beverage scene, celebrating its Lovettsville-area location with its signature “Lovettcello.”
DESTINATIONS
Get Out Loudoun’s best bets for June. 10 14
Chef Vincent Badiee honed his skills in Michelin-star kitchens here and abroad. At The Huntōn in Leesburg, he is creating a new dining destination.
HISTORY
Loudoun’s VA250 committee is inviting residents and visitors to discover the county’s historic site with a new Geocaching challenge.
BEST BETS
Photo by Norman K. Styer
BY DOUGLAS ROGERS
LEquestrian Loudoun
oudoun is famous for its wine, but if you mix merlot with mallets and chardonnay with chukkers you get another thing Loudoun is famous for: the thrilling equestrian sport of polo.
Mallets and chukkers are common terms in polo, of course, but if you want to learn more about the game – and drink fine wine while you’re at it – make your way to Morven Park’s International Equestrian Center on July 12 and 19 for the final two
Saturdays of the glittering annual Polo in the Park summer series.
“What I love about it is that the matches are competitive, the horses are incredibly athletic and the fun, family-friendly crowd always gets excited,” said Connor Marsden, President, North America, Industrial, Consumer and Energy at Salesforce, a polo player and presenting sponsor of Polo in the Park. “You don’t even have to know much about polo
Visit Loudoun
EQUESTRIAN FROM PAGE 4
to get really caught up in the atmosphere.”
There are two matches each evening featuring players from as far afield as Argentina and Chile and fans get to picnic on the grounds or book spaces along the railing for the best views.
Polo in the Park is not the only major equestrian event on the Loudoun calendar.
The Virginia Fall Races come to Glenwood Park on Oct. 11, with ticket sales opening this month. In October, Loudoun will also be home to the most prestigious equestrian event of all: the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials 2025, the culmination of a series of 19 US Equestrian Open of Eventing qualifying competitions held across the country in the build-up to the 2028 Los An-
geles Olympics. Taking place October 10-12 and televised on ESPN3, there is $200,000 in prize money at stake. The public is invited to watch the roughly 55 participants who will come from the US, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Columbia and Great Britain.
“We look forward to creating an environment that fosters and challenges the next generation of U.S. eventing talent,” said Stacey Metcalfe, Executive Director & CEO of Morven Park.
Admission to the event is free but visit Morven Park’s website to upgrade your experience to a VIP pass and tailgate for prime viewing.
www.visitloudoun.org
The Service of Canvas: A Veteran’s
Story of Healing Through Expression
ART SCENE
BY KATIANA DAWN GetOutLoudoun.com
Miguel Hobbs’ artistic journey is a testament to the transformative power of creativity, emerging from the structured world of military service to the fluid, vibrant realm of abstract art. What began as a personal coping mechanism has blossomed into a profound exploration of self-expression, healing, and community connection.
A 30-year U.S. Army veteran, Hobbs discovered art as a lifeline during a challenging period of recovery.
“I found that art was a way for me to help my mental issues,” he said.
While drawing and painting had always been part of his life, it wasn’t until his later years that art became a critical tool for emotional well-being. His wife played a pivotal role, recognizing the positive changes in his demeanor and encouraging him to pursue painting more seriously.
Only recently has he begun to use art as a deliberate form of emotional release and healing. Painting allows him to get lost in the creative process, especially when listening to music, and provides a safe space for self-expression.
Hobbs’ artistic voice is characterized by bold experimentation and an intuitive approach to creation. Bright, vivid colors dominate his work, reflecting an internal landscape of
Miguel Hobbs features bright, vivid colors in his therapeutic artworks.
emotion and energy. Unlike traditional artists, he doesn’t follow a rigid methodology. Instead, he embraces spontaneity, often starting with a quick sketch in a small notebook or simply pulling out colors and letting inspiration guide him.
Not shying away from bold palettes, Hobbs uses all kinds of resources for experimentation. Learning through YouTube tutorials, he tries different techniques with modeling paste, drip painting, and various paint viscosities. Hobbs does not consider himself a formally trained artist, but rather someone who learns by doing.
His artistic process involves spontaneity — sometimes starting with a quick sketch in a small notebook and other times just pulling out colors and seeing where inspiration takes him. He is particularly drawn to abstract art because it allows him more creative freedom and doesn’t require precise representation. His
artistic voice is also deeply personal, serving as a form of therapy and emotional release, with an emphasis on patience, creativity, and continuous learning.
His technical approach reflects continuous learning, experimenting with different materials, and pushing creative boundaries characterize his process. From acrylic inks to modeling paste, Hobbs sees each material as a potential tool for expression. He’s particularly resourceful, and as an avid Michaels Rewards member he has used many materials he probably wouldn’t have selected otherwise.
Abstract art, in particular, became his chosen medium, offering freedom from precise representation.
“Art became my sanctuary, a place where I could process my experiences and find peace. It wasn’t just about creating something beauti-
A New Taste: Cool Spring Distillery
BY NORMAN K. STYER
GetOutLoudoun.com
After years of planning and experimentation, Loudoun’s newest craft beverage venue opened to the public in June.
Cool Spring Distillery, located on 103 acres at the base of Short Hill Mountain west of Lovettsville, is the latest venture launched by John Fuog as he transitions into semi-retirement from the Loudoun construction company he led for the past 45 years. Over that time, he has built more than 3,500 barns, homes and other structures. Among the latest of those is the distillery’s own tasting room and production plant, which is just the first phase in creating a larger events center on the property.
“You know in life you come up with 100 ideas, and if you act on one of them, you’re being productive. So, this was one of them,” Fuog said.
Acquiring the farm from a longtime friend, putting the land under a conservation ease-
John Fuog displays bourbon and rum produced at the new Cool Spring Distillery near Lovettsville.
ment, and starting a new business with family members involved are all important to Fuog.
“I’m looking at this as a legacy business. I want this set up so it’s here for future generations,” Fuog said. “We’re losing all this land out here, so whatever we can do … hopefully somebody will appreciate parts of it.”
While he has been involved with Loudoun’s booming craft beverage industry for decades, including building the cider barn for Mt. Defiance in Middleburg, Fuog wasn’t a basement brewer.
“It wasn’t like I was making moonshine for 20 years, and just decided to get legal,” he said.
But he may have been a pioneer in the market, recalling an enterprise in the mid-1970s when, as a “young hippie kid,” he worked out a deal with the manager of the K-mart in Leesburg to sell apple cider to patrons in front of the store.
With just weeks before the opening of Hotel Burg, Chef Vincent Badiee is busy creating the tastes that will define the upscale downtown destination.
At the heart of the new 39-room boutique hotel is a culinary operation that includes The Huntōn restaurant, the Diana Lounge, and a members-only speakeasy-themed club called The Chase.
Project developer Kevin Ash and restaurant entrepreneur Jason Miller developed the concept for The Huntōn as a large open-fire kitchen that would feature wild game and a seasonal, locally sourced menu.
Earlier this year, they tapped Badiee to lead
the project.
The Virginia native and Middleburg-area resident most recently worked at The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, a Lovettsville-area venue recognized as one of the region’s top farm-to-table dining experiences. While he will bring that fresh-and-local focus to Leesburg, he’ll also be tapping lessons learned working in Michelin star restaurants, first in Italy then in New York City.
While he set out to become a veterinarian, his work to support his education at a community college led him along a different path.
“I just really decided I didn’t like sitting behind a desk and studying. Cooking was a lot more fun for me,” he said.
He talked with his parents and moved to New
DESTINATION CONTINUED ON 11
Hotel Burg complex on South King Street in downtown Leesburg will open in August with 39-room boutique hotel, The Huntōn restaurant, the Diana Lounge, and a members-only speakeasy-themed club called The Chase. Photo by Norman K. Styer
DESTINATION
FROM PAGE 10
York to train at the Italian Culinary Academy and then honed his skills working with top chefs in Italy.
“I stayed in Italy pretty much until my visa ran out. I was there for about a year and a half overseas, cooking, working in different kitchens, Michelin-star kitchens,” he said. “I got into my first Michelin star restaurant when I was 19 years old.”
There he not only gained experience with farm-to-table creations but also learned how to cure meats making prosciutto and Lonza—skills he plans to put to use at The Huntōn.
Back in the U.S., he landed a position at Maison Premiere, a heralded Brooklyn oyster and cocktail bar that won a James Beard Award for best cocktail bar in America. He next moved to Eleven Madison Park, which earned recognition as the top restaurant in the world during his tenure.
got the Diana Lounge. We’ve got The Chase for club members, and then we also have The Huntōn in here. We’re splitting up into very different ambiances between all of them.”
“The Chase lounge is sexy and relaxed. Our Diana Lounge is going to be more of a casual setting with sandwiches, steak frites, maybe chicken and to-go salads—something that’s not too far off from what everybody expects at a hotel restaurant,” he said.
And the Huntōn is expected to elevate the dining experience in downtown Leesburg.
Badiee is deep into planning the small details.
“So, I’m trying to focus back on those details that have helped my career grow so much—just paying attention to the little things and not overlooking them—like the menu paper, the actual size of the menu that we’re doing is different, and the plateware. If you can touch it, if you can see it, it’s important,” he said.
He returned to the DC area in 2018, working at Zaytinya, Fiola and Gravitas. Badiee worked with Chef Pepe Moncayo to blend Spanish and Japanese cuisine with the opening of Cranes DC. He then joined The Restaurant at Potowmack Farm, with a hyper focus on seasonal, organic dishes.
Those experiences will all contribute to his work at Hotel Burg, where he has spent the past several weeks developing the opening menus and assembling the staff.
“This is a very different project. This is pretty much three venues all at once,” he said. “We
“Leesburg is such a historical city. I have to pay some homage toward history. It would be a mistake not to have the open-flame cooking technique with the actual tools that are just really great.”
And with the hunt theme, the restaurant’s menu will include game meat, sport fish and other non-typical proteins.
“That’s going to expand and grow with the seasonality of everything,” Badiee said. “I’m going to probably start out with some duck and some venison, but eventually moving
DESTINATION CONTINUED ON 18
Chef Vincent Badiee in front of The Huntōn restaurant in the Hotel Burg complex in downtown Leesburg.
Photo by Norman K. Styer
1 50 West Vineyards 39060 Little River Turnpike, Middleburg 50westvineyards.com
2 8 Chains North Winery 38593 Daymont Ln., Waterford, VA 8chainsnorth.com
1 Stonehouse Meadery 36580 Shoemaker School Rd., Purcellville stonehousemeadery.com
A search for Loudoun VA250’s Morven Park Trunk Treasure cache will take visitors to the 1,000-acre estate’s Corbell House, which dates to the early 1800s.
Backyard History
Loudoun VA250 Issues Geocaching Challenge
NORMAN K. STYER GetOutLoudoun.com
Each month members of Loudoun’s VA250 gather to plan events highlighting the history of the nation’s founding as part of the broader semi-quincentennial celebrations.
There have been—and will continue to be— many wreath-laying ceremonies and historian lectures.
When members raised concerns about the need to build better connections to Loudoun’s younger residents, they turned to two of their millennial counterparts for advice.
Abigail Zurfluh, the historic preservation director at the Waterford Foundation, and Anjali Diezman, the program and education manager at the Loudoun Museum, brainstormed ideas together.
The fruits of their work are scheduled to be unveiled July 4. Put on your hiking shoes.
Zurfluh and Diezman are coordinating efforts for a VA250-themed Geocaching tour that will take participants to a host of Loudoun’s historic sites.
Geocaching is a global treasure hunt in which participants use a smartphone or handheld GSP navigator to find the location of hidden caches— typically small, waterproof packages containing a logbook and some trinkets. Millions of such items have been placed in logged locations around the world. Participants use the free Geocaching app to find caches hidden nearby.
Loudoun VA250’s “Cache through Time” series will take cache hunters to historic sites including Morven Park, the Loudoun Farm Museum, the Mountain Gap School, and the Caleb Rector House, with more sites being added.
The series will continue through 2026, with families and visitors encouraged to get outdoors and explore Loudoun’s history.
Learn more about the program and other semi-quincentennial events at visitloudoun.org/ loudoun250.
Photo by Norman K. Styer
Discover Loudoun’s Equestrian Spirit
From world-class competitions and scenic trail rides to polo matches and country fairs, Loudoun is where horse country comes to life. Experience the grace, power and tradition of equestrian culture in DC’s Wine Country®.
Scan the QR code to explore upcoming events and plan your visit!
@VisitLoudoun | #DCsWineCountry
#LoveLoudoun | #LoCoAleTrail
Chef Michael Stebner stands in his new French bistro, Brasserie Royale.
TASTES
A Neighborhood Restaurant Loudoun Chefs Open French Bistro
BY HANNA PAMPALONI GetOutLoudoun.com
Anew, semi-upscale French bistro is opening in Cascades this month, with longtime chefs Michael and Allyson Stebner launching their second Loudoun restaurant.
The Stebners opened Local Provisions, located in Cascades Marketplace in 2023, but they’ve been chefs for decades, meeting 20 years ago and opening their first restaurant. When they were ready to start a family, they sold the business, and Michael took a job working in the corporate culinary world while Allyson worked at home raising their two daughters.
The Stebners moved to Sterling in 2019 and began forming connections in the community. After COVID, and with their daughters older, they decided to open another restaurant with
a key characteristic in mind – that it would be a neighborhood restaurant, a place where friends could gather for a meal, or a snack or sometimes just a drink.
It quickly caught the attention of critics at The Washington Post earning good reviews just months after opening.
“Like so many other mom-and-pop restaurants that that happens to, it really accelerated our business, so that timing was great,” Michael Stebner said.
Local Provisions is a Mediterranean farm-to-table restaurant serving up range of dishes including shrimp risotto, lamb burgers and frittatas.
But while the dishes appear unassuming, they are anything but basic, Michael said.
Rooted in the Stebner’s culinary philosophy is
Hanna Pampaloni
TASTES FROM PAGE 16
the idea that each dish must be crafted with excellent ingredients – a conviction stemming from an experience during a family trip to Paris years ago.
“Before we opened the restaurant, we spent a couple weeks in France and just fell in love with, obviously how good the food was, but also how focused on the product quality they were,” Stebner said. “We ate in some fancy restaurants, but the best meals we had were in casual bistros.”
He realized that simple and basic food—including a particularly memorable chicken sandwich— can still be remarkably good.
That formula has been proven at Local Provisions and will be continued with the Stebner’s newest restaurant, Brasserie Royale.
Michael said when people hear “French restaurant” they often think of something fancy or ostentatious.
“I’m proud to say we have a menu that’s ap-
proachable. People look at the menu, they say, ‘I understand rigatoni Bolognese. I understand this menu.’ It’s not confusing, it’s not contrived, but then they order the rigatoni Bolognese, which is our number one selling dish over at Local Provisions, they realize it’s the best version of that dish they’ve ever had. We make the pasta from scratch. The sauce cooks for four hours. We use the best possible ingredients.”
In many ways, opening Brasserie Royale is an extension of what the Stebners love about Local Provisions – quality, local ingredients transformed into simple yet excellent dishes in a location that feels like home. And after looking in other communities to establish the new venture, they decided to stay close to home.
“We know the community is good. We live in it. We know we have a loyal following and for the most part, on busy nights, it’s hard to get into that restaurant. So, the business is there,
TASTES CONTINUED ON 23
ful, but about healing myself, one brushstroke at a time,” he said.
This approach taught him patience, a skill he initially struggled with but now considers a significant personal growth area.
The technical complexity of his work is matched by its emotional depth. In his basement sanctuary with music on, time seems to dissolve as he creates. “I’ll get lost in it,” he said, describing how painting becomes a meditative process that helps him process a variety of experiences and emotions.
Local community has been instrumental in Hobbs’ artistic evolution. What started as a personal pursuit gradually transformed through supportive interactions. Colleagues and family members provided early encouragement, displaying his artwork and offering positive feedback.
Art festivals became spaces of connection, where he discovered joy in sharing his creative process.
A particularly meaningful community engagement occurred when he conducted an art session with Girl Scout troops. Watching young
DESTINATION FROM PAGE 11
into antelope. Maybe I’ll do antelope in the beginning, but I’m playing with that one at the moment.”
At least one game item is off the menu. “I’m not really into the bear. So, no bear.”
In building his staff, Badiee is looking for starting hungry, young people who want to learn the craft as he did.
“I’m trying to promote a learning ambiance to the kitchen and really changing the culture from what it typically is,” he said. “I don’t want to come in and do a nine to five. We’re going to come in and we’re going to change the menus every three months. I’m looking for in-
girls explore creativity and experience the joy of artistic expression became a profound moment of connection. “Just seeing them create and watching the gears grinding,” he said.
Financially, Hobbs approaches his art pragmatically. He’s formed an LLC and participates in art shows, but remains committed to maintaining art’s therapeutic essence. “I walk a fine line between is it a business or is it for my well-being?” he said.
Looking forward, Hobbs sees his art journey as an ongoing exploration. While he’s begun selling pieces and participating in shows, he remains committed to art’s therapeutic roots. His goal isn’t commercial success but continued personal growth and community connection.
For Hobbs, art represents more than aesthetic creation; it’s a language of healing, a method of processing complex emotions, and a bridge to connect with others.
Each brushstroke tells a story of resilience, discovery, and the profound healing potential of creative expression.
Learn more at Hobb’s website: uniqvet-art.com.
put from the team as to developing the dishes that go into it, and they get to work with me to do that. … That’s what mentorship is and that doesn’t happen. So, we need to get back to doing that.”
Badiee and his new team will move from planning to execution quickly. Opening day for Hotel Burg is planned for Aug. 1.
“This is going to be very fun. It’s really exciting for me. It’s all going to be learning and having fun—nothing I’m scared of by any means. It’s all flame,” he said.
Hotel Burg is located at 208 S. King St. Learn more at hotelburg.com.
COCKTAILS FROM PAGE 8
“I give them a little sample cup like you get in the dentist’s office to rinse your mouth and people taste it. And then I had gallon jugs right there that I was filling on site and selling to them,” he said. “It wasn’t hard cider, you know, it was just fresh apple cider.”
But over the years he read about distilling and learned the local lore. “I found old guys out here who would say, I remember when so and so had a still.”
He started distilling with a team four years ago, with the early batches of bourbon patiently aging in barrels with an eye toward a five-year bottling. They also are making rum, which moves more quickly from still to bottle, and a limoncello, to be marketed as “Lovettcello,” among other creations.
When his first distiller left last year, Fuog reached out the local distilleries for advice.
“They are such a great organization. They’re not competitors; they’re peers. They all want everybody to succeed and that’s a pretty cool thing,” he said.
After interviewing distillers from around the region, he turned to an experienced local, Mike Skinner, who stepped in to mentor a new team that includes Hugh Ghiringhelli and Fuog’s stepson Daniel.
The experimentation continues, including aging a batch of their clear, silver rum in a used bourbon barrel. “We don’t know how that’s going to shake out, but it’ll add color to it, and it’ll add a bourbon flavor to the rum. So, we’re hoping that that’s good,” he said.
The tasting room will be open on weekends, Friday to Sunday.
Cool Spring Distillery is located at 37871 Nicewarner Lane near Lovettsville.
Learn more at facebook.com/CSDguy.
lh loudoun happenings 07.2025 Get
07.22
COUNTY FAIR WEEK OPENS JULY 22
The Loudoun County fair opens Tuesday, July 22 for a five-day run that will include carnival rides, concerts, rodeos, a demolition derby, and lots of barnyard animals.
Cole Shows Amusement Company will operate the carnival, which opens at 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. Wednesday and Saturday, and at 4 p.m. Friday.
Abby Landes and her production cross sheep before they go in the show ring at the 2024 Loudoun County Fair.
Below: Pigs getting a bath before they go in the show ring at the 2024 Loudoun County Fair.
Other entertainment highlights this year includes bull riding, magic shows, concerts and the livestock auction.
Advance tickets are available online at tickets. loudouncountyfair.com. The cost is $16.50 per day/$20 at the gate after 5 p.m. for adults and $5.75 for kids. Weekly passes are $44 for patrons age 13 and up and $16.50 for kids. Children under 5 are free. There also is a onetime $5 parking fee good for the whole week.
Go to loudouncountyfair.com for the complete schedule and other fair information.
Photo by Douglas Graham
Out
07.11
HILLSBORO KICKS OFF MUSIC IN THE GAP CONCERT SERIES
The Music in The Gap free concert series opens July 11 with a show by Born Cross Eyed.
Each Friday night through Sept. 5, the lawn of the Hillsboro’s Old Stone School will host a free community gathering with vendors and food trucks starting at 6 p.m. At 8 p.m. bands take the stage.
PURCELLVILLE CELEBRATES WITH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
The Town of Purcellville will hold its 12th annual Wine & Food Festival on Saturday, July 19 at Dillon’s Woods in the Fireman’s Field complex.
One of the town’s signature community events, the festival draws
Also on the schedule this summer are Mary Shaver’s Known Agitators, July 18; Texas Chainsaw Horns, July 25; The Darby Brothers, Aug. 1; Rick Reaves Jazz Band, Aug. 8; Melissa & The Moth Men, Aug. 15; Don’t Look Up!, Aug. 22; and Mostly Fab, Sept. 5.
For details, and to reserve tables on the veranda, go to oldstoneschool.org.
town residents and visitors to enjoy locally made food, wine, and beer from area vendors as well as an afternoon of live music performances.
On stage this year are Chris Timbers, Justin Trawick & The Common Good, and Jumptown.
The festival runs from 2 to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 in advance and $10 at the gate. Drink tickets may be purchased in advance or on-site at the festival.
Go to purcellvillewineandfood.com for tickets and details.
Saturday, July 12, 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Green idalee.org
Shaver brings her blend of Texas, Louisiana and Chicago Blues meets Memphis Soul to the Music in the Gap stage. Free.
07.18 07.12
Sela Campbell returns to the Town Green for a Leesburg Summer Jam performance of classic country favorites and many of her own compositions. Free.
MARY SHAVER’S KNOW AGITATORS
Friday, July 18, 6 p.m.
Hillsboro Old Stone School oldstoneschool.org
Two-time WAMMIE winning vocalist Mary
WHEELAND BROTHERS
Saturday, July 18, 7 p.m. Tally Ho Theater tallyhotheater.com The Southern California-based surf-rock duo performs surf rock, beachy reggae, laidback hiphop vibes, and acoustic pop. $28.
07.26
JIMMY KENNY & THE PIRATE BEACH BAND
Saturday, July 26, 6 p.m.
Tarara Vineyards tararaconcertseries.com Whether you’re a Parrothead, No Shoes Nation member, or just love that laid-back, toes-in-the-sand kind of music, this is the party for you. $15.
SELA CAMPBELL
TASTES
FROM PAGE 17
the only rub is, we’ve got to come up with a different concept and that’s kind of what led us into this,” Michael said.
While the core of what ties Local Provisions and Brasserie Royale together is the same, Michael said customers will have a completely different experience at each of the restaurants.
“Our rule is, whatever we do, we have to have three or four things that differentiate us from other restaurants and at Local Provisions those differentiators are very simple – fresh pasta made from scratch, homemade bread baked every day, a wood burning oven and a wood burning grill and soft serve ice cream,” Michael said.
But what sets Brasserie Royale apart will be different.
“Our differentiators here are a hospitality experience that is unmatched in the area,” Michael said. “And that means our level of service comparative to Local Provisions is going to be a notch higher. … We’re basically doubling down on that here and really going after our hospitality being the differentiator. The second one is going to be the design of the space.”
Michael said while Local Provisions provides a cozier environment, the goal for the bistro is to make the visitor feel like they are stepping into France.
“I want you to feel transported. I want you to feel like you’re eating in that bistro in the corner in Paris. I want walking in the door and looking at the space to really move people,” Michael said.
The third differentiator will be precision cooking.
“At Local Provisions, we’re cooking with fire. So sometimes the oven is 500 degrees and sometimes the oven is 475 degrees… The chef has to manage it, and I would say the food there speaks to that. It’s a little more rustic, whereas here [at Brasserie Royale] we have Rational iCombi ovens. Those ovens are Wi-Fi enabled, fully integrated and programmable to our rec-
ipes, to the exact humidity, temperature, time, fan speed,” Michael said, describing them as the “Porsche 911” of ovens.
“We have no open flames in our kitchen here, no open burners. Everything is either plancha style cooking or French top cooking or the Rationale. So, for a chef, that’s a big difference,” Michael said.
The menu at Brasserie Royale will also be updated seasonally with ingredients that are in their prime.
“That’s what we’re good at honestly,” Michael said. “It’s what we talk about a lot. Our daughters will tell you that we talk about it too much and but it’s easy to get inspired by ingredients. That’s the way we’ve cooked for years.”
Michael is also putting together the wine list for the bistro himself, after recently receiving his level two wine certification from Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
“We’re not trying to be Chez Francois,” he added. “… It’s a simple French wine list with wines that were picked to go specifically with this food.”
In addition to the precision and quality that goes into bistro dishes, Michael said it’s important to him and Allyson that the restaurant be a place where the neighborhood feels at home.
“We have people that come to Local Provisions two or three times a month, which is, for a restaurant like that, a lot. To get that sort of loyalty is like every restaurant owner’s dream,” Michael said. “They’ll come in Friday night dressed up, and they’ll come in Thursday for lunch in their sweatpants, and they may order the same exact thing both times, but they can have two different experiences. And I really want that to happen in this restaurant too. It’s at its core, a neighborhood restaurant.”
The restaurant planned to open July 2 located at 46290 Cranston St. in the Cascades Marketplace. Learn more at brasserieroyaleva.com.
