8045 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182
(571) 282 6003
http://www.chefgeoff.com/

American | $$$

Chef Geoff’s is one of six restaurants operated in the Washington, DC area by CIA graduate and author Chef Geoffrey Tracy. Tucked away just off of Route 7 in Tysons Corner the restaurant has an active early evening bar scene and is often busy for dinner. Located in the first floor of an office building there is little parking nearby, use the valet. We had a great time meeting close friends for dinner on our first visit.

We started with the White Truffle-Parmesan Popcorn my wife’s co-workers have raved about. I couldn’t find the truffle taste in the cheese. I am sure it was there just not for me. The cheese lays on top of the popcorn and seemed to fall everywhere when I grabbed it. I like cheese on popcorn and the taste, but it was just hard for me to converse and concentrate on getting the right amount of cheese with my popcorn. Appetizers should be effortless.

Next came the Fontina Risotto Balls. They were excellent, moist and perfectly cooked. The mild Fontina cheese is wonderful with the Risotto.

Our second appetizer was the mini Crabcakes with Old Bay Aioli. Plenty of crab with minimal filler and the savory aioli sauce made them delicious and a good choice.

When my steak arrived my brain screamed “YEAH IT’S THE BIGGEST FILET IN THE WORLD, wait it’s rare and not a filet.” I mentioned this to our waiter and learned he accidently grabbed the wrong dish. My filet arrived shortly and was magnificent but seemed small compared to the first “filet.”

One of my favorites is Mac n Cheese. This super cheesy corkscrew pasta Mac n Cheese was fantastic. It was hard to choose between this and the Very Gouda Grits.

My wife enjoyed her Seared Scallops with Creamy Polenta, Garlic Spinach, and a Red Wine Demi. The scallops were seared flawlessly and not overdone. The red wine demi-glace was sweeter than I have had and just the right consistency to go with the polenta and scallops.

With all the appetizers, popcorn, and steak there was no room for dessert. I will save that for the next trip. In our bustling dining room the lighting was good but the noise level was high at 77 decibels. We were in a rear dining room so I imagine tables near the bar are even louder. The wait staff is professional and attentive without being intrusive. The menu has a good selection of fish, beef, chicken, and pasta dishes so there should be something for everyone. On my first visit I order what I really want and save my second choice for next time. I can almost taste the Wild Mushroom Ravioli with a side of Very Gouda Grits.