Mr. Batali made his announcement in a statement after four women accused the chef of groping. He is also stepping aside from ABC’s “The Chew.”
Author: tango449
Mission BBQ Opens in Gainesville
Mission BBQ
13944 Promenade Commons St.
Gainesville, VA 20155
571-535-2503
https://www.mission-bbq.com
BBQ | $
On Monday December 11th Gainesville, VA becomes home to the newest restaurant in the awesome Mission BBQ chain. For their soft opening they have had one night paying tribute to fire fighters, one night for police, and one night raising money for the USO. The company culture is one of incredible BBQ, top-notch service to customers, and support for veterans and first responders. Their local community support extends to the Warrior Retreat at the Bull Run in Haymarket where they donate complete meals for groups of Warriors going through PTS counseling.
The décor is all about veterans, military, police, and fire fighters. Department and unit patches adorn the walls as well as photos soldiers from different conflicts.
The staff is in full training mode but catching on quickly and eager to help.
In addition to the tea and fountain drinks they offer a wide variety of bottled sodas.
Their menu includes Brisket, Pulled Pork, Turkey, Pulled Chicken, and Sausage. The BBQ and sides arrive quickly and there is plenty of booth or table seating.
Rib lovers will appreciate the Bay-B-Back Ribs and St. Louis Style Spare Ribs.
My favorite is the brisket. My wife ordered the Black Plate Prime Rib special offered at other Mission BBQ locations but not at Gainesville at this time. All of the sides are tasty. My wife loves their green beans while I can’t get past the Mac & Cheese on the menu.
The Brisket is fantastic. Smoked overnight for 14 to 16 hours you can have it as a sandwich or a platter they call Meat Market. If you order the Brisket it will come lean and on the dryer side. Order it wet and it will be moist from more fat and marbling. There is an assortment of sauces on the tables but as with most good BBQ you don’t need it.
The noise level was surprisingly low for a new build with this size space. The mostly wood décor covered with many patches helps keep the noise level down. Prices are reasonable and a good value for a quality meal. Hours are Mon-Thu: 11am to 9pm, Fri & Sat: 11am to 10pm, and Sun: 11:30am to 8pm.
If you love BBQ you won’t be disappointed.
The Spice Route Indian Kitchen
The Spice Route
10945 George Mason Cir.
Manassas, VA 20109
571-428-2127
http://thespiceroutes.com/
Indian | $
The décor is comfortable with white tablecloths and cloth napkins. The owner Gopal Kapoor told me he serves traditional dishes the way he makes them at home. His focus is on flavor, saying most traditional Indian food is not spicy hot. He uses the freshest ingredients he can find to build flavor and savory dishes.
For our appetizer we chose an Indian street food known as Samosa Chaat. It is chopped samosa with chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, and chutney. Samosa Chaat is a mince meat dish that is spicy, tangy, and sweet. This is a flavorful dish easily shared.
This was not as spicy as the Samosa Chaat but had a perfect garlic taste, savory but not strong enough to linger beyond the next bite.
The naan bread was excellent.
For our entrées I had the Butter Chicken and my wife had the Lamb Bhuna.
The Butter Chicken was very good on a bed of delicious long grain basmati rice.
The Spice Route is located across the street from the Hylton Performing Arts Center on the George Mason Campus. It is an excellent stop for dinner before a performance. There is plenty of parking, so you can eat and walk across the street. We ate early so noise was not an issue. Service is attentive but not intrusive and the food is an excellent value for your dollar. They are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. This is the best Indian food in our area.
Time to Get a Sous Vide
If you have given even the slightest thought to getting a Sous Vide now is the time. Amazon is running a killer deal for the Anova Sous Vide Immersion Circulator (2nd Gen) WIFI, 900 Watts here. They normally run $199.99 but are $119.00 right now. Pronounced “sue-veed and French for “under seal” it is a cooking technique used by many chefs that is has recently taken hold with home cooks. A Sous Vide is especially useful in taking less expensive cuts of meat and turning them into mouth-watering delights. Wikipedia has an in-depth explanation of Sous Vide if you are new to it. The YouTube channel Sous Vide Everything is an excellent resource.
The Warrior Retreat at Bull Run’s Visiting Chef Program
Warrior Retreat at Bull Run
16013 Waterfall Rd.
Haymarket, VA 20169
866-227-5853
www.willingwarriors.org
The stress of endless medical appointments, medications, and therapy wears on our Wounded Warriors draining almost every ounce of energy from them. Many plan and wait a month or more to come to the retreat for its promise of rest and relaxation. The drive from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to the retreat seems to take forever. In the final miles and as they turn into the driveway and see the retreat for the first-time thoughts of hospitals and therapy fade away.
They have seen the web page, read the brochure, and heard great things about the retreat from their Guest Stay Coordinator, but the best is yet to come. Most do not understand how hard retreat staff and volunteers work to give them the gift of memories of good times and normalcy. Memories of their first massage, their first helicopter ride, their first symphony concert, a professional photo shoot to capture the joy of a stress-free stay at the retreat as a family. One of the most memorable events of their stay is Visiting Chef Night on Sunday. Diner is prepared by world class chefs from around the region who volunteer to come to the retreat and prepare extraordinary meals for the families. Most families describe it as the best food they have eaten.
(L to R) PO2 Sierra Tyler, USN and FS1 Jason T. Rohrs, Coast Guard – Enlisted Aides/Chefs to General Joseph Dunford, the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with retreat Executive Event Chef Ken Gardner, Sous Chef Jim Cole, and a Warrior’s son.
In our mission to make the family’s stay special we created the Visiting Chef Program to introduce families to the restorative properties of fine food. We also believe it offers chefs a way to give back doing the thing they love and that they will quickly learn what many SOWW volunteers know, working with Wounded Warriors and their families is an extraordinarily rewarding experience.
Today we have 49 volunteer chefs from some of the finest restaurants. Besides restaurant and catering chefs, top military chefs have joined the program. They include FS1 Jason T. Rohrs, USCG Chef to General Joseph Dunford, the 19th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CS1 Patrick Parigi, USN Chef to the Commander, Naval Reactors/Propulsion, CSC (SW) Matthew P. Susienka, USN Executive Chef to the Commander Naval Service Training Command, MSgt. Jennifer L Medeiros, USAF Chef to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and MSgt. Sarah L Morgan, USAF Chef to the Air Force Chief of Staff.
The success of the Visiting Chef Program is due to three chefs who contribute selflessly. Volunteer Staff Sous Chef Jim Cole is there assisting the visiting chef almost every Sunday. Volunteer Executive Event Chef Ken Gardner is the Lead Chef on every SOWW event and serves as a back-up Sous Chef. And Chef Benedict Zappone who has prepared meals for Warriors ten times. He comes out on dates where no other chef is available, like Mother’s Day and Christmas Day.
The Visiting Chef Program is much more than exceptional food. For countless families, it is an introduction to farm-to-table cuisine they are not likely to experience on their own. Many cannot afford dining at the chefs’ restaurants. Most of our Warrior guests suffer from PTS and have not been to a restaurant in years. The noise and commotion of a busy restaurant can overwhelm them. The Visiting Chef Program brings that personalized 5-star dining experience to them at the retreat.
Many Warriors and family members of all ages don an apron and love the opportunity to help and learn from the chef. The Visiting Chef Program strives to create fond memories that last a lifetime for the families. One of my favorite dinners was for the late Sergeant Scott Adkins who lost his battle with cancer not long after his family stayed at the retreat. The chef taught his daughters how to write with raspberry dessert sauce. I’ll never forget the smile that came to Sergeant Adkins face when his daughter put down his dessert and the plate read “My Daddy My Hero.” It’s not only the families receiving warm memories.
Awesome Bundt Cakes
Nothing Bundt Cakes
21305 Windmill Parc Dr.
Dulles, VA 20166
703-444-4244
https://www.nothingbundtcakes.com
On grand opening day more than 100 people were in line to get their amazing Bundt Cakes.
They have a host of flavors and sizes but the lemon and red velvet are my favorite. The cake is perfectly moist and flavorful. The frosting is smooth and not overly sweet.
The staff is super friendly and helpful.
There are always samples to try.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is a franchise based in Texas. This location is managed by Pastry Chef Emily Carter, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Before taking the helm at Nothing Bundt Cakes she was at the well known Red Truck Bakery in Marshall, VA.
You can never go wrong with buttercream frosting.
The bite-sized cakes they call Bundtinis make great desserts. They have 9 flavors and more than 40 designs in sizes that range up to 10 inches that feeds 18 to 20 people. The larger cakes make excellent gifts for special occasions or office parties.
Korean Cajun at Mokomandy
Mokomandy
20789 Great Falls Plaza
Sterling, VA 20165
571-313-0505
http://www.mokomandy.com
Korean Cajun Fusion | $$
The restaurant is in a busy strip mall next to a Dunkin Donuts.
The menu is made of Korean Cajun small plates. This was a nice deviled egg with bacon and a house spice blend.
Korean Pot Roast Sliders with Kimchi’d Apples, Radish Sprouts, on a Fried Steamed Buns. The sweetness of the Kimchi’d apples pair nicely with the flavorful Korean Pot Roast. The crispy bun is a pleasant touch.
The Foie Gras Duck Dumplings with Braised duck, Sesame, Radishes, and a house-made Plum Sauce. This was hands down our favorite. The dumpling had a wonderful flavor and just the right crispiness. The braised duck was the best I have had. The plum sauce was delicious. On our next visit, I will ask for more so I can dip the dumpling.
The Cajun Cassoulet with Duck, Tasso, Sausage, Bacon, Tarbais Rouge Beans, Duck Fat and Herb Bread Crumbs topping was the most interesting dish of the night. It has a wide-ranging flavor profile starting with the duck fat bread crumbs and diving down into a mixture of Tasso ham, sausage, and bacon.
Shrimp & Roasted Garlic Grits with Chili, Shrimp, Butter, Scallions, and Lemon. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. The grits had a nice smooth texture and mild garlic taste. The crispy scallions gave the dish a pleasant crunch.
Fingerling Potatoes cooked in Duck Fat and Roasted Garlic.
For dessert my wife chose the Lemon Butter Mochi Cake & Raspberry Sorbet with a warm chewy rice cake with a touch of coconut, steen’s cane syrup. She really enjoyed this.
My dessert was the Beignets with Caramel Sauce. I would not order these again. The caramel was on the plate and I could not get much of it to transfer to the beignet. The cake was good but they were large and we took most of it home.
Fusion food can be gimmicky and is often disappointing. There is nothing disappointing about Mokomandy. Each plate was a well thought out blend of Korean and Cajun. Executive Chef Daniel Wilcox Stevens, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, creates some dishes more Korean and some more Cajun, resisting the temptation to play it safe with a faux fusion of Korean or Cajun only dishes. The service is excellent. I would recommend reservations since we were there on a Wednesday night and the tables filled quickly. The noise level was in the hard to hear range when the restaurant was completely full.
Flint Hill Public House & Country Inn
Flint Hill Public House & Country Inn
675 Zachary Taylor Hwy
Flint Hill, VA 22627
540-675-1700
http://www.flinthillva.com
American | $$
A lovely remodeled hundred year old school is home to the restaurant and inn.
The décor is modern with the brave choice of white chairs.
My wife started with a wonderful rich Corn Chowder made with Sweet Corn, Bacon, Potatoes, Thyme, and Cream.
For her entrée she picked the House Salad with Bibb and Romaine Lettuce, Caramelized Grape Tomatoes, English Cucumber, Red Onion, and Manchego Cheese & Sherry Vinaigrette.
My entrée was the 10oz grass fed beef Flint Hill Burger with Gorgonzola Cheese, Bacon, Red Onion, and Mayo. The beef was flavorful and a perfect medium. Gorgonzola has a bite and is not for everyone. I would order this again but ask for a milder cheese like Swiss or Munster.
For a side I picked the Mac N Cheese with Extra Sharp Cheddar, Caramelized Shallots, and Feta. Who doesn’t love shells for their Mac N Cheese. The feta topping was a nice choice to mute some of the sharp cheddar.
Flint Hill is in the beautiful rolling Virginia countryside. It is a nice drive on a Sunday afternoon. We arrived early and were the only customers for most of our dinner so I have no idea about the noise level. The service was good but it is hard not be be attentive to your only customer. Now through mid November I would recommend reservations. The changing leaves of fall bring a lot of visitors to the area.
Maxie’s Supper Club
Maxie’s Supper Club and Oyster Bar
635 W. State St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-272-4136
http://maxies.com/
Cajun | $$
Maxie’s is hard to miss. It’s in a large converted single family home at the corner of S. Fulton St. and W. State St.
I started with an awesome Crab and Corn Chowder. With the large chunks of crab it was flavorful and the perfect consistency of a classic chowder.
My wife had the Maxie’s Mighty-Mighty Gumbo with Chicken, Andouille, Crawfish, and Rice.
The cornbread was like grandma made, perfect.
For her entrée my wife chose the Cracker-Crusted Oysters and loved them.
My wife added Braised Collard Greens as a side. She said they were the best she has had.
I ordered the Shrimp & Grits with a Grilled Andouille Sausage.The grits were smooth and creamy with shrimp cooked perfectly. The Andouille had a great spicy flavor. This is the best Cajun food I have had and probably the finest Cajun food found outside of New Orleans.
Service was great and the noise level was low on the Thursday night we were there. They have 30 minute call ahead in place of reservations and some covered outside seating. They have live entertainment often and a vibrant bar scene.
RAMMY Awards 2017
Here is a list of the 2017 Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington award winners. Congratulations to all the recipients.
New Restaurant of the Year: Hazel
Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: minibar by José Andrés
Chef of the Year: Tarver King, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
Pastry Chef of the Year: Jemil Gadea, Masseria
Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Ryan Ratino, Ripple
Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Proof
Casual Restaurant of the Year: Compass Rose Bar + Kitchen
Upscale Brunch of the Year: Convivial
Employee of the Year: Joseph Cassis, PassionFish Bethesda
Manager of the Year: John Grace, The Hamilton
Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year: DC Brau Brewing Company
Restaurateur of the Year: Ike Grigoropoulos, Dimitri Moshovitis, Ted Xenohristos, Brett Schulman, Cava Group, Inc.
Favorite Gathering Place of the Year: Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
Casual Brunch of the Year: Republic
Favorite Fast Bites of the Year: Cava Grill
Beer Program of the Year: Jack Rose Dining Saloon
Cocktail Program of the Year: Kapnos by Mike Isabella
Wine Program of the Year: Charlie Palmer Steak
Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: Acme Paper & Supply Co., Inc.
Service Program of the Year: The Source by Wolfgang Puck
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