Alias
7150 Farm Station Rd.
Warrenton, VA 20187
(540) 422-0340
https://aliasvinthill.com/

Farm to Table | $$$$

The newest entry into the fine dining scene in Northern Virginia is Alias. Chef Stephen Burke has created a culinary haven that marries innovation with tradition for a dining experience like no other. In the renovated space previously occupied by the Farm Station Café in Vint Hill, Alias seats around 30 in an open and comfortable setting. Alias boasts a menu featuring diverse dishes inspired by local ingredients.

We started with some magnificent Marinated Hawaiian Yellowtail. It melted in our mouths.

Our first course was this beautiful Grilled Atlantic Halibut a la Grenobloise with Charred Broccolini, Marcona Almond, and a Chive Beurre Blanc. The Halibut was fork-tender and seared perfectly. The Charred Broccolini provided a nice crunch to go with the smooth Grenobloise sauce.

The fresh bread and butter were a delight.

For an extra charge, we were offered a Summer Truffle Croissant. It’s truffles, what can I say.

Seared Marinated Foie Gras with Vanilla Poached Pears, Black Pepper, Crispy Shallot Crumble, and a Pear Liqueur Sorbet. Hands down my favorite dish. An incredibly subtle flavor explosion that takes you by surprise.


Grilled New England Scallops with Butternut Squash, Cardamom Buttermilk, Grilled Escarole, Bacon Broth, and Vadouvan. The Scallops were wonderful, and Bacon Broth seemed like it would make everything better. Vadouvan is a favorite of mine. An Indian curry spice the French insisted they could make better has become popular in recent years. I like it on popcorn.

For the main course, we had Smoked Rohan Duck Breast with Endive, Hazelnuts, and a Pomegranate Jus. The sweetness of the Pomegranate Jus with the Duck was perfect. The endive had just a hint of bitterness, not enough to keep me from eating it.  Endive can be a challenge to prepare. Finding that sweet spot between a cooked, soft, mellow, nutty flavor and a bitter crunch is difficult.

Black Tea Panna Cotta, dessert before dessert.

Caramelized White Chocolate Mousse with Brown Butter Caramel, Compresses Apples, and Five Spice Ice Cream. Dessert is not an afterthought at Alias. They crushed it with the White Chocolate Mousse. I have no recollection of ever having a mousse this good. When you visit Alias, take someone with you who doesn’t like chocolate so you can eat theirs.

While Chef Stephen is in the kitchen, his wife Kelly manages the front of the house, providing guests with stellar service. The lighting is pleasant. There is nothing I hate worse than a dark restaurant that makes you feel like you’re eating in a cave. The noise level was light, at around 70 decibels.

We first met Chef Stephen when he worked with Chef John MacPherson at the venerable Three Blacksmiths in Sperryville. An excellent training ground. Alias isn’t just a restaurant; it’s a destination for an unforgettable dining experience.

Make plans to visit soon before Alias is discovered. Before you know it, it will take months to get a reservation.

 

Great Ideas from the Kitchn…

Source: 10 Gifts From OXO That Any Home Chef Will Love

Can you freeze garlic? Is sprouted garlic a goner? Do garlic keepers actually work? You’ll find all the answers here.

Source: How to Store Garlic the Right Way

10-Minute Air Fryer Grilled Cheese has a super crispy exterior with gooey, melty cheese inside and is simple enough for the kids to make. I promise there’s no going back once you try making grilled cheese in the air fryer! This Air Fryer Grilled Cheese is so easy to make and turns out golden and toasty.

Source: Air Fryer Grilled Cheese

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The Base at Blueridge
11669 Lee Highway
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540) 987-5083
https://www.distinguishedengagements.com/

American | $$

On Rt. 211 just before you enter Shenandoah National Park.

Last St. Patty’s Day friends invited us to join them for a pop up dinner at The Base. The five course dinner presented by Executive Chef Ryan Baisden was excellent. Chef used local ingredients paired with cocktails, beers, and wines from the area.

There were about 40 dinners with us and service was flawless.

A Boxty Shepard’s Pie Bite with a Potato Chip Garnish. The crunch of the chip was just what it needed.

Soda Bread with Crispy Corned Beef, Goat Cheese, and microgreens.

Pub Salad – Butter Lettuce, Pickled Green Beans, Sliced Beets, Sliced Red Onions, Boiled Eggs, Sharp Cheddar Sticks with a Tarragon Dressing.

 
Bangers Away – Quail Egg, Beans, Sautéed Mushrooms, Sliced Tomato, Bacon, Toast, Potatoes, and Link Sausage.

Braised Lamb Shank – Fried Cabbage with Juniper Berries and Bacon Potato Scones

Blackberry Fool and Shortbread – Layers of Blackberry Compote and Pastry Cream with Shortbread Crunch.

Shortly after our wonderful pop-up dinner The Base opened for casual dinning with farm-to-table breakfast and lunches Wed–Sat 9:00 am–4:00 pm.  We decided to try the breakfast last week. We weren’t disappointed.

 

My wife ordered the fresh vegetable soup she really enjoyed.

She ordered the Chicken Salad sandwich on a Croissant she said was wonderful.

Having made the trek in from the parking lot I felt I earned the Hiker’s Platter – Sausage, two Eggs, Potatoes, and Toast. My eggs were perfect. The potatoes were just how you want them, crispy on the outside soft on the inside. The sausage had a wonderful flavor.

My wife’s apple pie was tasty with a caramelized topping.

I love Chocolate so the frozen mousse pie was the ticket. For some reason when our waitress mentioned frozen my brain couldn’t focus and I was surprised how frozen it was. On our next visit I think I will order this first to get it out of the freezer before we start eating.

If you are looking for a nice drive in the county head west on Rt 211 toward Luray. The Base is just before you enter the  Shenandoah National Park. Owner Theresa Ruffo-Swanson has done a great job of finding the right mix of menu, local ingredients, and talented staff. All ingredients are high quality and fresh. Service was excellent and the noise level was low. They had a guy playing guitar and 70s pop music. An odd choice since most of the customers and staff had not been born when these songs were on the radio.

We are already looking for time to visit Sperryville and The Base again soon.

Instant Pot Eats explores the most popular dishes and foods that home cooks make in their Instant Pots. They conducted a reader’s poll on social media and identified the top 10 list, along with some runner-ups.

Source: Instant Pot Most Cooked Foods & Dishes: Reader’s Poll

Grilling corn is an easy, classic summer side dish. Here are two ways to grill delicious corn on the cob! With these step-by-step instructions, you’ll get perfectly charred and flavorful grilled corn.

Source: How To Grill Corn on The Cobb

I have been using this digital scale for over a  year without issues. It’s compact and lightweight. The tare button subtracts container weight to zero out the scale, so you only measure ingredients. For $11.39 Prime, it’s a great deal.

Royal Spice
219 East Main St.
Front Royal, VA 22630
(540) 252-2288
www.royalspiceva.com

Indian | $$

The restaurant is well-lit and comfortable in downtown Front Royal, VA.

The chicken Momos served with a chili tomato sauce were excellent.

The Garlic Naan was served warm and was perfect.

I ordered the Butter Chicken for my entrée. This dish had a wonderful flavor with tender chicken.

My wife ordered the Tikka Masala with chicken cooked in a tomato onion sauce. She really enjoyed her dish. It was tasty and not overly spicy.

Owner/Chef Janardan Sijapati has done an excellent job bringing authentic Nepalese and Indian food to the Shenandoah Valley. If you are in the area, it’s worth stopping in.