Top 50 restaurants in NOVA, anyone been to any of them? (Leesburg: appointed, insurance)

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by mikebnllnb

I've been to many of the places on the list and the one that does not belong is Hooked. Just not good!

1000% agree! I thought both service and food were bad.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by spencgr

So foreign = snobby? Is that correct? Only two French sounding names on the list. Loosely translated, they are:

L'Auberge Chez Francois - Frank's Inn

La Bergerie - The Sheep Barn

... In no way does the name alone tell you if the people inside the restaurant are snobby.

Haha! So true.

L'Auberge is actually really friendly and gracious. The waiters don't (thank God) tell you their names and try to engage you in small talk, but there is a quiet warmth from everyone there. The maitre d' is always very welcoming. Men don't even need a coat and tie--decent trousers and a sweater are the norm there.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by yamota

if the name sounds like some kind of french high fallutin name like "fla fla fla dela floo floo floo" or something like that, I don't even need to step foot in there, I know for sure it's snobby

Dude--Le Madelleine is basically a cafeteria. The priciest thing on the menu is $11.

[GoHokiesGo]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

Dude--Le Madelleine is basically a cafeteria. The priciest thing on the menu is $11.

I'm thinking that Yamota is just trying to ruffle people's feathers... He/She is missing out if that's the way you look at food though.

I tend to eat out in DC a lot more often than I do in NoVA - I think Restaurant Eve is the only one left on my list that I haven't had a chance to try yet.

My far and away NOVA favorite is still The Wine Kitchen in Old Town Leesburg. They're always friendly to us, the wine is good, and the food is really high caliber. The owner is a big foodie also, and we enjoy chatting with him when there to compare notes.

[weezycom]

Originally Posted by smithy77

Been to a handful of low fallutin' places on the list. One place that's flying under the radar is Pizzaria Orso in Falls Church----owned by former chefs at 2941 and Two Amys. Very reasonable. I'm not a pizza guy, but theirs takes it to another level. Good stuff.

It's owned by the 2941 team, not the piazzolos, and their head pizza guy (who trained at Two Amys and opened as head chef at Orso) got the boot a few months ago and is still looking to open a new spot. I understand the pizza is still very good, but the menu and restaurant concept are both being geared toward a more family-oriented, higher volume place. Time will tell if the crust stays to its high standards.

[terrence81]

I've been to Rustico. I enjoyed the mini beers you could try. The raspberry beer was fun. The steak was good but kinda pricey. So not the place to go to on a budget.

[United_Caps_Skins_Fan]

I have been to --

Rustico
La Strada
Serbian Crown
Vermilion

All are great places, varying in price, and all offer their own unique things, and great food.


That said, there are quite a few that SHOULD be on that list, but sadly are not.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by GoHokiesGo

My far and away NOVA favorite is still The Wine Kitchen in Old Town Leesburg. They're always friendly to us, the wine is good, and the food is really high caliber. The owner is a big foodie also, and we enjoy chatting with him when there to compare notes.

While I do agree with the above (and the Wine Kitchen's cheese plate might be one of the best dished in the area), my favorite Leesburg joint is La Lou Bistro. It's a tiny, totally unpretentious, meditteranean place a few doors down from the Tally Ho. The owner (who was also our chef and waiter) absolutely wants you to enjoy the food and have a great experience. We certainly did.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by weezycom

It's owned by the 2941 team, not the piazzolos, and their head pizza guy (who trained at Two Amys and opened as head chef at Orso) got the boot a few months ago and is still looking to open a new spot. I understand the pizza is still very good, but the menu and restaurant concept are both being geared toward a more family-oriented, higher volume place. Time will tell if the crust stays to its high standards.

We ate there for the first (and so far only) time about three weeks ago. It was great! The buffalo mozzarella did make the pizza watery, so I wouldn't order that again. (I wonder if Italians squeeze the water out first.) The crust was great, though.

Also very good Neapolitan is Pupatella on Wilson, just west of G. Mason Dr. But oddly, they're closed Sundays and Mondays. Their crust was floppier than Orso's, though.

[weezycom]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

We ate there for the first (and so far only) time about three weeks ago. It was great! The buffalo mozzarella did make the pizza watery, so I wouldn't order that again. (I wonder if Italians squeeze the water out first.) The crust was great, though.

Also very good Neapolitan is Pupatella on Wilson, just west of G. Mason Dr. But oddly, they're closed Sundays and Mondays. Their crust was floppier than Orso's, though.

That's the nature of Neopolitan pizza. The center is supposed to be gooey/soft, and typically the pizzas aren't sliced before coming to the table to allow them to set up a bit. I agree about Pupatella -- great place! Try their calzones and the aroncini, too. They're closed Sunday/Monday so the owner/chef can both maintain his high standards as well as have a family life.