Prior to visiting, we've had several friends and family members ask this very very question when attempting to plan their trip. To us, our seemingly endless restaurant options within a short walk of our home are almost a given, but to people who live in areas similar to where we grew up in Ohio, the option to head out for a nice dinner at a restaurant often leaves you looking at only a few viable dining options.

Eamonn's with PX upstairs

As we head into Old Town Alexandria's official Restaurant Week, the event running from August 23rd - September 1st meant to encourage people to try out new dining options through the allure of a bargain meal, we have to laugh at our response when we were first asked the question that opened this post...

"Um, yeah...there are about 100 different places we can walk to."

Vermilion

Our response sounds like an exaggeration and is often met with a laugh if we're having a phone conversation about an upcoming visit, but we've always known that "100" was a large enough number to convey "a whole lot" in our description. Truth be told, we really didn't know exactly how many restaurants we could walk to... so we decided to count them up one day as a means to pass time on a long car trip.

Columbia Firehouse

Our criteria for the list is relatively simple. 

• The restaurant needs to be somewhere within a 15 minute walk of our home (about .6 miles at our brisk pace),
• You must be able to order or select an actual meal (so cupcake, ice cream, yogurt, or strictly coffee places are out, as much as a meal of cupcakes, ice cream, and coffee may sound good),
• And you must be able to actually sit down at available restaurant seating (inside or out) to eat what you ordered.

Our results...surprising to say the least.

Here's the list of our area restaurants, pulled entirely from our own memory. We've put a green check next to each place we've dined, and a yellow star next to the places that are our go-to favorites. And it's worth noting, the majority are actually within a 5-10 minute walk rather than the max of 15 minutes. 

Wow! What a list! I can't believe we were able to come up with pretty much the entire thing without having to resort to Google maps. Obviously we had to use Google for all of the website urls.

Grape & Bean, with Lavender Moon Cupcakes nextdoor

Of the 107 different restaurants within a 15 minute walk of our house we've eaten at 89 of them, marked with the check image. That leaves us with just 18 we still need to sample. Some of those at the top of our list to try are Bottom Dollar Dog, Notting Hill, and the soon to open Waterfront Market. And for some reason, Wendy has this obsession with wanting to go to Rock It Grill for karaoke (after a night out for a few drinks). I...don't share that obsession. I can't sing to save my life.

We've also noted our favorite places that we seem to find ourselves either going or wanting to go quite often. Perhaps if you're planning a trip to Alexandria this list of our favorites will help you to narrow your dining selections. Who knows, we might even see you out at happy hour or at dinner.

The Majestic

And if you're a local or are in town now through September 1st, you should definitely check out the various participating Restaurant Week locations. I'm 100% sure there's something delicious that's also right up your palette's alley.

Do you have neighborhood dining options and favorites of your own? How does your area compare to ours? Can you walk to over 100 different places in under 15 minutes? I know our situation is not the norm, so I'm interested to hear your setup. If you live in the area, or have visited Old Town, which restaurants make your list of favorites?

Read Full Post

Back in April we wrote a blog post about the various places in and around Old Town that are more or less reminders of Old Town past. One of the places we mentioned was the old Popeye's Chicken location. It was a dated and dirty fast food chain that did moderate business but looked very out of place given the surrounding establishments.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Yao

Though the Popeye's held on for a long time, it finally closed its doors a little over a year ago. We watched as the interior was essentially gutted and a new business began to take shape.

In our blog post about Popeye's and other area business holdovers, a blog reader and commenter named Lisa Mc (who happens to own the building) chimed in to tell us a little bit about the renovation and what to expect. As the months of construction moved on, we watched as the once dated facade and lackluster interior of the building was transformed into an updated and chic space for a new Old Town restaurant.

As good as the exterior is looking, the interior is pretty nice too!

Last week Wendy noticed the restaurant's soft launch was scheduled for this week, and we made plans for an opening night dinner test drive. If there's one thing we love, it's getting an early peak at the latest goings on in our town, especially when then involve really good looking and interesting renovations.

I'm not sure if you've ever stopped by a restaurant's soft opening before, but it more or less goes without saying that you need to be a little bit kind while the wait, cashier, and kitchen staff works through their kinks. A hiccup or two, perhaps some slow service or a wrong order is pretty par for the course, and it's important to remember this when forming your judgement of the establishment. 

Well, as it turns out, there was no need to worry about these concerns during this soft open. Wendy and I had an absolutely wonderful time, and the staff looked like they had been working together seamlessly. All of our service was prompt, friendly, and extremely energetic.

From our experience, the food at Nando's is simply excellent. Though they are known for their chicken, I was more interested in the vegetarian dishes. From garlic bread to butternut squash, I enjoyed everything that we ordered.

Though I passed, Wendy made sure not to miss out on the chicken and ordered a few Peri Peri wings. She reported that they were rather delicious, and were some of the most moist wings that she had ever eaten.

Obviously we were there to taste what Nando's had to offer, but I was there just as much to check out the building's renovation. Having been in the Popeye's when it was open, and watching the work over the last year, all I have to say is WOW! What a great job they did with the renovation. 

The interior of the restaurant is really cool. The design centers on sustainable and green materials that include various textures, colors, and efficient use of what was already in place, such as the exposed brick walls.

Not only did they completely overhaul the first floor, but the second floor area seems to be perfect for happy hours and hanging out with friends. The whole second floor centers on the open area that looks down over the lower dining area.

In addition to the upstairs seating area, there's also a bar where guests can sit, hang out, and enjoy a drink or two.

There is plenty of seating throughout the restaurant for anything from couples to a handful of friends, and the kitchen area and pass is completely open and in plain view of the dining area. I always like this in restaurants since it always tends to feel a bit more clean. 

The whole idea of Nando's is as a "fast casual" restaurant. You order at the register then they bring your food to you. But both Wendy and I feel like it's almost misleading to label it this way since the food and atmosphere feels far more like a nice sit down restaurant. 

Though we wrapped up our meal with a delicious sweet treat of a few peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes...

...the real treat was noticing this little tidbit on the menu.

Half priced happy hour pitchers of sangria! I have a feeling we'll be spending many a Friday at Nando's hanging out with friends and enjoying some of their delicious Portuguese cuisine.

Today is actually the official launch of Nando's in Old Town, so if you're around and looking for something to eat, you should definitely stop in! Tell the manager, Mike, that Old Town Home sent you. :-)

Have you ever tried out Nando's? This was out first trip but many of our friends seem to love their food. What do you think of their renovation? Is there a spot in your neighborhood that's undergoing a total transformation that you're anxious to try out? We're interested to know what keeps you excited about the area you call home. 

I feel the need to point out that, although this may look like a sponsored post, it is not one. We're just excited to have a new place in the area that underwent a pretty good looking renovation, and you know we're geeks about that kind of thing. Sorry, just felt the need to clearly state that. I mean, we like to think we're reputable bloggers and we really don't want you thinking otherwise.

Read Full Post

Cathal Armstrong was one of the first chefs to shine a spotlight on Old Town Alexandria's restaurant scene when he and his wife, Meshelle, opened Restaurant Eve on Old Town's Pitt Street in 2004. They quickly gained acclaim from most who visited, both critics and everyday diners alike. Following the success of Eve, the Armstrongs began branching out and created The Majestic (reopened actually, and now one of Wendy's and my favorite restaurants), Eamonn's - A Dublin Chipper (for authentic fish & chips...and fried Milky-Way bars), PX (for a swank speakeasy-like experience with some of the best drinks you'll ever taste), and more recently Virtue Feed & Grain. Well, they're expanding once again with their new addition, Society Fair, at 277 S. Washington St.

The Armstrongs have been kicking around the idea of a European inspired butcher, bakery, wine bar, gourmet market, and cafe in earnest since at least late 2007 or early 2008. Now in 2012, that vision is coming to fruition with a location that several food critics and publications, as well as its creators, have been comparing to Mario Batali's Eately in New York (incidentally, DC is supposed to get its own Eately sometime in 2012). Though it is considerably smaller than the 50,000 square foot Italian food extravaganza. 

People often remark how much Old Town tends to remind them of a quaint walkable European town, and the Armstrongs understand this as well as anyone. They're also keenly aware of a hole in the market that an establishment like Society Fair is perfect to fill. 

Over the past few months we've been keeping our eyes on their location as their renovation took place. Recently we noticed their signage going up and the store really beginning to take shape. To say we were excited is an understatement. It's always fun to see new places like this opening in the neighborhood. It only adds to the wonderful qualities that make living in our area extra special. And you know us, we also love the renovation aspects of any project like this.

Our eager anticipation paid off as a few days ago I saw a notice that Society Fair would be opening to the public "soon," but they would be holding a soft opening for "friends, family, and the curious" starting January 17th. While I'm not so sure we can bill ourselves as friends or family even on our best days, we figured we could soundly put ourselves into the "curious" category and should drop by out of responsibility to Old Town and the blog reading community that might appreciate it. Yeah, we'll take one for the team like that.

Approaching the storefront on opening night we were met with a warm and comfortably lit environment that really did remind us of some of the markets and food shops we absolutely love in London. They nailed the ambiance and feel of those great shops the United States is too often without.

Upon entry, the staff behind the counter seemed genuinely excited to have us and were eager to help. I can only imagine the huge sense of relief to finally be open after months of building anticipation for this day. So much time, effort, and training went into this opening, so I can absolutely appreciate their enthusiasm.

When you walk through the front door you enter into the main market and butcher area of the shop. The large black checkout counter with shop staff waiting to help you is actually the first thing you see. The store is divided pretty roughly in half, with a bar and restaurant portion to the left, and the market and butcher to the right. Wendy and I decided to peruse the market before eating to see what unique items Society Fair is offering.

First we explored the fresh baked bread and sweet dessert treats. From loaves and baguettes to cakes and pies, everything down to even the wrappings were wonderfully presented.

Walking further towards the back of the store you reach the brightly lit cabinets of the butcher. Though I'm not a meat eater any longer, I can still appreciate the quality and cuts that are available here. I have a feeling I know where many of our neighbors' summer grill meals will be originating.

Opposite from the butcher's counter is a large and brightly lit open refrigeration section. It's in this large cabinet where you can find the assorted selections of jarred goods, eggs, dairy, produce, a domestic and imported beer selection, and even the supplies needed to create the drinks made famous at Eve, Majestic, and PX by Todd Thrasher and Clinton Terry, Old Town's resident expert mixologists. Hint-hint, we've got a little project going on in our sun porch area where some of these items could come in handy.

In the middle island of this portion of the store you can find the ingredients you'll need if you want to create that perfect starchy pasta based feast. From hand made pastas to imported tomatos for sauce, they have everything on hand.

Just around the corner from the refrigeration case there's actually a large chalk board that lists out the current sandwich offering. Don't expect this to stay the same from day to day, as I'm sure the menu will be changing often (especially early on), so this is just an example of what they were offering on day one.

If you're in the mood for some wine with your food, they've surely got you covered there. In the center of the store is an expansive wine cellar that I like as much for the look as the massive number of bottles it holds. The whole time I kept looking at it and thinking how we could maybe, just maybe, incorporate something similar in our basement. I can dream can't I?

At this point Wendy and I had worked up enough of an appetite staring at all of the food that we decided to have a bite to eat in the restaurant portion of the store. We grabbed a table for two and sat down to enjoy the ambiance of this extremely well done eatery and market. We were able to really look around to get a sense of how they decorated the place. The store was previously a brightly lit antique shop that left something to be desired. Now, the ceiling was open and full of exposed pipes and duct work, but it was painted in a consistent flat black leaving lots of depth and irregularities without distractions. Lots of pressed tin patterns adorned the many angles, and extensive use of color and unexpected fabrics make each element more interesting than the last. We were definitely taking mental notes on how we could use similar approaches on a much smaller scale to add visual interest to projects in our home.

In the dining area to the right of the art deco inspired bar is a full fledged demo kitchen. While we were dining Cathal was performing in the kitchen in front of a group of onlookers. The demo kitchen has a themed menu based on the evening and is a flat charge per person. It is one of the restaurant events that is worth doing every now and again to get a bit of an insider's look at the inner workings of a kitchen. If you're interested, be sure to call ahead as reservations are required.

But enough about the store, let's get down to the food business. We started our evening with drinks. Wendy ordered a glass of wine and I selected one of their "wine inspired" cocktails, the White Port Dode. My drink, another outstanding Todd Thrasher creation, is described as "Ferreira White Port, Lustau ‘San Emilio’ Pedro Ximenez, Fentiman’s Tonic Water, and House Made Nutty Bitter." All that means to me is that it was "excellent." 

We also placed an order of three assorted cheeses. The cheeses, a soft, medium, and hard variety, were served with quince and fresh baked bread. I really liked all three options, but one was particularly stinky. I care more for the stinky cheeses than Wendy, so she wasn't a fan of that one.

Afterwards we split the TNT sandwich. It is a roast fennel, ricotta, garlic, kale, onion and lemon juice sandwich served slightly warm. It was the only veggie option on the sandwich menu, so I'm hoping they'll add more over time, but we enjoyed it quite a bit.

As you can see from the photos, the table area is somewhat dimly lit and each table is lit by its own candlelight. It's a nice place for a casual meal in an intimate setting. We actually got to talking to the couple sitting next to us. It turns out they were investors with the venture and were as interested as we were in trying out the product they believed in. They had nothing but great things to say about the Armstrongs and seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their evening.

We finished up our fun for the night with dessert, a slice of their "Big Ass Chocolate Cake." Now let me say, this cake is only for fans of dark chocolate and icing. The slice was huge, and I really enjoyed it. If you're into a bitter and rich chocolate, I think you can do yourself a favor and grab this for dessert.

Last night's soft opening was the culmination of years of hard work and effort on the part of the Armstrongs and the entire staff and restaurant group, and Wendy and I were glad to be able to enjoy it with them. Overall we're quite thrilled to have such a wonderful spot within easy walking distance of our house. There aren't many places where you can live among such historic architecture while enjoying the amenities that you find within an short walk of our home. We've gotten really spoiled by all of the places that have opened since buying our house in 2003.

While Society Fair may not be a location where we'll be doing our grocery shopping (and it isn't intended to be either), it is a place where we'll be able to go to get those specialty or luxury items that are otherwise hard or impossible to find. The store will also double as a neighborhood wine bar and hangout, and I'm sure we'll see quite a few regulars bellied up to the bar as time goes on. The prices are far from low, but they do seem on par with other specialty food locations in the area. The main thing to remember is that the items they're selling are all fresh, hand made, and made from high quality ingredients, so I do expect to pay a bit of a premium for this sort of a thing.

We're looking forward to watching this store grow and change as it becomes more established. One thing is for absolutely sure, as residents of Old Town we are both appreciative and very fortunate to have people like the owners of this and the various boutique and speciality stores in and around Old Town. They are a large part of the reason why our town is such as special place to live. 

How does it sound to you? If you're in the area are you going to try it out when it fully opens? If you're a reader from outside of the area does this sound like yet another reason why you might want to visit Alexandria? The more the merrier and we'd love to see you around town, so if it sounds good you should stop on by before it gets too crowded. 

Read Full Post