#140: Primo Hoagies

Date Visited: 5 May 2013

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Primo Hoagies specializes in “Old Fashioned Style Italian Specialty Sandwiches” and is located in the Home Depot Shopping Center on Fort Evans Rd. Primo Hoagies is a franchised operation, with stores mostly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware; Leesburg is one of their newest locations. Primo Hoagies has a very extensive menu featuring traditional Italian sub sandwiches as well as specialty types such as “The Diablos” (extra spicy), Cutlet Combos, Healthy Choice, and Meatless Delights. Hoagies come in three sizes, and they also have party trays, sampler platters, and cookies. Of the restaurants specializing in subs here in Leesburg, Primo Hoagies competes with Subway, Quiznos, Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, Deli South, Puccio’s New York Deli, and RJ’s Deli.

On this visit, I ordered the Schwartzie (“Thumann’s Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese, Cole Slaw & Russian Dressing”). An interesting combination of flavors; I really liked it. Wendy got the American (“Coteghino [sausage made from pork, fatback, and pork rind, from Modena, Italy], Natural Casing Genoa Salami, Ham & American Cheese”) and added mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and oil & vinegar dressing. What stood out for her was that it had “lots of meat, the pickles were cold and crunchy, and the dressing was delicious.”

Compared to their competition, one thing Primo Hoagies has got is selection; they have so many delicious-looking subs to choose from! Whichever you choose, I recommend the “Primo” size (9”). We’ll probably go back, but of all the Leesburg sub shops, Puccio’s and RJ’s are still my favorites.

Location: 210 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-771-6398

Web site: http://primohoagies.com/

Total bill: $17.48 + $5.00 tip = $23.98

#139: BurgerFi

Date Visited: 10 April 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: We’d heard there was another high-end burger place in Leesburg that might give Melt some competition, so off we went to try BurgerFi.

For review, there are twelve restaurants now open in the Village at Leesburg: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Eggspectation, Finnegan’s, Firebirds, Pinkberry, King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant), Cobb Theater (yes, a real restaurant too), Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), and the subject of this review, BurgerFi!

BurgerFi is a relatively new chain with about 36 locations nationwide, and the name is short for “Burgerfication of the Nation.” In their own words, “BurgerFi picks up where the other ‘better burger’ franchises leave off. First, BurgerFi focuses on all-natural, grass-fed beef. We do this because it tastes better, and it's better for you- with no chemicals, and no additives. Also, where others limit their menu to just the basic, no-frills options, BurgerFi has built a menu with specialty items like Kobe beef hot dogs, gourmet toppings, delectable desserts, craft beer & wine, and an overall focus on a healthier menu selection.”

For this inaugural visit, all three of us selected the BurgerFi Cheesburger (“Double Natural Angus burger, double American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and BurgerFi sauce”), and also paid extra for the Hickory Bacon (naturally!) These were indeed tasty burgers! We all remarked on the perfectly grilled patties and cheese melted all over. The BurgerFi sauce is some kind of ketchup-mayonnaise mix and helped bring out all the flavors. As an extra touch, the buns are toasted and branded with the BurgerFi logo on top. Being double burgers, we were plenty satisfied. We also got a large order of Crispy Onion Rings, which lived up to their name and were some of the thickest, fattest, sweetest, tastiest rings we’ve ever had. Wendy ordered an additional “Cry & Fries,” which is a combo basket of some Crispy Onion Rings and Fresh Cut Fries. She added the Salt & Vinegar topping too, which she said was nice and evenly distributed over the whole thing. The fries were hot, crispy, and dense. Andy got a Vanilla Shake, which we all judged kind of average, and maybe a touch too sweet.

Overall, we liked BurgerFi a lot and will certainly be coming back. There is plenty of seating both indoors and out. We still think Melt is the best in the gourmet burger category, but Melt is closed on Sundays and BurgerFi is open!

Location: 1608 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-669-3300

Web site: http://burgerfi.com/

Total bill: $49.60

#138: DQ Grill & Chill

Restaurant: DQ Grill & Chill

Date Visited: 1 March 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me

Experience: Dairy Queen has come to Leesburg! It is located in the Fort Evans II shopping center along with Buffalo Wild Wings, Jersey Mike’s, Pho Royal, and CiCi’s. Our new restaurant is branded as “DQ Grill & Chill” with offerings for all sorts of fast-food meals. The “Food” menu includes hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, sub sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, fries, and salads. The “Treats” menu includes all the ice cream items, featuring their flagship Blizzard soft-serve creations.

For this visit, I got the “FlameThrower GrillBurger” combo. The sandwich is a ¼ lb. burger with “fiery FlameThrower sauce, melted pepper jack cheese, jalapeno bacon, thick-cut tomato and fresh green leaf lettuce served on a warm toasted bun.” I actually did like it a lot, the spicy sauce made it kind of special. The combo also came with fries and a drink.

Since this is a Dairy Queen after all, I couldn’t visit without getting some kind of ice cream. I tried a small “Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard Treat” which I also liked, but a small was all I could manage in this frigid weather.

Fine dining it ain’t, but if you’ve got a hankerin’ for a good old burger combo and some ice cream, head on over to DQ to get your Grill and Chill on.

Location: 548 Fort Evans Plaza II, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-5266

Web site: http://www.dairyqueen.com

Total bill: $11.58

#137: Chen's Garden

Date Visited: 28 February 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: What, another Chinese restaurant in Leesburg? Yes, it’s true. Chen’s Garden opened a few weeks ago and adds a new dimension to our Chinese food options. It’s located in the same shopping center as Andy’s Subs & Pizza, Wish-Bone Rotisserie, and the recently-reviewed Pho #1.

We decided to go in and order for takeout, so we could try a variety of items, knowing we’d have some leftovers. We started out with the Crab Rangoon appetizers. The menu says you get 8, but we found 10 in our bag. This is Wendy’s favorite appetizer, and these were excellent, being bite-sized, crispy, creamy, and with hint of onion. We also tried their soups; I got the Hot & Sour, which was thick and had a decent amount of spiciness. Wendy had the Won Ton soup, which was average, but good. The menu didn’t say this anywhere, but our order included free Spring rolls (3), which were also nice and crispy.

The main course dishes are where the uniqueness of Chen’s Garden comes out. I got the Kung Pao Chicken. Compared to “normal” American-style Chinese food, which usually has fairly thick, very sweet sauces, Chen’s version seemed light on the sauce. This brought out the freshness of all the ingredients. Being Kung Pao, mine had the right amount of spice, but gave a different experience than I was expecting. We also got the Chicken with Cashew Nuts to share (and for Andy, and for leftovers!) Wendy got the Triple Delicacy (from the Chef's Recommendations section of the menu), which includes beef, chicken, and shrimp. It was tender and crispy. All three dishes shared the fresh-and-light-on-the-sauce style.

Overall, the portions were generous, and all items seemed to be prepared in a simple, fresh, clean, uncomplicated way. This was a refreshing change from what we expected, and should be a hit with many diners looking for more healthy Chinese food choices. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the reviews on Yelp are all very positive too. For a change, give Chen’s Garden a try!

For review, here's a summary of all the Chinese restaurants I've reviewed so far:

• Hunan Cafe (visited 4 April 2011)
• Wei's Garden (visited 8 January 2010)
• James Cafe (visited 25 November 2009)
• Jasmine (visited 25 April 2008, again on 12 November 2012 for the Sushi bar)
• Golden China (visited 5 April 2009)
• China King (visited 3 April 2009)
• Tai Pei Cafe (visited 18 April 2008)

Asian-style restaurants that offer at least some Chinese dishes:

• Pho #1 (visited 22 February 2013)
• Pho Royal (visited 11 February 2010)
• Aiyara Thai (visited 16 October 2009)
• Pei Wei (visited 18 April 2009)
• Red Apple Buffet (visited 19 October 2008 - out of business, replaced by Buffalo Wings & Beer, then Ironwood Tavern)
• Thai Pan (originally called Thai Royal, visited 24 August 2008)
• J&W Asian Bistro (visited 22 June 2008 - out of business, replaced by Sal's NY Bar & Grill, now vacant)
• Xuan Saigon (visited 25 May 2008)

Location: 9 Catoctin Cir. #2A, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-5266/5535

Web site: none (yet)

Total bill: $42.15 + $10 tip = $52.15

#136: Pho #1

Date Visited: 22 February 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: It was a cold Friday night in Leesburg, and we needed something to warm us up. The obvious answer: Pho!

Pho #1 has been open for about four weeks now, at the southwest corner of the intersection of King Street and Catoctin Circle, around the corner from 7-Eleven. It’s the former location of Bacchus Cafe, and neighbor to Andy’s Subs & Pizza, Wish-Bone Rotisserie, and Chen’s Garden (not yet reviewed). Pho #1 is self-described as an “authentic Vietnamese restaurant.” They specialize in the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup dish called Pho, which puts them in direct competition with Xuan Saigon and Pho Royal here in Leesburg.

For this visit we started out with two standard appetizers, the #A1 Cha Gio - Crispy Egg Rolls, and #A2 Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls made with rice vermicelli. Both were excellent; the crispy ones were crispy and the fresh ones were fresh!

For our main Pho courses, I selected from the “Adventurer's Choice” part of the menu and got #P8 Pho Tai, Nam, Ve Don - Steak, Flank, Crunch Flank. The part that puts this dish in the Adventurer category is the Crunch Flank, which consists of small pieces of fatty beef flank, and does give the experience of crunchiness. It was different, but I liked it. Wendy chose from the “Beginner” section of the menu and got the #P2 Pho Tai, Nam - Eye Round Steak, Flank Pho. She said, “delicious!”

The usual Pho additions of fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeno peppers, and lime slices were served on a separate plate. A simple array of Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, garlic chili sauce, and pepper were on hand at the table (but oddly no soy sauce or salt). There were some interesting desserts in the menu, but our server said they didn’t have any at this time, as they are re-doing their dessert offerings.

The restaurant is clean and simply decorated, retaining the same basic layout inherited from Bacchus Cafe. It is a family-run business; the sons are the main servers, Mom does the “authentic” part of the cooking, and Dad keeps everything running smoothly. Standard background Muzak plays as you are attended to throughout the meal. We felt we received very good value for the meal, and look forward to return and try some of the more adventurous menu items. Give ‘em a try!

Location: 9-E Catoctin Cir. SW, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-1800

Web site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pho-1/507248915986511?fref=ts

Total bill: $25.38 + $10 tip = $35.38

#135: The Q Company

Date Visited: 30 January 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: On this rainy evening (actually, we were under a flash flood warning!) we decided to visit one of Leesburg’s newest restaurants, The Q Company, which specializes in Texas-style barbeque. They had their grand opening on 17 November 2012, at the former location of Aashiana/Angeethi on Catoctin Circle.

Recently featured in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, owner Mitchell Matzek says “The Q may just do a handful of things, but they do them really well.” The menu features Smoked Beef Brisket, Slow Smoked Pulled Pork, and Smoked Sausage, along with Best BBQ Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, and Mac & Cheese sides, plus a couple of specialties: Barbeque Baked Potato and BBQ Sundae(!)

The Q Company is a pretty laid-back place, and a sign at the front door tells you to come on in and seat yourself. On this visit, we had barely sat down and our server came immediately, delivering a plate of cornbread and taking our drink orders. Their cornbread is sweet and delicious; Andy called it “superior!”

We then ordered the “For Four” Package which offers several meat and side choices. We chose the Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, Best BBQ Beans, Mac & Cheese, and Cole Slaw. In keeping with the simple menu, the Packages are served family style, on trays, which i think adds to the experience and puts the emphasis on the food over the the presentation. Texas-style barbecue comes without any sauce added before serving, so there are several sauces available at the table: tangy Texas red, Carolina-style spicy vinegar, and spicy mustard. There are also several hot sauces available if desired. Andy and I liked the Brisket best, while Wendy preferred the Pork. We all preferred the red sauce for both of the meats. I was also impressed by the BBQ Beans, as they included several kinds of beans, onions, and bits of barbeque (reminded me of Famous Dave’s Wilbur Beans). Wendy said the Mac & Cheese was “creamy and peppery.” The Slaw was cold and crisp, not too vinegary, and a perfect complement to the spiciness of everything else. We found this Package a great option for sampling the Q’s offerings and quite filling; of course the “For Four” should be filling for a party of three!

BONUS: Check out the sign inside the restaurant:

Our overall experience was quite positive, confirming the LTM’s cheery review, and we’re eager to return and try the Smoked Sausage and the Ribs. We encourage you to give them a try and support this family-owned and operated local business.

Location: 17 Catoctin Cir., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-8767

Web site: http://theqcompany.com/ and http://facebook.com/TheQCompany

Total bill: $43.40 + $10 tip = $53.40

#134: Chick-fil-A

Date Visited: 9 August 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Alicia

Experience: Chick-fil-A has finally come to Leesburg! Located right in front of Kohl’s on Edwards Ferry Road, Chick-fil-A has instantly become a Leesburg favorite. It is especially popular with the Christian community and especially members of our local church, Cornerstone Chapel. I’m sure it has to do with supporting the company founder’s unabashed Christian beliefs, but I think it also has to do with it being a great alternative to the standard burger chains.

According to Wikipedia, “The company's current trademarked slogan, ‘We Didn't Invent the Chicken, Just the Chicken Sandwich,’ refers to their flagship menu-item, the popular quick-serve or fast-food chicken sandwich.”

On this visit, Alicia and I just needed a quick meal, so we went through the drive-thru and ordered up some flagship meals for ourselves. I got the Spicy Chicken Sandwich Deluxe meal and she got the Chicken Sandwich meal. Both meals came with their unique waffle fries. Quick and tasty.

What else can I say? Chick-fil-A is great; if you haven’t tried them yet, go now!

Location: 1002 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-1200

Web site: http://www.chick-fil-a.com/

Total bill: $13.09

#133: Jasmine Chinese Cuisine & Sushi

Date Visited: 8 August 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Alicia

Experience: I did my first review of Jasmine way back on 27 April 2008. Since then they’ve added a whole new dimension to the restaurant that merits a new review: Sushi! The sushi bar has its own entrance, and the restaurant was subtly renamed in the process to Jasmine Chinese Cuisine & Sushi. Jasmine is still in its original location at Leesburg’s Market Station, along with Tuscarora Mill, South Street Under, Fire Works, and Los Tios Grill.

Jasmine’s sushi chef is Rome, and he’s done a superb job in bringing high-class sushi to little ol’ Leesburg. On this visit, Alicia and I ordered three of his specialty rolls to share: Tiger Roll, Captain Jack, and Cover Girl - all excellent. Read the online sushi menu for details, but you really have to try them in person to appreciate them. Rome’s non-stop dialog will also entertain you (if you wish!)

The only other “real” sushi available in Leesburg is at Golden China or Kobe Japanese Steak & Seafood, but I think Jasmine is clearly superior. If you or someone in your party doesn’t like sushi that much, you can also order from the regular Chinese menu. If you do like sushi, go to Jasmine now!

Location: 110 South St., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-737-2288

Web site: http://jasminecuisine.com/

Total bill: $48.83 + $15.00 tip = $68.83

UPDATE, 3 November 2012: Wendy, Alicia, and I returned recently for lunch after spending the morning at a competition with Alicia and the UMW Rowing Team. This time we tried four different rolls: The Volcano, Spider Roll, Pacifica, and Yes, Mr. No. We also had the Crab Rangoon appetizer (our family favorite). The sushi was just as excellent as our first visit. We were also very pleased with the performance of the backup sushi chef, Ronald, as Rome was off that day.

#132: Little Caesars

Date Visited: 7 August 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me

Experience: Little Caesars is a national pizza chain, estimated to be the fourth largest in the U.S., according to Wikipedia. Leesburg’s first Little Caesars store was located in the current Vocelli’s location. It closed many years ago but a new one recently reopened in Prosperity Center. Since 2004 the Little Caesars chain has been pushing its Hot-N-Ready menu, which simply means pre-made pizzas you can order with no waiting. These pre-made pizzas, of course, may sit for a while in the warming racks before you buy one, so they’re not always quite so fresh.

On this visit, I was on my own for dinner, and ordered a large Pepperoni pizza and a side order of Buffalo chicken wings. I purposely ordered a Pepperoni from the Hot-N-Ready menu so I wouldn’t have to wait, but I guess something went wrong, and I had to wait anyway. They weren’t very busy, so I’m not sure what the problem was. The chicken wings are made by simply adding whatever sauce is ordered (like Buffalo for me) and put into an oven for a few minutes. Overall, pretty average and somewhat disappointing. I liked the old Little Caesars; they had the best Pepperoni & Bacon pizzas! Oh well. The only thing the new Little Caesars has going for it is the low prices - $5 for the pizza and $5 for the wings.

Little Caesars operates in a crowded Leesburg pizza market, which currently includes Giovanni’s, Manhattan Pizza, La Villa Roma, Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut Express, Pizza Hut WingStreet, Ledo Pizza, Andy’s, CiCi’s, Rocco's (was Joe's), Domino’s, Vocelli’s, Fire Works, Papa John’s, Juliano’s, and Sbarro (not yet reviewed). My current favorites are Juliano’s and Vocelli’s; you can probably skip Little Caesars.

Location: 703 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 571-918-0222

Web site: http://littlecaesars.com/

Total bill: $10.85

#131: Juliano's Pizza

Date Visited: 22 June 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Back in September 2010, I gushed about our visit to Kabob & Falafel. Now, Chef Rida and crew have reinvented/rebooted their restaurant into its latest incarnation: Juliano’s Pizza. They advertise as primarily a pizza restaurant, but offer many other items, such as appetizers, wings, hamburgers, gourmet subs, and salads; they still have kabobs and falafel too. This is the same location as Kabob & Falafel, which was originally the Fractured Prune.

There is a lot of competition in the Leesburg pizza market, which currently includes Giovanni’s, Rocco’s (ex-Joe’s), Manhattan Pizza, La Villa Roma, Pizza Hut, Pizza Hut - WingStreet, Pizza Hut Express, Ledo Pizza, Andy’s, CiCi’s, Domino’s, Vocelli’s, Fire Works, Papa John’s, and Little Caesar’s (not yet reviewed). Many other Leesburg restaurants include pizza on their menu, but not as the main thing. It’s obviously a crowded market, but I think Juliano’s has established a unique niche for itself in Leesburg, as you will see.

On this visit, Chef Rida was not there, but Chef Ayman was in charge. Because he knew me (from the Kabob & Falafel review and later visits), he came out into the seating area and loudly greeted us and introduced us to the other patrons: "This is the guy who writes about all the restaurants in Leesburg!" - thus blowing my cover. :-)

Wendy and I both started with the House salad, which had a great tangy (homemade, I’m sure) house dressing. A very promising start.

For our main dishes, we shared a Grilled Chicken Brie gourmet sub (“Grilled chicken, warm Brie, honey, basil, pesto, red peppers, avocado, bacon, and field greens”). It had an amazing taste; the honey really made it pop! Wendy commented that it presented as layers of flavor, all distinct. I concurred, and proceeded to devour my half!

We also shared a large No Kissing Tonight pizza (“Ricotta cheese with pesto sauce and tomatoes, bacon, red onion, mozzarella cheese, chopped garlic and seasoning”). This was another amazing creation. I really liked the way that the ingredients were piled high, but remained light, not dense. The large pieces of shaved parmesan on top were a great finishing touch. I also loved the light but crisp-on-the-bottom crust, just perfect. We had plenty to take home for lunch the next day.

Andy was not actually with us on this visit, but we ordered for take-out a large Pepperoni and Bacon pizza for him. Of course, we got to share in this one too. One of Juliano’s special touches is that their tomato sauce has just a little hot spiciness to it. I asked Chef Ayman what it was, but he laughed and wouldn’t divulge the secret. He did talk about how he perfected the amount of spice in the sauce, enough for you to tell after the first bite, but not so much to overwhelm you.

So there you have it, another gushing review of a locally-owned Leesburg restaurant. But I think Juliano’s has earned and deserved this praise. The restaurant itself is small and inviting, and the hospitality of the chefs and staff is welcoming and honest. Reviews on Yelp are overwhelmingly positive, and they also got a nice write-up from a fellow Leesburg restaurant/shop blogger on There’s Something About Mary’s List. Please do visit Juliano’s, and tell them I said hi!

Location: 828 S. King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-2218

Web site: http://julianosleesburg.com/

Total bill: $54.83 + $15.00 tip = $69.83

UPDATE - 14 April 2013:

We went to lunch and Juliano’s has apparently changed hands - chefs Rida and Ayman are not there. The menu and food quality also seems to have changed and no longer has the uniqueness that I originally wrote about. It’s too bad; the food is now OK but nothing special.

#130: Ironwood Tavern

Date Visited: 20 June 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 4 - Me, Wendy, Andy, & Alicia

Experience: Ironwood Tavern opened on 29 February 2012. The history of this location is that it was a Sizzler when we moved here in 1987, then it became Ponderosa, then Red Apple Buffet (after I started this blog), then the short-lived Buffalo Wings & Beer (never visited), and now Ironwood Tavern. We had heard good things about this place, so we decided to go for a belated Father’s Day dinner.

On this Wednesday night, the restaurant was not very busy - only about five other parties were there with us. We were greeted with a basket of bread and whipped butter while our server took our drink orders. Since Ironwood Tavern emphasizes their two dozen craft beers on tap, I had a Fat Tire Amber Ale (a favorite of mine).

We started off with the Southwest Spring Rolls appetizer. Although this has become a restaurant standard, Ironwood’s version was pretty good; crispy and hot, with a just-spicy-enough dipping sauce. Plus, we happened to be there early enough to take advantage of the Happy Hour pricing of $5.

We all ordered salads; Wendy and I got the Ironwood Salad (“Mixed greens, raspberries, candied pecans, goat cheese, & champagne vinaigrette”) - nice. Andy and Alicia got the Caesar Salad.

For my main course, I ordered the Ironwood Burger (“Half pound wood grilled burger seasoned with crushed pepper corn, A1 sauce, topped with melted Gorgonzola, sauteed mushroom, lettuce, tomato, onion, & bistro sauce”). I ordered it Medium and it came just that way (yea!) It was an interesting combination of flavors. (I liked it, but if it’s a great cheeseburger you want, go to Melt.) Wendy got the Pork Chop (“Wood grilled & served with sweet potato mash, sauteed green beans, & apple jack brandy sauce”). She like the grilled finish, sweet & salty taste. Andy and Alicia both got the BBQ Burger (“Half pound burger topped with Smoked apple wood bacon, cheddar cheese, fried onion straws, our house made BBQ sauce, lettuce, tomato, & onion”). Andy rated it a “7-1/2 out of 10,” which is pretty good. For dessert, we shared a Double Fudge Brownie. It was good but not remarkable.

The vibe of Ironwood Tavern is confusing; they have good blues music playing in the background, but the decor and artwork of the place has no apparent theme. Andy said it was a “very plain restaurant.” Our server was attentive and pleasant, which improved the experience. Overall, we felt the place to be maybe above average, but not destined to become a favorite. However, as all the positive Yelp reviews indicate, your experience may be different. Give ‘em a try!

Location: 962 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-6333

Web site: http://www.ironwoodtavern.com/

Total bill: $110.02 + $22.00 tip = $132.02

#129: Balducci's

Date Visited: 16 June 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: According to their website, this Balducci’s location in the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets is more properly called a “Balducci’s Express,” even though the sign says “Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market.” It’s in the location formerly occupied by City Deli. Readers of this blog may be more familiar with the real “Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market” (gourmet grocery store) locations in Alexandria, McLean, and Bethesda. I’m a big fan of these stores and often have the opportunity to visit the Bethesda location. I always find some delicious treats and a high-quality lunch-to-go (sushi!) when I need it. This Balducci’s Express in Leesburg, however, is a different story. As far as I can tell, they basically stock only a very limited selection of pre-made sandwiches, salads, and a few sides.

On this visit, Wendy and I were looking for a quick, light dinner, and we were in the mood for sub sandwiches. We arrived about an hour or so before the mall closed, and were told by the guys behind the counter that the sandwiches and things in the glass case in front of us was all that was available, and they couldn’t make us anything new!?!

I ordered the Santa Fe sandwich that featured shredded chicken, red peppers, and chipotle seasonings on a baguette-type roll. Wendy got the Club sandwich that featured ham, turkey, bacon, and swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. She also got another one to take home to Alicia. As these were listed on the menu as “hot” sandwiches, each in turn was put into an oven for one minute before being served to us. The best I can say is that the sandwiches were OK. The bread itself was better than anything inside. Alicia really did like hers, though.

On the whole, this was a rather disappointing experience, and I don’t think we will be back. It’s too bad, because the experience you get at a Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market is completely different.

Location: 241 Fort Evans Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://www.balduccis.com/

Total bill: $31.30

#128: Georgetown Cafe

Date Visited: 14 June 2012

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: The Georgetown Cafe is one of the oldest fixtures in Leesburg. Located in the historic downtown area on King St., it is across the street from Blue Mountain Cafe and Windy City Red Hots. Georgetown Cafe is just one of the properties owned and operated by Fabian Saeidi & family, including Leesburg Colonial Inn, Old Town Grill (formerly The Green Tree Restaurant), King's Court Tavern, Balls Bluff Tavern, and Bella Luna Restaurant (currently closed for renovations). We found out from our server that the plan is for King’s Court Tavern (a rented property) to move into the Bella Luna location (Saeidi-owned), but she was unsure of the fate of Balls Bluff Tavern. The decor of the Georgetown Cafe was simple, with trestle tables just like in the Old Town Grill.

Anyway, the Georgetown Cafe menu is filled with 17th century-themed meals, to go along with downtown Leesburg’s colonial vibe. All of the meals have interesting names (with historical notes included), such as Ben Franklin's Pleasure, The Hot Canadian, The Thoriughfare Gap Express, The Hessian Reuben, The Ambassador, The Blue Ridge, English Pub, Captain's Pleasure, and The Signer's Sandwich.

For starters, Wendy and I both had ice tea and soup. I got the 17th Century Peanut Soup, which was thick, creamy, rich, and very filling. The peanuts and celery bits were not too crunchy, making for a silky smooth experience. Wendy got the Tomato Basil Soup, which was also thick, chunky, and delicious.

For my lunch, I ordered The Ranger's Basket, described as a "half pound of fresh ground sirloin broiled, served on a kaiser roll, and topped with bacon & cheese. Served with lettuce, tomato, and fried potatoes." When the dish arrived, I saw that this was a fancy description for a bacon cheeseburger and fries platter. However, ordinary it was not. The bun was soft but perfectly toasted on the inside, the meat was actually cooked medium the way I ordered it, the bacon crisp, the tomato juicy, and the fries hot and crispy. Yum.

Wendy ordered one of the specials, a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, with the aforementioned Tomato Basil Soup. The sandwich was constructed with thick, Texas Toast-style bread, and the cheese nice and melty. She liked it.

We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at Georgetown Cafe and plan to go back to try many of the other dishes. To be fair, most of the Yelp reviews rate the place as average to poor, but our experience today was great. We especially urge your support of this locally-owned and operated restaurant, holding up the traditions of Leesburg’s colonial heritage. Check ‘em out yourself!

Location: 19 S. King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-5000

Web site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgetown-Cafe/122404092575

Total bill: $26.20 + $6.00 tip = $32.20

#127: Blue Mountain Cafe

Date Visited: 18 May 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Blue Mountain Cafe is a locally-owned, Caribbean restaurant specializing in authentic Jamaican cuisine. They are located in historic downtown Leesburg, on South King St. next to Windy City Red Hots. Prior to opening, the renovation of the building was also blogged by a local guy! I don’t really know much about Jamaican cuisine, so I will leave it to others to judge whether it’s authentic or not. On this Friday evening, the weather was beautiful, so we sat outside in the patio.

To start off, we ordered a couple of Jamaican Patties: beef and chicken. They were very different, and I liked the beef one the best; it had a bit of kick to it. Wendy called them “meat pastries” and Andy called them “Chicken Pot Pie Pop Tarts!” For drinks, I got a Red Stripe (of course!), Wendy got a Jamaican Ginger Beer (very gingery!), and Andy had a water (how boring!)

For my main course, I tried the Goat Curry, which came with red beans and rice, and fried plantains. The goat had a lot of bones in it, but the meat was quite good, sort of the consistency of pot roast. Wendy and Andy both got the Jerk Chicken. Wendy got hers with white rice and mixed vegetables, and Andy got white rice and fried plantains. Each plate came with three pieces of chicken, marinated in Jamaican Jerk spices (I asked one of the owners what was in it, and she said she was forbidden from revealing the secret!) I got one piece Wendy couldn’t finish, and it was succulent and delicious. The portions for all our meals were generous.

To finish, we had a couple of sorbets: strawberry and orange. The strawberry one was served in a hollowed-out lemon half, and the orange one came in a half-orange; unique! Andy said the strawberry one tasted like a “Strawberry Starburst” - I think this is because some of the lemon juice gets into the sorbet, to give it some extra kick. It was refreshing way to end the meal.

The service at Blue Mountain Cafe was excellent and friendly. In our experience, the food was rather average overall, and the Yelp reviews tend to confirm this. However, there are lots of items on the menu we didn’t get to try, so go check ‘em out!

Location: 26 S. King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 571-209-9099

Web site: http://bluemountaincafe-bmc.com/

Total bill: $73.75 + $15.00 tip = $85.75

#126: Melt

Date Visited: 4 May 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me and Wendy

Experience: Melt has been open for about a month now. They are located in the Bellewood Commons shopping center, in the location recently vacated by Quiznos. Other restaurants there include Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Red Kabob, Papa John’s, and Josefina Market. Melt is owned by Debbie and Steve Hancotte, and Debbie makes it clear to inquisitive guests that this is NOT a chain! Melt has an extensive burger menu, categorized into “All-American Premium Beef Burgers” (Classic, Bacon, Bacon/Blue, Create-your-own), “Additional Gourmet Burgers” (Crab, Tuna, Lamb, Turkey, Veggie), and “Kicked-Up Gourmet Burgers” (Tex-Mex, Paris, Hatch Chile, Diner, Caprese, Swiss). There are also lots of sides, milkshakes, malts, floats, and endless other options.

We got one order of the Serious Melt Fries (“Our Delicious Crispy Fries topped with melted Tillamook Cheddar Cheese”) to share. My first reaction was what a generous serving size it was. Taste-wise, there was something about the combination of their perfectly crispy fries, and this particularly silky cheddar cheese, with a little pepper, that made these perhaps the best cheese fries I’ve ever had. Next time, I think I’ll try the Decadent Fries (“Seared Foie Gras & Crumbled Bacon”) - wow.

I ordered the Bacon/Blue Cheeseburger (“a Bacon Cheeseburger with Imported Gorgonzola Blue Cheese, Balsamic Glazed Onions, Crispy Bacon, Fresh Lettuce, Sliced Red Ripe Tomato and a Touch of Our Own Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing”). All Melt burgers are made of “aged, hand trimmed, 100% Angus Beef,” and I thought the quality was noticeable. Melt cooks all burgers medium-rare to medium unless you request otherwise. This is another gourmet touch that was executed perfectly - this is the way burgers are meant to be cooked and eaten! The Gorgonzola Blue Cheese was a thick slab (maybe ¼”), not a thin, wimpy slice. They also manage to keep the bacon crispy (mmm... bacon)! Which brings us to the bun - they bake them fresh, on-site, twice daily, and are unlike any other burger bun I’ve ever had. Deelish!

Wendy got the Paris Burger (“our Premium Beef Burger, Char-Grilled with Roasted Garlic, topped with Melted French Brie, Balsamic Glazed Onions, Baby Spinach and a Smear of Dijon Mustard”). She noticed that when you squeeze down on the bun, your fingers don’t just go right through it. She also appreciated the “wonderful combination of different tastes.” The Melt burgers are huge, and with the medium-rare cooking you might think the juice would be going all over the place. As we were finishing, Wendy noticed that there was hardly any grease dripped onto our plates. This is high-quality beef, cooked right!

On top of the food quality, the atmosphere and service were delightful. Debbie came out to check on us and chat a bit, making us feel right at home; she is a very perky lady too! If it sounds like I’m gushing over Melt, well, I guess I am; it was so refreshingly good in many ways. You can check out the Yelp reviews which confirm this. We felt that Melt totally lives up to their byline of “Gourmet Cheeseburgers.” You do pay a bit of a premium for this experience, but it is good value. We felt quite pleasantly full when we finished. Go visit Melt right away!

Location: 525 E. Market St., Suite J, Leesburg, VA, 20176-4171, 703-443-2105

Website: http://meltgourmetcheeseburgers.com/

Total bill: $30.05

#125: Pinkberry

Date Visited: 1 April 2012

Meal: Snack after Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me and Wendy

Experience: After lunch at the Old Town Grill, we headed for Wegman’s to do a bit of shopping and afterward stopped by Pinkberry for a quick snack.

For review, there are eleven restaurants now open in the Village at Leesburg: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Eggspectation, King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant too), Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), Finnegan’s, Firebirds, and the subject of this review, Pinkberry!

Pinkberry is a large franchise chain with hundreds of locations in the U.S. and around the world. Their main product is frozen yogurt in several sizes; many toppings are free, and a few cost extra. They advertise that their uniqueness is the signature “tang” in the yogurt. Well, here’s what we found...

On this visit, I had the Salted Caramel yogurt with Peanut Butter Crunch topping. It was creamy, definitely had a tangy taste, but a little light on the salt to my taste. the gooeyness of the peanut butter topping was a great match for this flavor. Wendy had the Blood Orange yogurt (seasonal) with Dark Chocolate Chips. This one had a most definite tang to it that was very pleasantly refreshing.

Pinkberry’s is the hip place to get your cool, refreshing frozen yogurt fix. Give ‘em a try!

Location: 1606 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-771-3345

Web site: http://pinkberry.com/

Total bill: $8.30

#124: Old Town Grill

Date Visited: 1 April 2012

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, and Andy

Experience: The Old Town Grill has been open since November 2011, where the Green Tree was located. The Green Tree used to offer 17th century menu items and we ate there a few times, but they never got really great reviews. Owner Fabian Saiedi finally decided on a new strategy, a complete renovation of the old Green Tree, transformed into the Old Town Grill, marketed primarily as a steakhouse. Mr. Saiedi also owns Bella Luna Ristorante, Georgetown Café, Ball's Bluff Tavern, King's Court, The Colonial Inn Bed & Breakfast and, now the new Old Town Grill.

On this Sunday afternoon visit (April Fool’s day), we were the only people in the restaurant; not a good sign to start with, but read on! The menu includes a good selection of Soup & Salad, Sandwiches & Kabobs, Burgers, and a Beer & Wine list. Some items were remembered from the old Green Tree menu.

I started off with the Mixed Green house salad. It had a unique dill dressing that was creamy but not too heavy, and a good mix of lettuces. Wendy had the Green Herb soup, which, according to our server, is made with 14 herbs; it was creamy, and we could detect thyme, rosemary, and something spicy. Andy had the French Onion soup. So far, so good...

For the main course, I got the Crab Cake sandwich, which was served with lemon caper sauce on a baguette, with big thick-cut fries. The Crab Cake was made with a fine mix, not much detectable filler, but not much crust. There was nothing else on the bun. It also came with a 1,000 Island-ish dressing, which I used mainly for my fries. It was all pretty good.

Wendy got the Grilled Chicken sandwich, which was served with bacon, jack cheese, caramelized onions, and fries. The chicken was a good-sized, thick portion. She liked it.

Andy got the Old Town burger, which was Angus beef served wth bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and fries. The burger was orderd medium, but was delivered more like medium-well. He said it was a “good standard cheeseburger” with exception of the bun, which he really liked. They actually used the same bun for all our dishes.

We decided to try the desserts this time too. Wendy got the Mint Chocolate cake, which had “pretty chocolate dots” but was otherwise average. Andy got his favorite, the Creme brûlée, which he judged as above average! It did have a nice thick top. For my part, I sampled both, and finished off with a coffee.

Overall, Old Town Grill was good, but not exceptional. We wouldn’t hesitate to go there again, but there are better steakhouses, like my current favorite, Firebirds.

Location: 15 South King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-7246

Web site: http://theoldtowngrill.net/

Total bill: $77.69 + $16.00 tip = $93.69

#123: Tuscarora Mill

Date Visited: 11 March 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, and Andy

Dear Readers: Sorry; lately I’ve been averaging less than one restaurant review per month. I’ll try to get out and eat more, or is it just eat out more? Anyway...

Experience: Tuscarora Mill is one of the most enduring and best-loved restaurants in Leesburg. It’s arguably our top-end restaurant with consistently high quality, service, and atmosphere. It’s high class, while managing not to be too stuffy. In their own words, “Tuscarora Mill is an independent, locally owned restaurant, casual cafe, bar, and bakery in Leesburg Virginia. In addition to our fine food and spirits, we offer unique, individually styled banquets, catering, wedding receptions, and special events.” Tuskie’s (as it’s known to locals) owns three other establishments: Fire Works Pizza (Leesburg - reviewed 25 May 2008, and another location in Arlington, VA), South Street Under (Leesburg - reviewed 3 July 2009), and Magnolia’s at the Mill (Purcellville, VA). Tuskie’s is also well-known for hosting regular special dinners (wine pairings, beer pairings, game night, etc.), so we avoided those for this review. We arrived on a “normal” Sunday evening (although it was my birthday!) and they weren’t very busy.

At Tuskie’s you usually get some kind of special appetizer from the Chef; this night it was tiny cups of broccoli soup with bacon. Dee-lish.

We started out by sharing a regular appetizer: Truffled White Bean Hummus. It comes with thin Parmesean twist bread sticks that were very light and flaky. The hummus itself was very smooth with a little kick.

I started out with a glass of Bluemont Vineyard Merlot 2009 and a salad called “The Other Wedge Salad” - it was bacon-y. Wendy had the House Salad, which she said was cold and crisp (the way it should be). Andy (Mr. hard-to-please) had a Caesar Salad, which he evaluated as “average.”

For my main dish, I selected the Game Plate, which changes content often. This night it featured Texas antelope medallions and grilled quail. This was not your average beef or chicken taste, clearly different, and delicious. It also came with puréed sweet potato and brussels sprouts sautéed with mushrooms, along with a cherry sauce reduction. If you thought there was no way to make brussels sprouts taste good, this dish could convince you otherwise.

Wendy got another of the specials: Corvina White fish. It had a very nice crust, not breaded. It came with an artichoke & olive polenta, which tasted cheddar-cheesy, and green beans in vinaigrette. She commented “it even smells wonderful!”

Andy, carnivore that he is, ordered the New York Strip steak. I’m sure he really liked it, because it was gone in about two minutes.

Being my birthday and all, we kind of went crazy with the desserts. I got the key lime tart and a coffee, Wendy got the “All Things Chocolate”, Andy got the warm brownie sundae, and as if that wasn’t enough, we shared an order of light and fluffy cheesecake-filled beignets. Wow!

Tuskie’s is consistently excellent and we can highly recommend it. I think you’ll get the most enjoyment and value if you go there to celebrate a special occasion, and be sure to try something adventurous!

Location: 203 Harrison St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-771-9300

Web site: http://tuskies.com/

Total bill: $187.71 + $40.00 tip = $227.71

#122: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar

Date Visited: 7 January 2012

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, and Andy

Experience: Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is the newest restaurant to open in the Fort Evans Plaza II shopping center, joining Jersey Mike's, Pho Royal, and CiCi's. It's a nationwide chain.

We started off with a Potato Wedges with Cheese appetizer ("Sour cream and chive flavored potato wedges.") Not real sour cream and chive? They were actually pretty good.

For my main course, I got a plate of 12 Traditional (bone-in) chicken wings with Spicy Garlic sauce (kinda medium spicy). It was just what I wanted, and good-tasting. Wendy got the Southwest Chicken Queso Wrap ("Seasoned, grilled chicken smothered in queso and southwestern ranch dressing with lettuce and pick de gallo.") She said it was very juicy, fresh lettuce, and mildly spicy. Andy got the Honey BBQ Bacon Burger; his evaluation: "basic." Drinks: I had a Guinness, Wendy and Andy both had the Berry lemonade.

Well, you don't go to a bar for gourmet cuisine, so I really can't complain too much about the quality of the food. Overall, it was just what we wanted and expected, so it was a good experience; even above average for a sports bar. Give 'me a try!

Location: 524 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-779-4646

Web site: http://www.buffalowildwings.com/

Total bill: $52.09 + $10.00 tip = $62.09

#121: Giovanni's N.Y. Pizza

Date Visited: 30 December 2011

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 4 - Me, Wendy, Chris, and Kristina

Experience: Our friends Chris and Kristina suggested that we go out to dinner together on this New Year’s Eve Eve, and I hinted that we might pick a restaurant that hadn’t yet been reviewed on this blog. We ended up picking Giovanni’s N.Y. Pizza, a family-owned traditional New York-style Italian restaurant operating from the same Leesburg location since 1982. I’ve been to almost all the other restaurants in the Leesburg Plaza shopping center: Jimmy John’s, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Spanky’s Shenanigans, Kobe Japanese Steak & Seafood, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Wendy’s, Milwaukee Frozen Custard (recently closed, replaced by the new Subway), Tenderjack’s, California Tortilla, Roy Rogers, and Bunker Sports Cafe (not yet reviewed).

One interesting thing is the self-seating policy of the restaurant, which comes into play when it’s full. Although not marked as such, there is a line you wait in for a table to become available. That is, you have to keep scanning the seating area to detect a party about to leave, then swoop down on that table while it is being cleaned off by the staff. We didn’t know all this and were politely called back by another guest when we tried to go straight for a table that opened up.

We started off with salads: I got a Caesar, Wendy got a Greek, and Chris got a Greek (and shared some with Kristina). They were all good-sized portions, the lettuce particularly crisp, and the dressings (all served on the side) were ample and appropriate.

For the main course, I had a Steak and Cheese sub with Bacon. It came with a good balance of steak, cheese, lettuce, and tomato but I could hardly tell if there was any bacon on it. The bun was very soft (a good thing), and the cheese was nicely melted into the steak. Kristina also got a regular Steak and Cheese, but with French Fries, which were relatively thick cut. Wendy got the Artichoke Chicken with Capellini pasta. It came with lots of mushrooms too. She liked having her choice of pasta, and there were ample portions of the chicken, artichokes, and mushrooms. Chris got Giovanni’s signature Gourmet Pizza (“Extra thin pizza with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, garlic, basil, kalamata olives, and extra virgin olive oil”). I tried a slice and really liked it; not the kind of pizza I would normally order for myself, but I liked the combination of flavors, especially the basil and kalamata olives.

Giovanni’s is a family-oriented, reasonably priced Italian restaurant that’s ideal for meeting with friends for good food and conversation. We like supporting local restaurants and think you should give Giovanni’s a try!

Location: 520 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-8440

Web site: http://giovannisnypizza.net/

Total bill: $70.52 + $15.00 tip = $85.52

#120: Firebirds Wood Fired Grill

Date Visited: 19 November 2011

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 6 - Me, Wendy, Bob, Joyce, Perry, Laurie

Experience: The rapid opening of restaurants in the Village at Leesburg continues! The newest one is Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, which opened on Wednesday, 16 November. It’s a chain with twenty locations, mostly in the eastern U.S. From their website, here’s what Firebirds is supposed to be all about: “Firebirds Wood Fired Grill introduced a taste of Colorado to the Carolinas when it first opened its doors in Charlotte, North Carolina in December of 2000. The restaurant is the creative concept of owner and restaurateur, Dennis Thompson, who regularly travels out west. He fell in love with the feel of the area as well as the food. Drawing from those experiences, he developed Firebirds.”

At the risk of being repetitive (as reported in #119), there are ten restaurants now open in the Village at Leesburg: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Eggspectation, King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant too), Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), Finnegan’s, Pinkberry (just opened), and the subject of this review, Firebirds!

On this Saturday evening, we were joined by our best friends Bob, Joyce, Perry, and Laurie, and there was quite a wait (not unexpected). After we were seated, drink orders were taken; two of us decided to have a glass of Casa Lapostolle (a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile). Our server came back to tell us they were all out of that. Then the three of us guys decided to order a bottle of Firebird Red (Napa Valley) to share. Our server came back again to tell us they were all out of that. Finally, we just decided it was every man for himself, and I ended up with a glass of Red Guitar Tempranillo (Spain); I don’t remember what Bob & Perry got, but this was not a good start. The wine was actually pretty good, a little fruity but not overpowering.

We chose a two appetizers; first was the Ranch Rings (“Buttermilk-battered onion rings with panko bread crumbs. Served with roasted garlic ranch dressing.”) The panko made these deliciously different than normal onion rings. We also got the Lobster Spinach Queso (“A spicy blend of lobster, baby spinach, tomatoes and pepper jack cheese with tri-colored tortilla chips.”) Big pieces of lobster and fresh-made chips. Everyone liked both very much; nothing was left!

Several of us had the Firebirds BLT Salad (“Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, applewood-smoked bacon, roasted garlic ranch dressing.”) The dressing was the same garlicky goodness as that which came with the Ranch Rings, but there was a bit too much of it; the bacon was a little strange - good taste but seemed to be in small chewy nuggets rather than thin pieces.

I ordered the Bleu Cheese Filet (“Bacon-wrapped wood grilled filet topped with bleu cheese sauce and port mushrooms”) with a loaded baked potato. No vegetables come with the dish, maybe because they assume you’ve already had a salad? The steak was quite good, and the clean wood fire taste was noticeable. The bleu cheese sauce and mushrooms (large) complimented the steak well. The baked potato wasn’t all that “loaded” - not enough fixins to spread over the whole potato. However, they do rub salt on the outside of the skin, which makes the skin so much tastier.

Wendy got the Filet & Shrimp (“Bacon-wrapped wood grilled filet served with shrimp basted in a Key lime butter”) with a loaded baked potato. The steak was the same as mine, minus the bleu cheese sauce and mushrooms. The shrimp were also wood fired, and had the grill marks to prove it. I’ve never had Key lime butter before, but it really made the shrimp excellent. She had a Lemonade that came with a sugar-encrusted rim, a nice touch.

I didn’t take detailed notes on everyone else’s dinners. Laure had a chicken salad (don’t remember which one) but the chicken was ice cold rather than warm as expected. She didn’t have a good experience.

There were a few hiccups in our experience: wine problems, cold chicken in the salad, drink refills were slow to come, and we weren’t even asked if we wanted dessert (after being briefly shown the dessert menu!) But this was only the fourth night they’ve been open for business; I think Firebirds will work out these kinks and prove to be one of the better Leesburg restaurants. I encourage you to give them a try (maybe in a couple of weeks!)

Location: 1607 Village Market Blvd. SE, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-840-0443

Web site: http://www.firebirdsrestaurants.com/

Total bill: $92.23 + $20.00 tip = $112.23

#119: Finnegan's Sports Bar & Grill

Date Visited: 23 October 2011

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Finnegan’s is one of the newest restaurants to open in the rapidly expanding Village at Leesburg. As reported in #117, there are ten restaurants: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Eggspectation, King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant too), Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), Pinkberry (just opened), Firebirds Wood Fired Grill (opening soon), and the subject of this review, Finnegan’s!

Regular readers of this blog know that I rarely even come close to writing a negative review, but this time is different. When we arrived, we were taken to the main seating area and presented with menus that were all wet. Then we discovered our appetizer plates were dirty; when we pointed this out to our server, she made a face and got us clean ones but no apology or even “sorry!” At Finnegan’s each table has it’s own TV and I was struggling to find the Redskins game, so I asked our server for some help. All she could manage was “I have no idea” with no offer to get help from someone else (I did finally figure it out myself). It was also very cold inside, which was probably comfortable for the staff, but not us customers.

I had the beef Pub Sliders (3), which seemed to be more bun than meat and come just with cheese. The only condiment offered was ketchup. This dish also came with Cole slaw, which was surprisingly good - wet and tangy. I also had a Guinness to wash it all down. Wendy had a side salad with apple-bacon vinaigrette, which was also surprisingly different, in a good way. She also had the Macaroni & Cheese with beer cheese and bread crumbs. It was a nice take on an old favorite, providing good taste and a little crunch. Andy had the Bacon Blue cheeseburger. He said it was good, not a typical pre-cooked thing, but he ordered it medium and it came out pretty much well done.

To top it all off, it took forever to get our check; we finally had to ask another server to get it for us. Finnegan’s is probably alright if what you want is a basic sports bar, but you wouldn’t want to go there for the food. Reviews on Yelp pretty much confirm my opinion.

Location: 1608 Village Market Blvd. SE, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-771-2333

Web site: http://www.finnegansirishbar.com/leesburg/

Total bill: $45.03 + $10.00 tip = $55.03

#118: Jimmy John's

Date Visited: 3 October 2011

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: The new Jimmy John’s Leesburg location has been open for a few weeks now (the former site of Blockbuster, years ago). It is a franchise operation with stores all over the country. The menu features only cold sub sandwiches; they seem to make it a point of pride that they don’t serve soups, salads, or hot sandwiches. Jimmy John’s uniqueness in the sub market focuses on fresh ingredients and fast delivery (including catering). They also seem to hava a “Mama” theme, as in “Your Mom wants you to eat at Jimmy John’s”, and this disclaimer on the menu:

“OK, so my subs really aren’t gourmet and we’re not French either. My subs just taste a little better, that’s all! I wanted to call it Jimmy John’s Tasty Sandwiches, but my Mom told me to stick with gourmet. She thinks whatever I do is gourmet, but I don’t think either of us knows what it means. So let’s stick with Tasty!” -- Jimmy John

I had the #11 Country Club: “Fresh sliced turkey breast, applewood smoked ham, provolone, and tons of lettuce, tomato, and mayo! (A very traditional, yet always exceptional classic!)” Wendy had the #12 Beach Club: “Fresh baked turkey breast, provolone cheese, avocado spread, sliced cucumber, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, and mayo! (It’s the real deal, and it ain’t even California.)” Andy had the #17 Ultimate Porker: “Real applewood smoked ham and bacon with lettuce, tomato & mayo, what could be better!”

We all upgraded to a combo, which includes a fountain drink (they have Mello Yello!) and a bag of chips (Jimmy John’s own brand).

Our overall evaluation is that the food is good, fresh, and reasonably priced, but not compelling. Andy’s comment: “Totally generic.” They did deliver of the promise of fast delivery; our sandwiches were ready within a few minutes of ordering. Try it, you might like it!

Location: 11 Catoctin Cir. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-779-2111

Web site: http://www.jimmyjohns.com/

Total bill: $27.47

#117: Eggspectation

Date Visited: 28 August 2011

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: The Village at Leesburg currently hosts ten restaurants: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant too), Finnegan’s (just opened), Pinkberry (opening soon), Firebirds Wood Fired Grill (opening soon), and the subject of this review, Eggspectation!

Eggspectation is a franchise operation with U.S. locations in Ellicot City (MD), Silver Spring (MD), Chantilly (VA), Gainesville (VA), and now, Leesburg! They also have 11 restaurants in Canada and 3 in India - interesting! Eggspectation’s niche is indicated by their name - they specialize in lots of unique egg dishes.

We started out with an appetizer of Deviled Eggs (with sugar-cured bacon & candied pecans). The savory bacon and sweetness of the pecans formed a good combination, not overpowering. I ordered the Southwestern Benedict, which is one of their many varieties of eggs benedict. It featured two poached eggs with hollandaise sauce, plus some Tex-Mex additions such as a little jalapeño, and served in a half tortilla shell. Wendy got the EggFrittata (“Three egg frittata with tomatoes, bacon, and cheddar cheese, grilled potatoes and chef’s fruit garnish”); her comment: “Very cheesy!” Andy ordered The Sugar Shack (“2 scrambled eggs, two crêpes bretonnes, ham and baked beans. Served with grilled potatoes.”) and a Vanilla Yogurt (served in a fancy glass with warm honey). He liked the crepes.

Eggspectation is fun and kinda quirky because of all the egg puns and creative dishes. It is a bit on the expensive side in my opinion. Still, it’s worth a visit if just for the experience.

Location: 1609 Village Market, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-4127

Web site: http://eggspectations.com/

Total bill: $59.90 + $12.00 tip = $71.90

#116: Los Tios Grill

Date Visited: 21 August 2011

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: We attended a friend’s birthday party a couple weeks ago and were impressed by the quality of the catered food (fajitas & such). When we asked where it came from, the answer was “Los Tios”, to which we replied, “Los Tios?” It turns out that Los Tios Grill is the new establishment that moved into the location formerly occupied by Nido Ristorante Italiano (reviewed in May 2010, just before they closed) in Leesburg’s Market Station.

Los Tios Grill specializes in fresh Tex-Mex and Salvadorean food. We visited late on a Sunday afternoon after the lunch rush. We were immediately seated and treated to their delicious homemade salsa (and chips, of course!)

Wendy had the Cheese enchilada & chicken enchilada combo, which came with chili con queso and more chips - yum! Her main comment: “Lots of chicken!”

I had the Beef fajitas. Almost every restaurant that serves fajitas does it by bringing a sizzling iron skillet to the table. At Los Tios Grill, I have never seen such mega-steaming - it was a cloud of steam at the table! Their tortillas are a bit larger than usual, which I really appreciated. The meat was perfectly seasoned, and came with a very hot habanero sauce on the side. Excellent.

All out food was very fresh, hot, and delicious. The staff was very attentive and courteous throughout the meal. Our server (Carlos) came back to explain some menu recommendations in detail, especially the Salvadorean dishes (which we’ll have to try next time). The excellent service also featured the table being wiped off after clearing the plates - a nice touch.

Their website is printed on the receipt, but doesn’t appear to be quite set up yet. There is apparently another location in Alexandria that does have a functioning website (with the same menu).

Location: 201-A Harrison St. SE, Leesburg, VA, 20175

Website: http://lostiosgrilllsb.vpweb.com/

Total bill: $42.04 + $10.00 tip = $52.04

#115: Burger King (Outlet Mall)

Date Visited: 14 August 2011

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: I had to get out of the house because Wendy was hosting a meeting of the Waterford Quilters Guild right after church. I took the opportunity to have a quick lunch out by myself and get some uninterrupted time to read my Bible (via Logos Bible Software on my iPad) and catch up reading the London by Edward Rutherfurd.

I went to Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets (aka The Outlet Mall) and got my lunch at Burger King. I arrived just after the lunch rush, so there were no long lines and plenty of tables. I got a combo meal consisting of the BK Double Stack (double cheeseburger with lots of bacon), large fries ( a little stale) and a large diet Pepsi. No, I did not see the King.

Burger King is not one of my favorite fast-food restaurants, but I needed to visit this one just to cross it off the list in my overall quest. So now I've done both of Leesburg's Burger Kings (the other one was reviewed on 1 November 2008). Burger King = done!

Location: 241 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://bk.com/

Total bill: $8.67

#114: Sal's NY Bar & Grille

Date Visited: 13 August 2011

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: I'd been looking forward to reviewing Sal's, as they're still relatively new to Leesburg, located in the spot formerly occupied by J&W Asian Bistro. They are also affiliated with Sal’s NY Pizza in Ashburn (Broadlands).

On this Saturday night, the restaurant was not too busy, and we were enthusiastically greeted by our server, Nicole. When she brought our menus, I opened mine up to find that it was blank! When I pointed this out to her, she joked that it was the "low Carb menu" - good recovery!

We were started off with the free house appetizer called Garlic Knots, which are egg-sized knots of pizza dough with real garlic, and sprinkles of Parmesan, parsley, and salt. They are served with small bowl of homemade Marinara sauce for dipping. Nicole said to be careful, because they are addicting, and she was right!

For our beverages, I tried the limited availability Dominion Double D IPA, and Wendy had an iced tea. I asked Nicole if she had any recommendations, but she replied that it was all good, and that she "had never had a bad meal" there. (Maybe it's just me, but I expect servers to provide more useful answers than that.) I ended up ordering the New York Strip steak, which came with a choice of pasta (I picked angel hair with Marinara sauce), and a side salad (I picked Caesar). Wendy sampled mine and said the pasta was done just right, and the sauce was not overspiced but slight sweet - not too acidic - and mild. Wendy got a small White Cheese pizza (fresh garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, & Parmesan) and a garden salad.

The food at Sal’s was indeed all good, and we’d go back again. Try ‘em out yourself!

Location: 707 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-7707

Website: http://salsnybarandgrille.com/

Total bill: $45.80 + $10.00 tip = $55.80