#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