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
No comments:
Post a Comment