#153: Leesburg Public House

Date Visited: 13 December 2014

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me and Wendy

Experience: Leesburg Public House is the latest restaurant to occupy this storied location near Walmart. When we moved here in 1987 it was a Sizzler, then Ponderosa, then Red Apple Buffet (after I started this blog), then the short-lived Buffalo Wings & Beer (never visited), then Ironwood Tavern, and now Leesburg Public House. The restaurant is self-described as “Seasonal American Cuisine by Chef Mark Marrocco” and a place to “Enjoy a fabulous menu in a fun and comfortable new restaurant, featuring over 30 craft beers on tap, unique cocktails and top-notch wine.”

On the advice of our server, we picked the Bacon Popcorn appetizer, which is hot buttered popcorn in a brown paper bag, with crumbled bacon on top. Fun! There were several other appetizers that looked good too, but will have to wait until the next visit.

Since this is a beer joint, of course I had to order a beer. Again, on the advice of our server, I picked a Maine Beer Company Weez, from the “Malty & Smooth” section of the menu, described as “Hoppy American Black Ale”. It was really dark and great on this cold night.

For my main dish, I got the Southern Man Burger (“Praline Bacon, Pimento Cheese, Sweet Onions, Red Pepper Mayo, Lettuce”). I ordered it medium, and it was actually medium! (well, it looked medium.) The pimento cheese and red pepper mayo were a good combination of flavors. Wendy got the Baja Shrimp Taco (“Flour Tortilla, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Cilantro Slaw, Crispy Tortilla Chips”). Although the name is singular (“Taco”), you actually get three. The shrimp in the tacos are lightly battered and have a slightly spicy, creamy sauce on them. They had a nice fresh and light texture. She was also able to substitute Asiago Polenta instead of Tortilla Chips - yum!

Reviews on Yelp are mostly very good, with just a few instances of service issues. Our service was extremely good; our server was cheerful, attentive, prompt with refills, and had good presentation.

Check out Leesburg Public House yourself, and support a local business!

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

Website: http://leesburgpublichouse.com/

Total bill: $47.36 + $10.00 tip = $57.36

#152: King's Tavern & Wine Bar

Date Visited: 30 September 2014

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: I finally got around to visiting King’s. For many years, it was located downtown on King St. and was known as the King’s Court Tavern. In 2012, owner Fabian Saeidi moved it around the corner to it’s present position on King St., replacing the old Bella Luna restaurant. In the process, it was expanded and renamed King’s Tavern & Wine Bar, though the old King’s Court Tavern sign still hangs in front. Mr. Saeidi also owns the Old Town Grill (formerly The Green Tree), Georgetown Cafe, and The Leesburg Colonial Inn.

A large part of the reason we went to King’s on a Tuesday night was to see our friend Bob play guitar with the Arcadians, a New Orleans-style jazz band.

We started out with an appetizer. We ordered the Baked Brie, but there was a mixup and we got the Stuffed Mushrooms instead! It was OK. As for drinks, I had a Honkers Ale, and Alicia had one too, since she’s now 21. Wendy had an iced tea.

I ordered the Fish & Chips for dinner. I had it here once before and liked it. It was good this time too. Wendy and Alicia both had the Blue Ridge sandwich (Virginia ham). Alicia said "it was alright."

Alicia and I still had room for dessert, so I ordered he Pecan pie, but they were out of that so I settled for German chocolate and a coffee. Alicia had the Tiramisu.

Overall, the food and service was just kind of average, but the music was good!

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

Web site: http://kingstavernandwinebar.com/

Total bill: $74.14 + $15.00 tip = $89.14

#151: Sweetz Bakery

Date Visited: 19 July 2014

Meal: Dessert (before dinner!)

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Mimi

Experience: We had a great day getting up late, having a big breakfast, and taking a trip to Great Country Farms with our friend Mimi. Because we missed lunch, we were feeling a mite peckish and decided to have dessert before dinner, so we visited Sweetz Bakery! Sweetz is located in the Battlefield Shopping Center, along with Five Guys, Golden China, Ledo Pizza, Which Wich, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, and Ruby Tuesday. Sweetz is one of two cupcake-oriented specialty restaurants, along with Cupcakes Actually.

For this visit, Wendy abstained, so it was just me and Mimi ordering. I got a Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake, and Mimi got a Boston Cream cupcake. Mine was cool, creamy, and delicious; I’m not sure how Mimi’s was, as she devoured the whole thing before I could sample it. We then washed ‘em down with a couple of San Pellegrino sparkling waters. It turns out there are “everyday” cupcake flavors (ours were included), and then there are daily specials that vary. Sweetz also has a few other kinds of baked products, as well as specialties like wedding cakes.

If you like cupcakes, check out Sweetz for yourself, and support a local business!

Location: 1057 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 571-291-9141

Website: http://sweetzbakery.com/

Total bill: $10.22

#150: Chimole Wine & Tapas Lounge

Date Visited: 6 June 2014

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Chimole is the only “true” tapas restaurant in Leesburg, as far as I know. It’s the newest restaurant located in the center of downtown historic Leesburg on King Street, along with Windy City Red Hots, Blue Mountain Cafe, Georgetown Cafe, Old Town Grill, China King, and The Wine Kitchen. Our first visit to Chimole happened to coincide with Leesburg’s First Friday event, so we had live music in the restaurant!

To get into the tapas mood, I started off with a Bay Island Red Sangria (berries, apples, and oranges, with Punti Ferrer Merlot and Cabernet from Chile). Wendy (designated driver) had an iced tea.

Our first plate was an appetizer, the Chimolito “Signature Salsa” & Chips (onions, tomato, cilantro, garlic, habaneros, citrus juices, and spices). The citrus flavor made it especially nice and refreshing.

Our second plate was the Tres Quesos (goat, provolone, and mozzarella cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, house mayo, and lettuce on Rosemary Focaccia bread). It also came with a roasted red pepper dipping sauce.

Our third plate was the Combo Tapas Platter (6 tacos and 6 enchiladas, with three different meats: chicken, pork, and beef). The tacos are served bite-size on tortilla chips, and the enchiladas are made with soft corn tortillas, meat, cabbage, cheese, and homemade sauces. The platter came with more of the delicious roasted red pepper aioli as well as a savory barbecue sauce.

If you visit their website, you’ll find that Chimole is about more than just good food - owner Yovanna Reiser promotes unique Honduran artwork and pottery. In fact, the website hardly mentions food; for more about the restaurant, you’ll need to visit the Chimole Facebook page.

Check out Chimole for yourself, and support a local business!

Location: 10 S. King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-7011

Web site: http://chimole.com/

Total bill: $51.48 + $10.00 tip = $61.48

#149: Cupcakes Actually

Date Visited: 22 March 2014

Meal: Dinner

iners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Cupcakes Actually is located in the Village at Leesburg, in between Noodles & Company and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Besides this location, they have another one in Fairfax. Cupcakes Actually is a product of the relatively recent cultural obsession with upscale, gourmet cupcakes. The menu is pretty simple, it’s mostly cupcakes! Different styles are featured every week, and there’s plenty of variety, including gluten-free and vegan choices. They also have other goodies, such as homemade gelato and sorbet, a coffee bar, breakfast pastries, and frozen treats - a full-service restaurant!

Our real purpose for this visit was to get some cupcakes for Andy’s birthday instead of a cake. We chose an assortment of three cupcakes: Fudge, Simply Red, and Dipped Peanut Butter. I only got to taste the Fudge one, and it was pure, creamy deliciousness. Andy devoured the other two before I got a chance to taste them, so they must have been good. To balance out all that sugar, I also got a small Cappuccino, which was just fine and well-made.

Check out Cupcakes Actually for yourself, and support a local business!

Location: 1607 Village Market Blvd. #108, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 571-442-8210

Website: http://cupcakesactually.com/

Total bill: $11.96

#148: Which Wich

Date Visited: 16 March 2014

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Having our usual Sunday afternoon post-church discussion on where to eat, I suggested that we go to Quiznos, since the company just announced they were filing for bankruptcy, and we might not get another chance. So we headed over and found that Quiznos was already gone, replaced by Which Wich! Apparently they opened back in October of 2013 but I didn’t notice. Other restaurants in the Battlefield Shopping Center include Five Guys, Golden China, Ledo Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, Ruby Tuesday, and Sweetz Bakery (not yet reviewed).

Which Wich is a franchised restaurant chain with a unique approach to ordering. Here’s a quote from the website, explaining things for those new to Which Wich:

“Which Wich is a fresh, innovative concept featuring superior sandwiches served in an edgy, magnetic environment. In addition to more than 50 customizable “wiches”, including the signature Wicked loaded with five meats and three cheeses, Which Wich is known for its revolutionary ordering system. Find the bag with the category you want, grab a red Sharpie, and mark up the pre-printed menu on the sandwich bag. Select your sandwich, then choose the bread, cheese, spreads, and veggies. Your wich is prepared just the way you want it and delivered in your personalized sandwich bag. After you’ve enjoyed your wich, grab another red Sharpie, doodle on the back of your bag, and hang your masterpiece on the community wall. Wicked, right?”

Well, I’m not sure about the “magnetic environment”, but it is a pretty cool system. There are really just ten different bags to choose from: Turkey, Ham & Pork, Beef, Chicken, Seafood, Vegetarian, Italian, R&D, Classics, and Breakfast. There’s plenty of variety and customization possible once you select your bag.

For this visit, I chose the R&D (Research & Development) bag, which for now equates to a Shrimp Po’ Boy. It includes ⅓ pound of breaded butterfly shrimp, plus lettuce, tomato, pickles, and Cajun Tartar Sauce. This one comes with a bag of chips, and I chose the House chips, which were crinkle-cut potato chips with salt & pepper. I did enjoy my sandwich and the chips were kinda different. Wendy and Andy both chose the Turkey bag and customized them appropriately. You can order the sandwiches hot or cold, with different kinds of bread, different sizes (7”, 10.5”, or 14”), and lots of cheeses, sauces, mustards, mayos, dressings, veggies, oils, and spices. Andy also got a Vanilla Shake and he said it was pretty good, but I don’t know because I was too slow to ask for a taste before it was all gone!

Our visit to Which Wich was pretty positive, now you give ‘em a try!

Location: 1015 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-687-4345

Website: http://whichwich.com/

Total bill: $33.87 + $5.00 tip = $38.87

#147: DelMarVa's Southern Cafe

Date Visited: 9 February 2014

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: In their own words, DelMarVa’s Southern Cafe features “Southern, comfort food imported from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.” It occupies the former location of Tenderjack’s (next door to Tropical Smoothie Cafe), and has additional locations in Sterling and Baltimore. I spoke to one of DelMarVa’s staff and was informed that they essentially bought out Tenderjack’s, getting rights to the name and menu. You will see several items on the menu that retain the Tenderjack’s nomenclature. The menu has grilled wraps, sandwiches, chicken tenders, burgers, salads, mac-n-cheese, and southern favorites, as well as weekend brunch selections (including breakfast pizza!)

On this visit I had one of the southern favorites, Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits (“Cheesy grits covered in a spicy, andouille Cajun sauce, broiled shrimp and a buttermilk biscuit”). The generous serving of shrimp is delivered in big lumps of cheesy grits in the center of the plate, with the sauce all around. It was indeed just the right spiciness and delicious. I guess the biscuit adds to the “southern-ness” of the dish. Wendy had the Bacon, Tomato and Avocado Baked Mac-n-Cheese (“Our homemade cheese sauce and pasta, topped with smoky bacon, fresh avocado & diced tomatoes”). It came in a small cast--iron skillet on top a plate, and didn’t look like much, but she said it was very filling, as well as “creamy and cheesy.” Although not listed on the menu anywhere, Wendy also managed to get a cup of Tomato Basil soup for an appetizer. Andy got the Bacon Cheese Burger (“Smokey bacon, cheddar cheese and sweet tangy bacon marmalade”). A tough reviewer with high standards, he liked it a lot, rating it as better than the old Tenderjack’s version. The bacon marmalade seemed to be the magic ingredient.

We were pleasantly surprised at the food quality and noticed many other menu items that we’d like to go back and try. Give ‘em a try yourself!

Location: 506B E. Market St., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-669-4866

Web site: http://delmarvassoutherncafe.com/

Total bill: $43.77 + $10.00 tip = $53.77

#146: Wegmans

Date Visited: 26 November 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Well, yes, Wegmans IS too a restaurant! In my obsession to review every restaurant in Leesburg, I’ve got to include Wegmans, even though it’s mainly a supermarket. Previously reviewed restaurants at the Village at Leesburg include BurgerFi, Pinkberry, Firebirds, Finnegan’s, Eggspectation, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Flame Kabob, Noodles & Co., and Faang Thai. Still to be reviewed are Cupcakes Actually, Bean Bar, and the restaurants inside King Pinz and Cobb Theater.

Our Wegmans has a pretty decent Market Cafe. It’s a big buffet featuring all sorts of cuisines, especially asian and indian, along with a full salad bar. On this visit, I selected mainly chinese-style standards, Wendy got a more eclectic mix, and Andy of course got a pizza. It’s not fine cuisine, but it’s easy for everyone to find just what they want and exactly how much they want. The thing you have to be careful about is that it’s pay by the pound, so relatively dense foods tend to increase the cost quickly.

If you’re looking for wide variety in fast food with portions you control, give Wegmans a try.

Location: 101 Crosstrail Blvd. SE, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-669-2044

Web site: http://wegmans.com/

Total bill: $40.49