#103: Moley Brothers Q-Pit

Date Visited: 19 September 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Moley Brothers Q-Pit opened about four weeks ago, in the former location of Bacchus Cafe on Catoctin Circle, next door to Andy's. Their official ribbon-cutting was apparently on 10 September, but we've waited to visit, giving them some time to get settled in. I think this was a good idea, as some of the first reviews online were a bit mixed. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, our standard after-church lunch schedule. On Sundays, they don't open until 1:00 PM, so we were first customers that day.

We both ordered the #4 Two Meat Plate. I got the 1/4 slab and beef brisket with the "Moley Brothers Fire Kickin Carolina Sauce" (spicy), with sides of corn bread, baked beans and cole slaw. Wendy got the 1/4 slab and beef ribs with the "Moley Brothers Original Sauce" (sweet & tangy), with sides of corn bread, baked beans and potato salad. For drinks, I got a Diet Pepsi and Wendy got the Sweet Tea - and whoo-hoo, that is SWEET tea, southern style! All of the sides were OK, but Moley Brothers clearly concentrates on the meat. The ribs and brisket tasted like barbeque should - the ribs were tender, not-quite-falling-off-the-bone, and the spicy sauce had a good balance of sweet and kick. Wendy's beef ribs were the real surprise - our server referred to them as "Fred Flintstone Dinosaur Ribs" - they were HUGE! Just like the pork ribs, the beef ribs were quite tender and juicy, as well as being HUGE. She couldn't finish, so we took some home for a future lunch.

Moley Brothers Q-Pit is a welcome addition to Leesburg's locally-owned and operated restaurants, and is far superior to any chain restaurant for good barbeque (well, except for Famous Dave's, but Leesburg doesn't have one). Give 'em a try!

Location: 9E Catoctin Circle SW, Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-777-8632

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

Total bill: $26.65 + $7.00 Tip = $33.65

#102: King Street Coffee

Date Visited: 18 September 2010

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: It was sad when the Coffee Bean closed, because it had been such a long-time fixture of downtown Leesburg. Now we are happy again because it has reopened, still serving good coffee, but with new owners and a new name: King Street Coffee! The inside of the place looks mostly the same, but it's been significantly spruced up and welcomes you with a fresh yet cozy atmosphere. It's very convenient to downtown Leesburg and the W&OD trail.

On this visit I got the coffee of the day, a large Panama and it was very good. There are plenty more selections to try, and they offer whole beans, teas, drinks made to offer, and various snacks. And they have one thing the old Coffee Bean never had - a web site!

Stop in and support a local business - give King Street Coffee a try!

Location: 110 S. King St., Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-443-0110

Web site: http://kingstreetcoffee.com/

Total bill: $2.07

#101: Jersey Mike's Subs

Date Visited: 9 September 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: Jersey Mike's is the latest new restaurant to open up in the Fort Evans Plaza II shopping center, along with Cici's and Pho Royal. It's is a franchise restaurant chain specializing in sub sandwiches. They have an interesting history, having started by a guy named Mike in a simple storefront in the "sea-side town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey." We came to Jersey Mike's because they were having a fundraiser for the LCHS Marching Band.

I got the #2 Jersey Shore's Favorite (provolone, ham and cappacuolo), and Wendy got the #9 Club Supreme (roast beef, turkey, swiss, bacon, and mayo). All of Jersey Mike's cold subs come Mike's Way (onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil blend and spices) unless you tell them not to; we got 'em both Mike's Way of course. We also ordered both in the "regular" size, which was plenty big (the "giant" size is truly enormous). Alicia, not feeling the sub vibe, got the Chicken Caesar salad (fresh greens, tomatoes, green bell peppers, and cucumbers, with grilled sliced chicken breast). All the food seemed to be made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, along with friendly service, and we enjoyed it.

When you're in the mood for a sub sandwich, Jersey Mike's is a good choice. However, there's plenty of great non-franchise, locally-owned competition from Deli South, Andy's, Puccio's, and Galletta's. Try 'em all!

Location: 522 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-777-3880

Web site: http://jerseymikes.com/

Total bill: $26.71

#100: Kabob & Falafel

Date Visited: 14 August 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Leesburg is going kabob-crazy! At least that's how it seems. Now we have another choice: the new Kabob & Falafel is on South King St. in the location formerly occupied by the Fractured Prune. Kabab & Falafel joins the growing list of Leesburg restaurants serving kabobs/gyros/falafel, which includes Zara Kebab (Turkish), Red Kabob (Jordanian), Doner Bistro (German), and Mama Lucci's (Italian/Greek/Middle Eastern).

Kabob & Falafel is served by Chef Rida (Lebanese), who was the chef of the Fettouch Restaurant in Washington, D.C. from 1980-1989. I remember going there (it was on M St. in Georgetown) back in 1984 or so, and it was great! When I saw Chef Rida's name on the Kabob & Falafel menu, I knew this was going to be good.



We started off with the Falafel appetizer, and the dish was beautifully presented. I was surprised to find the inside of the falafel was green; Chef Rida explained that this was due to the parsley. It was nice and hot, slightly crispy outside, soft on the inside. Yum!



I ordered the Gyro Sandwich ("Mixture of lamb and beef with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber yogurt sauce"), which was a little unusual in that it had longish strips of meat in the pita. It was deliciously different, but retained the traditional gyro taste. Wendy got the Shish Kabob ("Marinated beef tenderloin with tomatoes, onions and green peppers"), and she was a little surprised to be asked how she wanted it cooked; "Medium" was the answer; and we were clued in that this was not just fast food, it was all cooked to order. The meat was perfectly tender and juicy, obviously high-quality beef. Both dishes came with small containers of the cucumber yogurt sauce and a vinegar-based, spicier sauce with parsley. The quality of the food, the taste, and the presentation were all top-notch, and quite a contrast to the spartan decor of the place. Everything is plain and simple except the food!

Chef Rida's friendly manner and service made us feel right at home. We found everything at Kabob & Falafel to be fresh, cooked to order, and delicious. Give them a try and support a great local Leesburg restaurant!

Location: 828 S. King St., Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-777-6985

Web site: none (yet)

Total bill: $19.90

#99: Shoes Cup & Cork Club

Date Visited: 12 August 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Andy

Experience: Shoes is one of my new local favorites. Boasting the "Best Coffee in Leesburg" and a cool downtown location, Shoes offers much more than coffee, although they feature many different kinds of hot and cold coffee drinks, teas, and fruit smoothies. The name comes from the fact that this was for many years the location of Arthur's Shoe Repair (see the History section of their web site for more information).

Andy and I were here for dinner on this visit. As I mentioned, Shoes offers more than coffee, and I think they offer a pretty amazing menu of good food. To start off, I had an iced coffee and Andy had a hot Chai tea; both very good. For my dinner, I ordered Ed's Famous Award Winning Chili Verde ("Savory Pork, Green Chili Peppers, Fresh Tomato, Slow Cooked to Perfection. Topped with Shredded Cheese and Served with Warmed Tortilla Chips"). "Ed" is Ed Shihadeh, one of the owners. The Chili Verde was just right, even award-winning, I'd say. Andy ordered the Italian Hoagie ("Ham, Capicola, Salami, Provolone Cheese, Italian Spices, Olive Oil, Vinegar Lettuce, Tomato and Onion"). Andy, who is a tough food critic, described it as "generic, but fresh stuff" - a pretty good recommendation, actually.

There is plenty more on the menu to be sampled, and we will surely be back many times to support this local business. Check out their web site for the entire menu, schedule of live music, and other news.

Location: 17 N. King St., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-779-7997

Web site: http://shoescupandcork.com/

Total bill: $24.59 + $5.00 tip = $29.59