#55: Mama Lucci's

Date Visited: 22 February 2009

Meal: Lunch

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

Experience: Though Leesburg is a "small town", it does have some very excellent locally-owned and operated restaurants. Mama Lucci's is one of our best, specializing in American, Pizza, Italian, Greek, and Middle Eastern cuisine. I can't remember the name of the restaurant that was in this location before Mama Lucci's, but as their web site explains: "Carolina Lucci and her husband, Mostafa Hessein, began their business in July of 1995 in Leesburg across from the Rescue Squad and the Skate Park. The restaurant is named after Carolina's mother, whom everyone affectionately calls Mama Lucci."

We've been to Mama Lucci's a few times before and always had good experiences. Andy has lately been fixated on finding the perfect Gyro, so we decided to try Mama Lucci's for lunch after church.

For appetizers, I got a cup of Cream of Crab soup, which was wonderfully thick, and didn't skimp on the crab. It was a welcome warm up from the cold outside. Wendy got a cup of the Italian Wedding soup, a very savory vegetable soup with tiny meatballs! A great start to the meal.

Wendy, Andy, and I got the Gyro Platter ("mixed lamb and beef with Greek spices, lettuce, tomato, and onions; topped with our homemade Tzatziki sauce; served on a toasted pita with french fries"). We all agreed that these are the best Gyros in Leesburg; the meat was cut into thick bite-size pieces, very tender and flavorful. The Tzatziki sauce perfectly complemented the flavor of the meat. The platters also come with a Greek dinner salad ("fresh leafy greens with onions, Feta cheese, Pepperoni peppers, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, and our house dressing") - yum!

Alicia went Italian and got the Lasagne ("layers of pasta with Ricotta, seasoned Italian cheeses, and topped with Marinara sauce and Mozzarella"). I didn't get to try any, but she completely cleaned her plate, and that's high praise from a picky eater!

Andy and Alicia also shared a Super Grande size Pepperoni pizza. With all the pizza places in Leesburg, it's tough to stand out, but this one was very good. Andy is an experienced pizza connoisseur and cook; he rated this one "above average", an "8 out of 10". I got one slice and agreed that it was unusually good. Again, high praise!

Our server (Veronica) was very friendly and attentive, adding to the already positive experience. They have an awesome web site, but you'd never know about it because it's not printed on the menu, the receipt, or anywhere else I looked.

Go to Mama Lucci's and try something different!

Location: 302 I&H Industrial Ct. SE, Leesburg, 20175

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

Total bill: $61.52 + $10.00 tip = $71.52

#54: Andy's Pizza & Subs

Date Visited: 18 February 2009

Meal: Dinner

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

Experience: Andy's has been a landmark Leesburg restaurant as long as we've lived here (since 1987). They have a banner up in front that says it's the "20th Anniversary Celebration", but I'm pretty sure it's been there longer than that. They used to operate the Bacchus Cafe (which closed, but the web site is still up), and have another Andy's location in Lovettsville. On this "official blog visit", we had most of the family represented and decided to order a variety of items that we could all share. We were there late, on a slow Wednesday night.

I got a 12" Steak & Cheese sandwich (steak, fried onions, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise); it was good. Wendy got the Original Stromboli (pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese); she reported "good marinara sauce". Andy and Alicia shared a large Pepperoni Pizza; they said it was better than average. We got a Lamb Gyro (lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber-yogurt sauce) to all share; everyone got a piece. Andy's comment: "a little dry"; I thought it was good.

Overall, a great little family eatery; food all good, reasonably priced, and friendly service. They need a web site.

Location: 9F Catoctin Cir. SW, Leesburg, 20175

Web site: none

Total bill: $40.81 + $8.00 tip = $48.81

#53: Milwaukee Frozen Custard

Date Visited: 9 February 2009

Meal: Dessert

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: We were out at PetSmart after dinner, helping Alicia buy a Purple Betta for a friend's birthday (it's a long story), and Wendy "just happened to notice" the Milwaukee Frozen Custard store next door. So of course we had to go.

I'm not much of an ice cream person, so I just got a Child size Vanilla. Wendy got a Small size Vanilla (small is a very relative term). This is frozen custard, not ice cream or yogurt. It's very smooth, dense, creamy, and tastes good too.

If you like ice cream, you'll like Milwaukee Frozen Custard better!

Location: 510 E Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://milwaukeefrozencustard.com/

Total bill: $5.65

#52: Indian Restaurant & Grocery

Date Visited: 8 February 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: One of the newest restaurants in Leesburg, the Indian Restaurant & Grocery is located in the Bellewood Commons shopping center on Market Street. Just like the name says, it is both a restaurant and grocery store. They seem to have quite a variety of Indian items, including hard-to-find imported groceries, home made desserts, Indian movie rentals, and even help with flight reservations (to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Nepal). They also offer local delivery, take-out, and catering.

The restaurant features a $6.99 lunch buffet from 11:30 to 3:30 daily. When we visited, the buffet included:
* Basmati Rice
* Dal Maihani (slow cooked lentils with freshly ground spices)
* Channa Masala (chickpeas in a special sauce with fresh herbs and spices)
* Shahi Paneer (home made paneer cheese simmered in a honey-laced tomato sauce)
* Chicken Curry
* Tandoori Naan (bread)

We tried it all and liked it all! Wendy's favorite was the Chicken Curry, and mine was the Shahi Paneer. The Dal Maihani was very good too, and had a delicious (hot) spiciness to it. The Naan was fresh and hot out of the oven, and was one of the best parts of the meal. For dining in, there are only four tables, walled off at the rear of the store, making it very "cozy". And of course, there were Bollywood videos playing the whole time!

The Indian Restaurant & Grocery buffet is a great bargain, with great food and friendly, courteous service. Go there today!

Location: 525 E. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20175

Web site: http://irgva.com/

Total bill: $14.68 + $3.00 tip = $17.68

#51: Starbucks (SuperTarget)

Date Visited: 7 February 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Since starting this blog and visiting Starbucks, I was surprised to learn how many there were in Leesburg. At first, I had only discovered six, but then a friend alerted me to a seventh. Here's the list as it stands now:

1. Market Street in the Bellewood Commons shopping center
2. Edwards Ferry Road in the Battlefield Shopping Center
3. Edwards Ferry Road inside SuperTarget (this one)
4. Promenade Drive in the Lansdowne Town Center
5. Fort Evans Road in the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets
6. Winmeade Drive inside Harris Teeter at the Lansdowne Town Center
7. Xerox Document Training Center - Lobby Alcove (this one I'll have to research further to confirm it)



I've already visited the Starbucks at Bellewood Commons and Battlefield Shopping Center, and this visit was to the one located inside our local SuperTarget. I ordered my usual Grande Latte, and Wendy had a Chai Tea Frappuchino.

What else can one say about Starbucks? For purposes of this blog, that's three down and four to go. At least that's the count for now; there may be more by the time I get to all of these!

Location: 1200 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://starbucks.com/

Total bill: $7.22

#50: Nathan's Famous

Date Visited: 10 January 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: This was my second visit to the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets Food Court. Nathan's Famous is, well, famous as far as hot dogs go. As the wikipedia article explains, it was established in 1916 and "the original Nathan's restaurant stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in the Coney Island neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn." They now have locations all over the U.S. and in about seventeen foreign countries. The other thing they're famous for is the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, held every year on the 4th of July at their original location. As noted in my previous article on Arthur Treacher's, Nathan's owns Arthur Treacher's and Kenny Rogers Roasters, which adjoin Nathan's at the Food Court.

On this visit, I got a Chili Cheese Dog, Medium Cheese Fries, and a fountain drink. It was all good and cheesy, but it didn't seem much different than any other hot dog. On the other hand, it's one of the few places in Leesburg you can get a decent chili cheese dog!

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

Web site: http://nathansfamous.com/

Total bill: $7.36

#49: Eiffel Tower Cafe

Date Visited: 9 January 2009

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: For our 27th wedding anniversary, I wanted to take Wendy someplace nice. It was almost a no-brainer; the restaurant that immediately came to mind was the Eiffel Tower Cafe. We've been there a few times before and always been extremely happy with the total experience; this visit was no exception.

For appetizers, I got an endive salad (with walnuts, crumbled bleu cheese, and thinly sliced apples), and Wendy got a salad with goat cheese in puff pastry. We shared, and each bite was bliss. I also had a glass of the house Cabernet Sauvignon.



For entrees, we both selected specials of the day (BTW, not on the online dinner menu). I had a seafood dish of scallops, shrimp, and salmon on a bed of risotto, with a white wine sauce. It also came with a side of green beans and carrots. Wendy got Steak au Poivre, with a side of snow peas and carrots, and a potato cake-like delight with grated cheese. Every bite was savored and enjoyed slowly.

For dessert, we also shared a slice of chocolate praline cake. Heavenly! I also had a coffee to finish off the meal.

It's difficult to come up with words that adequately capture the experience of the Eiffel Tower Cafe. Everything about the place (decor, food, and service) is wonderful and delicious. We heartily recommend it to everyone who wants to try French cooking!



As a special surprise ending for our anniversary celebration, I secretly booked a room across the street at the Norris House Inn. We stayed in the Garden Room, and, like the Eiffel Tower Cafe, everything was wonderful. The place is done up in old British-American style, and a great "breakfast Monte Cristo" was served the next morning by Roger the innkeeper. We can also heartily recommend the Norris House Inn as a great in-town getaway!

Location: 107 Loudoun St. SW, Leesburg, VA, 20175

Web site: http://eiffeltowercafe.com/

Total bill: $119.62 + $25.00 tip = $136.92

#48: Arthur Treacher's

Date Visited: 4 January 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: Depending on how you count, there are about twelve restaurants at Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets (colloquially known as "The Outlet Mall"). Now, the problem for this blog is that these restaurants are in various degrees of colocatedness. For example, Arthur Treacher's, Kenny Rogers Roasters Express, and Nathan's Famous are all located in the same stall, and you are served by the same people. Likewise, Tropi-Kool, Boardwalk Fries, City Deli, and Cinnabon are also located together in one stall. The others are separate. On the other hand, there is a directory sign that only lists six of these places - so confusing! So, for purposes of this blog, and to give myself and my readers a greater sampling of the offerings, I'm treating them all as separate restaurants. All but the Daily Grind are in the centrally-located Food Court. Here's the full list:
* Starbucks
* Nathan's Famous
* Kenny Rogers Roasters Express
* Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips
* Tropi-Kool Smoothies
* Boardwalk Fries
* City Deli
* Cinnabon
* Burger King
* Sbarro
* Hershey's Ice Cream
* Daily Grind

Now, the problem for this blog is that these restaurants are in various degrees of colocatedness. For example, Arthur Treacher's, Kenny Rogers Roasters Express, and Nathan's Famous are all located in the same stall, and you are served by the same people. Likewise, Tropi-Kool, Boardwalk Fries, City Deli, and Cinnabon are also located together in one stall. The others are separate. On the other hand, there is a directory sign that only lists six of these places - so confusing! So, for purposes of this blog, and to give myself and my readers a greater sampling of the offerings, I'm treating them all as separate restaurants.

My first visit to an Outlet Mall eatery was to Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. I ordered the Fish & Chips combo. It was typical fried fish fast food, which included two pieces of batter-dipped fish (type not specified), two hush puppies, and chips (fries). It was OK. Arthur Treacher's is the only exclusively fish & chips restaurant in Leesburg, although there are other places that serve them too, such as the King's Court Tavern. Long John Silver's is probably the most common here on the east coast.

It turns out there is another connection between Arthur Treacher's, Kenny Rogers Roasters Express, and Nathan's Famous, that explains why they are colocated at the Outlet Mall. According to the Wikipedia article on Arthur Treacher's, "The company was acquired by PAT Franchise Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of TruFoods Systems, Inc., in 2002. Nathan's Famous bought the exclusive rights to market the Arthur Treacher's trademark and sell their products co-branded with Nathan's own concepts Kenny Rogers Roasters and Miami Subs in 2006; however, PAT Franchise Systems has a license agreement with NF Treachers to sell Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips franchises in eight states."

That's one down for the Outlet Mall, and many more fast food meals to go.

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

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

Total bill: $9.21

#47: CiCi's

Date Visited: 28 December 2008

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 4 - Me, Wendy, Andy & Eric

Experience: CiCi's is a nationwide chain with over 600 locations, scattered around the southeastern part of the US. Not your average pizza place, their uniqueness is that it's a fixed-price buffet, serving pizza, pasta, salads, and desserts. Their web site advertises the price as "all-you-can-eat for under $5*", with the asterisk explaining that "prices may vary by location". At the Leesburg CiCi's, it's $5.99 for the buffet, and another $1.69 for a drink with unlimited refills.

CiCi's is also one of Leesburg's newest restaurants. It's located in the new Fort Evans shopping center, on Fort Evans Road. Most of the stores there are still empty, and CiCi's is the only restaurant so far.



We went to CiCi's on the recommendation of my son Eric, who has frequented the CiCi's in Blacksburg, being a cost-conscious Virginia Tech student. We found the new Leesburg location to be very casual and fun, featuring good pizza and lots of it! We'll certainly be back.

Nostalgic Note: CiCi's buffet style reminds me of another pizza chain called Shakey's, that I went to while growing up in California. They too served pizza buffet style, but also featured live banjo and piano music, plus sing-a-long time!

Location: 500 Fort Evans Rd., Unit 1A, Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://cicis.com/

Total bill: $33.33

#46: T.G.I.Friday's

Date Visited: 16 December 2008

Meal: Dinner

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

Experience: T.G.I.Friday's is a nationwide chain restaurant, roughly in the same league as Ruby Tuesday and Applebee's; Blue Ridge Grill is a little more upscale. We went there on a slow Tuesday night.

I had a combo BBQ Bacon-wrapped Shrimp ("Two skewers of bacon-wrapped shrimp, grilled and basted with Jack Championship BBQ sauce.") and half-rack of ribs. I also had a house salad to start, with Ranch dressing - but it only made me long for the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday.

Wendy had the Sizzling Chicken & Shrimp ("Sautéed garlic-marinated chicken breast and plump shrimp tossed with bruschetta marinara. Served with onions, peppers and creamy mashed potatoes on a sizzling platter of melted Mexican and American cheeses"). She also had a house salad with Vinegarette dressing.

Andy had the Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger ("Topped with two kinds of cheese–mild American and gooey, golden–fried Provolone. We add crisp bacon, stack 'em all on a toasted bun"). He also had a house salad, with Italian dressing.

Alicia had the Cheesburger Sliders ("Juicy, all–beef patties with American cheese and carmelized onions on a tender bun. What most people picture when they hear "sliders". Then they cannot rest until they get their hands on some"). She also got a side order of onion rings, but somehow forgot to share any of them with me(!)

Everyone enjoyed their meal, but nothing was extraordinary. Next time, we'll probably pick a local restaurant, or our favorite in this category, Ruby Tuesday.

Location: 235 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176

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

Total bill: $65.32 + $13.00 tip = $78.32

#45: Blue Ridge Grill

Date Visited: 12 December 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Wendy and I were sans children on a Friday night, so that meant time to go to a fancy restaurant! The Blue Ridge Grill was one on the list of unvisited restaurants, so we decided to go there. Regular readers of this blog will know that we've lived in Leesburg since 1987, so we remember when this location used to be an Applebee's; we were not unhappy to see it go.

The Blue Ridge Grill has now been here in Leesburg a number of years and has a reputation for being one of our nicer restaurants. We've eaten there just a few times, so I was anxious to go back and write up our experience for the blog. I was also eager to visit because a few friends had commented that it was nice, but overpriced, so I needed to check it out for myself.

I'm happy to say our experience was very positive!

We started off by sharing an appetizer called Steak & Cheese Eggrolls ("Seasoned Steak grilled w/ Peppers & Onions, mixed w/ Monterey Jack & Cheddar Cheese, rolled in a Jalapeno Cheddar Tortilla, flash fried & served w/ a Queso Dipping Sauce"). They were nice and hot, both temperature and spice-wise, as well as delicious. They were similar to the Tex Mex Eggrolls we get at the Sweetwater Tavern in Sterling, VA. Wendy also got a house salad as a starter.

For the entree, I ordered the Surf & Turf (daily special, not on the menu), which consisted of Filet Mignon and Fresh Lump Crab Cakes. The steak was super-tender, with deep grill marks - excellent! For my side, I ordered a baked potatoe, not expecting it to be anything special, but I was surprised! It came will all the fixins (sour cream, chives, bacon, and cheddar cheese), and the outside skin was covered in yummy coarse salt - mmm... every bite was full of salty goodness.

Wendy got the Pork Chops ("Two French cut, 8 oz., marinated Pork Chops grilled and served over Mashed Potatoes and Gravy"). Her evaluation: "delicious".

Overall, we were impressed and liked Blue Ridge Grill very much. We found the food quality to be on par with the prices. We would definitely eat there again. They also have another location in Brambleton, so it's not quite a local, Leesburg-only business.

Location: 955 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA 20176

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

Total bill: $69.44 - $50.00 gift card + $15.00 tip = $34.44

#44: Joe's Pizza & Subs

Date Visited: 5 December 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Joe's is a semi-local establishment with locations in Leesburg, Manassas (3), and Sterling. Their web site says the owners of Joe's have been making pizza for over 20 years. I'm not sure how long they've been in the current location, but they were there when we moved here in 1987. Joe's is located on Plaza Street, just a couple blocks from the intersection with East Market Street.

In order to sample the variety of Joe's menu, we ordered three items for carry out: a medium Old Fashioned White Pizza ("Fresh homemade pizza w/chopped garlic, basil, oregano, olive oil, mozzarella"), a 7" Steak & Cheese sub ("served on an Italian roll with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, onions, hot peppers, and Italian dressing"), and a Calzone ("Half-moon shaped fresh dough stuffed with ricotta cheese, buffet ham & mozzarella cheese").

It was all very good and equal or better than any of the national chain pizza restaurants here. We also felt good about supporting a local establishment, and will certainly return. Oh, and their web site is great!

Location: 62 Plaza St. NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://joespizzaandsubs.com/

Total bill: $31.71

#43: Starbucks (Market St.)

Date Visited: 4 December 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & my friend Gary

Experience: As mentioned in a recent post, I meet with my friend Gary about every other Thursday evening. We usually meet at a local coffee house, like Starbucks. There are six Starbucks to choose from here, and this time we met at Leesburg's first Starbucks, the one in the Bellewood Commons shopping center on Market Street.

I ordered my usual Grande Latte, and since this is a food blog, I also got a Chocolate Cream Cheese Muffin to share. It was pretty good, unlike my previous Starbucks experience. Like last time, we were there until closing, and we had to be asked to leave.

What else can I say about Starbucks? For purposes of this blog, that's two down and four to go.

Location: 531 East Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20175

Web site: http://starbucks.com/

Total bill: $5.42

#42: 803 Deli

Date Visited: 3 December 2008

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: This is one of the "hidden" restaurants of Leesburg, and I'll bet most residents have never even heard of it. I only noticed it by chance when driving by on the way to church. The 803 Deli gets its name from the address of the building in which it is located. It's mainly intended to serve the needs of the tenants of 801 & 803 Sycolin Road, which include the Loudoun County Electoral Board, the Girl Scouts, the Loudoun County Department of General Services, the Dulles Area Association of Realtors, and Farm Bureau Insurance. However, it's open to the public and fully qualifies as a restaurant by my definition (see sidebar).

The 803 Deli has a full breakfast and lunch menu, consisting of breakfast sandwiches, breakfast platters, breakfast sides, sub, club, and combination sub sandwiches, hot specialties, vegetarian dishes, salads, various sides, and desserts.

On this visit I got an Egg & Bacon breakfast sandwich, an Everything bagel with cream cheese, and a large coffee, all to go. I was pleasantly surprised to watch the very neat and meticulous preparation of these items by the cook, as well as the careful attention paid to wrapping and presentation. Nothing really special about the food itself, but it was a great experience, and I feel like I discovered a hidden treasure! Now, if they just had a cool web site...

Location: 803 Sycolin Rd. SE, Leesburg, VA 20175

Web site: none

Total bill: $6.60

#41: Peppermill Grill

Date Visited: 23 November 2008

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: Peppermill Grill is Leesburg's newest restaurant, as far as I know. We went there after church on Sunday after seeing a sign for brunch that lasted until 3:00.

The brunch menu had a wide variety of interesting choices. Everything on the menu sounded great, and I was having trouble making a choice. I asked our waiter (Tim) what he recommended. He answered that he had not actually had a chance to try many of them yet, but he had tasted the Hollandaise sauce, and recommened that. So I ordered the Eggs Benedict ("Poached eggs, Canadian bacon, fresh Hollandaise and scallions over croissant"). It was an excellent dish, and the Hollandaise sauce was very smooth and creamy.

Wendy had the Omlette du Jour ("Served with breakfast potatoes"). Today's omlette was Ham & Swiss. She liked it very much.

Alicia had the French Toast ("Served with choice of topping; Apple Cinnamon or Strawberry"). She chose the strawberry, and it looked pretty good to me. Her comment was that it was "eggy" (I think that's good).

All of our dishes included an assortment of fresh fruit, including huge globe grapes (mmm...), cantaloupe, and honeydew melon. The plates themselves were all of different design, which produced a nice effect.

Other brunch menu options that we'll have to try sometime are: Breakfast Burrito, Peppermill Steak & Eggs, Hash & Eggs, Home Made Crepes, Shrimp & Grits, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Wild Mushroom Pasta, and Chicken Picatta. I looked over the regular lunch and dinner menus, and they include a good variety of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and beef/chicken/seafood entrees. I guess that's the "American Bistro" part of this place.

We also met some old friends while we were there. Dr Sampson (of Leesburg Chiropractic) and his family were there for their first visit too.

History: This is a Leesburg location that has seen a lot of change over the years. Before Peppermill Grill, it used to be Zeffirelli Ristorante, and from their web site, you'd think they were still there! It was a fairly high-end dining experience; we only went there once. There are still etched "Z"s on the interior windows. Before Zeffirelli's, it was Waffle King's Virginia Kitchen (not sure I'm remembering the name exactly). It was a simple family-friendly restaurant, and we ate there a few times.

The verdict on Peppermill Grill: love it, we'll be back! They do need to get a decent web site too.

Location: 5 Catoctin Cir. SE, Leesburg, VA, 20175

Web site: none

Total bill: $38.52 + $8.00 tip = $46.52

UPDATE, 5 April 2009: I've been informed that Peppermill Grill now has a web site; it's http://peppermillgrillva.com/

UPDATE, 10 May 2009: We went to Peppermill Grill for a Mother's Day dinner. This restaurant continues to impress! I had the Pork Spare Ribs (extra-large, meat falling off the bone, excellent teryaki sauce), Wendy had the Pork Scalloppini, Andy had the New York Strip Steak, and Alicia had a Caesar Salad (even the salads are outstanding here). For desserts, we got a couple Creme Brulees and a Chocolate Mousse cake. See the online menu for more details. Go to the Peppermill Grill today!

#40: Domino's

Date Visited: 22 November 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: When in the mood for pizza, our preference is usually Vocelli's, because of their excellent pizza and sandwich combinations. When Domino's started advertising sandwiches too, it was time to check them out.

When at Domino's, our favorite is a large Deluxe Feast ("A mouth-watering combination of pepperoni, savory Italian sausage, fresh green peppers, fresh mushrooms, fresh onions and cheese"). We've had this one many times and it's always good - except this time! For some reason, it was a bit undercooked and chewy. Oh well, I won't hold it against them, but it's ironic that it happened the one time I'm going to write about it on this blog.

On to the new item: "Domino's Hot Baked Sandwiches". We tried the Philly Cheese Steak ("Tender slices of Steak, Premium American & Provolone cheeses, and Onions, Green Peppers & Mushrooms all layered on an Artisan Italian Bread and baked to a perfect golden brown"). It was underwhelming and again, it seemed a bit undercooked. The "artisan" bread was pretty tough and did not make for a pleasant eating experience.

For fast pizza, we'l probably stick to Vocelli's for now.

Location: 944 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://dominos.com/

Total bill: $21.68

#39: Bob Evans

Date Visited: 15 November 2008

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: It's a sleepy, rainy, unusually warm winter Saturday morning, and I'm starving! So off we go in search of a new breakfast experience. Bob Evans is the choice today.

I grew up on the west coast, and there were a lot of IHOPs, but no Bob Evans. On their web site it says Bob Evans "provides homestyle food and friendly service to our customers primarily in the East North Central, mid-Atlantic and Southern United States." Well that explains it.

I had the Farmer's Choice ("Your choice of one fruit crepe, two hotcakes or two slices of French toast served with two eggs, Bob Evans Sausage or bacon and home fries") and selected the hotcakes and bacon. Wendy had the Western Omelette ("Diced smoked ham, onion, green and red peppers cooked
into the eggs, then stuffed and topped with shredded cheddar cheese").

The food was fine but unremarkable; I think I still prefer IHOP.

Location: 225 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://bobevans.com/

Total bill: $18.95 + $3.00 tip = $21.95

#38: Starbucks (Edwards Ferry Rd.)

Date Visited: 13 November 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & my friend Gary

Experience: I meet with my friend Gary every other week to discuss theology, parenting, music, and software development (some combination, eh?). We used to meet at Market Street Coffee until they closed this summer. So on this Thursday night we went to Starbucks.

My research on their web site's store locator reveals that there are six(!) Starbucks in Leesburg:
1. Market Street in the Bellewood Commons shopping center
2. Edwards Ferry Road in the Battlefield Shopping Center (this one)
3. Edwards Ferry Road inside SuperTarget
4. Promenade Drive in the Lansdowne Town Center
5. Fort Evans Road in the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets
6. Xerox Document Training Center - Lobby Alcove (this one I'll have to research further)

Since this is a restaurant blog, I thought I should make sure to order a food item in addition to my standard Grande Latte. I checked out the pastry case and selected an Apple Cinnamon Stella; it was kind of dry and not very tasty to me. Oh well. I really do like the coffee.

Gary and I were there talking until closing, at which time we got asked to leave. Well, that's one Starbucks down, and five to go!

Location: 1011 Edwards Ferry Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://starbucks.com/

Total bill: $5.53

#37: Ruby Tuesday

Date Visited: 11 November 2008

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: On this Tuesday night, Veteran's Day, we went out to one of our most favorite comfort-food restaurants, Ruby Tuesday. The one here in Leesburg has been consistently serving fresh and delicious meals ever since we moved here.

One of the big draws for us is the Fresh Garden Bar. It's got everything I love: all kinds of veggies, broccoli salad, cottage cheese, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, peas, edamame, red onion, pumpernickel croutons, real bacon (not "bits"), and much more. The only minor irritation is that it's located right next to the bar area's smoking section, and you can smell smoke while loading up your dish. We all added the Fresh Garden Bar to our meals.

For entrees, I had the Bacon Cheddar Minis ("Mini masterpieces made even more magnificent with crisp bacon, melted cheddar, garnished with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, and a crisp pickle. Served with a side of crisp, piping-hot fries"). Alicia got the Ruby Minis ("Fresh, USDA Choice mini masterpieces topped with American cheese and crisp onion straws, garnished with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, and a crisp pickle. Served with a side of crisp, piping-hot fries"). Wendy got the Chicken Fresco ("A fresh, grilled chicken breast topped with seasonal vine-ripened tomatoes, lemon-butter sauce, and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. Served with fresh, steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes").

It was all good, fresh, and filling; we left very satisfied.

Location: 1003 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://rubytuesday.com/

Total bill: $37.54 + $8.00 tip = $48.73

#36: Pizza Hut Express

Date Visited: 9 November 2008

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: Pizza Hut Express is located inside Leesburg's SuperTarget at the Battlefield Shopping Center. It turns out that Pizza Hut and Pizza Hut Express are two very different entities. From the Wikipedia article on Pizza Hut, it is explained that "Pizza Hut Express locations are fast food restaurants licensed by Pizza Hut and operated independently. They offer a completely different menu with many products not found at traditional Pizza Huts, and are often found on college campuses, food courts, theme parks, and in stores such as Target." Other than this mention on Wikipedia, I couldn't find any reference to Pizza Hut Express on Pizza Hut's main web site.

Leesburg's Pizza Hut Express offers personal size pizzas and breadsticks, as well as some very un-Pizza Hut items like salads, deli sandwiches, soups, and even hot dogs.

On this visit, I got a combo meal with an Italian Sausage pizza, breadsticks, and a drink. It was OK; they did have Cherry Coke on tap, which was a nice surprise. The pizzas are made ahead of time, so you just pick the one you want from the rack and hope it hasn't been sitting there too long. The menu is obviously oriented towards providing quick snacks to shoppers on the go.

Location: 1200 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176

Web site: http://pizzahut.com/

Total bill: $6.28