The Highs & Lows of Eating Out

This past weekend turned into an amazing amount of expensive food thanks to D’s birthday & Valentine’s day running back-to-back. Since we’re not amateurs, we decided to dine out over the weekend, leaving the 14th to the newbies & the 15th to her birthday happy hour. Saturday we had a lunch reservation at L’Auberge Chez François in Great Falls while Sunday we dialed it back just a bit for the Valentine’s Day Special at Vintage 50 in Leesburg…and then I bought steak.

Saturday we headed right up the street, past the old Nike Air Missile Defense silos, and right over to L’Auberge Chez François. It’s really a gorgeous little French restaurant tucked into the woods amongst the mansions throughout the area. The lunch was a prix fixe menu for $36, and worth every penny. I started with a hot mulled red wine while D had her sweet little muscat wine and the waiter brought out complimentary onion quiche. It was divine. Neither of us are big on quiche, but this was delicious. Next up for me was a small pot of braised veal cheeks that was some of the most tender meat I’ve ever had and absolutely delicious. After a small salad of fresh tomatoes my main course of lamb chops arrived. I was slightly disappointed that it was more medium than medium rare, but the flavor was amazing. The lamb along with the veg on the plate was very well seasoned and complimented each other well. Finally, to finish off a full French meal, what better than a chocolate souffle?  Hot, fluffy, and delicious. The perfect ending to a well paced two hour lunch.

Sunday was just a calamity in general. People didn’t keep appointments, things were open, and not much got done in general (although I was attacked by women in Bed Bath & Beyond). Nonetheless, we had reservations at Vintage 50 for dinner, one of the places we love eating. We arrived and were seated immediately. Both of us decided the prix fix menu for Valentine’s Day would be the way to go, but perhaps we should have thought that one out a bit more. I saw they were serving a cask ale and jumped at the opportunity to try their microbrewed beer served the proper way. Next up was an amuse bouche of a caper berry with small accoutrement that was both powerful and very tasty. It really woke up the tastebuds and prepared you for a nice meal. I was definitely impressed by it. Next up was a plate of foie gras that I really just wasn’t impressed with. A small disclaimer: I had never had it previously, but if this was prepared properly then I may never have it again. The only reason I think it may have been prepared in a manner unfitting is because of the rest of the meal.

Next up was a lobster claw with carrot pappardelle, blood oranges, & beet butter. Sadly the lobster was overcooked and rubbery, while the pasta was stuck together in many instances, and the blood orange slices had been sitting out for an extended amount of time. Next up was the angus beef short rib with a potato-custard tart. The tart was excellent. Light, fluffy, and delicious. However, the short rib was basically pot roast. It wasn’t overly moist and the flavor was spot on for a pot roast my mother made growing up. While I enjoy pot roast, I don’t enjoy it as part of a $75 meal. It really left a worse taste in my mouth than the cheese dessert that I wasn’t overly fond of, but I can’t really fault the restaurant for cheese they didn’t make and I shouldn’t have chosen. Overall, I was very disappointed with the meal, as was D. We both agree we probably won’t be returning for awhile, and we’ll definitely not be ordering from a prix fixe menu.

With the taste of moldy cheese still upon my pallet, I made a stop at Wegmans. Popping inside I grabbed two NY Strips…dry aged…and as of approximately 7PM tonight, they _were_ delicious.

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