2007 Fall Dining Guide By Tom Sietsema Washington Post Magazine Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007 Food lovers admire this husband-and-wife-owned American restaurant for its interesting flavor combinations. Wine mavens know they can drink as well as they eat in the simply dressed dining room, which features brick walls, wood floors and an arched ceiling whose sound-absorbing panels mute the noise of the inevitable crowd. A warm hello at the door is followed by knowledgeable service at the table and food that smacks of the big city: Chef Patrick Bazin spent almost seven years at the historic Occidental in Washington before venturing out to make a more personal statement with his spouse, Julie, in the suburbs. Crab-filled spring rolls with ginger vinaigrette, crisp fried oysters and a pretty chopped salad of chick peas, feta cheese, green beans and pistachios start dinner on the right note. Entrees such as red snapper on a bed of bacon-laced spinach, and a mixed grill of lamb, pork and skirt steak -- each protein sporting its own vivid sauce -- continue the pleasure. But don't stop there. Key lime pie in a coconut crust and crisp cannoli stuffed with ricotta, pistachios and orange zest show that the kitchen takes its last impressions as seriously as its first.
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