Do any of you NoVa/DC folks have a recommendation for a restaurant somewhat convenient to Reston where the food is above average, decent wine list is a bonus but not required, and setting is not stuffy?
Thanks!!
2941 in Falls Church and Clarify in Vienna may fit what you’re looking for (both are about a 20 minute drive from Reston).
Good suggestions. I like 2941 a lot and friends of mine have been very happy with Clarity.
Thanks for the suggestions. Going to try Clarity tonight!
Chris,
If that doesn’t work out, I found the seafood very good at Passion Fish, right in downtown Reston. Only been once, for an office Christmas party, but my crabcakes were absolutely top of the line.
Clarity is great. Wine bonus - if you bring in multiple bottles and have them match the menu to the wines, they’ll waive the corkage fee.
Chris – come back and give us a report on how it was!
And Jeff – thanks for the info on the pairing dinner/free corkage – i hadn’t heard about that, and wandered over to the website to check it out – it looks great!
I also was unaware of their corkage policies, Alicia–so, Jeff, my thanks, as well. I’ve already started talking to friends about OLs!
Clarity’s pairing/no corkage policy goes beyond the private room dinners. While they don’t advertise it, they’ll waive the corkage for a smaller group if you bring multiple bottles and let them match the wines to things on that night’s menu. You have to request it there and you eat what they think works best, but I’ve never had a bad meal there so I’m comfortable putting myself in their hands.
Thanks everyone, this info on Clarity is awesome. I updated the BYO forum NOVA post to reflect this. We should plan a dinner here soon!
As I was meeting a friend there for dinner on my drive to Baltimore from Charlottesville, I didn’t try anything from the wine list. However, being a berserker, I did look at it. Sadly, there wasn’t anything to interest me anyway.
The food was well prepared if unexciting. My first course of scallops were perfectly done, and in a foamy, milky type of broth. I was hoping for a few more of the accompanying mushroom ingredient, but alas there little. My friend’s main was rockfish and mine was half a chicken. Both done well, but nothing stood out. I would have preferred another vegetarian option in both courses as well.
It seemed to be well liked as it got quite packed. Thanks again everyone for the suggestions. Let me know if you ever need the same for Charlottesville.
Like we said, Chris, you should have gone to 2941! Very sorry it underwhelmed; it does have quite a good rep.
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I’ve never had a bad meal at Clarity.
I didn’t have a bad meal, just to be clear. It just didn’t stand out in any way. But, I wasn’t expecting more either so it’s ok. I got to see my friend who lives in Paris that I get to see once every two years or so. The meal wasn’t going to distract me in any event.