Last weekend we headed over to Arlington with Samuel's friend, Joshua and his two daddies after we saw the wonderful production of the LION KING at the Kennedy Center. We were all hyped up for BIG BUN's highly rated burgers only to find them closed for the entire holiday weekend! So we looked around the neighborhood and spotted VAPIANO ( 4401 Wilson Blvd, opposite Ballston Commons) and decided to give it a try.
Upon entering the manager asked if we knew the "routine" which he quickly explained as he handed each adult a "credit card" valued up to $100 to purchase our food with. He explained that we pay upon departure and present the card for each purchase. There are no waiters or servers and you can sit a regular tables, high tables or in the lounge area near the front bar. The place is pretty and simple enough, but it is a bit confusing and daunting at first.
I would never recommend this type of dining if you want SERVICE or if you have children with no patience. We stuck the kids with one parent at the table to play while we attempted to navigate the lines marked PIZZA/PASTA/ANTIPASTO, etc. This is the first problem in that you must get each item in a different line and if the lines are long food can get cold and those waiting at the table (little tots especially) can get impatient.
I headed right for the antipasto counter and asked for the VITELLO TONNATO since there was no line there at all. I was handed a bleeper/ buzzer thingie (like the kind you get waiting for a table at the Outback Steakhouse) and proceeded to the bar to get four glasses and a bottle of CUSUMANO NERO d'AVOLA, a medium to full bodied red which was a bargain at $25. When I got back to the table and poured the others were beginning to return with a salad or whatever here. The pasta line was still quite long as the others waited there.
My buzzer buzzed and I retreived a large platter of sliced cold veal that was quite dry, but nicely sauced with the tuna cream sauce, capers and arugula. The overall whole was pretty good, and only for $9.00.
The kids started devouring their pasta BOLOGNESE which came after about 15 minutes in line for the daddies. This can be ordered in the reasonable size for kids at $4.45 or the regular adult $8.95, but this is NOT advertised!
You also can choose which TYPE of pasta you like from a photo chart displaying about 8 regular and 2 whole wheat styles.
I ordered a PAPPARDELLE with SALSICCIA CALABRESE which amounted to thinner and shoter than normal pappardelle (I think it's really a different type of pasta) with sliced salami-like sausage piled over WHITE BEANS and SUN DRIED TOMATOES with a superb sauce in a monster bowl all for $10.95. The chef at the counter asked if I liked extra garlic or chilies while preparing, so you can actually have input while you stand there which is very nice.
The pizza was decent, but gets no raves from me and the salads are tasty and huge.
A second bottle of ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS MALBEC from Argentina was an even bigger wine and went even better with my garlic-laden and chili infused pasta.
The menu has 5 simple pasta preparations called "Traditional," 4 "classic" and 11 "premium" all priced between $8-11.
We skipped desserts and headed home quite full and reasonably happy, but felt it's not a great place if the lines are long and one has hungry kids.
