Last night a group of us returned to Vermilion in Alexandria and settled in for a truly wonderful meal with our servers Juliet & Sam. We ordered a bottle of Cabernet Franc 2023 from Blenheim in Virginia which is offered by the glass as well. There are many wonderful Virginia wines on their list and the restaurant and its superb Chef Tony Chittum stress that everything is really locally sourced (save for those wines from out of the region). Indeed, there is a map on the back of the menu showing all the vendors and what comes from where.
Bread lovers beware an addition to Bettie's Buns which are old fashioned yeast rolls sourced from grandma's recipe served with soft sorghum butter topped with pickled chilis.
We were also treated to a superb amuse of Sunchoke Soup with diced apple that was rich and creamy with a tartness and crunch from the apple.
I started with the Crispy Chesapeake Oysters which have become a staple and are served with celery root/sweet and sour apple remoulade and a whole grain mustard aioli. I rarely feel like steak, but the Garlic Crusted Fluke Filet (which got raves) came with shaved fennel (not my cup of tea), Lobster Tortellini (one felt the pasta was thick) pickled chili and a shellfish emulsion. It sure looked good, but I adored my Roseda Farm Beef Striploin with Finger Sweet Potatoes, little deep-Fried Bay Blue Cheese Cubes(I would have loved a couple more!!), super charred Cipollini Onions and a fab salsa verde. The only problem was the wonderful fancy steak knife kept falling into the center of the curved plate! The meat was perfection, tender and rare and not a piece of sinew in sight!
Braised Creekstone Short Rib was also a hit with a Sunchoke Gratin and wilted greens in a red wine reduction. The dessert chosen by most was the very rich Dark & Milk Chocolate Cremeux with Virginia peanuts, shortbread crumbles and kumquat marmalade. I loved the Trio of Mid-Atlantic cheeses as it brought back the Bay Blue in its virgin form!!
Super fun night for all.
