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OT - Ashburn, VA

Dyal_SC
Dyal_SC Posts: 6,248
Anyone familiar with the area?  Going to be there for the rest of the week on business and looking for restaurant recommendations.  TIA!

Comments

  • Sure do. I live in Sterling, VA which is right next door. I'd suggest Carolina Brothers Pit BBQ or Clyde's Willow Creek Farm and if you're willing to drive a little further west to Leesburg I'd check out Smokehouse Live, The Wine Kitchen, Tuscarora Mill, Palio or Lightfoot. 

    Just a couple of the favorites in the area.

    Hope you enjoy your stay in Loudoun County.
    LBGE, MiniMax, Weber Genesis and a hunger for all grilling knowledge! Aledo, TX
  • smak
    smak Posts: 199
    I've been in Loudoun County for the better part of 38 years.

    @Maxwell1331 has solid choices.

    For BBQ
    Smokehouse Live - a farily new place.  The meats are good.  The wet brisket is really good for the area.  Pull pork good texture but could use some more smoke flavor.  The side may be inconsistent and somewhat expensive.  It has only been open for a handful of months so I hope the consistency improves.   I enjoy the experience.

    Carolina Brothers - Meats are ok.  I find the PP a little mushy.  Sauces good.  I do like their vinegar based sauce.  Back in the day it was a neat general store.

    If you want to drive a little bit (30-ish minutes):

    Willards in Chantilly:  Good food oddly in a strip mall in an office park area.  Meats good.  Sides pretty solid and large portions.

    Monk's BBQ in Purceville:  Good meats.  I find their sauces *different*.   The sauces are made with local wines.  I wish they had some traditional sauces.

    Places I have not been:
    Urban BBQ (in Ashburn) - have not heard much about it
    YummyPig (in Leesburg) - fairly new but have not heard good things

    NOTE:  With the Pope in DC traffic will probably be a disaster even in Ashburn in the mornings.


    smak
    Leesburg, VA
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I'll second the wine kitchen. We have one in Frederick(there are 3 locations, I believe) that is fantastic. Good drinks, they utilize local, in-season ingredients, and they have one on the best pieces of roasted chicken I've ever had. Served with sweet potato gnocchi. Good charcuterie too.
  • KSwoll
    KSwoll Posts: 129
    I might have to check out Smokehouse Live. My office is near Willard's BBQ. I eat there every now and then. I find the brisket there is over cooked, but the Bay of Pigs Cuban Sandwich isn't bad.
    XL, Large, Medium, and Mini Max
    Northern Virgina
  • KSwoll
    KSwoll Posts: 129
    Looks like I will be hitting up Smokehouse Live with the wife on Friday for date night. It never ceases to amaze me the entitlement and uppity attitude of most of the Northern Virginia population. I read reviews from Yelp about Smokehouse live and had to chuckle at all the comments about having to eat on a picnic table and god forbid they have to wait in a cafeteria like line to order their food. Most BBQ joints I have eaten at are set up similarly. We use to eat at The Branding Iron in Wichita Falls, Tx and they had the same setup. Same thing with Rudy's BBQ before they were a chain restaurant. Oh well, their lose. lol
    XL, Large, Medium, and Mini Max
    Northern Virgina
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    KSwoll said:
    Looks like I will be hitting up Smokehouse Live with the wife on Friday for date night. It never ceases to amaze me the entitlement and uppity attitude of most of the Northern Virginia population. I read reviews from Yelp about Smokehouse live and had to chuckle at all the comments about having to eat on a picnic table and god forbid they have to wait in a cafeteria like line to order their food. Most BBQ joints I have eaten at are set up similarly. We use to eat at The Branding Iron in Wichita Falls, Tx and they had the same setup. Same thing with Rudy's BBQ before they were a chain restaurant. Oh well, their lose. lol
    Heh. I always enjoy crossing the Potomac. Quite a difference in attitudes once you hit crappy wine country, USA.
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,248
    Thx for the great suggestions!
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,248
    @smak , I did hear about the pope being in town. I'm traveling from Sterling to Ashburn for my daily commute, so hopefully it won't be too awful bad going in that direction. 
  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,248
    @Maxwell1331 , @smak and @KSwoll , I checked out Smokehouse Live tonight. Had the Smokehouse Nachos with Brisket and Pulled Pork.  The "redneck fondue" was different and tasty. Good stuff!  I also tried some Bacon wrapped Brisket which wasn't very good.  The bacon tasted overly smoked and hard, and the brisket was a bit mushy.  All in all a good experience though!  

  • KSwoll
    KSwoll Posts: 129
    @Dyal_SC Thanks for posting some pics. The Hetero Lifemate and I will be heading there tomorrow for dinner. I was thinking about ordering the wet brisket and a few bones of ribs. Was the brisket mushy from being over cooked? That's why I don't get brisket from Williard's BBQ in Chantilly.
    XL, Large, Medium, and Mini Max
    Northern Virgina
  • I wouldn't recommend any bbq joints out that way but I do recommend Ford's Fish Shack in Ashburn and South Riding. Good environment and quality food.

    Brandy Station, VA Egghead

  • smak
    smak Posts: 199
    @Dyal_SC I had no idea that they had a bar menu.  Interesting.

    +1 on @ncaito with the Ford's Fish Shack.
    smak
    Leesburg, VA