Tallula Restaurant

The search for a "favorite neighborhood joint" continues. Tallula isn't bad--the food was pretty good in a very home-made way. But it lacked the extra punch and refinement that you would expect from a restaurant that charges $22 for a bowl of pasta.

The most promising part of the meal was the warm, crusty bread that was an excellent start to our dinner. The pork shoulder that followed started out very well, with the side that we started on being extremely tender. As we made our way towards the more charred side, however, the meat got increasingly tough and stringy. The lamb ragout had a very light flavor and tasted pretty good, but it felt more like a dish that I would compliment my neighbor for rather than a dish made by a professional chef. The lamb was largely lost in the pasta.

Overall, Tallula did enough to satisfy our hunger and I left feeling like we had a good meal. But considering that it cost us over $50 for two dishes that were just OK (no drinks, no appetizer or dessert), I think I'd probably rather settle for a less-good meal at a more reasonable price.

Came here for Sunday brunch and loved my dining experience!

Decor: Thumbs up on the oversized plushy soft chairs that definitely helps straighten your posture.

Bloody Mary: Crushed black pepper with a definite SPICY KICK. Loved it. Probably one of my top 5 favorite Bloody Mary experiences.

Duck Confit: Comes in a cute black skillet blanketed with a sunny side up egg. The duck is seasoned so perfectly. Just a smidgen on the salty side but it counterbalances with the cubed sweet potato chucks. I absolutely enjoyed and consumed every single component of that duck confit. UGH. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back. Except I cannot eat alone. Somebody go with me. NOW. JK. Kinda. UGHHHH. So quacking delicious!

Go to Tallula if you want duck confit. Do it. Now.

Yes, I remember Whitey's (the previous cafe at the same location)- but change is good. And Tallula is change, and better. Tonight my wife and I enjoyed a very nice supper meal at this long standing establishment in Arlington's corner on Washington Blvd.

Our meal started with a nice aperitif from the more than adequate bar service, including something non-alcoholic for my wife who is expecting our first child. That scored me extra points with the servers. While drinking my cocktail, I noted that the dining area was a little dark and we were seated over a vent that blew cool air. My advice is to ask for a seat away from the vents when you arrive.

We then started with a more than adequate "Rocket Salad" made of fresh greens and red grapes, and a potato gnochi in a wonderful smokey sauce. My dinner of pork medallion and my wife's ravioli were both delivered with excellent timing and well presented. Unfortunately the mushroom ragout was less than stellar - tasting of cooking oil - and arrived late, and in what appeared to be a rush to make up for an oversight. A lovely white Vigoneer wine from Horton vineyards, complimented the rest of the meal, although I believe their serving size was slight for a white.

After completing the repast, we opted for the chocolate mousse bombe and the duo of sorbets. The bombe was extremely rich and much more rich than either of us expected - as I was more of death by chocolate. But the granny apple and cranberry sorbets were spectacular and something I will be talking about for awhile.

Why didn't Tallula get five stars? Bad seating under a vent that blew out our candle three times, a bad mushroom ragout, and it being a tad too dark to read the menus. Why did it get four? Great service, good food served properly and at proper temperature, with great flavor and we both can definitely recommend it when we have guests in town.

For the two of us, with drinks, desserts and after meal latte - we topped out at just over three figures for the two of us.

I came here for Sunday brunch with a couple of girlfriends. I've never been here before, but since the location was central to all, the menu was inexpensive, and according to the website parking was easy to come by.

They have a mini lot to the left of the building. Believe me, it's mini. If you are lucky enough to find an open space, by all means, park there. I didn't really feel like looking for street parking (which they also suggested) so I parked across the street at the cleaners (also recommended by the website). It was a little weird parking there as there are a ton of "park at your own risk" signs but the hostesses assured me it was fine as long as the cleaners are closed. So just a fair warning in case you're like me and wondering if you'll get towed.

Once inside the place looked very busy - this was the place to be! It didn't take long after we arrived to get seated. The decor and atmosphere were very nice. Slightly loud but not so much that you have to yell to have a conversation. More like an eclectic ambiance. The brunch menu has a lot of great options but my dining companions and I all decided to get omelets, all in our very own ways: egg whites no cheese, egg whites, regular.

For the two of us that got the egg white omelets we were pretty happy with our orders. The eggs were slightly rubbery but that could be because we went yolk-less. The filling was really good - the gruyere and the onions really complimented each other well - however there seemed to be very little filling. Think like a teaspoon of each item listed on the menu and two measly spinach leaves. But since I'm trying to watch my weight I suppose this is okay. They did get cold fast. The home fries were amazing. Perfectly crisp yet soft on the inside.

Unfortunately our friend who got her omelet without any special requests didn't enjoy her meal at all. There was something about the eggs and the filing that was off and also cold. The server offered to get her a new dish, which thankfully turned out much better, and she was completely nice about it. The manager even came out to apologize and check on the meal. In the end we found out that not only did our server comp my friend's meal but she even comped the cost of an extra meal. So basically two of our meals were paid for. Totally unnecessary but thoughtful.

Service is excellent here and the dishes are pretty good. I would definitely come back to check out the other brunch options as well.

disclaimer: this is strictly a brunch review

MENU: http://www.tallularestaurant.com/menus/documents/TallulaBrunchMenu2009-12-12.pdf

coming from nyc where brunch culture is huge and very much so integrated into my weekend lifestyle, i feel the need to find excellent brunch places in the DC metro area.

ive been here twice for brunch. first time last summer and 2nd time recently this winter. i enjoy the ambiance, there is a lot of natural lighting and on a saturday/sunday morning that is one of the highlights of a good brunch place....sunlight hitting my face as a down that first of many cups of coffee.

naturally their brunch menu has changed. they offer traditional brunch fare (benedict / pancakes / french toast / omelette) but also some unique different options (we ordered Braised pork roulade, anson mills grits, poached farm egg, tomatillo sauce) - this was excellent!!

we also ordered the traditional benedict. I've had bad benedict but i was extremely pleased with Tallula's benedict.

we also ordered White Bean soup, duck confit. not bad.

great service. great ambiance/space. good/solid food w/ both traditional and unique brunch options. what's not to like??

Definitely a great pick for a comfortable fine dining experience in Arlington. If this just isn't your thing or you opt for something a little easier on the wallet, check out their sister restaurant, Eat Bar, literally right next door for a more casual setting with tons of great small plate options.

First time we were here I wasn't too pleased with our table...we were two sardines stuck right between two other tables. This doesn't make much for a private dining experience if you ask me. I didn't want to be a pain and ask to be moved so I just sucked it up for the evening. On our most recent visit I requested a more private table prior to our reservation and they certainly delivered.

The food is always sensational. Some of the stand outs have been appetizers such as fried green tomatoes with bleu cheese stuffing and peanut crusted Virginia oysters. Based on our server's recommendation I enjoyed the soft shell crab spaghetti....it may sound a little odd but if you are a fan of soft shell crabs this is a sure winner!

I love the ambiance of this restaurant...a perfect mood is created by their mix of warm colors, dim lighting, and clean lines. They even have an open kitchen with a few seating options.

Tallula is a really nice place to get a pretty unique meal.
It's a beautifully designed space but can get loud being adjacent to the bar which has an active scene.
The menu changes seasonally and uses fresh seasonal vegetables. As of Spring '14 ramps are heavily featured and delicious. The fried ramp snack is fantastic.
Also this season, all the signature cocktails are named after characters and lines of dialogue from the movie Shawshank Redemption. The drinks are spectacular as well.

Let foodie-fest conclude with our final reservation at Tallula in Arlington. I've read the reviews and by all accounts, Tallula is an establishment for the humble foodie to dine and enjoy.

We went to Tallula during Restaurant Week and this was our final reservation (#3) for the week. I really enjoyed the meal and the service was impeccable. Our server gave us wonderful recommendations and was very attentive.

While I'm not a huge fan of Oysters or brussels sprouts, these were really good. They were deep fried but not crunchy and the oyster was still moist. The scallops were amazing and the bacon and brussels sprouts added the perfect balance to the sweetness of the scallops. I also tried the sweet potato gratin, yummy!

Now for dessert, OMG, the peanut butter ice cream was the kicker to the Fat Elvis. When I looked at the waffle I thought, "oh boy this is going to be sweet" however, it was a perfect balance. The waffle wasn't sweet but with the banana and powdered sugar, you got the sweet.....then you got the bacon. The salty of the bacon was the perfect counter measure to the sugar. Man that was good.

We sampled each other's meals and I still think I ordered the best items on the menu! Both the chicken and pork loin were moist and not over cooked. Both were very good.

Appetizer:
Cornmeal Crusted Oysters, cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, bacon, frisée, lemon (mine and a friend)
Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi, yukon potato puree, braised beef short rib, mustard greens

Main Course:
Brined Chicken Breast, creamy chick peas, braised kale, crispy polenta, red chili compote
Pan Roasted Diver Scallops, beluga lentils, salsify, bacon, brussels sprouts, cucumber-caper relish (mine)
Brined Pork Loin, sweet potato gratin, swiss chard, radish, juniper-mustard jus

Dessert:
Fat Elvis Waffle with bacon caramel, bananas, peanut butter ice cream, honey roasted peanuts (mine)
German Chocolate" Cheesecake with toasted coconut, candied pecans, coconut sorbet
Sorbet selection with warmed caramel sauce

My only con was our table, we were seated close to the door and it was really cold. However, I received free coffee all night and this kept me warm.
Myself and my dinner companions highly recommend Tallula. Out of the three restaurants we dined at this week, Tallula was by far the best.

I love this cozy wine bar, I would have to say that this is one of my favorite spots. It starts with the neon 'eat bar' sign outside the restaurant and when you enter inside it's low lighting and cozy space always feels inviting.

The food is amazing and I always like to try a spread of things to sample while I enjoy the large variety of wines they carry. I would recommend doing on of there flight specials or if you are a wine lover I would suggest a bottle of the Pinot Noir - Chehalem "Ridgecrest Vineyard", Willamette Valley, Oregon 2007.

I would suggest the lamb sliders, duck pot pie, french friends with a chocolate malk, and there 1/2 price wine by the glass happy hour.

Happy eating!

Friends took us here on a recent visit. The menu was interesting - some local ingredients with different twists.

We sat outside, which despite the busy street was quite pleasant. Waitress was very friendly and knowledgable about the menu and extensive wine list.

I had an excellent salad and the hanger steak. Delish. Right size portions with good presentation. Worth the slightly upperscale price tag.