Dave S.'s Profile

It's October so there are some fun seasonal items available.

Festbier is the special beer. I don't know beer tasting language, but it was tasty.

With that I had the Kobe burger. It was served on a roll that was kind of like pretzel dough and topped with a lightly-flavored sauerkraut. The yummy garlic fries were on the side.

yum yum

There's a big difference between good Italian and bad Italian and Dish is a great example of GOOD. I had the Pan Seared Sea Scallops and Rigatoni All Scamorza and was just blown away. I don't remember everything else we got at the table, but between four people, 3 who are hard-core Foodies (the other was a dietitian), everyone was pleased with every bite.

They have a good selection of wines too. The Primitivo was a big hit at the table.

Not a huge place, but big on taste and atmosphere.

This place is tiny! There are three tables which sit two people each and then there are seats around the bar and at the front window.

Good sushi and a wide selection of rolls. You could go though a bunch of visits just to get through them all. Nice staff and well-priced. Worth a return visit...and perhaps another one after that.

"Where good service is a Hobbit."

Seriously, it says that in the window.

Had a Black&Tan...and then another. Nice atmosphere.

Of the Panera locations in this area, Warrenton is my favorite. The staff is courteous and energetic and I've never even seen the outside patio unclean. As I walked in, the food prep area was getting a full mop-down (in the middle of the day) and while eating, someone was actually scrubbing the table bases...I don't think I've ever noticed a restaurant cleaning those.

While there's a great variety of food here, I get the Chipotle Chicken sandwich with the creamy tomato soup or a Sierra Turkey Sandwich with a Greek salad. That's how I roll.

There is free WIFI but I think they have a rate-limiter on the router. There are only 2 other people on laptops right now and my web access is about as zippy as a 56K modem. Beggars can't be choosers, though...I guess.

I'm still impressed with the artisan cappuccino skills displayed here. Never mind the awesome cookies.

When every cup of Starbucks becomes indistinguishable from McDonald's or any other place (which either amounts to a slam on Starbucks or a kudos to McDonalds), try something served in a real mug and made with care.

The strawberry shortcake is pretty amazing. It's hard to choose a favorite when everything is so consistently good.

Kudos for owning a restaurant in Middleburg NOT named after a Fox. Sometimes I get so confused around here. Which "Fox" did I eat at today?

The special was a grilled pizza. The tomatoes are heirlooms from a local farm. The mozzarella is hand-made by Chef John. The chiffonade basil was lightly sprinkled on top giving the whole pizza the perfect asymmetrical appearance so rarely seen on the dish today.

The crust is also worth mentioning. First, I feel if you want something consistent from one bite to the next, go to McDonalds. This crust had just enough variance throughout to add a layer of interest to the mouth-feel. It was a thin hand-tossed dough, a little thicker on one side of the pizza than the other. The result was that some of the slices had a chewy resistance to the bite and pieces on the opposite side were almost, but not quite, crunchy like a tortilla. If you've never considered the kinesthetic qualities of your food before, perhaps it's time you did.

This was a treat all the way around.

Bottom line: mmmmmmmmmmm

After that I asked Marny for a glass of wine. I wasn't specific on what I wanted and was ready for anything. She brought a glass of Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise which I immediately called "Sunshine In a Glass." It was a perfect apricot color with a sweet, not-syrupy and quick finish and a hint of orange. If the Wine Cellar down the street had any bottles in stock I would have taken one home right then.

It didn't hurt that the weather in Middleburg was perfect today.

This was my best lunch experience of the month.

There's outdoor seating and a variety of cozy rooms indoors for seating as well. I saw booths and tables of various sizes so I'm sure they could handle just about any sized group.

Yet another place in Middleburg where your cell phone signal vanishes completely as you walk through the door...Hellooooo lead based paint? Ok, I'm sure it's something else, but I find it odd that so many places in Middleburg wipe out wireless signals.

Fine, so I can't play with my Blackberry...which really cuts the rest of the world off from me (yeah, that's how I look at it). I guess I can just focus on enjoying lunch and chill out for a while.

The Flank Steak Sandwich is always on the menu here. YUMMY

Served with the best fries around. I really love the way the fries are plated too. It sort of looks like they rained on the plate from about 8 inches in the air.

With a name like Java Dave's, how could I not stop in?

Cups are brightly painted.

Couches are stuffed and comfy.

Cocochino is a tasty beverage.

I noticed a little road sign for the shop while driving by from the Manassas VRE station. Given that the last train leaves at 7:50, this store opens too late (8:00) to serve that large commuting crowd. Also, closing at 8 seems a little early for a coffee shop in a bedroom district like Bristow. They may need to tweak their hours to thrive, but I know I'll be back.

I've been here a few times and always enjoy the experience. On my most recent visit, I ordered a blooming tea and some dumplings. Tea is meant to be enjoyed this way, as opposed to swilling it from a big gulp cup and I especially like the wait as my glass pot is placed on the table and the pearl inside blooms open into a large flower.

Turn off your mobile when you go in here...not because they ask you to, but simply because you're missing out on the experience of relaxation and the joy of good tea if you remain connected to the spastic world waiting outside.