To have food and dining items happening in Fairfax and Loudoun listed free, mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102 or fax to 703-917-0991 or e-mail maweber@connectionnewspapers.com
703-729-4000.
The Bailiwick Inn Restaurant, located in the historic Bailiwick Inn Hotel in Old Town Fairfax, was recently honored with the AAA Four Diamond Award for 2002. The distinction places The Bailiwick Inn Restaurant in the top 4 percent of 14,000 AAA-rated restaurants and one of only 12 rated Four Diamond in the metro D.C./Northern Virginia area. The award is given to restaurants that meet the AAA criteria for food reflecting the highest culinary skills and creative presentation, flawless service from a professional staff, and a distinctive ambiance.
Colvin Run Tavern in Tysons Corner is offering new lunch and dinner specials. The lunch special, available from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, lets diners choose any two courses from the regular lunch menu for $20.02 or any three courses for $29. During "Drive-Time Dinner," served from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, a selection of any three courses from a special dinner menu is available for $39. For additional information and to make reservations, call 703-356-9500.
A new seafood specialty will be on the menu at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants in Tysons and Reston Town Center from June through September – Chignik red salmon. McCormick & Schmick has negotiated with Alaskan fishermen to bring the rare and highly flavorful type of sockeye salmon, found in the waters of Chignik, Alaska, to the restaurant. Chefs at each restaurant are working on their individual preparations using seasonings and food pairings to enhance the flavor of the fish.
Chart House Restaurant, located at 1 Cameron St. in Alexandria, is now open for lunch, offering a new menu of appetizers, salads and sandwiches, as well as suitably pared-down versions of dinner favorites. Weather permitting, guests can choose to dine al fresco on the patio, enjoying the waterfront view of the Potomac River. A sampling of offerings includes coconut crunchy shrimp ($9.95), fried calamari ($8.50), Crab Louis salad ($11.95), tenderloin medallions ($15.95), and Boston scrod ($12.95). Lunch will be served Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 703-684-5080 for reservations.
The 2002 Virginia Wineries Festival and Tour Guide is now available from the Virginia Wine Marketing Office, part of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The free annual publication includes a listing of the state’s wineries, directions, hours of operation, maps and a listing of nearly 350 wine-related events. To receive a copy, call 800-828-4637 or visit www.virginiawines.org, or write to VDACS, PO Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218.
This is the time of year to enjoy the delicate taste of soft-shell crabs from the Chesapeake Bay. The shedding cycle of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab runs from late May though September and produces the delicious soft-shell crab. A blue crab may shed its hard outer shell 18-23 times during its three-year life span. Each time it backs out of its shell, it’s a soft-shell for only a few hours and must be removed from the water immediately in order to prevent the shell from becoming hard.
A live soft crab shows very little movement, especially when refrigerated. Soft crabs that are purchased live should be kept moist and stored in a drip-proof tray, between wet newspapers or paper towels in your refrigerator. Soft crabs are also available already dressed and should also be kept under refrigeration. Frozen dressed crabs are available year-round. Frozen crabs should be thawed in the refrigerator.
Dressing or cleaning a soft crab is a simple procedure. With a pair of scissors, cut off the mouth and face behind the eyes. Cut off the apron. Life the top shell and snip out the lungs on each side. Run under cold water to drain. It is now ready to cook.
Fried Soft-Shell Crabs
1 cup pancake flour
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
12 Maryland soft-shell crabs, cleaned
Fat or oil for frying
Mix together pancake flour and seafood seasoning. Dredge crabs in flour mixture to coat well.
In a large frying pan or electric skillet, heat about 1/2 inch cooking oil to 375 degrees. Add crabs and turn heat down to 350 degrees. Cook crabs until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Makes 6 servings, 2 crabs each.
MASA-Crusted Soft-Shell Crabs
by Robert Kinkead Jr.
Kinkead’s, Washington, D.C.
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 soft-shell crabs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup peanut oil
In a small, shallow pan, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Dip the soft-shell crabs in buttermilk and coat with the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. In a large sauté pan, heat half of the oil, add half of the crabs, and fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove to a towel-lined sheet pan to drain and keep warm and repeat the procedure with the remaining oil and crabs.
Every Friday, future chefs from Stratford College’s School of Culinary Arts, 7777 Leesburg Pike, Suite 500, Tysons Corner, invite the public to come and enjoy the fine cuisine that they prepare and serve themselves. A different style of service — buffet, traditional or Russian — is highlighted each week. Lunch ($12) is served promptly at 11 a.m., dinner ($18) at 8 p.m., and a happy hour is available 6-8 p.m. Call 703-821-8570 for reservations or information.