photo courtesy of eventiderestaurant.com
I know this review might seem a few years late but to be perfectly honest, I had been avoiding Eventide for a long time. A person who I really trust when it comes to food gave it a pretty lack-luster rundown when they first opened. Now I’m kicking myself for letting that early opinion get in my way for this long.
Last week I visited Eventide for the first time and it was fantastic. We arrived a little early for our reservation so we settled in at the bar for a pre-dinner drink. Rich had a chocolate stout and I enjoyed a pretty reasonably priced petit syrah. Our bartender was new but she was really sweet and allowed me to test a few wines out before making my decision. I love when places do this. It is just a nice bit of customer service that goes a long way in my book.
Our table was ready right on time and we were directed upstairs to the dining room. The décor in the dining room is so romantic and dramatic with soaring ceilings, cement and brick walls, massive velvet drapes and ornate chandeliers. Rich also pointed out that each table also had a drop light directly above it and made it feel intimate despite the high ceilings. It always shocks me when he makes comments like that but he was right, it was a really nice touch.
So, onto the main event… We asked our waitress, who was great by the way, for her favorites and she selected the venison and pork loin. We decided to place our trust in her and she was dead on. These were two of the best dishes I’ve had in recent memory- I swear I am getting pickier by the day!
I was a little weary because when done wrong, venison can be down-right bad but this was cooked perfectly. It was rich but not overwhelming and each ingredient blended together perfectly. Here’s the full description courtesy of their website: Broken Arrow Ranch Axis Venison with brussel sprouts, bacon, celery root puree, apple butter, grilled mushrooms, brandied pan sauce
I loved everything about the pork tenderloin dish- who wouldn’t it had 3 types of pork in it! Sometimes I baulk at fruit in dishes but turns out the apricots were a nice accent that didn’t overpower the dish with sweetness like I worried it would. Here’s the full description courtesy of their website: Grilled Compart Farms Pork Tenderloin with bacon-braised Savoy cabbage, chestnut puree, apricots, crispy shredded pork shank.
While dinner can be pricey, it was well worth it. Between the excellent service we received and the absolutely delectable dishes, I would highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already and if you’re stuck on what to order, you can’t go wrong with either of the dishes we tried.
Eventide Restaurant
3165 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA
www.EventideRestaurant.com
(703) 276-3165
Main Dining Room: 5:30-9:30 Tues-Sat.
I think you mean “leery” nor “weary.”