Tallula, with Chef Nathan Anda

[morela]

Arlington, VA: Any word on Tallulah in Arlington (where Whitey's used to be)? Walked by it yesterday, and it looks really cool!

Tom Sietsema: I have yet to visit the place, which just opened at 2761 Washington Boulevard in Arlington. Has anyone else dropped by for a look-see-taste?

Yes.

Last night, as I passed by a bit of jankiness on Washington Blvd., I thought of Whitey's.  I shielded my eyes and looked in that direction, peeking through my fingers. But I saw something different: I saw what seemed to be a million bottles of wine, through a crispy clean window.   Wah? 

As I got closer, I saw a paper sign on the door that said, "OPEN," and shadows of real live human beings inside. 

 

It was a little like seeing the snaggletoothed kid from second grade (who lived in a trailer park) as a contestant on The Swan.

I couldn't stop looking, I had to go in...

What I found is Tallula Restaurant in Clarendon, freshly open in the old Whitey's space. My friend and I had no clue that this was coming, so it was like finding buried treasure.

It turns out the place is owned by the same people that own Vermillion and the Evening Star (and the adjacent wine store, The Daily Planet), and they have joined forces with the owners of Clarendon Grill (who by now know their clientele).

The place is really airy and has been though a total redesign with Vegas kitsch and a fountain in the middle (but still has the original Whitey's floors). It appears to have 100 or more seats and has three bars. The largest bar is sort of the wine bar ( there's, like, 50 wine savers, which is why they can have so many wines by the glass). Then there's a tiny bar facing the open kitchen, and the lounge bar, which is where I saw people with tight black shirts and tobacco products. This place is, like, four places in one and will soon include a retail wine store called Planet Wine. The corkage is $10 bucks; the glasses are Riedel Os, of course (helps to own a wine store)...

Cuisinewise the menu seems very American-comfort (think Equinox crossed with The Evening Star). Nathan Anda, is the chef, and David Pressley, who was at Poste and Olives, is the GM. The staff is super nice.

Here is their website/ menu:

http://www.tallularestaurant.com/index.html

We pretty much ate the whole Amuse Yourself menu (actually we did), which is like cocktail food rather than tapas, and if you order a whole bunch of items, they just come on one plate. You can do that for $25, share with one or two, and it's very good social-snacky food.

Here's what I recommend:

A couple Baby Burgers medium rare, the smooth and delicious corn beignet, the beer battered corn dog, which I found to be very tasty (chorizo sausage, whole grain mustard), and wash it down with a glass of Chave Offerus St. Joseph Syrah.

The oyster shooters are wonderful too.

Anyway, they've only been opened since last Wednesday...

I totally look forward to returning and eating a regular dish of food...and wish them a healthy start.

[FunJohnny]

This news about the long awaited opening in the space formerly known as Whitey's is terrific -- an alternative to Harry's -- nothing wrong with the Tap room for Happy Hour, but variety is the spice of life and it looks like Tallula has lots of variety. I plan to check it out this afternoon. Oyster shooters -- uuuummmm!

Edited December 1, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[DonRocks]

I wanna know who got da broaster.

[mighty quinn]

this is amazing- i drove by the old whitey's space when i was up there last month. was sad to see that they were closed, but i can't believe that someone actually scraped the burger muck off the walls to open a new place!! and it sounds like a classy joint! will there be a 1/2 price burger nite??

[FunJohnny]

Don't be fooled by the lingering Whitey's exterior. They have indeed "scraped the burger muck off the walls." The space is very nouveau chic -- meaning steel bar, muted but well stated earthtones, dark lighting, good sound system, and comfortably and well laid out. They have both a non-smoking bar space and a smoker's lounge in the back which will eventually feature a humidor.

OK now for the really good news -- the wines by the glass. They have more than sixty, wide variety and price range ($6-20+). Not as ecclectic as Jarrad's at Nectar, but a good selection nonetheless. They do serve as noted in the Reidel O stemless stemware -- something some may frown upon smudging the clarity of the wine inside and heating it up if you hold the glass too long, but for me less likely to spill.

The appetizer list (build your own hors d'oeuvre platter) is interesting -- yay for oyster shooters served in tomato water. What a great idea to have chorizo corn dogs. The entree menu which you can see on their website appears to offer some interesting plates -- the proof will be in the pudding. Didn't see the Dessert menu, speaking of pudding.

Service at the bar was very amicable. Charlie and Jessie are enthusiastic about the opportunity to assist in getting this operation off the ground. I assured them that there are many of us who wish this enterprise to succeed.

The management needs to attend immediately to getting their own signage out on the street. At dusk the place is practically invisible, and the old Whitey's sign is still up on the front of the store. BTW it is being auctioned off on E-Bay by Arlington County for anyone with Whitey's nostalgic interest. You will have to remove it yourself, however, if you make the winning bid.

Edited to add: Perhaps the same will be done with the Broaster, Rocks.

Edited December 2, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[iamthestretch]

Just goes to show, our DC Blackie's has, well, hung on longer than your Virginia Whitey's.

[JennyUptown]

Mmmm...corn dogs. More places should offer them.

[FunJohnny]

Just goes to show, our DC Blackie's has, well, hung on longer than your Virginia Whitey's.

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One theory about the reason for Whitey's demise was that neighborhood residents strongly objected to renewal of its liquor license due to the inconvenience of Whitey's customers throwing trash in yards, puking on the sidewalks, brawling, etc. Don't think that Blackie's has that kind of problem.

Edited December 2, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[chefbrendis]

I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dine at Tallula. Nathan is a great chef in a reallly awesome space. I've been by to see him during the constructio(it was delayed for some time) and the transformation of the space is dramatic. The guys who own it and also run the Star and Vermillion are class all the way and the wine deals look to be incredible.

PS have samplped Nathans braises with chiles and other ingredients for years and have never been disappointed

[DonRocks]

So Brendan what's the deal with Todd Gray's chefs popping up all over town like Whack-a-Moles?

[chefbrendis]

So Brendan what's the deal with Todd Gray's chefs popping up all over town like Whack-a-Moles?

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Nathan left Equinox to help open Ceiba, then he came to help me launch Market Salamander, the opportunity came up for him at Tallula and he had to take it. Tony and I had been with Todd for a long time and both felt like it was time to "leave the nest". We both gained immeasurable experince while at Equinox but when you get to a pont in your career you move on. Miles Vaden formerly of Equinox and the Ritz is now Tony's Sous Chef at Aria and Barry Koslow of Equinox, then 2941, then Citronelle is slugging it out at Circle with me. I think that quality restaurants like Equinox will always have some turnover that will benefit the City's dining scene for everyone.

In the end it is a testament to Equinox and Todd that they maintian such a good reputation and have turned out chefs who can be successful in the City.

In a side note the chefs and cooks at Galileo at the time I left went on to open Equinox, Tosca, a great Italian restaurant in Florida, Rob Brown was the saucier and is now the exec at Terrazo, Kevin Couch did a stint at Equinox then went on to own and run Spezie in Philadelphia, Laurie Alleman the great pastry Chef now runs the Swiss bakery with her husband in Springfield(it's awesome by the way) so it is a natural progression for great kitchens to launch new chefs.

[mnebergall]

Went in last night with FunJohnny and mdt. The place was packed. We grabbed some stools that came open at the counter across from the bar. Apparantly there is no cocktail service that, you have to go over to the bar, elbow between the customers sitting there, and try to get the attention of the bartender. So, I went to see if I could get us a table in the restaurant, nope, hour and a half wait. OK, we had no reservation so no big deal. But wait, there is a counter in the back overlooking the kitchen with chairs and what appear to be napkins and silverware. Could we sit there please? Oh no, we can't possiby seat you before all of these other people who came in ahead of you. We were there for 15-20 minutes and those seats were empty when we came in and they were empty when we left. Oh well, chalk it up to a very busy Friday night and the fact that the restaurant is new. Or, perhaps they had them reserved for some people who were late for their reservation. Bottom line, we left without trying anything. The wines by the glass list looked impressive though.

[JennyUptown]

I was there last night too, after catching a movie nearby. It was around 9:30 or so when we arrived. The bar was too crowded for us (we wanted drinks plus a few of their "Amuse Yourself" plates) so we moved over to the quieter dining room.

Overall, it was an enjoyable visit. The staff was friendly if clearly still getting used to the new digs. I didn't love the chorizo corn dog as much as I thought I would (it was barely warm when it arrived and the sausage itself was kind of tough to cut and to chew), but the corn fritter was outstanding. I wanted three or four instead of the one you get!

FauxVeg didn't eat anything, sticking to cocktails. Our third friend had the mussels in carrot broth. She seemed to really enjoy them after getting past the fact that they too arrived barely warm.

As Mark mentioned the wines by the glass is impressive. I had a Zinfandel/Syrah blend ($7; blanking on specifics) that was wonderfully fruity, low on tannins. I liked this wine a lot. My friend had a Pinot as we had just seen Sideways (this will make sense to any of you who have seen this film), but it was pretty weak; she liked my wine better.

All in all, I think this is a place with potential. I'll check it out again once things settle down.

[FunJohnny]

Went in last night with FunJohnny and mdt.  The place was packed.  We grabbed some stools that came open at the counter across from the bar.  Apparantly there is no cocktail service that, you have to go over to the bar, elbow between the customers sitting there, and try to get the attention of the bartender.  So, I went to  see if I could get us a table in the restaurant, nope, hour and a half wait.  OK, we had no reservation so no big deal.  But wait, there is a counter in the back overlooking the kitchen with chairs and what appear to be napkins and silverware.  Could we sit there please?  Oh no, we can't possiby seat you before all of these other people who came in ahead of you.  We were there for 15-20 minutes and those seats were empty when we came in and they were empty when we left.  Oh well, chalk it up to a very busy Friday night and the fact that the restaurant is new.  Or, perhaps they had them reserved for some people who were late for their reservation.  Bottom line, we left without trying anything.  The wines by the glass list looked impressive though.

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Yes it was mystifying why they had the unused seating area unless they were short of servers. I am keeping an open mind and attributing the glitch (if it was a glitch) to opening week shakedown issues. It was too bad that it was so crowded at the bar when we were in there -- I quess it was around 8ish (the whole evening is a blur now ) -- that we didn't feel like fighting for some of the apps. I will definitely have another go at it in the near future.

[John W.]

Yes it was mystifying why they had the unused seating area unless they were short of servers.  I am keeping an open mind and attributing the glitch (if it was a glitch) to opening week shakedown issues.  It was too bad that it was so crowded at the bar when we were in there -- I quess it was around 8ish (the whole evening is a blur now  ) -- that we didn't feel like fighting for some of the apps.  I will definitely have another go at it in the near future.

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Restaurants typically will try to limit seating during the first few weeks of being open, although speaking with Josh Radigan (the guy who put the wine list together) it seems anything but a soft opening.

I'd have to say the wine list is pretty sick. Good thing this place is in Virginia, I'd run out of cash quicker than a misguided Restaurant Week diner at Citronelle.

[morela]

Local dilemma, the evil goodness of a wine list...

The wine list is a thing to talk about, for real.

After a second visit, I'm still Loving that corn pudin' fritter and them oysters.

The fried green tomatoes with duck cracklings, frisee salad and bacon vinaigrette are as clever as they sound. Lightly fried, but unbattered duck bits (Mmmm, ambiguity ) are a heavenly addition to what might otherwise be a little too back home for me. Add some duck and frisee, and everybody wins! But the tomatoes alone were good and the bacon was ground into a thick spread, in which you could drag and spin your fork with each bite . It was gooooood.

And I really enjoyed a few bites of my neighbor's hearty-as-hell short ribs (creamy cheddar grits, green tomato salsa). An enormous plate of food, this one, and really saucy...

But it screams, "eat me when you actually hungry, you fool"

Needless to say, no bites left on anyone's plate.

edited to add:

The wine options will definitely effect people's expectations of the food...

(which is a good thing)

Edited December 7, 2004 by morela (log)

[FunJohnny]

Weekly Dish Weekly Dish features a blurb on Tallula by Sietsma Edited December 8, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[JennyUptown]

Is there a Metro stop within walking distance? If so, which one?

Thanks.

[mdt]

Is there a Metro stop within walking distance?  If so, which one?

Thanks.

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Try this link. My guess is that the Clarendon stop would be the closest, but it all depends on what walking distance is to you.

[FunJohnny]

Is there a Metro stop within walking distance?  If so, which one?

Thanks.

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mdt is correct the Clarendon stop is slightly closer than Court House (I've done both).

Edited to add: Unfortunately the street maps you can look at by clicking on the link to Metro (in mdt's post) and then going to a specific station and then clicking on the bottom link to the "station masters street maps" do not provide the intersection where Tallula is located -- Pershing and Washington Blvd.

Edited December 17, 2004 by FunJohnny (log)

[JennyUptown]

A friend and I returned to Tallula last night. It's turning into quite the little hot spot (although I'm sure my presence cooled things off a few degrees ). When we arrived around 6:45 or so, there were ten or so other people in the dining room and bar combined. When we left? Packed in both areas--and it was a Monday.

We were starving so after getting our drinks (the Wimbledon for her, the Inn for me), we ordered:

Baby Burger with truffle butter, onion marmalade

$3.00

Yep, they have a mini-burger, but it's so freakin' tasty that you won't decry its ubiquity. The first was so good we ordered a second to avoid sharing. Served medium, the burger was juicy and nicely-seasoned. Loved it.

Risotto fritter, wild mushrooms, parmesan

$2.00

Good, but not exciting. I liked the flavor the mushrooms added, but this won't become my "go to" item or anything.

Grilled flatbread, truffled pea puree, Fontina cheese

$2.50

The flatbread showed up looking different than we expected; we thought "crispy" whereas this was more like a mini-pizza. Only about 3/4" thick, soft, good flavors came from the peas, fontina plus uncredited caramelized onions.

Beer Battered Corn Dog - chorizo sausage, whole grain mustard

$2.25

Unlike my first Tallula corn dog, this one arrived hot. That plus spicier chorizo made the corn dog a winner for me.

Crispy Corn Beignet - corn custard, pickled red onions

$2.50

Sadly, the beignet, which was my favorite last time, was kind of gross this visit. It seemed to be undercooked because the custard was oozy and not hot enough. We should have sent it back, but by this point, the cocktails had kicked in.

The drinks were fun, girly ones. Although I went in thinking the pop rocks rim on the Wimbledon was the dumbest thing ever, when the drink arrived hissing and popping, I can't lie: it made me smile. Oh, and it tasted good too.

Although I liked the Inn, I'm a little conflicted about the concept (wine + vodka?). I did, however, love the little green grapes, about six of them, that came in a skewer in the martini glass.

Click here for the food menu and here for drinks.

Edited December 22, 2004 by JennyUptown (log)

[mnebergall]

Jenny:

Great review. I am a little concerned about the "Inn," wine + vodka??? It sounds to me like an upscale M.D. 20/20. Did they serve it in a brown paper bag?

[JennyUptown]

Jenny:

Great review.  I am a little concerned about the "Inn," wine + vodka???  It sounds to me like an upscale M.D. 20/20.  Did they serve it in a brown paper bag?

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Thanks! No brown bag - it's served up in a martini glass looking clear and dangerous. It's very wine-y obviously (my friend hates wine and hated this cocktail, but loved the grapes).

The thing that this layperson finds hard to reconcile is that Tallula takes wine pretty darn seriously (about 70 are available by the glass) so mixing it in a cocktail seems...odd, no?

[Chef Shogun]

Bah, missed out on the MD 20/20 reference by minutes...eating breakfast over here (Mini Off-Topic Review: Lindy's does NOT run their first-stringers during breakfast. This stuff is practically lunch by now! Not that it's not tasty, now.)

They can be serious about wine and still use it in a cocktail. They're just not using the good stuff. With the right (as in brings some interesting flavor) wine, and a good, taste-free vodka it might even work. You're just a few herbs away from a 'vodka martini', afterall.

[JPW]

The thing that this layperson finds hard to reconcile is that Tallula takes wine pretty darn seriously (about 70 are available by the glass) so mixing it in a cocktail seems...odd, no?

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Well, not really. What basically is vermouth, but wine with herbs?