Over the summer, Andrew Markert left the No. 2 kitchen slot at Vermilion in Old Town to take over as executive chef at its sister restaurant, Tallula (2761 Washington Blvd.; 703-778-5051) in Arlington. The big difference between the two jobs?
There's "a lot more hair-pulling" involved with writing a menu, managing a staff and dealing directly with customers, jokes the 26-year-old Markert, who also has worked at Dish, Notti Bianche and Michel Richard Citronelle during his 11-year cooking career.
Since his arrival at Tallula in July, the chef says, the restaurant has gotten "a little more playful with the food" it serves. Order Markert's Duck Twice (make that breast and house-made sausage), and you'll see what he means. The entree is served with potato puree, marjoram jus and . . . caramel corn? The garnish, prompted by memories of the chef's childhood trips to the Jersey Shore, adds a sweet-salty note to the equation, the chef says.
Markert also broadens, by about a mile, the concept of gazpacho. At Tallula, he turns the Spanish classic into something more Mediterranean with pureed chickpeas, lemon juice, fresh mint and steamed clams. There's more: The chef's very good pappardelle is flavored with ground jasmine tea as well as braised rabbit and pistachios, and his rack of lamb includes croutons made with polenta and blueberry jam infused with basil and mint. The idea for the lamb's accents came from a dessert, blueberry-polenta cake, he used to bake.
The surprise, for anyone reading the menu, is how well most of Markert's twists play out on the palate. The secret to their success: restraint, says the chef. "You don't want them to dominate the rest of the plate."
In addition to feeding guests at Tallula, Markert is responsible for the menu at the adjoining lounge, EatBar, where he knows not to mess with the popular baby burgers and corn dogs. "People love those," he says.
Entrees, $20-$34.
--Tom Sietsema (First Bite, Sept. 17, 2008)
The Scene: Though Tallula is known as a restaurant, its extensive list of more than 70 wines by the glass really demands exploration at the bar. Pass through the dining room and main bar area and head for the rear lounge, which has a tiny sliver of bar counter (assuring better service from the bartenders), couches and low tables. The lighting is dim and the air is smoky -- this is the only place in the building patrons can light up -- but don't expect much of a singles scene. On weekends during football season, Tallula takes on the vibe of a neighborhood bar, with patrons reading newspapers and watching games on flatscreen TVs.
In Your Glass: Wine, of course. The wide-ranging selection features many smaller and independent producers from Chile, New Zealand, Portugal and the Pacific Northwest as well as France, California and Australia. Bartenders know their stuff, so don't be afraid to ask opinions. Also, glasses are available in "half-pours" for half the listed price, which encourages sampling; If you've ever wanted to taste a $30-per-glass Chateauneuf-de-Pape, this is the way to go. Stick to the vino, though; the house cocktails are inventive but don't always deliver. Dusting Pop Rocks around the rim of a cloyingly sweet drink called the Wimbledon (vodka, honey and strawberry puree, topped with champagne) is an idea more amusing than tasty.
On Your Plate: A full menu is available, but the "Amuse Yourself" menu of small bites is more appropriate for snacking and sampling wine. Try the tiny two-bite beer-battered corndog, the mini-steak tartare or even the ubiquitous miniburger, which Tallula gussies up with truffle butter.
Need to Know: The restaurant takes a very limited number of reservations, so walk-ins waiting for tables occupy most of the lounge on weekends. If you want to make the most of your trip and enjoy some D.I.Y. wine flights, try to come earlier in the week.
Nice to Know: Find a wine you can't live without? The adjacent Planet Wine shop sells every bottle found on Tallula's list.
Price Points: What you'll pay for a glass of wine varies wildly, but tends to be within reason. Some younger, less-common varietals can be yours for $5. Others are six times that. Servers are helpful if you tell them you're trying to watch your budget.
-- Fritz Hahn (July 2006)
