2011 Fall Dining Guide
By Tom Sietsema
Sunday, October 16, 2011

Tony Chittum is never one to take shortcuts on his menu. When many of his peers were simply serving tomatoes and cheese this summer, the chef at Alexandria's Vermilion went the extra step by arranging heirlooms with lightly salted watermelon cubes and a ball of fried feta. Cool played off hot played off juicy played off crisp. In his hands, thick slices of bison land on a soft stripe of polenta accessorized with sticks of the same sharpened with blue cheese, and Parmesan-crumbed fluke teeters on a fragrant bed of basmati rice flecked with house-made pancetta and finished with sun-dried-tomato pesto. The restaurant makes every meal special, beginning with an amuse-bouche that reflects the season, the option of exploring wines by the half-ounce glass and at least one surprise per dish. Did I mention that Chittum offers one of the best pork chops around, a feat accomplished by brining the meat and topping it with a phyllo envelope filled with diced apple? If I had my way, I'd be here more often, hopefully at a window table on the second floor and probably with one of the bar's well-crafted drinks in hand. True to its name, Vermilion is red-hot.