Gypsy Soul, Casual Upscale in Merrifield's Mosaic District with Chef John "Bull" Engle - Closed

[TheMatt]

Good to hear. We stopped by on Thursday afternoon for lunch, July 24th. Unfortunately, they were still putting everything together. It looked quite nice with the brushed bronze style artwork outside and the counter space on there perimeter of the kitchen.

Looking forward to reading some reports and checking out the menu.

Edit: Found the website. http://gypsysoul-va.com

Menu looks pretty good. Not exactly vegetarian-focused, but some days my carnivore instincts take over...

[DonRocks]

Menu looks pretty good. Not exactly vegetarian-focused, but some days my carnivore instincts take over...

They're officially open to the public on Tuesday, July 29th.

[Gadarene]

Wow, the dinner menu looks absolutely delicious from top to bottom.

[Waitman]

Due to bad planning and fatigue, we did not make it out to Annandale to Kogiya until the waitlist was about three hours long, and  a drive-by at Yechon revealed hungry Korean families spilling into the parking lot.  So we pulled into the 7-11 next door trying to figure out if there was a Koream joint nearby that was lousy enough not to be crowded but good enough to eat at, when when the proverbial light bulb appeared overhead and we said "Isn't RJ's new place opening this weekend?  And, where the fuck is 'Northern Virginia's Mosaic District, anyway?' (And, ultimately, "since when does 'mosaic' mean a 'soulless [except for...] fake 'urban' district composed of mass-produced chain stores?'")

Turns out that the MD is six minutes by iPhone from the 7-11 next to Yechon, or twenty minutes via the more creative route we selected after we missed our exit on the Beltway, and just around the corner from Great Wall.

Whoever had answered the phone at Gypsy Soul wasn't entirely encouraging, promising only appetizers, so we entered with limited expectations.  The place is large, sleek without being cold (and further warmed as the night went by, by exceptional service) and centered on a truncated U-shaped bar (think long base and short arms) that embraces an open kitchen.  The tables were virtually empty, the bar was virtually full, and behind the line in what I remember as being a slightly elevated cooking space, rogue maestro RJ Cooper was conducting a staff that seemed almost to outnumber the patrons.

Turns out that his bad luck was our good luck: an errant coffee station installer had drilled through a water line, forcing cancellation of a friends and family dinner (my invitation to which had apparently been lost in the mail).  So, when the water came back on at 8PM, the riff-raff was allowed in and we parked ourselves at the bar, scored a couple of glasses of Cali Viogner and looked over an abbreviated menu that did, despite small expectations, guide us into the land of the large plates.

Briefly, the could-have-been-boring Bibb salad was curiously refreshing, tarted up just enough to be interesting without obscuring the chlorophyllic goodness that's often lost in the mix.  I quite enjoyed the steak tartar, sort of a heavier-than-usual mustard prep (I'm sure RJ will correct me if I get this wrong) served with a bit of grilled romaine that had been lightly Caesared and garnished with a couple of high-end anchovies and a little Parm.  Made me wonder why steak tartar isn't served with a Caesar Salad all the time, instead of those frites? Get that rich-tart thing going.

Shrimp and grits were awesome. One suspects that RJ cheated by adding a stick of butter to every cup of grits, but it was hard do object as I was trying to steal as much crustacean-candy as possible from my friend's plate and she was trying to fend me off with a fork.

Kudos to her -- despite her selfishness -- for pulling out  "Frogmore Stew" to describe the what the menu at that time described as "Grouper Cheeks with Stuff" (or something like that)  (btw, I note that the menu now actually calls it "Frogmore Stew") and what I thought was localized Bouillabaisse variation.  It was, of course, not so much a Frogmore  reproduction as a riff on that traditional recipe, which marries corn and potatoes to a spicy broth and shrimp (thank you, Mr. Google).  Here it was a dish that came out of the Low Country via Marseilles, picked up grouper cheeks, saffron and clams (and toast with a killer rouille) without losing its New World starches, and landed in front of me topped by a metal dome which released a captivating vapor upon its removal.  Spicy but refined, French and 'merican,  I would kill for a bowl of it right now.

I should mention that Rogue's frighteningly intense pastry chef is also helming the cold kitchen at GS, and I ate all of my milk chocolate pudding with caramelized bananas and rosemary peanuts and half of my friend's, so there's that, too.

For a menu whipped up on the spot after the water came on, it was immensely satisfying.  RJ looked a little beat up, but he and his crew turned in an outstanding effort under challenging conditions.  Our meal was "simple," probably deceptively so; the menu on line now looks both longer an more elaborate.  But a first glance suggests food that -- like ours, Saturday night -- is almost "hearty," but enhanced by the deft touch, unexpected ingredients (marrow with sea urchin) and attention to detail that marks R24.

There's no question that I'm already in RJ's camp, so add grains of salt as you will.  But I'd head over now -- even if the bar, coffee station and other less vital bits and pieces haven't quite congealed -- before half of Northern Virginia is trying to eat there. In two weeks, people are going to be staring at the lines out the door and saying, "damn, we should have gotten here earlier.  I guess we'll just have to grab some Korean instead."

[DaveO]

Sounds like a great meal.  Terrific Review

[DonRocks]

Sounds like a great meal.  Terrific Review

Agreed, but Charles has *no* idea how many (mental) worlds apart Mosaic District and Koreatown are for Northern Virginians.

[Waitman]

Agreed, but Charles has *no* idea how many (mental) worlds apart Mosaic District and Koreatown are for Northern Virginians.

That only confirms the low opinion we downtowners have of those misguided country folk.

[Escoffier]

Agreed, but Charles has *no* idea how many (mental) worlds apart Mosaic District and Koreatown are for Northern Virginians.

Hey! Speak for yourself there..GS is right on the way to Super H so it's the best of both worlds.

[RJ Cooper]

OPEN FOR BUSINESS  RESERVATIONS ON OPENTABLE.

[Choirgirl21]

Damn the menu looks good. I'd be happy with a full sampling of the pantry dishes alone.

[Pat]

OPEN FOR BUSINESS  RESERVATIONS ON OPENTABLE.

I'm happy to hear it.  (Pssst.  Update your signature.)

[lion]

No lunch service yet, found out the hard way. 

[RJ Cooper]

No lunch service yet, found out the hard way.  

 

Can't run before you crawl!

[jpbloom]

Dinner at Gyspy Soul last night showed that this could be a great addition to the area once some of the newness shakes out.  The food was excellent and the service good but there were some issues that need to be addressed.  Managers acknowledged and dealt with them very nicely and professionally, though, and they will not prevent us from going back.

First, be forwarned if you have looked at the menu on the website - that is not the menu at the restaurant.  While many things are the same, the actual menu is shorter and some of the prices are different (higher).  While I understand an established restaurant not changing its on line menu frequently, this was surprising for a place so new.

Another reason to be forewarned - the seats against the windows are under air conditioner vents which blow very strongly.  They turned the AC down but it was still strong enough to blow my wife's hair in her face and literally lift my menu off the table slightly.  We moved to a booth across the aisle, which was much better, and we noticed that three other tables or diners changed seats to get away from those vents during the evening.  The manager explained they are getting diverters installed to eliminate the issue.

Next the big problem.  There is apparently a problem with the ordering/ticketing system such that our orders did not get to the kitchen properly.  15 minutes after ordering our server told us our appetizers would be out soon.  15 minutes later, after noticing several tables that came in and ordered after us getting their food, we called her back to question the status.  It was apparently at that point they noticed the error.  Both she and the manager were very apologetic and offered to comp the appetizers, which came about 10 minutes later.  They then offered complimentary desserts, which was not necessary but a nice touch and appreciated.

Now on to the good - the food was excellent, the setting and decor very nice (although it can get a bit loud) and the service attentive without being intrusive (I had to pour my own wine, but I actually prefer that).  The bar was hopping, with numerous bartenders keeping things moving.  Seats there could be very interesting, directly in front of the open kitchen.

When it finally arrived, I loved my appetizer, bone marrow with sea urchin, mustard antlers and ink toast.  The bone was really deep, providing a lot of rich gooey marrow.  The tang of the sea urchin and greens balanced out the richness very nicely.  While the ink toast was black, it didn't seem to add any real flavor component but was a nice conduit for the other ingredients.  My wife had the deviled eggs from the pantry portion of the menu (smaller starters).  While she enjoyed it, she thought it could use at bit more of the ham to add flavor.

For the mains, I really enjoyed my rabbit with ricotta dumplings.  The chef coaxed so much flavor out of that rabbit.  Yum.  My wife had the confit shoat.  We both loved the taste.  She was not thrilled with the texture, but I thought it was apropriate for the dish.

I normally don't order dessert, but I'm glad they offered it.  I really enjoyed my caramel cremeux and my wife enjoyed her milk chocolate pudding with bananas.

We regretted not ordering the bread basket (which has a separate charge), both because our starters took so long and because it looked really good.  I normally don't eat bread at restaurants so we didn't consider ordering it, but will do so in the future.  Also the portions here are not terribly large so although I was satisfied at the end of the meal, I was not full and I could see others wanting the bread to help fill them up.

Finally, a word about the wine list.  While it's got varietal variety (which sounds redundant but isn't), it is heavily loaded with products from Elizabeth Spencer, Owen Roe and Dave Phinney.  There are plenty of choices at various price points and the mark up isn't too bad (relative to other comparable restaurants), so most people will be satisfied.  Wine geeks will find it lacking, however.

One point worth noting - Chef RJ was in the kitchen, running the show, not just watching.  I would not expect that to be the case moving forward.  That may or may not change the food in the future.

So, overall, a very nice experience and one I would recommend.  As we told the staff when leaving, we'll be back, but after we give it time to work out the kinks.

[Lary]

Erica and I Thoroughly enjoyed dinner here last night. Once we chuckled through the wooden and leather gates expecting to see, like, motorcycles hanging from the walls, we were pleased to find the inside is nicely minimalist. You can gawk at the open kitchen action from most seats (which are super comfy!) Everything took a little long to come out, but nothing worth kvetching about especially during opening week and a full house a couple hours into dinner service. Pig ears, tartare, frogmore stew, rabbit dumplings, and desserts were all, if I had to describe them, fucking awesome. RJ told a kitchen dude to get the fuck away from him when they entered his zone trying to ask him something, after expertly mixed "liberal" and "gnome" cocktails found this more amusing than painful (and are rethinking our management style). Chef seemed to be in expediter mode with a super strong crew backing him up, so we won't be worried if we don't see him in the mix on future visits. Stoked that this is down the street from our house and looking forward to many more trips!   

[RJ Cooper]

Thank you all for coming out last night. I really appreciate the support.

Breadcrumbs: its a brand new pos system with bugs that we are working out with the techs......its been one big pain in the ass for the foh managers, however the system for what it is, it will rock.

AC: Like most construction, they get to the "oh I'm done" and then they forget that the air needs to be balanced. Something I have been asking for now two weeks. I didn't know this was such a specialty, I will probably have an easier time getting a reservation at NOMA then them out next week.

Menu: We couldn't start out of the gate with the vision of the menu, we needed to start small and evaluate the skill set then add to the menus.

Note: Brunch the weekend after Labor Day. With lunch soon to follow.

Timing:  The POS system threw off the timing and rhythm of the kitchen. The longest time was 25 minutes to roast a rabbit last night which wasn't bad. However the course structures had a bug that was fixed last night. (Note: The FOH managers are working their asses off and have combated all the bugs that have come up. They are true worriers.)

Wine List:  We didn't really understand VA. But the list will start to grow in the next couple weeks.

Yes I did tell someone to get the fuck away from me, after several of his mental mistakes of ringing in the same table three times.

All in all I have opened many restaurants. This has been, on a mental level, one of the easiest I have had. On a physical level, I haven't stopped moving since we got the health inspection.

I will be here most nights, the harley will be out front.

Thanks again for the feedback.

RJ

[DonRocks]

I will be here most nights, the harley will be out front.

Is this sort of like the pirate-flag thing at PX?

[Choirgirl21]

AC: Like most construction, the get to the "oh I'm done" and then they forget that the air needs to be balanced. Something I have been asking for now two weeks. I didn't know this was such a specialty, I will probably have an easier time getting a reservation at NOMA then them out next week.

[RJ Cooper]

Is this sort of like the pirate-flag thing at PX?

Of course Don. Although today bike is sleeping undercover, she doesn't like rain.

[hapatite]

I dropped by here tonight for dinner and was very happy with my experience!

(P.S. Loved the music selection & the fact Cartoon Network was on the TV).

The decor inside is a brighter, larger, and friendlier version of what is at Rogue 24 (can't wait to see the rooftop!).

We had:

- Bread Basket
$6 but all of the breads are made in-house. The lard one was my favorite and we may have accidentally received 2 of these instead of the cornbread, but I wasn't complaining. Served with slices of room temperature butter with large flakes of salt.

- Fried Chicken Skins
These were addictive-ly yummy. They were crunchy without being too greasy and the sauce was sweet with a hit of spice at the end. The whole platter of calamari-like chicken skin chips were devoured immediately. 

- Short Rib with Chow Chow
Per the server's recommendation (and warning that it had sold out previously), we ordered the short rib. I was surprised that it was moist but not fatty and that it didn't immediately send me back to my pot roast days as a child. The acidic vegetables were the perfect tang to cut through the richness of the meat.

- Stephen Stills (Toasted Coconut/Fresno/Lime/Ginger Ale/Thai Basil)
To be honest, this was a really nice spicy ginger ale with basil. I didn't pick up on the toasted coconut or fresno, but it was refreshing to have some gourmet non-alcoholic beverage choices from the Cheftender.

- Lemon Sponge Cake & Blackberry & Spruce

Great but TOO small! I was done with this in 2 bites and wish I had at least 2 more. 

I'm glad that this restaurant has joined the Mosaic District and I can't wait to go back, especially for brunch!

[DrXmus]

Four of us went to GS Saturday night. As excited as I was that it was finally open, I think it'll be a rarity that we go back. Partly because the menu is so "interesting" that it makes it difficult to find a meal for my lovely bride. She's a conservative eater and after the crab cake fiasco (see below) the mac and cheese is probably the only item on the current menu she can eat. Poultry? Yes. Quail? Oh, hell, no! The menu isn't as complete as the one on the web site, as chef stated above, so maybe that makes some difference, but even then, there's not much there for a non-adventurous eater.

-The beer list is extensive and impressive! Prices seem reasonable. The glassware is lovely, although as thin as it is, I see many of those being broken over time. Maybe they're a tougher hybrid glass of some sort. On our second drink round, I got the same beer my wife did but we got different glasses. The beer tasted right, but it made me wonder if there was a mis-order issue. Maybe the full inventory of glasses aren't in place, yet.

-The deviled eggs were very good. The whites were tender and the filling was very tasty. My first thought, though, was "these are small eggs." I guess I'm a Grade A Large kinda guy.

-The fried chicken skins were out of this world. It was the unanimous hit of the meal. The portion seemed perfect, even for the four of us, although I could've eaten them all myself, too.

-The bread basket didn't last very long. Personally, I enjoyed the cornbread and the fact that the butter was room temp. The biscuit seemed very dry and crumbly to me. I can't be sure there was some other sort of Irish soda bread-type thing that I ate and it wasn't the biscuit, but whatever it was, it was a struggle for me. Thankfully, there was beer nearby.

-I had the fried catfish, chips and cole slaw. The chips were incredibly light - thin but not overcooked, somehow. The seasoning was perfect...in fact, the seasoning was perfect on everything I tasted (save the crab cakes, but that was a flavor issue more than salt/pepper). The cole slaw was good, albeit only a tablespoon of slaw. The single fillet of catfish was well-cooked.

-One of my friends got the quail, greens and grits dish. I didn't get the try the grits, but the greens had a nice texture and a good tang, although I thought they were a bit sweet for my (Southern) taste. I don't know from quail, but I guess it was good. The batter wasn't overpowering and the flavors seemed good to me.

-Another buddy got the short rib(?) and risotto-type dish. He liked the meat, although he thought the portion was small. It looked like about a 1/3 cup scoop size, which did seem on the small size to me, too. He liked the risotto and said the grains seemed very small and different than run of the mill risotto.

-Now comes the miss of the night. My wife crab cakes didn't taste like crab in the least. The lump pieces were of good size and looked beautiful, but their flavor was missing. The only flavor that came through was of lemon zest/lemon oil; not the lovely acidity of lemon juice but the harsh, chemical-y Lemon Pledge-type flavor. It seemed like it was within the crab cake, not a dressing/aioli that could be avoided. For $34 for 2 small crab cakes, it was a huge disappointment.

-We split the rhubarb/strawberry dessert which was very, very, very good. The sour cream ice cream was a huge hit, also. It was amazingly smooth and very tasty. The crumble on top was very crunchy and contained substantial pieces, which I liked a lot. It was a great contrast of textures with the creamy, warm fruit underneath.

-A coffee that was ordered at the same time as dessert never got delivered, but that was the only service issue we had. Our server was very sweet and personable and seemed to have a strong opinion of what dishes we should order when we gave her a few choices. The timing of the meal seemed very appropriate, too.

General thoughts:

I was surprised the restaurant was half empty during our meal in the 8 o'clock time frame.

The music was great. I couldn't hear it well until I was in the bathroom (which was also very cool) but it was great background music.

I didn't think the noise level of the restaurant was obtrusive at all.

The tables are very close together along the windows. It's impossible to scootch off the bench and through the table gap without your ass or crotch intruding on your neighbor's personal space and table full of food.

The restaurant's design is lovely. The colors are muted and understated with the gleaming, stainless kitchen in the center of the restaurant taking the lead.

We're looking forward to the bluegrass and drinks on the roof, but we just can't have meals at GS often.

[RJ Cooper]

Now comes the miss of the night. My wife crab cakes didn't taste like crab in the least. The lump pieces were of good size and looked beautiful, but their flavor was missing. The only flavor that came through was of lemon zest/lemon oil; not the lovely acidity of lemon juice but the harsh, chemical-y Lemon Pledge-type flavor. It seemed like it was within the crab cake, not a dressing/aioli that could be avoided. For $34 for 2 small crab cakes, it was a huge disappointment.

Thanks for the feedback. It has been 3 years since I have designed a menu that isnt based on 28 to 90 gram portions. I did however look at the cost of Chesapeake Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab at $28.00 per pound (I wont use imported) and the menu prices. So what I did was increased the portion sized of the cake to 110 grams each.

As far as the lemon pledge which is vary accurate in the description. This was from the heavy hand of preserved lemon, which is in the aioli as well as the mix of the meat itself. I am usually the crab cake mixer and did not this time around. We have since trained the person to make them how I do. As well with this information, we have scaled back the preserved lemon. Of course on sunday after I read this I had to eat 1 (actually 3) to make sure this was accurate, which in retrospect was spot on.

I learned to make crab cakes from an old crabber and water fowl hunter.

• mayo
• mustard
• cayenne
• lemon juice
• lemon zest
• salt
• pepper
• chives
• saltines
• fold
• mold

Training is everything. We keep training and keep working hard.

Again thanks for the feedback.  Next time please send them back to me during service.

RJ

[RJ Cooper]

what do you wanna eat for brunch?

[Lary]

that pole bean thing from the other night would be a great brunch item. 

[lion]

what do you wanna eat for brunch?

Since you're taking requests.

Cross between Mama Dip's breakfast and Husk's lunch menus.

Mrs. Lion would like Sweet Potato Pancake with cinnamon whip cream, please.

[thistle]

I will say, Chef Cooper, your crabcakes sound great. I wish you the best w/ your launch. & you don't even want to ask me what I want for brunch, don't like it, but have lots of ideas- middle of the day- eat anything, drink anything.

[DrXmus]

Next time please send them back to me during service.

Interesting point, Chef, and thanks for the offer. Sending a dish back seems like something that makes sense when the dish is poorly made (rotten things, burned items, funky smells) however to send back a dish just because you don't like the flavors is beyond our comfort level. How is the diner to know the dish isn't up to your standards? For all we know, it's what you want on the plate and for us to send that back seems presumptuous to me. Not only that, but if my wife had sent the dish back, then the meal ballet would've been disrupted. The three of us would either stop eating and wait for her to get her meal, or we'd eat (because she'd insist) and then sit while she eats her dish alone.

[bmcdonal6674]

I normally let places settle in before trying them but with RW we wanted to avoid the crowds.  We went on tuesday and had the bibb salad, deviled eggs, crab cake as an app and hanger steaks.  Everything was spot on.  The crab cake was outstanding so any previous issues have been resolved.  The service was well timed and James who assisted with the wine service was very helpful.

Very impressed given they've only been open a few weeks.  The only thing I would add is that I agree with the suggestion that there needs to be some "safer" selections for the less adventurous diners.

[ktmoomau]

For brunch... There is a place in San Francisco, Nopa, that always has brunch that makes me want to go to SF just for brunch, and I go back when I go there despite all the other options because it calls to me.  I think one of the reasons I like it more than traditional brunch is that they actually have vegetables in the dish and it's not just a carb and protein fest.  I think the dishes are also just delicious.  I particularly remember:  Butter Basted Farm Eggs "“ Roasted Spring Onions, Romesco and Crispy Polenta, fantastic bacon, and Chili Braised Pork "“Purple Runner Beans, Chard and Buttermilk Biscuit.  We have had other dishes there that we have loved.  I think I just like a balance for brunch and something that isn't benedict or quiche.  Eggs baked in tomato, just something different.  

[Bart]

I'll play along too.  For brunch, copy this.

Appetizers, Salads and Small Plates

• Praline Bacon $6
• Old Fashion Callas $5.5
• Fried Grit Cakes With Tasso Gravy $5.5
• Fried Chicken Livers With Elizabeth's Pepper Jelly $7.5
• Seafood Stuffed Mirliton With Green Onion sauce $7.5
• Biscuits and Sausage Gravy $5.5
• Fresh Fruit $4.5
• Fried Boudin Balls in Creole Mustard Sauce $6

Entrees

• Entrees marked With * Get Choice of Hash Browns or Grits
• Eggs Elizabeth* $13French bread Grilled Topped with Ham, Poached Eggs and Hollandaise
• Duck Waffle $14.5 Sweet Potato and Duck Hash on top of a Corn Bread Waffle with Pepper Jelly
• Grillades & Grits $14 Smothered steak with Creole Gravy
• Eggs Florentine $17 Creamed Spinach, Fried Oysters over Potatoes, Topped with Poached Eggs and Hollandaise
• Banana's Foster French Toast $10 Classic French Bread Grilled and Stuffed with Banana's Foster Cream Cheese
• Red Neck Eggs* $14 Fried green Tomatoes with Poached Eggs and Hollandaise
• Campfire Steak and Eggs* $19 Cold Smoked Rib Eye, Hollandaise and Fried Eggs
• Cajun Bubble and Squeak* $16.5 Country Bacon, Cabbage and Shrimp Topped with Poached Eggs and Hollandaise
• Country Breakfast* $12.5 Smoked Porkchops covered With Country Gravy and topped With 2 Eggs
• Smoked Salmon and Brie Grilled cheese* $12.5 Smoked Salmon with Brie on Rye Bread topped with 2 Fried Eggs
• Shrimp and Grits (The Hang-over Helper) $14.5 Shrimp with leeks and Tasso in Beef Broth over Grits

Ala Carte and Traditional Fare

• Waffle with strawberries $9 Waffle Topped with Whip Cream and Strawberries
• Waffle $7
• Basic Breakfast $7.5 2 Eggs Any Style, with Hash Browns or Grits and Toast or Biscuit
• Biscuit, Wheat or Rye Toast $2
• Hash Browns or Cheese Grits $3.5
• Grilled Ham, Bacon or Housemade Sausages (Italian or Breakfast) $3
• Hollandaise $3
• Two Eggs any Style $3

And most importantly, please copy thier "Make your own mimosa" deal where they give you a pitcher of OJ and a bottle of champagne and let you mix your own.  All for 21 bucks!

[Rieux]

Ktoomau, are you talking about the Girl and the Fig in Healdsburg? It's one of my brunch happy places.

[ktmoomau]

Ktoomau, are you talking about the Girl and the Fig in Healdsburg? It's one of my brunch happy places.

No, although I have wanted to try it.  I was talking about Nopa (not the DC one).

[RJ Cooper]

Sneak Peak of this weekends brunch menu......reservations start at 11 am Saturday

brunch buzz: our creations & classics      9

in the works

fresh juices: from our farm partners & organics citrus                    6

watermelon-chocolate mint

texas ruby grapefruit

cara cara orange

heirloom tomato

green-hippie jam

morning breads: basket of 4

cornbread "¢ sage-lard biscuit "¢ zucchini apple sauce "¢ pumpkin-ginger doughnut 6

fresh churned butter "¢ gypsy soul jams & jellies

pantry snacks 

pimento cheese/bread crackers    6

deviled eggs/country ham/togarashi                6

pickled partridge eggs/pearl onions                  8

beginnings

pecan-roof top honey bun                                                                                                     8

gypsy soul sheep yogurt/granola/roof top honey                                                                    8

detroit greek/beets/heirloom feta/tomatoes/cucumber/romaine                       10

chicken fried chicken skins/roof top honey/snake oil                                               9

smoked albacore dip/flat bread                                                           

smith's fields farm pole beans/65° degree aracana egg/caraway crumble            12

eggs: pasture raised

scrambled eggs/ sea urchin/lemon/kelp infused crème fraiche/arugula salad       22

63° aracana eggs/cocoa biscuits/mustards/crawfish-tasso blanquette                                  18

foragers omelet/mushrooms/smoked gouda/truffle/dandelion                                                 19

67° aracana eggs/chesapeake bay crab/maque choux                                       20

biker's breakfast/3 egg over easy/grits/collard greens/sausage                            18

southern specialties

buttermilk-blueberry flap jacks/gypsy granola/path valley maple syrup                                   14

chicken fried chicken livers/waffles/little onions/black pepper gravy                      16

carolina shrimp/anson mill's pencil cobb grits/alliums/tasso                                                      22

confit shoat/red wine pear butter/candied cabbage/coush coush                         18

chicken fried steak/robuchon potatoes/fried egg/mushroom gravy                       20

morning meats                                                                      6

nueske's bacon/applewood smoked/wittenberg, wi                                                             

benton's smoky mountain bacon/hickory smoked/madisonville, tn                                  

timber creek farm "pan rabbit"/amish recipe/apple butter

gypsy soul spicy breakfast sausage

gizzard-pork-black pepper gravy/sage biscuit                                                                        10

farm vegetables

smothered greens/bacon/vidalia onions/hot vinegar          6 

pv okra stew/tomatoes/cinnamon 6

pv farms baby carrots/orange/caraway           8

heirloom grains & tubers

first dug potatoes/roasted garlic/rosemary       9

pencil cob grits/foraged mushrooms/truffle emulsion         14

macaroni & cheese: cave age cheddar/goat cheese

plain/baked/ritz cracker topping     8

country ham                10

chesapeake jumbo lump crab meat/bay spice                  12

Desserts

milk chocolate pudding/caramelized banana/rosemary/peanuts**      9

meyer lemon-poppyseed pound cake/blackberry compote/goat cheese ice cream              9

caramel cremeux/bourbon jelly/candied pecans                9

peach-ginger crisp for 2/sour cream ice cream                 14

cucumber sorbet/gin tapioca         6

chocolate/chocolate mint               6

[Choirgirl21]

So when are you opening a Gypsy Soul in MD?

[ktmoomau]

Brunch menu looks excellent!

[RJ Cooper]

So we are going to have the inaugural collaboration dinner on September 21st Sunday Night Chef Jam dinner.

chefs:

Katsuya Fukushima-Daikaya

John Mooney--Bell, Book & Candle NYC, Bidwell DC

Spike Gjerde--Woodberry Kitchen, Parts & Labor etc., Baltimore

Lee Gregory---The Roosevelt, Richmond VA

Ian Boden--The Shack, Stauton VA

RJ--Gypsy Soul, Rogue 24

Giane--Rogue 24, Gypsy Soul

Details will be announced soon.  Save the date.

[ktmoomau]

Matt and I went to Gypsy Soul on Saturday night and sat at the bar.  I started with the Hank Jr. aka a really good pitcher of peach iced tea.  Matt had some cocktails, I forget what his first one was.  Love the non-alcoholic drink options.  Was nice as I wasn't really in the mood to drink much Saturday night.  We started with deviled eggs and the bread basket.  The bread basket was really well done and interesting.  We established from both the corn bread and biscuit that we would definitely like to come back for brunch.  The onion foccacio was very good too.  I used it to mop up my dinner plate later on.  The deviled eggs were some of the most memorable deviled eggs I have ever had.  I love deviled eggs, but most don't leave any sort of lasting memory.  I am still thinking about those eggs.  They were so good I might have to order some toragashi from Amazon.  First they were just very well done.  The crispy ham was nice too, but the seasoning was spicy and salty and just amazing.  I had to share these with Matt which was good so I could have enough room for dessert, but if there were a whole tray of these sitting near me I would have eaten so many more.  I loved these.

For entrees Matt had the short rib with Carolina Gold rice and I had the rabbit roulade with ricotta dumplings.  They were both excellent.  His won because man we both have fallen in love with Carolina Gold rice and it's smooth texture.  I am going to have to find it in a store.  But the short rib itself had excellent flavors to make it a little tangy, it was great on dark, dreary day.  My rabbit was cooked really nicely.  The knife I had wasn't the sharpest, but I got the job done.  The dumplings were really nice with a great flavor, they weren't pillowy, but they weren't dense or tough they had just the right amount of texture to go against the rabbit and absorb some of the great purees on the plate.  The carrots were good, but the puree and sauce on the plate were really excellent, I mopped it all up with the bread.  Matt had a Bull's Blood cocktail with his entree that was very interesting.  It looks a bit like wine with a froth on top and served in a wine glass.  It had beet juice in it, but the alcohol kind of balanced the earthy beets.  It wouldn't probably be something I would drink a whole glass of, but he said it paired really well with his entree.

For dessert Matt had chocolate chocolate mint ice cream.  He was pleasantly surprised by how composed this dish was, he was just expecting ice cream, the chocolate mint crumbles were very nice.  I had the chocolate pudding with bananas and peanuts.  This was also nicely composed to give it some varying texture and flavors.  We loved sitting at the far side of the bar so you really could see what was going on with the bartenders and the kitchen.  It was a lot of fun.  I always know when Matt enjoys the meal as much as I do that we found a good place.

[Lary]

Lunch!

[RJ Cooper]

Here is the new lunch menu  we started yesterday

breads: basket of 4

onion-rosemary focaccia "¢ lard-sage biscuts "¢ callah "¢ cornbread 6

fresh churned infused butter & smoked sea salt  

beginnings & soups

miller farm smoked gazpacho/whipped avocado/olive bread 10

martin's ranch beef tartare/grilled romains/black garlic/anchovy/parmesan* 12

pimento cheese/scallions/lavash 12

smoked albacore dip/lavash 9

deviled eggs/rural/ham/togarashi 6

gypsy chips/vidalia onion-scallion dip 8

leaves & things

detroit greek salad/ruby onion/beets/cucumber/romaine/feta 10

bibb/pear/shallot/tarragon/bacon/rogue blue 12

24 hour chopped salad/country ham/green goddess dressing 12

additional proteins to add to salads:

pulled chicken salad 6

cured country ham 8

grilled fish of  the day* 10

grilled beef of the day* 12

wild shrimp in pickling brine 12

breakfast for lunch: arcana eggs from path valley farms

biker's breakfast/3 eggs/pencil cob grits/collard greens/sausage* 16

bandera texas hill country fried steak/robuchon potatoes/mushroom gravy* 18

sandwich entrées: gypsy chips & cole slaw

"red neck" cheesesteak, pork belly/LTO/cheddar 14

pulled chicken salad/bacon/LTO/tarragon mayonaisse/challah 12

gypsy soul burger/grassfed beef/LTO/cheddar/onion-potato roll* 14

entrees: with southern & regional influences

carolina shrimp/anson mills grits/onion-tasso gravy 19

chicken fried bobwhite quail/ anson mills grits/greens/gizzard gravy 16

old spot pork belly/tsire/field peas/okra/apples** 18

grilled vegetables from our farm partners/carolina gold risotto 16

chesapeake jumbo lump crab/gypsy chips/cole slaw/preserved lemon aioli 18/34

lunch crush  15

for a quick lunch only at our bar
featuring 3 dishes composed daily

heirloom grains & tubers

farrow piccolo/brined tomatoes/basil/mascarpone 9

anson mills grits/foraged mushrooms/preserved truffle 14

first dug potatoes/roasted garlic/rosemary 9

farm vegetable

smotherd greens/bacon/vidalia onions/hot vinegar 6

pv okra stew/tomatoes/cinnamon 6

pv carrots/orange-caraway-honey 9

silver queen corn creamed 7

macaroni & cheese: cave age cheddar/goat cheese

baked/ritz style cracker crust 8

country ham 10

bay crab/bay spice 14

Desserts

peanut butter mousse/milk chocolate/concord grape jelly** 8

milk chocolate pudding/caramelized banana/rosemary/peanuts** 9

meyer lemon poundcake/blackberry compote/goat cheese ice cream 9

caramel cremeux/bourbon jelly/candied pecans 9

peach-honey-brandy crisp for two/sour cream ice cream 14

cucumber sorbet/gin gel 6

chocolate/chocolate mint ice cream

[Justin Bittner]

You gonna be open this Monday?

[reedm]

I'm looking forward to bringing friends for dinner this Friday, but I already know I'll be in for brunch to order the hill country chicken fried steak.

Very excited to see this caliber of restaurant in Fairfax.

[RJ Cooper]

You gonna be open this Monday?

Justin,

We are not. The contractors will (so they say) being finishing up the punch lists.

[lion]

Glad to see the brunch and lunch menus are up!

We look forward to visiting when things slow down a bit in the next few weeks. I did recommend that my sister and her friend stop by before a film at the Angelika and they both liked the experience.

[lion]

We finally stopped by for brunch on the weekend and it was very good. Bread basket with jams was perfect with the right amount of sweetness. Mrs. Lion enjoyed her stack of pancakes and I appreciated the beacon spurge! The only misfire for us was the mushiness of the okra.

As others have said the restaurant is very appealing visually, and the background music of bluegrass was great to hear. Sitting at the counter was fun watching the friendly cooking and service staff work.

I had almost thought the restaurant might be a little too impersonal in style, but after having the food, found it the right blend in terms of atmospherics.

I'm curious to see where Gypsy Soul goes as it does have the feel of beginning a journey.

[Escoffier]

Happy birthday, R.J.   Somehow it seems appropriate that your mom had you on Labor Day!  May you have many many more.

[cucas87]

Scott and I had a lovely time at a Gypsy Soul last night. The space is sleek, the open kitchen is beautiful and the restaurant was crowded. And we enjoyed our dinner! We had an 8:30 reservation and the joint was hopping. For drinks, Scott had a gin martini and I, a Scorpio, ordered the Gemini, which was light and a perfect start. We ordered the bread basket, deviled eggs and the chicken skins. The breads were plentiful, although the challah seemed to have been cut too early as it was a little dry. We shared the shrimp and grits, the crab cakes and the greens. I loved both of the mains, but the depth of flavor in the shrimp and grits made it the clear winner. The greens were so good I would stop by just for them. We passed on dessert because we were full- maybe a first for me- so I will have to return soon. RJ was in the house and graciously stopped to talk with us and other tables. Others have mentioned the noise level; we did not find it to be a problem, but there is background music and if you are looking for a very quiet dinner spot, this may not fit the bill. Gypsy Soul is a real addition to northern Virginia, not to mention Mosaic. We will be back.

[cocobinga]

Stopped in for lunch on Friday, 10/24. I sat at the bar and had an excellent meal.

I'll go ahead and say that the daily lunch crush for $15 is a helluva bargain. It came with a  flavorful bibb salad; chicken-fried quail with collards and grits; and chocolate pudding. Perhaps a bit overkill, but I ordered the chicken skins with snake oil as well. Perfectly salty/spicy/sweet fried morsels of poultry heaven. I'll declare the quail one of the best preparations I've had. I've eaten at Husk; both Charleston and Nashville locations, and I think RJ executes southern food with the best of 'em.

As expected, the cocktails are great as well. Both RJ and BryanTetorakis were in the house. They run a tight ship!

If you read this, RJ, thanks a lot for the memorable lunch. You've got a great new spot on your hands.

[DPop]

If there is a better rendition of Chicken-Fried Steak than the one on the Gypsy Soul brunch menu, please direct me to where I can get it.  Thanks.

Also, Bay Crab mac & cheese.  For God's sakes get a side of that when you go.

[DonRocks]

Also, Bay Crab mac & cheese.  For God's sakes get a side of that when you go.

Oh! I've bypassed it twice now. They have three different mac and cheeses; I just figured they threw some crab on top of this one, and it's noticeably more expensive (the others are plain, and with ham). Is there something in particular about the crab that makes this stand out, or would any of the three be worth trying?

[RJ Cooper]

Oh! I've bypassed it twice now. They have three different mac and cheeses; I just figured they threw some crab on top of this one, and it's noticeably more expensive (the others are plain, and with ham). Is there something in particular about the crab that makes this stand out, or would any of the three be worth trying?

All thank you for your support. As Don has already added one of my truly talented sous chefs back in the onion days is back home. Chef de Cuisine John "The Bull" Engle, was with the crew of Harper McClure, John Melfi, Hamilton "Hambone" Johnson, Ricky "Ding-a-ling" King and many more. It was a great time at the onion back then, more shit talking the shit stirring.

He will be there with Jenna, Chao, Jeff and David so I can play some more at Rogue. (FYI new menu coming next week, I guarantee it  will blow away many many in this area and country. Not to sound like a d*ck)

The crab mac, is special because we get three sisters crab from the bay. This will be gone soon all, crab meat is getting to the $30.00 per pound mark.

We will be doing Thanks Giving Dinner a la carte from 1 pm to 8 pm that day. Come get it.