wrash Posted July 8, 2009 Posted July 8, 2009 I just got an invitation from the folks who run Trummers on Main in Clifton to their soft opening this week. I plan to go there for dinner on Friday evening. The actual soft opening starts today with the real opening on Monday 7/13/09. The Web site is here: http://www.trummersonmain.com/ and there's a blog site by the owners here: http://www.stefantru.../blog-text.htm. With a chef from the French Laundry, maybe this will be a nice place. I'll file a full report after I visit the place, unless someone else gets there first. The number for reservations is 703.266.1623. One warning, neither Web site above is up to date. clearly the owners have been spending their time making the restaurant work. Wayne Rash
Arcturus Posted July 10, 2009 Posted July 10, 2009 This place is going to be huge. Haven't dined there yet, but started working there, and the food is outstanding. It's somewhat similar to Citronelle and CityZen in terms of food pairings and presentation, but definitely enough of a difference to be able to distinguish it. Beautiful dining rooms, too.
wrash Posted July 11, 2009 Author Posted July 11, 2009 Despite the official word that Trummers on Main will open on Monday, the soft opening is indeed underway. My wife and I ate dinner there tonight. The restaurant replaces the not-very-lamented Hermitage. The new owners have clearly focused a great deal of attention to the decor. It's open, light and comfortable without being stuffy. The noise levels were a bit higher than I'd like, given that the tables were only about half full. Just putting table cloths on the tables would probably solve that issue. The menu, at least during the soft opening is limited to eight appetizers and eight entrees. The appetizers are creative and well executed (at least what I tried). The entrees are heavy on fish, with one item each of pork, beef, lamb and chicken. The wine list is quite good with a broad selection of American and European wines as well as wine from everyplace else. They have the old standbys, but also a number of wine choices that I haven't seen elsewhere. It's a nice change. Wine by the bottle is reasonably priced, but wine by the glass is a little steeper than I think it should be. Stefan Trummer, who owns the restaurant with his wife, is apparently a legendary bartender from New York. Unfortunately, I don't know how he does, because our pre-dinner cocktails never arrived. My wife ordered a brandy alexander, and that apparently caused consternation among the bar staff, one of whom came to the table to ask if we wanted our brandy on the rocks. The appetizers arrived on time. I had the grilled romaine salad, which is served with pecerino cheese, anchovy dressing and a poached egg. I guess the idea was a grilled deconstructed Caesar salad. Quite honestly, I prefer this approach. It's the first time I've had a salad with a poached egg in quite this way, but the effect is quite nice. The anchovy dressing really delivers the Caesar feeling without being overbearing. My wife had the Mahi Mahi Pastrami which is served with melon balls and a refreshing and very light dressing that I'm at a loss to identify. But it was different from any Mahi Mahi that I've ever had. I'll have to have an entire appetizer next time and figure out the recipe. Unfortunately, my wife wouldn't allow me more than just one small bite. We both ended up having the pan roasted skate wing for dinner. Unlike my recent misadventures in the name of seafood, this one was perfectly cooked. It's served with a tapenade-like olive side, red pepper sauce, porcini mushrooms and what the restaurant calls "corn puddin'." My only complaint is minor - I'd be happier if they could tone down the salt on the fish slightly. The regret I have is that there wasn't more of the "corn puddin'" on the plate. It's just a thin layer beneath one part of the skate wing (the red pepper sauce is underneath the other half). I'd also have liked it if there had been a little more to eat on the plate - perhaps a roasted fingerling potato or something. All that you get is the fish and the sauces. I felt like the plate needed completion. Trummer's makes their own ice cream, so I kept it simple by ordering vanilla. This is made in-house and uses two different types of vanilla, but I couldn't find out what those types might be. The owner also sent over another dessert to make up for the cocktail problem. This was chocolate soup - a composed dish with chocolate cake, milk sorbet, meringue and chocolate sauce. Both desserts were well made, short on goo but long on flavor, and nicely presented. As you might expect, the service was best described as variable. You already know about the missing cocktails. The bread guy clearly hadn't done that job before this week. He was pleasant, but oh-so-deliberate. The waitress on the other hand, despite being quite young, clearly knew what she was doing, she delivered the food on time, kept up with the progress at dinner, and didn't rush us or make us wait. She also wasn't intrusive, but offered what she knew of the menu when asked, and her opinions were apparently based on knowledge. So the service was better than I'd expected, and the execution of the food was much better. My wife said that the atmosphere reminded her of Windows in Rosslyn (for those of you who have been around for a really long time). The room we ate in was light and airy, we had a nice view of downtown Clifton, and the whole tone was comfortable and unhurried without being slow. I feel certain that the service will improve. The cooking is already up to standard, and I'll go back. Prices are moderate. Both of us had dinner including appetizers and wine, for about a hundred dollars. I think this restaurant deserves a serious look at a close-by spot worth the time and money. I'll be back there again. Wayne Rash
dgreen Posted July 13, 2009 Posted July 13, 2009 It will be interesting to see how they do. Downtown Clifton has added a few restaurants the last couple years and tends to be a little more crowded that it used to be. It used to just be Heart in Hand and Hermitage. Now, in addition to Heart in Hand and Trummers, there's Peterson's Ice Cream Depot (which also serves hot dogs and a couple other food items), a cafe next to Peterson's (looks like it's called the Clifton Coffee Mill online, but that's not what the sign says on the building), and a restaurant in the General Store (Main St. Grill or something like that).
wrash Posted July 13, 2009 Author Posted July 13, 2009 It will be interesting to see how they do. Downtown Clifton has added a few restaurants the last couple years and tends to be a little more crowded that it used to be. It used to just be Heart in Hand and Hermitage. Now, in addition to Heart in Hand and Trummers, there's Peterson's Ice Cream Depot (which also serves hot dogs and a couple other food items), a cafe next to Peterson's (looks like it's called the Clifton Coffee Mill online, but that's not what the sign says on the building), and a restaurant in the General Store (Main St. Grill or something like that). Their PR company sent out an elaborate e-mail with the history of Clifton, the story of the rennovation, and a look at what the menu and wine list will be like. However, it still links to the old Web site, which is one page that contains a form for more e-mail information. Hope they get the site updated fairly soon. Meanwhile, I have a copy of the menu which I can scan and upload if anyone wants it, and if it's OK with Don. I won't want to fill up the storage with uninvited menus. In addition to dgreen's description of food happenings in Clifton, the Heart in Hand people have added a bar of their own, apparently to compete with the Clifton Store pub across the street. Unfortunately, Heart in Hand's food has declined since the days when Nancy Reagan and George Will met there for their regular lunch dates, so it's not all that memorable. The Clifton Store pub serves the same things that they served before the pub part was in place, which means mainly sandwiches. The sandwiches are not bad, and are reasonably priced. They're cooked to order, and as long as you don't mind eating on patio furniture inside, it's OK for a quick lunch. There's also seating outside. The Clifton Cafe (aka Clifton Coffee Mill) apparently serves food, but I haven't been inside. Maybe a few of us who live near Clifton should descend on it en masse and freak them out er.... um... see how their food is. Peterson's is fun for ice cream. They also sell hot dogs. I don't know how those are, but without a baseball or football stadium, how can you really experience a hot dog? On the other hand, these are not, at least, Trade Show Hot Dogs, of which I have eaten far too many, and regretted far too much. Now, if only Trummer's served lunch. Wayne Rash
cigarnv Posted July 17, 2009 Posted July 17, 2009 We visited Trummers on Main in Clifton last evening and were quite pleased. While Trummers still has a few rough edges it is nice to have a respectable dining spot in western Fairfax that appears to have great potential. Clifton is a nice little town that is an oasis of calm sandwiched between Fairfax and PW counties offering an escape from the traditional "town center" restaurants or an abusive drive into DC. Trummers can seat 210 people. The menu was well conceived and covered all the basic food groups with a leaning towards fish on the entree side. As for starters we had the grilled romaine with a poached egg that was very good as well as a tomato water risotto which was prepared perfectly. Entrees were suckling pig and roasted chicken... again both were very good. Serving sizes were respectable and the food presentation was on par with most upper end DC restaurants. The wine list was well thought out with a decent range of offering. Wine pricing by the bottle was reasonable with by the glass prices being a bit to the high side as was their bourbon pricing. Service was attentive and friendly with the owners close at hand to make you feel welcome. Our bill for 2 including a bottle of wine ("Roaring Mel" NZ Pinot Noir), starters and entrees was $113 plus gratuity Overall Trummers did a very nice job at a reasonable price point. Being new they have a few small kinks to work out but none that impacted our evening. While not in the league of Citronelle, Trummers appears capable of holding their own against most upper end dining spots in the metro DC area.
wrash Posted July 17, 2009 Author Posted July 17, 2009 We visited Trummers on Main in Clifton last evening and were quite pleased. While Trummers still has a few rough edges it is nice to have a respectable dining spot in western Fairfax that appears to have great potential. Clifton is a nice little town that is an oasis of calm sandwiched between Fairfax and PW counties offering an escape from the traditional "town center" restaurants or an abusive drive into DC. Trummers can seat 210 people. The menu was well conceived and covered all the basic food groups with a leaning towards fish on the entree side. As for starters we had the grilled romaine with a poached egg that was very good as well as a tomato water risotto which was prepared perfectly. Entrees were suckling pig and roasted chicken... again both were very good. Serving sizes were respectable and the food presentation was on par with most upper end DC restaurants. The wine list was well thought out with a decent range of offering. Wine pricing by the bottle was reasonable with by the glass prices being a bit to the high side as was their bourbon pricing. Service was attentive and friendly with the owners close at hand to make you feel welcome. Our bill for 2 including a bottle of wine ("Roaring Mel" NZ Pinot Noir), starters and entrees was $113 plus gratuity Overall Trummers did a very nice job at a reasonable price point. Being new they have a few small kinks to work out but none that impacted our evening. While not in the league of Citronelle, Trummers appears capable of holding their own against most upper end dining spots in the metro DC area. It's worth noting that Trummer's now has a functional Web site. Go to http://trummersonmain.com and you can look at the menu, photos, etc. I haven't found out if they're linked in to OpenTable or not. But at least you can check out the menu on the Web site. Wayne Rash
ctay122 Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 Thanks for the review. I made a reservation there on Thurs night for my husband's birthday. Chef Miller has worked at the French Laundry under Thomas Keller and for Daniel Boulud, so I have high expectations. Living in Woodbridge, we need some decent restaurants within a reasonable driving distance besides these awful chain restaurants (my husband refers to Woodbridge as a cultural black hole. I am really looking forward ti it. We visited Trummers on Main in Clifton last evening and were quite pleased. While Trummers still has a few rough edges it is nice to have a respectable dining spot in western Fairfax that appears to have great potential. Clifton is a nice little town that is an oasis of calm sandwiched between Fairfax and PW counties offering an escape from the traditional "town center" restaurants or an abusive drive into DC. Trummers can seat 210 people. The menu was well conceived and covered all the basic food groups with a leaning towards fish on the entree side. As for starters we had the grilled romaine with a poached egg that was very good as well as a tomato water risotto which was prepared perfectly. Entrees were suckling pig and roasted chicken... again both were very good. Serving sizes were respectable and the food presentation was on par with most upper end DC restaurants. The wine list was well thought out with a decent range of offering. Wine pricing by the bottle was reasonable with by the glass prices being a bit to the high side as was their bourbon pricing. Service was attentive and friendly with the owners close at hand to make you feel welcome. Our bill for 2 including a bottle of wine ("Roaring Mel" NZ Pinot Noir), starters and entrees was $113 plus gratuity Overall Trummers did a very nice job at a reasonable price point. Being new they have a few small kinks to work out but none that impacted our evening. While not in the league of Citronelle, Trummers appears capable of holding their own against most upper end dining spots in the metro DC area.
Ericandblueboy Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 The menu was well conceived and covered all the basic food groups with a leaning towards fish on the entree side. As for starters we had the grilled romaine with a poached egg that was very good as well as a tomato water risotto which was prepared perfectly. Entrees were suckling pig and roasted chicken... again both were very good. How does thr grilled romaine look and taste? Also, the website mentions the suckling pig is for 2, do they also do it just for one?
mdt Posted July 20, 2009 Posted July 20, 2009 How does thr grilled romaine look and taste? Also, the website mentions the suckling pig is for 2, do they also do it just for one? No idea how this place does it, but I had a grilled Caesar salad recently that was rather tasty. The small head of romaine was halved lengthwise and grilled on each side then dressed normally. The grilling added a nice smokey quality to the dish, although it did wilt some of the outer leaves a bit.
Arcturus Posted July 21, 2009 Posted July 21, 2009 Ate here with the wife last night, and I have to say that it was excellent. I know my comments may be seen by some as biased, so take them for what you will. The meal was, as stated before, superb. We started off with two cold appetizers- the summer vegetable salad, and the mahi pastrami, both beautifully executed. The pastrami is cured in-house and served with marinated melon balls and curry-water sorbet, introducing a great deal of sweetness and peppery/gingery spiciness to the dish. The salad is a combination of beets, saffron-poached potatoes, fingerling potatoes, beech mushrooms, and maybe another vegetable or two with three vinaigrettes- truffle, potato cream, and balsamic. It was one of the best salads of my life, with the truffle vin, you know, doing what truffles do and making it delicious, with the potato cream sauce and the balsamic interacting marvelously and adding acidity and body to the mix. Second appetizers were uniformly standout- the tomato water risotto and vanilla pork belly were both nothing short of mindblowing. The risotto was exactly as it sounds- made with tomato water, with a hint of basil, and a beautifully made parmesan tuile. Normally not a fan of the tuiles at all due to the propensity to have a texture like freshly cooled plastic, this one was immensely surprising in that it was ridiculously delicate and very crispy, which complemented the risotto, well, as well as it should have. You really can't go wrong with mixing tomato and cheese in any form, but this dish was spectacular, as was the one that came with, the braised pork belly. The flavor of vanilla shone through, and the pickled rhubarb on top of the pork interacted very well with the fatty-vanilla combo of the belly. Outstanding. Then the entrees came- the ribeye with king trumpet mushrooms, and the skate with maitakes. The ribeye was perfectly cooked and seasoned, the mushrooms scored like foie and covered with a very tight butter-stock glaze to accent the delicious rosemary-parsnip puree and the red wine jus that accompanied it. The skate had the misfortune of being one of the dishes that was off-the-mark. While still tasting delicious, the cornmeal crust on the outside wasn't exactly a crust. Either the pan that the skate went into was too cold or it sat too long after it was cooked because it was most definitely soggy. The skate itself was cooked perfectly, flaking apart without much effort using only a fork, but the maitakes were, I thought, a bit underseasoned (my wife disagreed). The smoked corn pudd'n that came with it was phenomenal, and the olives, capers, and red pepper jus provided excellent accents to a dish that, if it were crispy and had all elements seasoned properly, would be another in a line of solid ones. We felt gluttonous and had three desserts (wife is a pastry cook), which were all very well done. The chocolate soup is very nice, lending a bittersweet chocolate flavor to the cake, meringue, and sorbet that accompanies it. The brown butter pudding is very refreshing and complex, being a gelatin-held pudding served with brown butter sauce, lemonade sorbet, blueberries, and pecans. The coconut ice cream was very well-done, even enjoyed by a wife that doesn't like coconut, coming in a clear glass cup balanced on a bowl of sugar and being topped with raspberry foam (whipped, held with gelatin). We also had a chance to try Stefan's cocktails, and they were really good. She had the Titanic, with sorbet (I think verjus), champagne, and flavors of six grapes playing nicely with each other. I had the sage, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's got elements of sage and elderflower, as well as a good helping of vodka, and was a fantastic way to start the night. All told, the place is highly recommended.
wrash Posted July 22, 2009 Author Posted July 22, 2009 How does thr grilled romaine look and taste? Also, the website mentions the suckling pig is for 2, do they also do it just for one? They cut the head of romaine lengthwise, and grill the cut side, so it's browned slightly. It's served with a poached egg and some anchovy sauce, so it's sort of like a deconstructed caesar. I loved it. Wayne Rash
ctay122 Posted July 24, 2009 Posted July 24, 2009 We went last night and sat at the bar and had a cocktail before dinner. Hubby had a whiskey sour and I had the Titanic (I think the bartender said elderflower sorbet, juice, grapes and champagne). It was really refreshing and wonderful. I probably could of had another, but at $13 a glass decided to hold off. The tab came to $22.58 without tip. I did notice that the bar menu seemed to have a lot of things that appealed to me. The restaurant itself is gorgeous and has a wonderful atmosphere. We met many of the locals dining there, and everyone was friendly and seemed to be having a good time. There is also an outside dining area that is beautiful, but because of the storms that blew through were not in use. For dinner we decided on the tomato water risotto and vanilla pork belly. Both were awesome. I could have eaten more of the risotto. Not sure if the bread is made there, but it is really good and served very warm. There were two young men who wandered around the room serving the bread and water and seemed to keep our bread plates and glasses full. For the main course I picked the tempranillo braised lamb shoulder and shank served with a tomatillo salsa, olive oil bread and chimichuri verde. The lamb was cooked perfectly and the salsa with the oven roasted tomatoes and tomatillos was outstanding. My husband had the filet. He ordered it medium. It came I would say between rare and meduim rare. Also it was stone cold. We tried to get the attention of our server, but she was no where to be found. The owner, Stephan, noticed me looking around and he immediately came to the table and asked us what the problem was. I give him kudos for being so observant. I think the server should have stopped by our table when we received the entrees to make sure things were ok, but she did seem to have a lot of tables. The dish was returned to the kitchen and I little choice but to eat my dish alone while hubby waited for his. By the time he got a new order, I was finished with mine. I really am at odds what to do in this situation, as it's very awkward to be eating when your partner has nothing in front of him, but I didn't want my entree to get cold. The rib eye was perfect the second time around. For dessert we ordered the strawberry terrine and the two vanilla ice cream (yummy). We were also served a complimentary brown butter pudding (it was so smooth and very tasty), complimentary glass of dessert wine and a taste of one of the bartender's new cocktail, a margaritini (I think he called it) which is blended with agave and watermelon. Oh, and we also had a sample of the coconut sorbet wih blueberry sauce. Other than we both thought the entrees were slightly over seasoned, we enjoyed the meal immensely. I think Trummer's will really bring something special to Fairfax and we're glad we don't have to drive into DC anymore to experience some fine dining. I can see that it is going to be quite a busy place in the future. We will definitely return. Our tab for dinner, which in addition to the above, included a glass of wine ($9) and 2 coffees was $108.15 without tip. I was really surprised and delighted. We normally spend twice that or more when we go into DC. I can't wait to go back and try something different. I'll have posted some pictures on flickr since I can't figure out how to add them here. Search and use Trummers as the tag.
jparrott Posted September 17, 2009 Posted September 17, 2009 And continuing a long and disturbing trend, absolutely no mention of the excellent wine program, other than the name of the sommelier.
Caterina Posted November 8, 2009 Posted November 8, 2009 Trummer's on Main. Phenomenal! Beautiful! Historical landmark. A memorable dinning experience overall. Offered dinner at the bar, nice! Try. Trummer's Cocktails a learned craft: The Titanic Trummer's the signature drink and The Sage. Yum! The whole team, Stefan, Victoria amazing team, exceed expectations, anticipate your needs are all very charming and hospitable. Clayton, Chris and Tyler remarkable talented team. Elevated enhanced by the fun and friendly team. Note: The restaurant was crowded. Go check it out. Worth the drive.
Atenna Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Went to a wedding reception at Trummers last Saturday; the food was served family style. So everyone got a taste of everything (plus the host saved a few bucks by going family style). I was amazed how good the salad was (salad is not a fav but I had 2 helpings), the fresh baked bread, creamed white beans nicely seasoned, baked mac&cheese remarkably good, beef tips full flavored, baked chicken a little dry and unremarkable, and a full flavored mushroom dish. The restaurant provided wine recommendations to the host that she went with and were all very flavorful choices indeed. My husband and I discussed it and decided that we would like to go back there and try out the regular menu. Note: if you are thinking of going to Trummers especially on a weekend, you should call and make sure they are open to guests; they were closed to the public last Sat because of the wedding party and were steadily turning away outside guests throughout the evening.
DonRocks Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 The food I had at Trummer's last night elevates it up near the top of all area restaurants. On the menu: Chicken Confit ($10) with bacalao, quail egg, and frisee Oxtail Ravioli ($12) with calabaza pumpkin, black olive, and manchego cheese froth Vermouth-Braised Veal ($30) with pears, rutabaga, turnips, pecans, and vermouth cream Dorsey Farm Suckling Pig ($32) with sweet potato, cippolini onions, and whole grain mustard jus Herb-Glazed Noodles ($6) All four of these dishes not only met, but exceeded my expectations. This was the best, most refined, and most satisfying cuisine I've had in months, and I urge pork lovers everywhere to unite around this remarkable presentation of suckling pig. In the vast majority of cases, it weakens criticism to bring other peoples opinions into the writing, but in this case I'm going to make an exception. My extremely knowledgeable dining companion felt that the style here is to slightly undercook things, pretty much across the board - citing the confit, the ravioli (the pasta itself), the veal cheeks, and the pork belly as examples from all four dishes. I have to say that I think the observation has merit, although this "on the threshold" style didn't bother me so much. A half-bottle of NV Gatinois Aÿ Grand Cru Champagne ($42) and a bottle of 2006 Nicole Charion Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes Beaujolais ($42) were both outstanding bottles of wine, and complemented the food perfectly. Sommelier Tyler Packwood (formerly of Foti's and Inn at Little Washington) has assembled an excellent wine list, and you can drink very well at Trummer's, with plenty of bottles in the $40s, $30s, and even $20s that are worth ordering. Although I'd have done some things differently (the ceiling fans are just plain wrong), there's no doubting the charm of approaching this lovely inn, seeing the beautiful bar and wine cellar upon entering, and taking a deep breath and unwinding once you're led upstairs to the vaulted dining room. Cuisine, wine, surroundings - what more could one possibly ask for? Competent service. I'm not going to rip Trummer's apart as much as I should here, because it was a cold, rainy Tuesday, and I'm willing to believe that people can have an off night (you never know if someone's not feeling well, or if there's an external crisis going on, etc.). But from what I observed, there was no excuse, none, for me having to wait 25 minutes before I had a drink in my hand (I didn't mean to be clock-watching, but after a point I couldn't help looking at the watch). Right after I ordered the Champagne (perhaps 10-15 minutes after being seated), our server asked if we were ready to order our food also. My response: "I haven't even opened the menu yet." And I'm sorry to say that only three tables (a party of 2, 3, and 4) were in the dining room at the time, and that Tyler was working the floor, completely dropping the ball. When our runner brought out the appetizers, he plopped them down in front of us, and then turned and walked away without saying a word. No amuse-bouche was served. I'll stop now, but could continue in great detail for several paragraphs. I cannot remember a restaurant having such a disparity between the front of the house, and everything else. This could have been a magical dining experience, and instead it was merely a great meal. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: In my next life, I'm going to be a restaurant consultant. Cheers, Rocks.
JPW Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 I've said this before, and I'll say it again: In my next life, I'm going to be a restaurant consultant. Cheers, Rocks. Dude, when the consultant shows up, the death watch starts..
DonRocks Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 Dude, when the consultant shows up, the death watch starts.. The consultant needs to show up before a restaurant ever opens its doors! Don't worry, I'm not pimping myself (yet), but after almost every major restaurant opening, I walk out from my first visit thinking I could have saved the owners six figures if only ...
wrash Posted November 28, 2009 Author Posted November 28, 2009 Apparently I took my wife there the day after Don visited. I'd made the reservation using Open Table, and had mentioned that the 25th was our 37th anniversary. I also asked for a romantic table. The staff at Trummers delivered on all counts, plus some that I hadn't expected. For example, if you read my initial write-up on the restaurant, I mentioned that things were so chaotic that we never got our drinks. Apparently they keep track of such things. This time the waiter showed up and asked my wife if she wanted the brandy alexander that she didn't get the last time. Yes, I know that restaurants have databases, but still, this surprised me. Also apparently somebody at Trummers read Don's review and decided corrective action was in order. Service was exceptional. Everything was well paced, perfectly timed, and delivered to the table in exactly the right way. The service was excellent. I guess Don actually is a restaurant consultant, but just isn't being paid for it. The lineup for the menu was similar to what Don listed from the day before. I had the oxtail ravioli. The pasta was al dente, which is not the same thing as being not quite done. The oxtail filling in the single, but quite large, pie was wonderul. My wife had frisee lettuce salad which had a remarkable curry vinaigrette. For our main courses I had the Costa Rican Mahi Mahi and my wife had the pan roasted scallops. Now, I've been to Hawaii at least 50 times, and I've had a lot of very good mahi mahi there where it's served the same day it's caught. But this was the best mahi mahi I've ever had. The bed of risotto was a perfect complement to the fish. My wife's scallops were also done perfectly, soft and velvety as they are when they're just barely cooked enough. Another 15 seconds would have been too much, but these were exactly right. The only quibble is that I wish there were a choice for dessert that didn't include ice cream or sorbet. On a cold damp November night, something warm would have been nice. We had a white wine from the Loire but I can't remember what it was. I can'f find my notes. Such is the penalty for age. But the improvement from July until now is remarkable, and it was good to start with. The only concern is that as in the case of Don's dinner, only three other tables were occupied. The bar was full, however, and one of the occupied tables was quite large. But still, I'm worried about such an empty space. On the other hand, you can be certain you'll find a seat, something that's well worth doing.
Arcturus Posted November 28, 2009 Posted November 28, 2009 Apparently somebody at Trummers read Don's review and decided corrective action was in order. Service was exceptional. Everything was well paced, perfectly timed, and delivered to the table in exactly the right way. The service was excellent. *waves* Thank you so much for the review and kind words. We're always striving to do better.
RaisaB Posted November 30, 2009 Posted November 30, 2009 I've said this before, and I'll say it again: In my next life, I'm going to be a restaurant consultant. Cheers, Rocks. Seriously, I think you should do it. You have enough connections and knowledge to perhaps even make it lucrative.
ktmoomau Posted November 30, 2009 Posted November 30, 2009 Some friends treated Hubby and I to a meal here about a month ago now. We started out with a Cakebread Chardonnay and some very good bread, warm and crusty, but tender. I started with the Vanilla Belly. A vanilla pork brisket with rhubarb, spinach and grenadine. This was luscious, but not overwhelmingly rich, the rhubarb really balanced the vanilla. I am normally not a huge fan of vanilla, it was balanced will, next time though something different. I also stole a taste of the oxtail ravioli, which was really rich, but the pasta was really well made and the meat was tender as can be, this definitely won as a starter. Based on the multiple entrees I got to sample the best thing to order is fish, although everyone's entrees tasted good my favorite was my Cobia really tasted wonderful. But dessert really stole the show. I ordered the sweet potato, which was sweet potato ice cream over a gingerbread poundcake, maple and fluff, which really tasted like fall to me and was really comforting. But the concord grape stole the show. The soft cake with the tangy grape sorbet and cognac cream was so refreshing I was a little jealous I didn't order it myself. Overall it was a great meal in a beautiful setting and I can't wait until I can go back. It truly is worth the drive for the city and if you are looking for a romantic special occasion dinner this place is a wower. I love the Onyx bar and will be back for that burger now that it has been promised to be so good. The remodel is really beautiful.
mdt Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Had a nice dinner here on Saturday night. The bar and restaurant was packed to the gills, but the dining room was still quiet and calm. We started with the goat cheese ravioli and warm pork terrine. I don't remember the details and the online menu is not totally current. Anyway the terrine was served with a softly poached egg and some dressed greens. The somewhat dry terrine was overpowered by the smoky bacon that surrounded it, although I can hardly complain with a bacon and egg salad. Mains were the Costa Rican Mahi Mahi (pan roasted arborio risotto, matsutaki mushroom, apple cider reduction) and Baked Sea Bream (mushrooms (forgot the type), pickled watermelon, bok choi). Both fish dishes were excellently prepared and quite delicious. We had a small cheese plate before dessert as I was tempted when looking at the menu. They have a list of available cheeses and you can create your own, which I like. The cheeses were served with some stewed plums (IIRC) and some bacon fat fried pistachios. Desserts were the Malted Chocolate (valhrona ganache, malted milk sherbet, devil's food) and the Peanut Tart (banana sorbet, molasses caramel, burnt fluff) which, while flavorful, come in the 'deconstructed' style. Am I the only one tired of this? To drink we had a bottle of Anton Bauer, Grande Reserve, Wagram 2006. Makes me want to try some other Grüners. Looking forward to a return trip. The bar looks like a nice place to grab a bottle of wine and small plates. Tab for 2 firsts, 2 mains, a plate of 3 cheeses, 2 desserts, a bottle of wine and 2 coffees was about $190 before tip.
Arcturus Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Had a nice dinner here on Saturday night. The bar and restaurant was packed to the gills, but the dining room was still quiet and calm. We started with the goat cheese ravioli and warm pork terrine. I don't remember the details and the online menu is not totally current. Anyway the terrine was served with a softly poached egg and some dressed greens. The somewhat dry terrine was overpowered by the smoky bacon that surrounded it, although I can hardly complain with a bacon and egg salad. Mains were the Costa Rican Mahi Mahi (pan roasted arborio risotto, matsutaki mushroom, apple cider reduction) and Baked Sea Bream (mushrooms (forgot the type), pickled watermelon, bok choi). Both fish dishes were excellently prepared and quite delicious. We had a small cheese plate before dessert as I was tempted when looking at the menu. They have a list of available cheeses and you can create your own, which I like. The cheeses were served with some stewed plums (IIRC) and some bacon fat fried pistachios. Desserts were the Malted Chocolate (valhrona ganache, malted milk sherbet, devil’s food) and the Peanut Tart (banana sorbet, molasses caramel, burnt fluff) which, while flavorful, come in the 'deconstructed' style. Am I the only one tired of this? To drink we had a bottle of Anton Bauer, Grande Reserve, Wagram 2006. Makes me want to try some other Grüners. Looking forward to a return trip. The bar looks like a nice place to grab a bottle of wine and small plates. Tab for 2 firsts, 2 mains, a plate of 3 cheeses, 2 desserts, a bottle of wine and 2 coffees was about $190 before tip. Glad you enjoyed your meal! The appetizers that you had (both prepared by me, incidentally) were as follows: Goat Cheese ravioli with house cured and smoked salmon and lemon oil, beet/bonito froth, beet powder, and paddlefish caviar. Warm pork terrine with panca paste, escabeche onion and frisee salad, and poached egg in buerre monte.
jparrott Posted February 27, 2010 Posted February 27, 2010 Trummers is one of a growing number of bars in Virginia now stocking and using Dolin vermouth, thanks to the efforts of the gritty, gutty geeks at Williams Corner Wine. ETA: I've got no skin in the game in VA.
Arcturus Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Chef named one of the best new chefs for 2010. Damn skimpy.
leleboo Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Chef named one of the best new chefs for 2010. Damn skimpy. Er, do you mean "damn skippy"? Congrats!!
Arcturus Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Er, do you mean "damn skippy"? Congrats!! Hah! Thank you. Last one down.
ulterior epicure Posted April 7, 2010 Posted April 7, 2010 Chef named one of the best new chefs for 2010. Damn skimpy. Congrats Chef Miller!
ulrath Posted April 14, 2010 Posted April 14, 2010 Does anyone have any recent reviews on this place? I plan on taking my wife there for her birthday next week. The recent reviews on Washingtonpost.com have been decidedly negative.
B.A.R. Posted April 14, 2010 Posted April 14, 2010 Does anyone have any recent reviews on this place? I plan on taking my wife there for her birthday next week. The recent reviews on Washingtonpost.com have been decidedly negative. I've never had dinner, but the wife and I have been to the bar several times, last time a few weeks ago. The bar food and drinks are uniformly excellent.
mdt Posted April 14, 2010 Posted April 14, 2010 Does anyone have any recent reviews on this place? I plan on taking my wife there for her birthday next week. The recent reviews on Washingtonpost.com have been decidedly negative. My trip in January (scroll back) was pleasant and think you should have no reservations about dining there. As a side note I would suggest you take comments on wapo.com with a mine full of salt.
ulterior epicure Posted April 20, 2010 Posted April 20, 2010 Does anyone know when, exactly (month would be good), Miller left Norman's in Orlando?
B.A.R. Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 My wife and I stopped in at the bar on Saturday night for a few libations. The Rhubarb Cooler was a delightful and refreshing cocktail, perfect for a muggy July May evening. I could drink a half-dozen of the Cubano cocktails if my wife would let me. The drinks here are uniformly excellent. The highlight of the evening, however, was the Fried Butter Pickle appetizer. I have never had a fried pickle, and this was a masters course of frying technique. The crust was a golden brown, thick and rich but not too "cakey". The pickle itself was piping hot, firm, and delicious really good. The lemony mayo that accompannied it lacked the advertised lemony zing, but it didn't really matter. Those fried pickles were about the tastiest things I'd eaten in a long time. My wife, however, pronounced them to be the most vile food she had ever been served. When I reminded her of the organ meat Hot Pot we got at China Boy, she said, "OK, second most vile thing." Although I love her dearly, my wife doesn't know what she is talking about. The pickles alone are worth the trip to Clifton. ***Edited to help Rocks control his puerile impulses
DonRocks Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 The pickle itself was piping hot, firm, and delicious. The lemony mayo that accompannied it lacked the advertised lemony zing, but it didn't really matter. Must. Resist.
Sthitch Posted May 3, 2010 Posted May 3, 2010 ...The pickle itself was piping hot, firm, and delicious ... My wife, however, pronounced them to be the most vile ...she had ever been served. When I reminded her of the organ meat ... China Boy, she said, "OK, second most vile thing."
baczkowski Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Even though this probably should be posted under News and Media, this is a pretty big F-ing deal. Congrats chef. I think Johnny Monis was the last DC area chef to earn this honor. Hopefully he sees the same career propulsion for it. Pax, Brian
Joe H Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 Even though this probably should be posted under News and Media, this is a pretty big F-ing deal. Congrats chef. I think Johnny Monis was the last DC area chef to earn this honor. Hopefully he sees the same career propulsion for it. Pax, Brian This is a signifcant restaurant that doesn't receive nearly as much attention as it should on here.
ulrath Posted June 29, 2010 Posted June 29, 2010 This is a signifcant restaurant that doesn't receive nearly as much attention as it should on here. I should have posted after we went here for my wife's birthday a few months ago. I took the advice of the board and ignored the Washington post reviews. As we had a toddler in tow we took the first seating and a table in the back near the door to the garden. As other posters mention, the adult libations are uniformly good. I recall having a pan fried skate filet which was excellent. Someone else had some kind of pork roast which I recall being the highlight of the table. Actually, the highlight of the table was the server whose job it is to dole out rolls. My toddler was in love with him because he kept providing him bread. In fact, on the way out of the restaurant he gave him a high five for a job well done.
ktmoomau Posted July 19, 2010 Posted July 19, 2010 Took some friends to dinner here last night. We started at the bar- really nice bartender. Hubby had a Main Street with bourbon and cinnamon that was really good, I had a glass of sparkling wine from Barboursville. We tried some of the popcorn at the bar with truffle oil and parmasean cheese and it was really good. The burgers did look fantastic will have to go back for that. But they normally don't serve their bar menu on Sunday night. Instead they have a three course menu for $38 dollars and many of their wines by the glass are just $5 on Sunday nights. I had $5 glasses of Norton from Clifton that was fruity, but nice with all the rich flavors I had. I started with the mussels and curried quinoa that was nicely balanced and very refreshing as it had a nice hint of lemon and a balsamic reduction. I tried Hubby's Mulligatawny soup and really enjoyed it as well, lots of celery and lime flavor in the broth. For an entree I had the lamb brisket which also was really good. The cut is fatty, so if you don't like fat you wouldn't like this dish, but it tasted delicious and was served with simple vegetables, sauteed in some butter. I ended with a cheese course as I wasn't feeling it for sweets, and that was nicely presented with some nuts, honey and fig bread. There were three samplings a wisonsin cows milk gouda, wisconsin cows milk cheese similar to a brie, but a little more flavor then a soft sheeps cheese that I forget the origin of. I also have to note that I love their breads here. The Sunday deal is a really good deal for some really nicely made and presented food. And stellar service.
B.A.R. Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 We need to save Trummer's on Main. This is a formidable and impressive restaurant, deserving of more exposure and praise. I've been there, maybe, 1/2 dozen times over the past six months, and it has been uniformly excellent. I won't discuss the fried pickle, lesson learned. . I went with my wife on a Sunday two weeks ago, and the $38 meal is a steal. The dinner equivalent of the Lickety Split at Eve. We had the chilled mulligatawny soup, beet salad, roast pork shoulder, and soft shell crab. All were excellent, particularly the mulligatawny, garnished with shrimp that were absolutely bursting with flavor. I was a bit put off by the chicken consomme with the soft shell, as the initial taste was somehwat overpowering. However, once I mixed all of the individual components accompanying the dish into the broth, it transformed into a heavenly elixir. The cocktail menu constantly changes, and the Bunny Man concoction was a bit of a miss, IMHO, but everything else was delicious. I cannot remember my wifes dessert, but mine was astoundingly good banana ice cream with shredded wheat and white chocolate pearls. A great, simple blend of flavors and textures. In all, two cocktails, two glasses of wine, and two three- course meal was $120.00. And it was a steal. If Trummer's would have opened 5-years ago, it would be the talk of DC. But the culinary landscape is far more robust now, and I fear that they might be having a hard time carving out their niche. There was a ton of money poured into the design and renovation of this place. There is clearly a lot of talent running the kitchen, service, & beverage program. So why does it need to be saved? I have never been to the restaurant when it was what I would consider busy. I'm not talking Zaytinya-on-a-Friday-night busy, just "normal" fine dining restaurant busy. When we pulled up on Sunday, I thought they were closed, because there were so few cars in the parking lot. I know they are closed Mondays. My wife went to the Front and we were pleasantly surprised. Over the next two hours, as we perched by the door in the corner of the bar, no more than 10 other patrons came in and out of the place. With this quality, at that price, there should have been a line out the door.
dgreen Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 So why does it need to be saved? I have never been to the restaurant when it was what I would consider busy. I'm not talking Zaytinya-on-a-Friday-night busy, just "normal" fine dining restaurant busy. When we pulled up on Sunday, I thought they were closed, because there were so few cars in the parking lot. I know they are closed Mondays. My wife went to the Front and we were pleasantly surprised. Over the next two hours, as we perched by the door in the corner of the bar, no more than 10 other patrons came in and out of the place. With this quality, at that price, there should have been a line out the door. A number of people in the DC area haven't even heard of Clifton. My address is Clifton, but I live on the edge of Centreville. When I tell people where I live, I have to say Centreville for them to have any idea. I just get blank stares when I say Clifton. (Then again, for those who do know about Clifton, they don't really consider me to be in Clifton. Heck, I don't even consider myself to be in Clifton. I just happen to be in the zip code, but it's definitely more of a Centreville feel.) The town obviously doesn't want to blow up into anything huge (the quaintness is important), but it could be much more than it is. Outside of the restaurants, there really isn't much reason to go to Clifton. It could probably use some more shopping and maybe something else to bring people to town. The town is packed on their annual Clifton Day and I think their Wine Festival does ok. They also have annual home tours. If you attend one of those, you can quickly see that this nice little town really doesn't have much to do. There's now a winery nearby, so maybe that will help some. Who knows, maybe the town residents don't even want big weekend crowds walking around their town. My wife and I have taken our kids to the town park/playground. Kids like to go there since we usually get ice cream while we're there. Once, one lady asked if we lived there and we told her where we lived. She responded, "Oh, you don't have playgrounds over there?" OK, so that's just one story and maybe that lady was an outlier. I believe the owner of Peterson's is also the mayor, so I'd think he'd want to really market the town. Anyway, it would be great if Trummer's could flourish. We haven't gone yet, but we probably will soon.
ktmoomau Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 We need to save Trummer's on Main. This is a formidable and impressive restaurant, deserving of more exposure and praise. I've been there, maybe, 1/2 dozen times over the past six months, and it has been uniformly excellent. I won't discuss the fried pickle, lesson learned. . I went with my wife on a Sunday two weeks ago, and the $38 meal is a steal. The dinner equivalent of the Lickety Split at Eve. We had the chilled mulligatawny soup, beet salad, roast pork shoulder, and soft shell crab. All were excellent, particularly the mulligatawny, garnished with shrimp that were absolutely bursting with flavor. I was a bit put off by the chicken consomme with the soft shell, as the initial taste was somehwat overpowering. However, once I mixed all of the individual components accompanying the dish into the broth, it transformed into a heavenly elixir. The cocktail menu constantly changes, and the Bunny Man concoction was a bit of a miss, IMHO, but everything else was delicious. I cannot remember my wifes dessert, but mine was astoundingly good banana ice cream with shredded wheat and white chocolate pearls. A great, simple blend of flavors and textures. In all, two cocktails, two glasses of wine, and two three- course meal was $120.00. And it was a steal. If Trummer's would have opened 5-years ago, it would be the talk of DC. But the culinary landscape is far more robust now, and I fear that they might be having a hard time carving out their niche. There was a ton of money poured into the design and renovation of this place. There is clearly a lot of talent running the kitchen, service, & beverage program. So why does it need to be saved? I have never been to the restaurant when it was what I would consider busy. I'm not talking Zaytinya-on-a-Friday-night busy, just "normal" fine dining restaurant busy. When we pulled up on Sunday, I thought they were closed, because there were so few cars in the parking lot. I know they are closed Mondays. My wife went to the Front and we were pleasantly surprised. Over the next two hours, as we perched by the door in the corner of the bar, no more than 10 other patrons came in and out of the place. With this quality, at that price, there should have been a line out the door. Hmmm maybe a DR group would be interested in going for the Sunday night special or a happy hour there? I would go. Thoughts?
eatdrinkmore Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 I just went to Trummers on Saturday night and got the tasting menu. I am incredibly impressed at how well this restaurant is doing after only being in business for a year. The food was excellent. It is an absolutely gorgeous restaurant. I like they have an inexpensive and creative bar menu, regular menu and a tasting menu, something for all price points.
Arcturus Posted July 20, 2010 Posted July 20, 2010 There is clearly a lot of talent running the kitchen, service, & beverage program. I feel like I should interject here and elaborate on this. Not only is there a lot of talent, there are some genuinely good people in charge of the operations of this place that deserve patronage. Restaurant people abound in and around DC, but neither the Trummers nor Chef Miller display any of the arrogance or apathy that is all too common among people in this industry.
eatdrinkmore Posted July 26, 2010 Posted July 26, 2010 I headed over to the Best of Washingtonian Event last week and Trummers on Main was there serving Lightly seared Wahoo, served with compressed cucumbers, mini-cucumbers, blueberries covered in extra virgin olive oil, sea beans, tapioca pearl caviar, soy caviar This dish is on their tasting menu, clearly they were pulling out all the stops. This was definitely one of the most labor intensive and refined dishes at the event. I really hope this restaurant does well, it is certainly worth a trip from DC to the 'burbs. I wish I could take the metro there, because I would not mind spending an evening at their bar with all of those delicious cocktails.
ktmoomau Posted July 26, 2010 Posted July 26, 2010 I headed over to the Best of Washingtonian Event last week and Trummers on Main was there serving Lightly seared Wahoo, served with compressed cucumbers, mini-cucumbers, blueberries covered in extra virgin olive oil, sea beans, tapioca pearl caviar, soy caviar This dish is on their tasting menu, clearly they were pulling out all the stops. This was definitely one of the most labor intensive and refined dishes at the event. I really hope this restaurant does well, it is certainly worth a trip from DC to the 'burbs. I wish I could take the metro there, because I would not mind spending an evening at their bar with all of those delicious cocktails. From the Virginia Happy Hour Thread: Hey Folks, So after some discussion in the Trummer's on Main thread I wanted to plan a happy hour there. I can't do it next week, but was wondering if there was interest for the following week perhaps Aug 5th or 6th????? If no one is up for that then I would have to skip a week and go for the third week in August which is totally open for me at this point. The bar menu there looks fantastic and smelled really good. I really want to try some stuff there, and the cocktails were really good when we went. If there is interest I will contact them to set something up. I could drive people to and from the orange line metro, as well. Two open seats in my backseat. (I just went to the Sunday Supper, but someone might consider doing a $38 Sunday there, it would be a great event I just can't plan it anytime soon, too many weddings in my upcoming schedule.)
Ericandblueboy Posted September 19, 2010 Posted September 19, 2010 Had dinner there last night. Let's start with the minor complaints. They have two parking lots but both were full (but not with patrons - so the parking situation is just weird). They do a tasting menu of 5 dishes but the precise items were not disclosed - even though we asked. The good - service was friendly, knowledgeable and never tardy. The food was precisely cooked and seasoned. The first course was the chef's interpretation of Greek salad - grilled eggplants and vacuum sealed cucumber. The second dish was mussels, shrimp and ciabatta bread in a yellow sauce (saffron, curry? I forget, it wasn't particularly pungent). The third was slow cooked chicken rolled in pasta, thus it was called cannelloni. The fourth dish was a steak (cooked on the bone to medium rare) with potato pancake and grilled romaine. While I enjoyed the food, I probably wouldn't have ordered a steak at Trummer's (I rarely eat steak, and never at a fine dining restaurant that isn't a steakhouse). I also would've likely avoided the shellfish because I'm trying to reduce my cholesterol. My wife simply doesn't like mussels so she left those on her plate. Some restaurants have printed tasting menus while others don't - I prefer knowing them in advance especially if the tasting consists only of 5 to 7 dishes. There was a pre-dessert and a dessert, both were sorbets.
John William G Posted September 20, 2010 Posted September 20, 2010 My wife and I had dinner this past Friday evening at Trummer's. The meal was, in a word, superb. The two best courses, I think, were the Mulligatawny Soup I had for the First Plate; and the 12 hour roasted Pork that my wife had for her Main Plate. When Trummer's first opened there were some complaints about the service. Based on our experience on Friday, those problems have been fixed. If you haven't been to Trummer's you are missing one of the best dining experiences in the Washington area.
sphere777 Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 Hey folks, I am going to Trummer's on Main for Thanksgiving. Honestly, I am thinking about going for the shortribs instead of the turkey. Any reason why I should stick with the bird? The menu is here. Scroll down to the Thanksgiving section. Rob
DonRocks Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 I am going to Trummer's on Main for Thanksgiving. Honestly, I am thinking about going for the shortribs instead of the turkey. Any reason why I should stick with the bird? Potentially. If it were me, I'd ask if they were oven-braised (may want to check on the turkey prep as well).
Arcturus Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 Potentially. If it were me, I'd ask if they were oven-braised (may want to check on the turkey prep as well). The short ribs will more than likely be sous vide. And the turkey is equally delicious, so you can't really go wrong.
sphere777 Posted November 30, 2010 Posted November 30, 2010 The short ribs will more than likely be sous vide. And the turkey is equally delicious, so you can't really go wrong. Unfortunately, my solo thanksgiving trip to Trummers on Main had very mixed results. The oyster stew appetizer was very tasty though lukewarm. I had chosen the fish for my entree, which may have been my undoing. After a decent 30-40 minute wait, the fish came out and it was cold. The brussels sprouts leaves were overly salty as well. I was a little under the weather and could not bring myself to make a fuss over the entree on Thanksgiving. However, I must say that the pumpkin pudding cake was absolutely delicious.
apicius Posted December 24, 2010 Posted December 24, 2010 I went to Trummers last night for the first time (living in the district makes the trip difficult during the week) and like the review before me it was a mixed experience. After we sat down I asked for the wine list and ordered a bottle of Champagne which stays in ice next to our table for a while before we asked to be served (the waiter said it needed to chill) The Champagne was on ice without water then the waiter served my make friend before the two ladys!!! he also poured the champagne to the top of the glass. Then we sere served the (underbaked) bread which had almost no color. We got our appetizers which were good but not great.The best being a main course scallops dish that we split, it says U8 on the menu but last night it was not U8, they were too small for that. For main course we had two snappers which were excellent (the fish was a little overcooked) a pork which was good and I had the lamb which was served not lukewarm but cold. The garnish looked like it came from the refrigerator; I even asked my friend to taste the vegetables. The waiter did a good job and took the plate back and the manager came to apologize; I understand that a problem can happen. My comment overall is the lack of vegetables on the main courses. there are side dishes but we are not in a steak house and the dishes should have a better balance.I had a big piece of lamb and few parisienne balls of vegetables. The dessert were disappointing and with a recurring of chopped garnish or powdered garnish, the portion of ice-cream are really small!!!! I hope the management read this review, it is intended for them to improve and becoming better; I am sure they can. At this point they are good but not worth the trip from the district with more attention to details maybe they will in the future. BY the way I had a good time, I understand how difficult it is to run a restaurant.
darkstar965 Posted December 28, 2010 Posted December 28, 2010 I hope the management read this review, it is intended for them to improve and becoming better; I am sure they can. At this point they are good but not worth the trip from the district with more attention to details maybe they will in the future. Had a booking here for last week we ended up having to cancel but will continue to monitor progress (or lack thereof) on dr.com for a possible reschedule. The above quote resonated with me. Just took a trip to Boston and visited a bunch of their star spots. Really interesting how most restaurants (maybe just my impression?) don't systematically monitor online feedback. I'm reminded of this when chefs and owners post here and also on the rare occasions that one receives a response to thoughtful and constructive feedback. Given the inconsistency cited here about Trummers, I'm guessing they don't monitor the key boards serving the DC area. Really a shame if true.
cjsadler Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Have been wanting to try Trummer's for awhile and finally made it here last week. The appetizers were the high point: an excellent Black Trumpet Risotto and Beef Tartare with Ketchup Sorbet. The ketchup sorbet was a bit too sweet, but really did work well with the tartare-- an inspired idea. The entrees were disappointing. The Roasted Red Snapper was a bit overcooked. It came with a bit of duck confit and oysters underneath it. Nothing wrong with those ingredients (favorites of mine), but not a dish I'd order again. The 12 Hour Oven Roasted & Honey Glazed Pork Shoulder was a solid slab of pork that required some sawing with a knife to get through. It wasn't exactly tough, but was fairly dry and lean-- a chore to eat. If it was cooked for 12 hours, the cooking temp was off. The dessert were disappointing and with a recurring of chopped garnish or powdered garnish Still a bit puzzled by dessert. The menu was divided into two sections: "Churned" (ice creams, sorbets and such) and "Pastry". We decided to try the "Pistachio" dessert from the pastry side. It turned out to be... pistachio ice cream. I asked the server why this dessert was in the "Pastry" section and she said she didn't really know, but that was the pastry chef's signature style: an ice cream or sorbet along with something crumbled (in this case, oreos). So the entire dessert menu, with the exception of the chocolate cake and possibly the "Cranberry" dessert is either ice creams or sorbets.
wrash Posted January 22, 2011 Author Posted January 22, 2011 Dinner was well along when the threat came. My wife was a few bites into her beef shortribs when she put her fork and knife down, looked at me, and said, "This is my new benchmark for ribs. If you cook ribs, they have to be at least this good." I didn't dare ask what the "or else" part of the threat was, but by then she'd gone back to making the beef disappear. But in reality, this story of dinner at Trummer's on Main starts back in May. That was the day when a few friends and I were taking advantage of Trummer's half-price wine night and enjoying their house Cabernet, the freshly fried potato chips and some other snacks. I was talking to Victoria Trummer who had stopped by the table to bring more chips. I told her how much I enjoyed the restaurant, but I lamented that while I could hear the trains that went by just on the other side of the parking lot, I could never see them. Yes, I admit that I'm a train buff. Victoria said that they did have a table that had a window that overlooked the tracks, but that it was best enjoyed in the winter. So Friday night we visited for a Restaurant Week meal, and were immediately escorted to a very cozy corner next to the fireplace, and also next to a window with a view of the rails. I was delighted. When Victoria stopped by the table a few minutes later to say hello, I expressed my surprise that she'd remembered our discussion. "It's just coincidence," she replied. I'm not sure I believe that, since I'm convinced that they keep track of every conceivable customer preference. They remembered how my wife likes her Brandy Alexander. They remembered how I like my martini. They remembered our names. I'm impressed that they go to this much trouble, even if they're just keeping notes tucked away in their computer system. Anyway, on to dinner. The Restaurant Week menu was short but well chosen. My wife chose a spinach salad for her appetizer, I chose a country pork terrine with French prunes and whole grain mustard. The spinach salad was served with a warm dressing and a slice of bacon on top. My wife reported that it was the best salad she's ever had. Ever. She refused to share. The pork terrine reminded me of a similar dish I'd had once in Cannes, although the whole grain mustard added a flavor note that the earlier dish was missing. It was a classical French country terrine preparation, and was essentially perfect. The prunes complemented the rich saltiness of the pork, and the mustard brightened the flavors. We had finished our cocktails by then, and as I pondered the wine list, I noticed that there was a good selection of remarkably inexpensive Rhone reds. When I asked the waiter about them, versus a couple of domestic choices including the Trummer's house Cabernet, he offered some thoughts, pointing out that the vineyards producing the Rhone wines were virtually neighbors. But he said there were differences. To illustrate, he set us up with a tasting of several wines so we could decide which would go best with the beef we'd ordered. The Rhone wines were a little young, but the Trummer's house wine was fine, so we chose that. We both ordered the beef short ribs which were served on a base of cheese grits. According to the menu, these ribs are slowly braised in red wine until tender. One of the staffers reported that they were cooked at a very low temperature for about 72 hours. The meat was the ideal of what slow cooked ribs should be. It was tender without being mushy, the red wine braise infused flavor throughout the meat. Most of the fat that you usually see on ribs had melted away leaving meat that seemed to simply melt when eaten. Thus the reason for the previously mentioned threat. Clearly I'm going to have to find a way to run the ol' smoker at an even lower temperature, and cook my next set of ribs even lower, and even slower. Meanwhile I'm feeling inadequate. Dessert was Praline Semi-Fredo which is semisweet sorbet about the size and shape of a hockey puck served on a bed of crushed Oreo cookies and hazelnuts. There were other choices including ice cream and cake as well as a cheese plate but the Praline got my attention. It was just light enough to follow a rich meal, and just flavorful enough to make you feel like you finished off dinner with something that completed the experience. The restaurant was crowded, the bar was packed, the parking lot was full, so we had to park across the street. The service was attentive and perfectly timed. I don't think I could have asked for a better dinner experience. I think that Trummer's has really gotten its act together. But there was one regret. Despite having a perfect view of the tracks, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern found ways to keep from running any trains for the entire two hour duration of our dinner. I guess I'll have to try again. Wayne Rash
baczkowski Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Anyone have a good estimate as to how long it would take to go from Bethesda to Trummer's on a Saturday night? Never beeen to Clifton. Google maps estimates 44 minutes door-to-door but I don't always believe those estimates. If it's around 45 minutes, we could go here in a few weeks; it can take us 45 minutes to get to DC restaurants depending on weekend traffic and/or metroing. Thanks for the advice. Pax, Brian
LauraB Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Anyone have a good estimate as to how long it would take to go from Bethesda to Trummer's on a Saturday night? Never beeen to Clifton. Google maps estimates 44 minutes door-to-door but I don't always believe those estimates. If it's around 45 minutes, we could go here in a few weeks; it can take us 45 minutes to get to DC restaurants depending on weekend traffic and/or metroing. Thanks for the advice. Pax, Brian We drove there from Rockville in early December on a Saturday night (perfect weather evening i.e., no rain, no snow) and it took us slightly over an hour. However, because of the nature of the roads, it *seemed* much longer. And, sadly, we did not have a good experience there, so the drive added salt to the wound.
astrid Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Bethesda to Clifton requires a longish stretch on 66, which can get backed up even on Saturday night. But an hour or a little more should get you there.
DonRocks Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Bethesda to Clifton requires a longish stretch on 66, which can get backed up even on Saturday night. But an hour or a little more should get you there. You can take Braddock Road instead.
ktmoomau Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 Went to Trummer's on Main for brunch. And while the wait staff was professional and the food was outstanding, there were a few hiccups. First off there were several items on the cocktail menu not available. I understand this happens, busy nights, things get ordered, but as there were only 4-5 options, it would have been nice to have offered a substitution or something. Then the drinks were slow to come, as was my iced tea, and subsequent refills on it and waters. Everyone at the table really enjoyed the bread basket and I think a lot of thought was put into the scones and biscuits offered. The Fried Green Tomato starter was exceptional, I loved the fried encasing, which was light but stood firm and didn't get soggy. The tomato compote, goat cheese and reductions all melded so well so that you had the slightly sour tomato, sweet tomato compote, goat cheese and balsamic all balancing nicely. With a lot of nice textures. Hubby scarfed down his smoked salmon, so it must have been good. The shrimp and grits entree was equally good. Very fresh and well cooked shrimp, excellent creamy and flavorful grits, nice sauce, it was just so good, and not too fancy or modern for my Southern heart. But really well executed. Again Hubby's steak and eggs looked good, he scarfed them down. (Our friends had our same two entrees and starters) I love the space and there was a decent crowd, but shouldn't have been overwhelming. I would go back in a heartbeat, but hope they get the service really down, because food like that should not be let down by lack of easy service things like water and ice tea and beverages being brought. Our waiter though was very pleasant and nice.
jiveturk21 Posted May 2, 2011 Posted May 2, 2011 I don't think there is a much better setting for Sunday brunch than Trummer's. For starters, it is only a 15 minute drive from my house, so that is great. More seriously, you drive down Clifton Road, past a bunch of trees and gated houses, and come across the tiny little town of Clifton. One of the first buildings you come across is this beautifully renovated inn, which is now Trummer's, and you get seated in a wonderfully lit room with huge windows. Light wood throughout, vaulted ceilings, nice landscaping outside, just a really good setting for brunch with your friends. Then you move onto great service while sipping on a wonderful gin and sage concoction that the bartender just made for you at 11:00 AM. The room has kids, but they are not running around the table trying to murder each other. Your conversation flows, you read the menu, which looks great, and you are simply enjoying every moment so far. What is missing? I have been to Trummer's on three occasions before our brunch yesterday, twice for drinks/snacks at the bar and once for a full blown dinner. All three times that I dined there I felt that it was wonderful. So, how does a place that holds all of these great memories, and is starting to create another new one, literally fall to pieces? The food was a major disappointment. I am not sure if this is a brunch thing or if things are going downhill (it has been a few years since I have been there) or if it was an off day, but the food that we were served was pretty inexcusable for a restaurant with this pedigree. The bread basket had banana bread that was no better than something you get at a school bake sale. The small cream puffs lacked any real flavor. The biscuits with bacon were better, but the maple butter that was served with the basket was way too sweet to use on anything. The sweet tones carried over to our first course when my wife ordered the oatmeal brulee. I think that she expected it to be somewhat sweet, but nothing like what she was served. Too much sugar all around, especially when you got a chunk of pineapple on your spoon, and froth on top as far as the eye could see. My first course, fried green tomato, was better, but still not very good. One slice didn't make for a very hearty portion and the accompaniments (tomato jam, goat cheese) were much better than the tomato itself. For our main courses, the duck confit and oyster hash had a well cooked egg on top, but the hash was lifeless. The only pieces of duck were far too fatty and the oysters didn't fit into the dish (huge and whole while everything else was diced finely). Then again, I considered myself lucky because I didn't order the fried chicken and virginia toast. I give them some credit for the toast, we liked it, but the fried chicken was inedible. I'm not sure what they were going for, but the fry job was way too light which just caused the chicken to be chewy (in a bad way) and the skin to be a big, fatty mess. Our friends had a better experience with some of their dishes - yogurt parfait, shrimp and grits - but they had some disappointing dishes as well. Granted, I was SHOCKED when we walked out of there at 1:00 PM. For $190, including tax and tip, four of us ate a below average brunch with a few outstanding alcoholic beverages on the side. I am willing to give Trummer's the benefit of the doubt, maybe someone highjacked the kitchen for the night, but I will be very wary on returning after that performance yesterday.
Chris Cunningham Posted May 23, 2011 Posted May 23, 2011 GF really surprised me with dinner at Trummers tonight for my birthday. She refused to tell me where we were going and just to drive...wasn't until I was on 123 and realized the only thing that way would be Clifton and Trummers...so was very happy, as its on my list of places to go. Thought we might be initially going to French Hound or Ashby Inn, but did'nt even consider Trummers. Arrived at 7;30 and was promply seated...then forgotten about for roughly 13 minutes. Finally approached by an apolegetic server who offered us water and menus. There were about 30 other guests in the dining room. Then , a gentleman approched the table dressed in a suit ( servers dressed in Jeans, White shirts and Vests...which I really like) and asks if we are ready to order. Turns out he is the Gm and Somm...There is only a $39 Prix Fixe on Sundays and they offer "bucket Wine" for $5 a glass...any and all open bottles from the night/day before for $5.00 a glass....so some very fun and good juice can be had if you desire. Ordered 2 cocktails, then our order in full plus a bottle of Orin Swift Prisoner $86 ( good Value) . Gf ordered Mussel Soup/Roasted Pork Loin/Cheese Plate...I ordered Escargot/Soft shell crab verbal special/Vanilla ice cream Complaints- Initail wait for any acknowledment and then after ordering cocktails they forgot about them and it took a total of 15 mins to get them. Other than those 2 time consuming snafus I loved the food and the place..reminds you of Napat..big, open, airy, great seats and tables. Girlfriend also said it would be a perfect place to have a wedding reception....I just kept eating my bread and water while waiting for the Lost Cocktails and mentioned that the world didnt end Another server told me that they are usually dead on Sundays with just a smattering of locals here and there, but they were swamped today and were running out of things....luckily we got some bread but then they ran out I would def go back and would like to...will probably take the motorcycle up that way next time and eat at Trummers again and also try the General Store in Clifton also. $200 for dinner before tip
DanCole42 Posted May 30, 2011 Posted May 30, 2011 I have a recurring dream where I travel southwesterly from my house. The specifics are always different, but the gist is the same: just a few minutes in that direction is something magical. Mountains that rise up tall as the Rockies, a wonderful steampunk city with entire blocks of model train stores, a stellar observatory run by a wizard, a place where gravity goes in the wrong direction. It turns out that these dreams were just prescient metaphors for the magic happening at Trummer's on Main, which is literally fifteen minutes southwest of my house. I'm not even sure where to start, mostly because much of the evening was a blur thanks to the generous pours in the Paradise Springs Winery tasting room. With a five course tasting menu, plus cocktails, plus wine pairings, plus the various amuses and palate cleansers, plus tax and tip, our bill for two came to just under $300. Please note that the tasting menu is no where on the website - I think it was $70-something per person. The tasting menu was advertised to us as utterly unique. Literally. The chef gets a chance to really push the limit and explore, with every tasting menu being different for each table! As near I can remember it, given my blurry memory: Deconstructed Greek salad. I always say the mark of a great chef/cook is one who can cook an ingredient that someone doesn't like but work with such stellar ingredients and with such skill that the person becomes a convert. Well, my wife hates cucumbers and any sort of goat cheese or feta. Not anymore! Softshell crab. Some kind of fish on some kind of eggplant. Lamb leg with peas and ramps. This was the highlight. It was a definite holy shit moment. I believe my exact words on the first bite were, "it's like eating Spring!" Cinnamon ice cream with graham cracker crumbles. Chocolate ganache cake-thing with nuts and mint ice cream. This was mint ice cream unlike anything I've ever had. Chocolate chip cookies. ... I really need to start bringing a notepad or something. I've been eating a lot of fine dining lately where the dishes are technically flawless but lack passion. Think a robotic violinist. The food at Trummer's was like Joshua Bell playing a Stradivarius, except Joshua Bell's brain, talent, and passion were put into a genetically-engineered überfrau with the body of Christina Hendricks and the face of January Jones. This was absolutely the best meal I've had since Komi. Oh, and the service was impeccable, balancing the line between professional dignity and friendly rapport, much as Christina Hendrick's breasts balance perfectly on either side of her cleavage. The space is as beautiful as the food: modern without being tacky, traditional and classic without being old-fashioned, all those things without being trite; much like Christina Hendrick's breasts. Frequent visitors to DR.com know that I'm always lamenting the lack of fine dining in this part of NoVA, my only balm up to this point being American Flatbread and Passionfish. But now I say to you, residents living west of Tyson's Corner, you are blessed! And to everyone else: it's worth the trip.
DanCole42 Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 I've always liked how they define three Michelin stars as being a restaurant that's "worthy of a special journey." I give this place three Michelin stars. Make the drive. I'd love to tell you that I'm bestowing that honor because I had another killer prix-fixe dinner, but no. We've just been hitting up the bar from time to time. The $5 bar bites have been (5pm-7pm Tue-Fri in August) as good or better than anything we had at Komi, Palena, Vidalia, or Cityzen. Delicious, perfect, memorable. Seared tuna that's redder than Santa's suit and that tastes like steak, a soup with mussels and a hunk of grilled ciabatta crouton the size of my fist, gazpacho with tuna crudo, a deeply savory burger served on an English muffin, a sage cocktail that smells like an herb garden in summertime, frozen banana mousse that might have been the best dessert ever... And never a check over $100 for the two of us. Get thee to Clifton.
DanCole42 Posted September 22, 2011 Posted September 22, 2011 I've been going to Trummers a lot, but only ever during the week, really. Can anyone give me a sense of what the bar/lounge would be like on a Saturday night, say around 7:30? Any trouble getting a seat?
DonRocks Posted September 22, 2011 Posted September 22, 2011 I've been going to Trummers a lot, but only ever during the week, really. Can anyone give me a sense of what the bar/lounge would be like on a Saturday night, say around 7:30? Any trouble getting a seat? My guess is that people making the drive to Clifton would sit upstairs (or on the patio, hint hint), whereas people that live in (or near) Clifton would tend to gravitate towards the bar on a Saturday. If I were you, I'd call and ask the manager for a gut feel.
B.A.R. Posted September 22, 2011 Posted September 22, 2011 My guess is that people making the drive to Clifton would sit upstairs (or on the patio, hint hint), whereas people that live in (or near) Clifton would tend to gravitate towards the bar on a Saturday. If I were you, I'd call and ask the manager for a gut feel. Well, we generally go just on Saturday's (used to be Sundays, but no bar menu on Sundays). It has been sparse to packed. Getting a seat at the Bar can be a problem due to limited seats, but I've never had a problem at the banquettes.
DanCole42 Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 This is our new go-to place for "fuck it, I don't feel like cooking and I need a goddamn drink" nights. During the week there's always ample seating at the bar, and while there are always new, inventive, and highly seasonal cocktails coming along, my favorite remains the refreshing, signature Titanic ($8 on Tuesdays). Anything with an "SA" (as in, sick-ass) is a menu staple, and worth getting. From the burger served on an english muffin to their warm chocolate sundae. Be sure to order some smoked (or curried) mayo to go with your fries. If we're there and the Caps are playing that night, be prepared for my wife to be yelling at the TV...
shannon Posted February 3, 2012 Posted February 3, 2012 I finally made it out to Clifton for brunch at Trummers last Sunday. I had the mushroom omelet and it was easily the best omelet I've ever eaten. The texture was perfect, very light but still a little gooey inside. Loved it. The bloody mary was pretty good (could have used a tad more salt, but that's just my personal taste I think) -- really enjoyed the garnish on the bloody mary of pickled green tomatoes! Short post, but everyone at the table enjoyed their cocktails and meals. Wish I lived closer! Great coffee and great service as well.
wrash Posted April 1, 2012 Author Posted April 1, 2012 I've been delinquent about posting here. New EIC gig keeps me swamped. We ate at Trummers for my birthday, and the next day I left for Europe. The meal was flawless, the food superb. They've started carrying Russian Standard vodka for my martinis. This is partly because I asked, and partly because I'd been complaining about having to import my own every time I went to Russia. The fact that they would carry this just because I asked is very cool. Fortunately the martinis were also very very cool, or more accurately, downright cold. This is as it should be. I'd have provided a more detailed description of the dinner but my food sense was muddled by a catastrphe that was so horrifying that it almost defies description. But I'll try. My favorite sausage vendor in Germany was replaced by (God, give me strength to say this). My favorite sausage vendor, the place that had the stand in the Hannover train station where they sold their own house-made sausages and sold the local beer was closed and replaced by a Burger King. There, I've said it. I'm still trying to erase my food memories from that part of March. I was supposed to go back, but all I can think of is that Burger King sign, so I cancelled the trip. Sigh. Wayne Rash
DanCole42 Posted June 6, 2012 Posted June 6, 2012 From Todd Kliman's Twitter: "Clayton Miller, formerly of Trummer's on Main, in Clifton, has been named the new chef at Michael Mina's Wit & Wisdom in Baltimore." FWIW, he was still there on Saturday.
jpbloom Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 I don't know who was in the kitchen a week and a half ago on Saturday night, but whoever it was is worth keeping. All of the food was excellent, actually better than our last couple of visits. Service was good and it's nice to know this is worth keeping on our list.
Marty L. Posted August 2, 2012 Posted August 2, 2012 I don't know who was in the kitchen a week and a half ago on Saturday night, but whoever it was is worth keeping. All of the food was excellent, actually better than our last couple of visits. Service was good and it's nice to know this is worth keeping on our list. Trummers on Main chef bio of Cory Lambert
Dave Pressley Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 Finally got to Trummer's tonight for our anniversary dinner. I've been wanting to go here for a while and will absolutely be returning. Service: Perfect from the host stand to the clearing of plates. Every staff member (host, bartender, bussers, runners, server, manager) were on-fucking-point and the service is the main reason we really want to get back there. Genuinely great staff. Ask for Daniel to be your server. He was perfect. Genuinely nice guy and his interactions with us were charming, efficient and smart. Apps: Chimichurri Risotto with Snails--flavors were good but when I think of chimichurri, I want noticable acid and herbs. This was a very savory dish with not much acid and the rice was very al dente...probably a turnoff for most, but hell, it was my anniversary dinner and wouldn't even think about complaining. It was totally edible (not totally hard...just cooked to where the outer shell of the rice had to be "broken" instead of "chewed"...does that make sense?) and the snails were cooked perfectly. My wife had the "eggs and bacon" ravioli. She loved it and I didn't get to taste the dish. Entrees: On an never-before-seen-in-our-years-together (seriously...never done before but the entree selections were very limited) move, we both ordered the halibut entree. It was promised with Hawaiian ogo, quinoa and "flavors of the ocean"--or something like that. The ogo was minimal, the quinoa was bland and the tableside-poured broth was just...I don't know...stinky of the ocean and not awesome to eat. The halibut was very overcooked to boot. The dish wasn't inedible, but it was a severely weak dish in such an awesome setting. This dish needed an editor...badly. Dessert: I had the Popcorn Ice Cream. Fucking killer. My wife had the cheese plate and she dug it. Drinks: The Titanic is a great cocktail (a bit on the sweet side) and should be ordered by all new first-timers to TOM. Killer deal alert to follow though!!!!!!!!! Killer Deal: Trummer's takes all of its leftover "by the glass" (and perfectly drinkable) wines from earlier in the week and prices them at $5 a glass for Sunday dinner service. So we had nice wines from Joel Gott, Sass and Baileyana for frigging $5 per generous pour. Summation: I think it was an off night for the halbut dish. The room, the decor, the killer service and the other two courses have made me a fan. The wine deal is kick-ass. P.S. The drive to Clifton is insanely charming. Go there if only just for the drive and a beer at their bar. (It feels like Mayberry without Barney Fife.)
DanCole42 Posted November 27, 2012 Posted November 27, 2012 Trummers on Main chef bio of Cory Lambert Looks like Cory's out, too: http://blogs.miamine...e_bar_names.php
DonRocks Posted December 2, 2012 Posted December 2, 2012 Looks like Cory's out, too: http://blogs.miamine...e_bar_names.php Does anyone know who's running the kitchen at Trummer's now?
DanCole42 Posted May 1, 2013 Posted May 1, 2013 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2013/04/09/trummers-on-main-taps-new-chef-and-more/ New chef!!!
B.A.R. Posted May 2, 2013 Posted May 2, 2013 I wish I knew about the burger pop-up sooner! It's been too long since my wife and I have visited this lovely and delicious spot. Going to have to change that very soon.
jiveturk21 Posted July 13, 2013 Posted July 13, 2013 Impromptu dinner on Thursday night. Dinner was much better than brunch I had a few years ago, but not as good as when they first opened. I think that they have settled somewhere in the middle, which is still good, especially for this area. Food (impressed with the rabbit ragout and sweetbreads) was better than the drinks (I had a laughable sazerac at the bar). Wine list is still solid. Setting is beautiful, but there are a few chinks in the armor (fluorescent lettering on black boards announcing drink specials in the bar). Service was mostly very good, a few upsell attempts made it less than perfect though.
mdt Posted September 18, 2013 Posted September 18, 2013 TrummerFest! From September 17th to October 31st, the intimate third floor Gallery of Trummer's on Main will be transformed into an Austrian wine & beer tavern for an event playfully namedTrummerFest. Owner and Mixologist Stefan Trummer grew up in Austria, and his roots will be on full display as the restaurant serves up remarkably traditional Austrian fare like his mother's apple cake, traditional Austrian dishes, and unique sausages in honor of Oktoberfest. Info here...http://trummersonmain.com/events/trummerfest-pop-up-restaurant/
wrash Posted December 11, 2013 Author Posted December 11, 2013 Originally we were going to have our anniversary dinner in Paris, but alas more surgery as a result of that tractor-trailer back in 2010 meant no airplane flights fo me. So I dropped a note to Victoria Trummer and asked if we could go there for dinner instead of going to Paris. When we arrived at the restaurant, there was a tiny sparkly Eiffel Tower waiting on our table so that it might feel a little like dinner on the Seine. But I don't think they serve braised short ribs like that in Paris. They were prepared using sous vide, and were wonderfully tender and tasty. Everything else was likewise superb. The martini wasn't as cold as it wasn the previous time, but then on our previous visit Stefan Trummer came to the table with a bottle of Russian Standard vodka and a dewer of liquid nitrogen, explaining that he was going to make my martini so cold that I'd stop complaining. He did. This is the first and only time I've had a vodka martini, with olive, frozen into a martini-glass shaped cone. Stefan laughed while he was doing this, clearly delighted to pull one over on me. Once it thawed out, the martini was just fine. This time, Stefan was away and another bartender made the drinks. Very nice, but without that sort of flair that only Stefan can deliver. If possible, the dinner has improved above its previous high level. Just be careful - you might actually get what you're asking for. Wayne Rash 4
dgreen Posted July 9, 2014 Posted July 9, 2014 Trummer's is running a pop-up Seafood Shack located at their Clifton restaurant. It runs through early August and is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Also, I read that they are looking into opening a Gainesville location called Trummer's Coffee and Wine Bar.
Kibbee Nayee Posted September 21, 2014 Posted September 21, 2014 Four of us had dinner at Trummer's on Main last night, and it was a delicious meal all around. It was our first visit, even though we live in northern Virginia, and Clifton isn't that far away. This is a beautiful venue for a nice meal. The menu was organized in columns -- Appalachian, Vegetarian, Specialties, To Share....each column had a couple of appetizers and a couple of main dishes. My eyes were bouncing all over the place, trying to nail down an appetizer and a main that stood out from the rest. Not easy with this menu. We voted against the tasting menu, because we wanted to sample the entire menu and because the tasting menu is intended for everyone at a particular table. Our four starters were all wonderful -- rabbit ragout, half-dozen Rappahannock River oysters, chicken fried oyster Appalachian style, and kale Caesar salad with grilled octopus. We tasted around the table and declared them all winners. The two that barely didn't make our list were the sweetbreads and the charcuterie platter. The fired oysters landed in front of me, and they were sitting on a "gravy" that was spicy and filled with bits of andouille sausage. That dish was a hit. Lady KN's oysters were on the small side, but fresh and oyster-y. Our mains were braised short ribs, grilled salmon, grilled monkfish and braised duck. My braised short ribs came on a bed of fried spinach and carmelized onions. I normally don't like carmelized onions because they aren't done right and end up too sweet. These were perfect, and the short ribs themselves were fall-off-the-fork tender. I never had so much umami on a plate. It was spectacular. The Duck, Monkfish and Salmon were also executed flawlessly. Service was pleasant and precise. Prices were on the high side, but we came to a reasonable $100 per person all in, with cocktails, wine, tax and tip. I already have plans for a return visit. 3
ScotteeM Posted September 21, 2014 Posted September 21, 2014 I'm sure someone will challenge me on this, but I declare Chef Austin Fausett to be the best thing to happen to Fairfax County dining since Maestro closed its doors. Chef Fausett has brought his impressive resume, including the position of sous chef at The Inn At Little Washington,  to Clifton, and has created a menu template that reflects food that is fresh and in season, and source locally as much as possible. He featured fresh Chanterelles from Fairfax County. Trummer's On Main has become one of our very favorite restaurants in the DC Metro area, and it's barely 20 minutes from home. Yes, the parking is funky, because the lots serve the entire downtown Clifton area--all 5 square blocks of it. If there are events in the town, the lots are liable to be full, and one might have to park and walk a block or even two. I think it's worth that effort. One of the best-kept secrets (and I wish it would stay that way, so please don't tell anyone) is the Sunday Night Dinner: Three courses for $38, and what they call their "Bucket List" of wines by the glass from already open bottles until they are gone. Whites are currently $5/glass, and reds are $7/glass. You may, of course, order off the wine list if you prefer, but that's a real deal on excellent wines. The waitstaff are extremely familiar with the wines they have, thanks to a training program that encourages them to take home any leftover open bottles at the end of service Sunday night (the restaurant is closed on Mondays). Sommolier Diana Roderique is usually available for recommendations, if needed. Our most recent Sunday dinner was a week ago, and it was marvelous, as usual. My husband started with the Nibble Farms rabbit ragu with morel duxelles tortellini. He couldn't say enough good things about it. I had the Honey ricotta-stuffed squash blossoms on arugula salad with cherry moustarda and pine nuts. Chef adapted the recipe to make it gluten-free for me by using only rice flour in the tempura batter (he usually mixes rice and wheat flours). My husband's main was the Cocoa & coffee encrusted short rib with two different types of onions cooked in two different ales or beers (I don't have the menu in front of me), and said he would happily order it again. My Berkshire porchetta was a perfectly seasoned and cooked slice of roulade of pork loin and belly, crispy on one side and unctuous from the belly fat (unsaturated), on a bed of pickled cabbage, black-eyed peas and peach butter. I've had porchetta elsewhere recently, but this is the best one of all. Although we're not usually dessert eaters, we do enjoy the desserts at Trummer's. My favorite to date is the Popcorn ice cream topped with caramel popcorn. Husband's dessert last Sunday was called the Grasshopper, with a green mint dome and chocolate crumbles (I don't know the details). The service here is attentive, and everyone involved in bringing food to our table always knows that I cannot have wheat gluten and double checks the plates put before me. For those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance: I have dined here frequently enough that the hostesses know me on sight, and I have never had a problem or a reaction to anything I've eaten here. The pastry chef even provides gluten-free bread (I note the need on my reservations), which varies from one visit to the next but is always tasty. I'd say it's the best house-made gluten-free bread I've had anywhere locally. I do have pictures, and when I figure out how to add them, I'll come back and edit this post. 6
DonRocks Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 [Kibbee and Scottee, I alerted Victoria Trummer to your reviews. She is ecstatic, and is going to read them tomorrow at the staff meeting. Whenever there is something substantive like these two were, I alert restaurants, and they will often read the reviews to the staff - everyone please keep that in mind: You really are making a huge, direct difference, not just to consumers, but also to the morale of the workers themselves!] 3
mdt Posted September 23, 2014 Posted September 23, 2014 And they are now running their "pop-up" TrummerFest in the third floor area. We went last year and enjoyed it and will be returning in the next couple of weeks. 2
liz2041 Posted October 2, 2014 Posted October 2, 2014 Sounds like this would be quite good, particularly with Neal Wavra running the show. Â I got it in an email yesterday from the Ashby - seats still available. "James Beard In Virginia - Rising Star Chefs Dinner"Â Thursday, Oct 9th at 7 PM. 1
mdt Posted October 9, 2014 Posted October 9, 2014 And they are now running their "pop-up" TrummerFest in the third floor area. We went last year and enjoyed it and will be returning in the next couple of weeks. Very good dinner last night with a good sized group so we go to try much of the menu. Here are some of the highlights, full menu is below. Jägerteller - meat and cheese board with some knockwurst, Landjäger, speck, pan seared liverwurst, and Ementaller, with chicken liver mousse and mustard condiments. The Goulash mit Spätzle and Weiner Schnitzel were my favorite dishes of the night. Oh and if you go don't forget a pretzel or the apple tart for dessert. TrummersFall2014Menu.pdf TrummerFestMenuFall2014.pdf 2
wrash Posted March 30, 2015 Author Posted March 30, 2015 Trummers is now open for lunch on Friday and Saturday. The menu includes a reuben sandwich with house-made corned beef, house-made everything else except the rye bread. There's also their Farmers Burger, their house-made beer sausage and a falafel burger. The menu includes several snacks and appetizers, as well as some main plates from the dinner menu. I've had lunch on Friday a couple of times and had the reuben and the chicken-fried oysters as well as the vidalia onion chips and the fries. The botted beer selection is fairly small but well chosen. This is my new favorite place to have all those PR people go when they insist on taking me to lunch. It's close and I know it'll be great. Now, of they would only open on more days of the week for lunch. Here's a link to the lunch menu: Trummers Lunch Mar2015.pdf 1
DanCole42 Posted April 1, 2015 Posted April 1, 2015 Trummers is now open for lunch on Friday and Saturday. The menu includes a reuben sandwich with house-made corned beef, house-made everything else except the rye bread. There's also their Farmers Burger, their house-made beer sausage and a falafel burger. The menu includes several snacks and appetizers, as well as some main plates from the dinner menu. I've had lunch on Friday a couple of times and had the reuben and the chicken-fried oysters as well as the vidalia onion chips and the fries. The botted beer selection is fairly small but well chosen. This is my new favorite place to have all those PR people go when they insist on taking me to lunch. It's close and I know it'll be great. Now, of they would only open on more days of the week for lunch. Here's a link to the lunch menu: Trummers Lunch Mar2015.pdf I can vouch for both the reuben and the vidalia onion dip. The reuben has an absolutely perfect bread-to-meat ratio (sorry, NYC) and the dip isn't just sour cream with onion powder: it's sweet and savory honest-to-gosh onions. And it's delish. 1
B.A.R. Posted April 1, 2015 Posted April 1, 2015 Had the Farm Burger a few weeks ago. One of the best Burgers I have ever had. The Bar menu has grown considerably over the years, and is essentially a restaurant in and of itself. Very good. 1
DanCole42 Posted April 1, 2015 Posted April 1, 2015 Had the Farm Burger a few weeks ago. One of the best Burgers I have ever had. The Bar menu has grown considerably over the years, and is essentially a restaurant in and of itself. Very good. Say hi next time. 1
DonRocks Posted April 5, 2016 Posted April 5, 2016 Trummer's on Main is still the beautiful building it was, and the last few miles of the drive down Chapel Road are as nice as any in the area. The bar itself remains absolutely stunning, and was nearly empty on a Sunday night, even though the parking lot was full and upstairs was undoubtedly packed. My bartender has been at Trummer's for quite awhile, but he's not going to be there much longer, as he'll be seeking a new lot in life within the next couple of weeks - and I wish him the absolute best in his journey. I ended my drive out to Clifton with an Elliot Ness Amber Lager ($6) by Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland - I love this beer, and whenever I travel to the midwest, I keep an eye out for offerings by Great Lakes Brewing Company. Although Trummer's is best known for their cocktails, they have a few really nice beers on their menu as well, and for some reason, I don't seem to mind paying triple-retail for a $6 beer as much as I mind paying triple-retail for a glass of wine, or $12 for a cocktail (Trummer's excellent cocktails, which I've enjoyed in the past, are $12). Bar-Menu-Absinthe-12.8.15-copy.pdf Under Chef Austin Fausett, the menu at Trummer's has really changed, and I ordered two dishes which sounded interesting to me - note that these are from the regular Dinner Menu, and not from the Bar Menu. I began with the Sweetbread & Chorizo ($15) appetizer with chimichuri mayo and plantains. I don't like taking pictures of dishes, but it would have been much easier to simply show you what this looked like with a photo. It came out kabob-style, in a line, alternating sweetbread, chorizo, plantain, sweetbread, chorizo, plantain, etc., the entire line fixed to the dish by a very thin scraping of chimichuri mayo underneath. Off to the side, there were also three dots of the chimichuri mayo in case you wanted a tiny amount of extra dunking. The sweetbreads were lightly breaded and seemingly deep-fried, but were not hot when they arrived, the chorizo was like no chorizo I've ever eaten, and I wouldn't have guessed it was chorizo - it was also seemingly lightly breaded and deep-fried, but I'm not quite sure how it was cooked. Nevertheless, it had excellent flavors, and was much more mild than what I was expecting, so it didn't overwhelm the sweetbreads. The crispy slices of plaintain served as separators as much as anything, and if you ate from one-side-to-the-other (as I suspect most people do), it provides a textural crunch in one-third of the bites - the plantains were mild, and not unlike what you'd buy in a health-food store. Everything was bite-sized, although I cut each of my meats in two to make the dish last longer. The kabob-like line itself was perhaps eight inches long, so there wasn't a huge amount of food here. The flavors didn't really "mesh" so much as they "didn't clash," and the temperature was just not hot enough to make this a great dish - it *must* have been fried earlier, although I can't say for sure. The one thing missing from this dish, as trite as it may sound, was love - this was just a presentation of food, and while both meats were quite good, cut properly, and seasoned well, it just didn't integrate, and the only way I'll remember it a year from now is to refer back to this note. With my main course I got a glass of the NV Trummer's House Label Cabernet Sauvignon ($10), which was a couple dollars less expensive than the name wines. This came from Barboursville, Virginia, and my bartender confirmed that it came from Barboursville Vineyards. A Chardonnay is also on offer for $8, and when I asked my bartender how the wine was, he said it was light, done in stainless steel instead of oak ("Buddy, you're talking to me like I'm your best friend!") My guess is that since it's non-vintage, Barboursville sells off young-vines wine, and wouldn't hesitate to marry different vintages in one cuvée, which is fine. What isn't fine is that the wine was resting atop the counter of the bar, and was, simply put, one of the warmest red wines I have ever been served in a restaurant - and that's saying something. My guess is somewhere in the mid-70's - the room itself felt perfectly comfortable, but it must have been slightly hotter behind the bar because this was absolutely warmer than 72 degrees. It ruined an otherwise "pleasant" table wine, which has seen very little bottle age, and was dominated by fruit-forward flavors, but not astringent tannins and (blessedly) no oak. Nevertheless, the wine was ruined, and it was poured right when my entrée arrived, so there was none of this "Could you stick it in the freezer for ten minutes?" tactic available to use - I choked it down, but Trummer's should have paid *me* ten dollars to drink this otherwise-pleasant quaffer. I ordered the House Cabernet because I asked my bartender how well he knew the menu ("Fairly well"), and asked his opinion between the Cheshire Pork Loin Wrapped in Mustard Greens and the Local Angus Beef Flank Steak ($29) with dandelion greens, olive yogurt, asparagus, and lemon-anchovy butter - he said hands-down the Steak, explaining that it was really special. I said "A medium-rare flank steak sounds pretty good to me right about now," and he replied, "Yes, they're all medium-rare." *CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!* "Is it cooked sous-vide, then seared?" I asked. "No, it's seared first, then cooked sous-vide for three-and-a-half hours," he replied. Given that we just had a dust-up about sous-vide cooking here, I went with the steak, yet again preparing to be open-minded. This was an unusually presented flank steak (I'm used to a big, long thing flopping off the plate; this was sliced, with a little of the butter melting atop, the greens spread throughout, and the yogurt resting at the base of the plate). Sigh, let's get this out of the way. First of all, it wasn't medium-rare, it was - at best - medium, but closer to medium-well in terms of color. The texture of the steak was all wrong - despite being long cooked, it was both tough and flavorless, bordering on being dry. I'm not familiar with searing steaks *before* giving them a bath, but you should consider this a cautionary tale should you ever hear of such a thing again. It wasn't "bad," mind you, and this is *exactly* why I think sous-vide is such a revolutionary technique for places like jails or hospitals who can keep their costs down by not having chefs - you can put out a decent-tasting plate of food that even a fool couldn't foul up, but the upper-limits of the quality aren't very upper. I finished the dish - it was fine - but I'll never order it again, that's for sure. Twenty-nine dollars for this plate of food? No thank you. I hadn't eaten all day, and had worked out, so I knew I'd be hungry later if I didn't drink eat something else. I asked my bartender what types of Bourbon they had, and he pointed out the list on the dessert menu. I noticed a Wild Turkey for $8, and just to make sure, I asked if it was the 101 (it was) - let me tell you something, folks, there's *nothing wrong* with Wild Turkey 101, and it's often better and cheaper than most bourbons on a restaurant list. As a daily-drinking Bourbon, I'll take this anytime, and you should file that away for future reference. Once again, I asked my bartender about recommendations, this time for dessert, and he said, without hesitation, the beignets. "Stefan and Victoria scoured New Orleans, trying every beignet they could find," he said, so I ordered the Cinnamon Sugar Beignets ($12), which were served freshly fried, and with a side-cup of piping-hot chocolate and whipped cream for dipping. My plate consisted of five very large beignets, each the size of a plum - now granted, these were not cheap, but they were delicious, and so massive that I ended up eating two, drinking the final gulp of hot chocolate, and taking three home wrapped in a paper napkin to have with my coffee the next morning (and it was a good call, too). I can gladly recommend that you order these if you come here - they really are good. Trummer's on Main is maintained in Italic, and if you're in the Clifton area, is worth a visit, but do not order blindly - ask questions, and if you don't like what you hear, keep asking. It's a wonderful institution that has seen better days in the kitchen, but it remains very good in the grand scheme of things. Will I have cravings to hop in the car and drive out to Clifton? No, but I wouldn't avoid it, either. Over the years, I've been here probably between five and ten times, and I will be back in the future to see what they're up to. I have this little voice in the back of my head telling me the chef is better than what I experienced on this Sunday evening. 2
LauraB Posted April 5, 2016 Posted April 5, 2016 Don, As the person who nominated Trummer's, I was happy to see that it had the most votes (apparently I'm not the only one who's curious), and I am very grateful to you for having written the review. Â As you know, we've been living in southern Fairfax county for awhile and Trummer's is one of the very few fine dining restaurants near us. Â We and several others went there for Thanksgiving dinner and found it to be just ok. Â (Certainly nowhere near as fine as our previous Thanksgiving dinners at Corduroy and Ashby Inn). Â I was surprised to see Austrian wines on the menu and I mentioned that to our server. Â He told me that the chef was from Austria. Â It turns out the chef spent some time in Austria, but he's not actually Austrian. We subsequently went there for brunch in January and it was pretty good, but I don't ever judge a restaurant based on brunch or a holiday meal. Â So, I'm very happy to have your expert review of an evening meal there. Â I'd describe your review as lukewarm, so I'm not in a real hurry to book a dinner meal at Trummer's. Â Although, I might go to the bar and order that $8 Wild Turkey. Â I agree that their bar area is very nice. Thanks again, Don! 1
JSnake Posted April 5, 2016 Posted April 5, 2016 Why the hell did they sous vide it for three and a half hours? Of course the texture was messed up. *slaps head*
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