I applaud everything about two dishes in one, including the dot of celeriac puree on each oyster and the fact that it was the idea of Tony Chittum, the former longtime chef of Iron Gate in Washington and, since February, the star of the show at Vermilion in Alexandria, where I caught the fried oysters.
What a difference a leader makes. Before Chittum came along, I couldn’t recommend Vermilion. Part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, sibling to brands as diverse as the meaty B Side in Fairfax and the beer-infused Birch & Barley in the District, the Old Town mainstay was a cheaper place to eat last year. In the fall, I remember the salt drum, the dry ribs, a woman next to me complaining about the small size of her steak, a waiter wondering “Who will get the fish?” » — it was an eventful night, dear readers — and I thought everything on the menu tasted better than it tasted. At some point I stopped taking notes. My sad dinner wasn’t something I was going to share, at least in print. I put Vermilion in the category of places that no one needs to know about.
These days? You want to make an appointment with the American restaurant, swipe at the prospect of a menu that reinforces its fresh and local approach with a menu from its producers. Vermilion marks the return of Chittum, 47, who cooked here for five years before moving to Iron Gate and is one of a handful of chefs who have turned the two-story restaurant into a dining destination, with expanded seating during the pandemic to include the sidewalk. on bustling King Street.
Vermilion “has always been a special place to me,” says Chittum, who was eager to return to an American restaurant after more than a decade cooking Greek and Italian dishes at Iron Gate. Goodbye, mezze. Hello, big plates and the freedom to stretch.
The servers are quick to inform you that there’s a new sheriff in town and introduce you to the concept of “farm-to-table” Vermilion, now such a throwaway phrase it’s like “have a good daytime “. In one ear and out the other. (Will any restaurant worth its salt say “we have no relationship with farmers” or “some of our food comes from cans and cans”?)
Not that restaurants can’t boast a little. The vermilion highlights beautiful speckled chicory from Karma Farm in Maryland, in a haystack salad, with local sheep’s milk cheese and ruddy country ham. Like the oysters, the starter, crispy with fried Jerusalem artichoke chips, is portioned for two. Try to get a little taste of everything in each tip of the fork. The free-range bison for the steak tartare comes from New Frontier, Virginia. The ground meat, creamy with porcini aioli, is paved with flourishes including marinated mushrooms, finely grated cheese and pieces of toasted bread serving as croutons. Eliminate.
“Bettie’s buns” are a legacy of Chittum’s wife’s grandmother, whose yeast buns were a holiday staple. The rolls are a closely guarded secret, says Chittum, who is one of only three people who knows the recipe. The chef serves them hot from the oven, sprinkled with sea salt and three in a small cast iron skillet, which is too little for those who like to use the bread to take advantage of leftover dressings or sauces. Needless to say, I understand why you wouldn’t want to pass up an invitation to the chief’s wife’s family gatherings.
A main course of buttered scallops on a bed of shucked beans comes with a surprise: scrapple-enhanced fritters, a staple of Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine. The pieces of pork are mixed with brown polenta, parmesan and cloves, rolled into rounds and fried. Shazam! Chittum figured out how to make a purse out of a sow’s ear, or at least a pork shoulder and ham hocks. I’m also a fan of Vermilion Pasta: homemade rolled “double” ravioli filled with braised cabbage on one side and buttered potatoes on the other. News flash: cabbage is now having a moment. Add this dish, garnished with charred Brussels sprout petals, to the many reasons why.
The steak seems to be a way to attract the attention of tourists in the old town. Yet the strip loin, dense and pink, resists being called simple and safe. The steak comes with a bright salsa, crispy potato wedges and, because the kitchen never sends anything without a little something extra, a little blue cheese suspended in tempura.
Vermilion offers you several ways to experience it. In addition to the a la carte menu, diners can go the family route, tasting all the appetizers and, depending on the size of the party, one or more main courses and desserts as well as a few extras for $75 per person. person (provided that the whole group participates). A separate menu, including some dishes from the list upstairs, is served in the downstairs tavern and is distinguished by softer prices (average starters $25) and snacks including arancini through Philadelphia (pieces of steak mix with melted cheese and rice). I can vouch for the brunch here, above all juicy fried chicken and Belgian waffles complemented by a bright salad.
Need help to order ? Skip the maple-roasted carrots on a small raft of puff pastry (undercooked) and the trout (firm), paired with what tastes like underseasoned clam chowder, poured into clam shells .
The best finale is a soft peanut financier served with sparkling tangerine sorbet and touches of silky chocolate crèmeaux. The richest is the caramel custard, intense although sweeter than preferred, and served in a bowl best shared by three or more. The craziest dessert is an ice cream sundae made with Girl Scout cookies, some embedded in the ice cream (Do-si-dos), others used as toppings (Tagalongs). Like the young soldiers who sit in front of grocery stores and ask us to buy their stock in stores, it’s difficult to say no to the ice cream sundae, even for the staff. “The cookies are locked,” jokes general manager Cara Craig. Dig deep into the parfait glass to capture all the action.
The interior is as generic as the food is exciting. The upstairs dining room is still clad in the brick walls and lanterns it has apparently had since it opened in 2003; the ground floor combines high tables and banquettes and a rear seating area with low red seats and dim lighting that could be mistaken for a tired gentlemen’s club. (Upstairs or downstairs, the best tables are those along the windows overlooking the street.)
The restaurant group is expected to hire a designer to assist Chittum in the task of filling the seats. I can’t help but think that the chef must feel like returning to the bedroom of his youth and finding the bed too small. Chittum’s art deserves a better setting.
1120 King Street, Alexandria. 703-684-9669. vermilionrestaurant.com. Open for indoor and outdoor dining from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday for dinner, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for brunch. Prices: Dinner starters $12 to $18, main courses $32 to $39. Farm table menu $75 per person. Sound check: 71 decibels/Must speak out loud. Accessibility: Wheelchair users can access the restaurant via a removable ramp, but the restrooms are cramped and stairs lead to the second-floor dining room.
