24 Crows

Plaudits: None
Neighborhood: Flint Hill, Virginia

The Setup

On our weekend trip out to The Inn, Official Girlfriend of DCWD Texas and I needed more than one place to have a meal. The first suggestion from our innkeepers was 24 Crows.

The Vibe

The team behind 24 Crows were the former owners of Four and Twenty Blackbirds (get it?), a restaurant that regularly appeared on the Washingtonian Top 100 in the earlier part of the decade. Instead of the regular service of that now-closed restaurant, this roadside cafe opens only for lunch every day from 10am-2pm. And the descriptor cafe might be a stretch: the space itself has maybe 12 seats, which seem perpetually full. All the other space is filled with curios and craft goods, so much so that you'd think you were in a gift shop, not a restaurant.

The Food

24 Crows fashions an ever changing menu on two small glass panels every day, with maybe three to five options for the four hours it's open. On this trip, Texas and I decided to start by splitting an old-fashioned tomato bisque with homemade cheese croutons. I'll start by saying I'm not a fan of tomato soup; I just don't get it. But this just about changed my mind. For one, there were actual chunks of tomato and onion, so it felt less like a puree and more like a soup. More importantly, the croutons were life-changing. It's hard to be hyperbolic about toasted cubes of bread, but if ever a batch of croutons merited it, these were them. Like little pieces of complex cheese flavor with a satisfying crunch.

For the main course, I had the house-roasted roast beef sandwich, with baby arugala, roasted red peppers, and rosemary aioli on ciabatta. I used to work in a deli, so I know the value of making the roast beef in-house. This was much better than anything our supermarket used to crank out, with wonderful punch from the aioli and richness from the roast beef.

Texas had the pan-fried Idaho trout sandwich with applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, and smoky red pepper mayo on challah bread. The fish had a wonderful crisp on it, and was matched perfectly in punch by the bacon and the mayo. Together, with the challah, it was a wonderful gooey bite.

The Verdict

Wonderful, delicious food. Just be sure to grab a seat early.

Food Rating: **** (out of 5)
Date Rating: 2.5 Hearts (out of 5)
Dress Code: Casual
Bar Rating: N/A
Vibe: Calm
Cost: $ (out of 5) ($75-$100 for two)
Pairing: Wine tour! Our personal favorites were Narmada and Gray Ghost.