Open Kitchen is not only a wonderful bistro, but also an awesome culinary timeshare for chefs, as well as a location for cooking classes. “Open Kitchen can be transformed from a bistro to a cooking class venue and provides catering services and a small market”, says one of the staff, who also writes about the enterprising idea that is Open Kitchen. You may read some of her articles here.

The strangeness of the Open Kitchen story is what lured FW&D to give them a try. Once again, we brought some of our client favorites to join us on another edible journey.

Our Wednesday dinner was on the weekly night of Live Music at Open Kitchen. A guitarist played beautifully and set a lovely tone for our dining experience. The atmosphere was surprisingly polished and welcoming in an urban building in Falls Church. Located on Leesburg Pike, Open Kitchen is a tasty twist on culinary education, presentation, and atmosphere.

The staff was friendly and FW&D was happy to peruse the menu, which had a nice variety, including a surprising selection of vegetarian and gluten free dishes. Bottles of wine are discounted on Wednesday evenings also. The dipping bread that came to the table before our first course was a flavorful foccacia with a small dish of olive oil.

The little crab cake appetizer with fennel was full of lump crabmeat and lots of flavor, and the deviled egg cups were tasty and served with a small Caesar salad.

The mussels were fresh and served in a well- seasoned broth.

Roasted pear salad had crisp and tasty greens. The cauliflower soup was not the favorite but was topped with mushrooms and still well liked.

Entrees were served in nicely heated and generous sized serving bowls and plates.  Our choices included a perfectly seared scallop dish and delicious lamb served with a delicate sauce and tiny asparagus. Veal chop with greens was cooked just right.

The cauliflower “cowboy steak” was a grilled thick slice of cauliflower served much like a meat option but was a wonderful vegetarian alternative.

Desserts we chose included a very dense and delicious Chocolate Decadence Torte, a rich chocolate mousse with almond brittle, and a creamy Moorenko’s vanilla ice cream.

Presentations were attractive and creative. After dinner, tea was served in individual pots along with a little timer.

Although the Bistro was busy, the service was attentive and personal. The Chef Kenneth Hughes even came to the table a couple of times to chat and make sure we were enjoying our meal. As we left the restaurant we reviewed a photo album of the bistro and the cooking school history proudly displayed at the reception desk. The staff was friendly and we were sure we would see them again soon for a repeat of this great evening.

Open Kitchen
7115 Leesburg Pike #107
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 942-8148
Lunch: Wednesday – Friday: 11:00AM – 2:00PM & Saturday: 11:00AM – 5:00PM
Dinner: Wednesday – Saturday: 5:00PM – 10:00PM
www.openkitchen-dcmetro.com