I was definitely not happy about driving from Alexandria to Purcellville on a Thursday evening, but I had made a commitment to meet a friend at Magnolias at the Mill in Purcellville for dinner.  I envisioned heavy traffic with delays and a hurried dinner so that I could return home at a decent hour.  To my surprise traffic was light. Once reaching Leesburg, the back roads to Purcellville made the drive even more enjoyable.  The restaurant is easy to find with ample parking

I was eager to see what owners, Kevin and Shawn Malone, had created in Purcellville compared to their restaurant, Tuscarora Mill, in Leesburg.  I’ve visited “Tuskies” several times and recently had lunch there so I had a current memory for comparison.  My first impression is that Magnolias is a little more rustic, not quite so polished as Tuskie’s.  Upon entering I noticed all the machinery, pulleys, scales, and wooden beams that had been retained from the original structure and the soaring three-story view from the main dining room.  All this was softened with subtle lighting, quilt wall hangings, white tablecloths, a roaring fire in the fireplace, and a warm welcome from the host.

As with Tuskies, the Malones have taken a historic building and renovated it for a modern use.  The original structure was built in 1905 as a seed mill and later used as a flour mill in the 1940’s.  The Malone’s opened it as a restaurant in 2004.

We were seated in the less formal area of the large rectangular bar with a view of the open kitchen.  It appeared that many diners were local and regulars as the servers were greeting them by name. Our server brought menus and reviewed the specials of the day.   We opted for two of their signature cocktails while perusing the menu.  I started with Crispy Oysters served with Sambuca creamed spinach and smoked bacon, while my friend chose Sherried Onion Soup.  The oysters were lightly battered and the spinach and bacon could have been an appetizer on their own.   My friend admitted that the onion soup was comparable to an onion soup he had years ago in Montreal and always holds as a standard for taste comparisons.

Continuing the concept they started at Tuskies’s, the Malone’s highlight local producers and growers with a Local Plate Special each day.  My friend chose the daily special which was a thick-cut pork chop served with garlic mashed potatoes and green beans with carrots.  I opted for the Surf and Turf, which was filet mignon and gulf shrimp.  The server agreed to switch vegetables for me so that I had truffle whipped potatoes, herb cheese creamed spinach and balsamic cipollini onions.    The pork chop was a beautiful cut of meat and the presentation was gorgeous, however my friend thought it was cooked more than he was expecting.  Upon mentioning that to John Hoffmeyer, the general manager, he immediately apologized and offered to replace the entrée.  My friend declined since he thought it was a minor fault in an outstanding dining experience.  To his credit, John removed the cost of the entrée from our tab.  We tried a couple of wine tastings before settling on a bottle of Corcoran Malbec from Virginia.  We ended the evening sharing a Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee with Vanilla whipped cream and coffee.  We both agreed that the crème brulee was just right.  Our tab for three drinks, a bottle of wine, two appetizers, one entree, a desert and coffee was $135 before tip.

The menu is composed of First Courses, Salads, Burger and Sandwiches, Brick Oven Pizza, From the Wood Fired Grill, From the Pan & Brick Oven and the Local Plate Special.  The wine list is interesting with selections from all over the world including Napa Valley, Argentina, Italy, France, Virginia, Idaho, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand and Oregon.  Whites run from $24 a bottle for Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi to $50 for a bottle of Sancerre/Pascal Jolivet.  Reds range from $24 for a bottle of Reds Zinfandel Blend to $275 for a bottle of Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet.  Virginia wine selections from Corcoran, Tarara, Chrysalis, Breaux, Hiddencroft, Willowcroft and Hillsborough are highlighted.

The real find at Magnolias is for beer lovers.  There are the standards of Corona, Guinness, Michelob, Bass and St. Pauli’s Girl but there is an amazing list of lagers, ales, stouts and craft brews.  Worth mentioning are Oskar Blue’s Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Founders Backwoods Bastard, Otter Creek Quercus Vitis Humulus, Victory Hop Devil, Abita Purple Haze, Smuttynose Robust Porter, Dogfish Head and Flying Dog.  There is also a good selection of international beers and a big bottle beer series.

Somewhere between the cocktails and the desert and coffee I managed to relax and enjoy the evening, due largely to the welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff and the excellent food, making the return trip to Alexandria worth the drive.  

Magnolias at the Mill
198 North 21st Street
Purcellville, Virginia
540-338-9800
www.magnoliasmill.com

< Prev		Next >