Which of the following would describe a dining experience at Patowmack Farm?
1. Wow, what a spectacular view!
2. This is how food is supposed to taste!
3. What a unique facility for a restaurant – a greenhouse!
4. I wonder if this waiter is this attentive to everyone!
5. I’m so glad I came here to celebrate my birthday!
6. All of the above!
If you chose “6. All of the above”, you’d be correct. At the urging of Bob Tagert, owner of Old Town Crier, who claimed there was a restaurant in Lovettsville with a spectacular view of the Potomac River, I decided to visit The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm one glorious November Sunday afternoon with my daughter to celebrate my birthday.
Ten years ago, Beverly Billand, owner of the restaurant, started cooking and serving dinners for friends and neighbors using ingredients grown on her farm. They were so low-keyed that between appetizers and entrees she would take her guests on a hayride. Since then Beverly has built a restaurant on her farm and hired a staff of professionals to operate it, but she has remained faithful to her belief in organic, seasonal cuisine and use of local farmers and livestock producers.
In Christopher Edwards she has found an executive chef who also believes in farm to table cooking and creates monthly menus to reflect the current season’s offerings. During my meal I kept thinking that the quality of food and presentation reminded me of meals I’d experienced at Maestro at the Ritz-Carlton in Tyson’s Corner, only to learn from talking to Chef Edwards that he had worked with Fabio Tracocchi there and went with him to open Fiamma in New York. However, Edwards decided that New York was not his life-style and returned to Northern Virginia and ultimately to Patowmack Farm. He claims that if you arrive early for your reservation you are likely to find him in the garden picking ingredients for that evening’s dinner. I jokingly asked him if the Sysco Food Services truck ever made it up the driveway for deliveries. He said that if Beverly ever saw the Sysco truck in the driveway he’d be on it for the return trip down the hill.
The restaurant is just off Route 15 on Lovettsville Road on the top of a hill overlooking the Point of Rocks Bridge over the Potomac River. Rather than a typical building, Beverly constructed a glass conservatory to house the restaurant. On my Sunday there all the windows and doors were open creating the feeling of sitting outside. We were greeted by Beverly, who also serves as the host and seated by an open window. For Saturday and Sunday brunch a three course menu is available and also a la carte. Since we were celebrating we started with Champagne Pannier Brut, which was suggested by our waiter as an alternative to my usual Veuve Clicquot. 
For our first course my daughter ordered Croque Madame, which is brioche with a soft cooked farm egg, Virginia dry cured ham topped with Bechamel sauce. I selected Royal Hawaiian Prawns, with chicken etouffee and crispy saffron rice topped with hot pepper jelly. Slices of freshly baked apple bread were served with the appetizers. For the next course I chose Grilled Maine Lobster, served over soft Carolina grits with roasted peppers and Spanish paprika hollandaise, while my daughter chose Hedgeapple Farm Beef Ribeye, served with brown butter gnocchi, wild mushrooms, smoked bacon and caramelized onion gravy. Whole wheat rolls accompanied our entrees. We were enjoying the champagne and continued it with entrees.
There were only two desserts offered, Orange Baba and Chocolate Chestnut Cake. The Baba cake was topped with candied citrus, basil crisp and citrus curd and the Chestnut Cake was a combination of chestnut gianduja, chocolate ganache, crème fraiche anglaise and spiced chocolate sauce. On my dessert plate was a Happy Birthday fondant sign-nice touch. Both were great tastes for ending the meal. With our expresso’s we were offered a cruet of simple syrup with a cinnamon stick along with the usual sugar packets.
There were other guests dining that afternoon, even a large party celebrating a young man’s birthday, but our waiter convinced us our dining pleasure was his goal for the afternoon. As he delivered each course, he described the ingredients, how the dish was prepared and suggested what the taste expectation should be.
The dinner menu changes monthly with a five course or seven course Chef’s tasting menu, each can be paired with Chef Edwards wine selections. For November the appetizers were Potato Soup, Cannelloni of Cherry Chevre, Croque Madame, Tortellini of Belletoile Triple Crème and Royal Hawaiian Prawns. Entrees included Grilled Maine Lobster, Seared Diver Scallops, Broke Arrow Ranch Venison, Hedgeapple Farm Beef Shortrib and Potato Gnocchi. In addition to the deserts we enjoyed on our visit they offered Caramel Coffee Souffle and a Cheese Plate.
There is no bar area or bartender but cocktails are available. The wine list included many wines that I was unfamiliar with but they have been chosen to complement the food highlighted each month. Prices range from $30 to $185 with the majority in the $38 to $50 range. Reds include Bruce Wayne 2006 Pinot Noir, Fidelitas 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Peter Lehman 2005 Shiraz, Ferraton Pere & Fils 2005 Le Grand Courtil, Conserva 2005 Annachiara and Guigal 2004 Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Whites include Stag’s Leap 2006 Chardonnay, Willowcroft 2008 Cold Steel Chardonnay, Balletto 2006 Gewurztraminer, Barth Rene 2007 Pinot Blanc, and Sonoma Coast 2007 Sauvignon Blanc.
As we were leaving, Beverly handed me a rolled up copy of the menu prepared for the “Winterling Party” and invited us to return. I’m already planning on returning to enjoy a winter ‘s evening view and to see what Chef Edwards does for December.
The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
42461 Lovettsville Road, Lovettsville, Virginia
540-822-9017
www.patowmackfarm.com
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