Water and Wall - Cozy and Urbane in the 'Burbs

Water & Wall

3811 N. Fairfax Dr.

Arlington, VA 22203

703-294-4949

Make a Reservation

http://waterandwall.com

I like the trend I'm seeing in independent restaurants. Good service, cocktails, and food in settings that are comfortable and welcoming. Chef/Owner Tim Ma's Water & Wall joins his first restaurant, Maple Ave, in those regards. It's got more seats than his first, which is good because seats are in high demand at his restaurants. Click on the link above to score a reso. You'll need to do it at least a week out if you're a prime-time-diner.

Understated entrance on Fairfax Dr.

We started out at the bar with a couple of drinks. I had the Theodore's Elixir. You can't go wrong with bourbon, Fernet, and some citrus. The ladies had some Thibaut-Janisson bubbles, also appropriate for the occasion.

We were dining with our friends Craig and Laura, who we often share blog-worthy meals with.

Seared scallops with grits. Rich and savory.

Pumpkin soup with sage oil and apple cider creme fraiche. One of the best pumpkin dishes I've ever tried, and the only pumpkin dish I've had this year. I'm saving myself for Thanksgiving.

A lot of restaurants offer fried calamari. Few season it well. Here there was ample salt and pepper, a sudachi aoli, and some pickled Fresno peppers. Lots of flavor.

A little closer please...

Chicken liver mousse with pear compote and champagne gelee. A lot of restaurants have a version of this. Tim's is better than most.

The ladies in a "Whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis?" moment.

Cheryl and I both had the Steelhead Trout. The white bean puree and salsa verde added some pizazz to the dish. The skin was cracklin'-crispy. Interesting factoid: a group of Steelhead Trout is a hover. It eats more like salmon than the white-fleshed brown trout you see in most places.

The catfish. This was my favorite dish. Unfortunately, I didn't order it. My friend Craig did. It had some excellent heat that came on the back end of the bite. Very nice, warm, but not overpowering.

Laura had the Duck Confit. It had Brussels sprouts and a maple gastrique. The skin was nicely crisped.

Detail.

There were four desserts on the menu. There were four of us. Coincidence? I think not. This was the Pumpkin-buttermilk pound cake. I loved the pumpkin-seed brittle.

Apple crisp.

The bittersweet chocolate bread pudding.

And my favorite...the chocolate-peanut butter tart. I'm not sure, but it tasted to me like they used browned butter in the crust. Nice touch.

Definitely a nice addition to the neighborhood. Congrats Tim & Joey. Nice job. Looking forward to seeing more from you in the future.

Good Things Come in Small Packages on Maple Ave.

Maple Ave

Maple Ave
147 Maple Ave. W.
Vienna, VA 22180
703-319-2177
http://mapleaverestaurant.com

Maple Ave is not what you might expect it to be if you haven't read about it. It's tiny. Parking can be challenging, and if you miss the driveway by a split-second you end up in a car wash. So, forewarned is forearmed.  Pay attention!

I had been remiss in visiting this restaurant. I'd heard about it in 2009 or so, but didn't get there until today. It's cozy. The service is good, and the food is pretty amazing. This is the Organic Beet Salad - poached beets, Laura Chenel chevre,red wine vinaigrette, spiced walnuts.

Here's a close-up.  Note the attention to detail.  His plates are very pretty. 

This was my appetizer. Thai Okra - caramelized okra, garlic lime chili sauce, scallions. I think there may have been a hint of fish sauce in it. It was a great starter. There was no stickiness left in the okra.  It was nice and crisp and the sauce rocked.

Here's a closer shot. Perfectly crispy.

This was my entree: Pork Belly Fried Rice

It consisted of Polyface pork belly, zucchini, red onion, cilantro soy, and pickled red onions. There was heat, but it was a nice heat.  I could have taken it a bit hotter, but the flavors were complex and it wasn't necessary. The dish was practically overflowing and I took a good bit of it home for snacking...

This is the Moroccan Chicken: boneless chicken leg, roasted vegetables, pearl cous cous, and cool saffron sauce. It was nicely done. Moist, flavorful, understated spice.

Overall a great meal.  I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place or to go back for dinner with friends.  It reminds me a bit of Toki in the attention to detail combined with the creativity in such a small space.  Reservations can be had via CityEats or by calling the restaurant. I didn't have a problem getting at table for two at 1:00pm, but the place was full. Not an empty table to be had.

Sorry I didn't make it here sooner Chef.