Mussel Bar and Grille – Arlington

C – There’s a reason I’m starting with a picture of a car dealership. For as long as I can remember, we passed this funky dealership on every trip to and from my grandparent’s house in Arlington. Then, one day, it disappeared. But I didn’t actually notice because Ballston has a way of swallowing things whole… very, very slowly. I didn’t notice, that is, until I saw it there again. A shiny, new version. But now, it’s a restaurant. Locals were so affected by the unique look of this place, that the firm that designed this modern building at 800 Glebe Road agreed to bring back the defining feature of the dealership… the geometrically awesome awning. And now, it’s home to Robert Wiedmaier’s Mussel Bar and Grille.

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On a Friday night just before the holidays, Mussel Bar and Grille was hopping. But it wasn’t too difficult to get into. Reservations for two on OpenTable.com for 7pm were granted the same day, and we were seated in a very comfortable booth. The decor is nifty and funky, yet welcoming and cozy. Chandeliers of beer bottles dot the ceilings. The happy hour crowd was packed in but, honestly, quite happy. Mission accomplished. This is the kind of place that invites you to stay a while. Friendly, welcoming and easy. Even the parking was a snap. I think I paid $2 for a convenient garage spot.

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As a member of Robert Wiedmaier’s restaurant group — which includes Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck — it’s kind of a given that the food would be good. And it was, for the most part. I had the white wine mussels (what else?) and my friend tucked into a steak, which she loved. We started with the Brabo Pils on draft. Beer is a main feature here, quite like Brasserie Beck. In fact, the meal was very similar to something I had at Brasserie Beck several months ago with one small exception: the frites were average. Totally edible and not at all bad, they simply weren’t at the same level as the rest of the meal. Just a small setback, though. All in all, a great evening.

Mussel Bar and Grille
800 North Glebe Road
Arlington, VA

Top 5 DC restaurants worth your lunch hour

K- C and I are both traveling this week but we didn’t want to leave you “post-less.” So here is a quick list of restaurants that are worth leaving your office for and spending around an hour for lunch, especially since many of these places offer the same type of menu for dinner as lunch but at a more affordable price. Some of these places we’ve reviewed on the blog and others I’ve been to and are on the list to be revisited and reviewed.

1. Mari Vanna, 1141 Connecticut Ave NW –

Grandma’s house?

A great place to get a taste of Russia and looks like it could be your grandma’s living room. You could have a nice bowl of Borsch, a vegetable ragout and Kiev cake. Who knows, you might see Alex Ovechkin at the next table! To check out our review click “here.”

2. Estadio, 1520 14th St NW

It’s been awhile since we’ve been to Estadio but we continue to hear great things about it. There have also been a few celebrity sitings.  It’s a wonderful place to escape to for the best sauteed kale I’ve ever eaten, a deliciously warm soup and heavenly calamari. Our review: here.

3. Brasserie Beck, 1101 K St NW

My mouth just starts watering when I think of the mussels at this delightful restaurant. They do have other items for lunch such as steak and frites if you aren’t into mussels but I find it very difficult to try something else. Our review here.

4. Rasika West End,  1190 New Hampshire Ave

We’ve not reviewed Rasika West End yet, but I’ve been a couple of times. The first time the service was very slow but it seems to be picking up a bit. I brought a friend with me who has recently begun a foray into Indian food. She loved it! The restaurant itself has a very nice, modern interior and the food – I usually have palak paneer – is good.

5. Fiola, 601 Pennsylvania Ave

Fiola is a bit on the expensive side however it was ranked #4 in Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants 2013 and Bon Appetit named it one of America’s “Best New Restaurants” in 2012. The food and service is fantastic. It’s one of the few places I will go to for Italian food.