Overwood Consistently Overachieves

Overwood has become one of our favorite local places in Alexandria. It opened in 2007 and offers something for everyone. The food is good, the decor is pleasant and bright, and the atmosphere is lively. We’ve been there maybe half a dozen times this year, and its time for a post.

Overwood is a few blocks north of the shops and restaurants on King Street. It’s a big improvement over a long-time pizza place that used to be in the location, which is a former warehouse:
http://www.theoverwood.com/About_Us.html

Here’s Sietsema’s review from the Post: http://tinyurl.com/6jm5b4

I’m not a huge ribs guy, but Overwood’s are incredibly good — tender, falling off the bone and with a tangy, molasses and rum sauce. They are fantastic. They also come with the best coleslaw either of us have ever had — fresh and light, not swimming in mayo. The calamari appetizer is also very strong, served with jalapenos, onions and lemon fried right in with the squid and with marinara sauce on the side. Gabriele likes their crab cakes, and I had a nicely prepared whole white bass with lemon butter last visit. Desserts are also very good — we’d recommend the key lime pie and the Elvis Pie, a peanut butter in crushed oreo shell treat that’s lighter and fluffier than it sounds.

We’ve found two good reds on the list. Kunin’s Pape Star 2006 is a Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend like a Chateauneuf du Pape but from the Santa Barbara region in California. It is medium bodied, with nice fruit balanced with some earthiness and a hint of pepper. It has nice acids but low tannins, making it work with a lot of food. The cost was $41, so it probably retails for under $20.

The other winner for us is an Australian, the Longview Vineyards 2007 Red Bucket Shiraz/Cabernet. This is a delicious wine that is very easy to drink. It’s round and soft like most Shiraz/Cab blends, but richer and with nicer fruit flavors than most. It’s a great wine to order for the table if some don’t regularly drink red. Costs $34 at Overwood, we’ve found it locally for $15 retail.

You can ask to taste any wine Overwood pours by the glass, which is a nice touch and one I think all restaurants should do. Service is friendly and efficient. One thing we’ve noticed is that since expediters take the food out, they never seem to know who ordered what. Not a big deal for a two top, but I can see that being a little irritating for a larger party.

That small wrinkle aside, Overwood is a very satisfying dining experience.