Gabriele and I had been meaning to try out Liberty Tavern in Clarendon, and last weekend we had a good opportunity. Our good friend Kristin had a party in Arlington, and after stopping by there we went for dinner. I had been a couple of times for drinks with friends and knew the bar was lively, and I had read some good reviews. Here’s the Washington Post’s take.
It was after 9:30 when we arrived, which meant we got sat right away. The bar was very loud and the noise travels upstairs. This didn’t bother us but it is something to consider about the place.
The appetizers we had were excellent. Gabriele was feeling adventurous and had the grilled octopus which was cooked just right, and presented over a “misticanza” salad. I had a delicious grilled sausage served with a bean puree, pecorino cheese and Italian herbs, over salad. High quality comfort food that hit the spot.
Since it was so late, I ordered a personal pizza for my entree, the Americano. While it tasted very fresh with a nice crust, it was a little plain, next time would order something with more toppings. Gabriele had a delicious piece of char that was encrusted with pistachio — sounds heavy but it wasn’t.
Of course, we also had wine. It was a 2008 M. Chapoutier “Les Vignes de Bila-Haut” Cotes du Roussillon Villages, a recommendation from the waiter. It’s a Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. Now, I know some regular readers are rolling their eyes — another GSM-type wine? Yes! And it was very tasty — later I found out it got a 90 rating from the Wine Spectator.
It had a fresh, grapey bouquet and was soft on the palate without being boring or weak. I tasted a lot of black cherry, with a lingering, dry finish. (I didn’t taste the chocolate or the smokiness the link above talks about.) The wine was also a fair value at $30, and something you can probably find for under $15 in stores. Another Rhone-like winner, although in this case the wine is actually from farther south, in Languedoc-Roussillon.
Honorable Mention
Tired of over-priced Pinots? Recently we enjoyed a value priced Pinot. It was the 2008 Cruz Alta Pinot Noir, from Argentina. Surprisingly, I can’t find a link to the wine online, but it’s $13 at Total Wine. It was light colored and bodied, very easy to drink with fresh cherry the dominant fruit. Nice wine and would be a very good red with more delicate fish recipes.
Dishonorable Mention
Unfortunately our search for a nice Bordeaux for $20 continues. Despite a recommendation from a trusted source at Total, the 2006 Chateau Paillet-Quancard was a big disappointment. The review I link to kind of says it all. It was drinkable, but thin and tart. Nothing enjoyable about it at all.
If you’ve enjoyed a reasonably priced Bordeaux lately, please drop a comment!
