By Ainslie Campbell
With a full house both Friday and Saturday, West End Wine Bar and Pub’s opening was “a little overwhelming,” says executive chef Justin Garrison.
The new Purcellville restaurant takes the comfort food trend one step further by emphasizing childhood favorites. Revitalizing classics like tater tots into a dish involving sweet potatoes, walnuts and a goat cheese mousse creates the nostalgia that Garrison, most recently of The Wine Kitchen in Leesburg, says he’s aiming for. “We want to build trust with the customers,” he says. “It’s homey and soulful food.”
The re-energized sloppy Joe features a dry-rubbed and smoked brisket paired with a fennel and mint salad as the side slaw, keeping the theme of what Garrison says is a re-structured “TV dinner, with your tater-tots and your protein.”
The gastropub in the lower levels, featuring wines and local and international brews, and the Southern-influenced food, like buttermilk fried chicken skins accompanied by a sweet and spicy Carolina sauce, allow West End to achieve what Garrison says is an association with childhood, comfort and the plates diners ate growing up.
In the coming weeks, Garrison says the main focus will be to educate staff on the farms the restaurants source from and to help staff and customers alike understand the importance of eating local and organic. “We want everyone to know the story behind the farm, behind the food,” says Garrison. / West End Wine Bar and Pub, 36855 W. Main St., Purcellville
