Silverado (Annandale, VA)

This is just a quick review so that I can recommend this place to anyone who might live in or pass by this area. Eric and I found Silverado after discovering that our favorite saltena shop, My Bakery, was closed for renovations and we couldn’t have dinner there. Eric suggested just continuing to drive on down Columbia Pike and see what we could find. We did, and a few miles in, we found the Western-themed Silverado. We had never heard of it, but once inside we saw that it’s run by Great American Restaurants. G.A.R owns and operates many other delicious area eateries, including Coastal Flats in Fairfax and Best Buns and Carlyle in Arlington’s Shirlington Village shopping district.

The waiting area was very crowded – it was 40 minutes before we got to experience the reason why. And what a good reason it is! The low-lighted atmosphere felt cozy and casual, our server couldn’t have been any nicer, and other staff members routinely popped by to take our empty plates away. Diners are given the choice between salsa and chips and Best Buns bread while they wait for their appetizers. Although I’m familiar with Best Buns bread and know it’s delicious, we were in a salsa and chips mood. The salsa was perfect – not too watery, not too chunky – but the chips were plain and tasted like they came out of a bag.

For our meals, I ordered that night’s special: crab cake and a 5-ounce filet with mashed potatoes. Mine showed up several minutes before Eric’s fajitas came, for which the server apologized profusely. He was so nice about it that we couldn’t care less (but we don’t tend to make a big fuss in restaurants anyway unless something is really wrong). I also ordered a Silverado lager which was lip smackin’.

The food here was ridiculously good. I’ll admit I’m not very picky about how perfectly my meat is cooked to order, as long as it qualifies as “about right” to how I originally specified. But my medium-well filet was just that … medium-well. It was so perfect and so mouthwatering that I asked the waiter to send compliments to the kitchen, which I rarely do. And the crabcake was just lightly covered with breading; the lumps of meat were soft and juicy. The mashed potatoes were creamy and satisfying. Eric’s fajitas came sizzling hot and he was delighted with them. Mmmmmm mmm mmmm. Please, give this place a visit. Just follow Columbia Pike several miles up from the Arlington area until you reach Annandale, and it’s on your right, in a strip mall across from the Jukebox Diner. And call ahead if you can – the restaurant recommends that you do, and it’s easy to see why.

Pictures of our food (taken with my phone’s camera in low light, so excuse any blurriness):

Eric enjoyed his sizzling fajita plate!

My ridiculously good surf and turf. MMMMMM.