RESTAURANT WATCH: PARALLEL WINE BISTRO, ASHBURN VA
If you’re a foodie and a wine connoisseur, than the old adage, “you are what you eat” could very well speak volumes of truth at Parallel Wine Bistro, located in the Broadlands Centre Plaza, Broadlands VA. This three-month old Bistro is a unique marriage of wine and cuisine with a “wine first and food to compliment” mantra.
Jason Bursey, owner of Parallel Wine Bistro and part owner of the Ashburn Wine Shop enthusiastically greets all of his guests with a hint of Southern charm: a kiss on the cheek for the ladies and a respectful and welcoming handshake for the gentlemen.
A warm welcome is often followed by an enthusiastic explanation of how his self-serve wine bistro is meant to be perceived: There are 32 wines in the self-serve machines that are available by the taste (1 ounce), the half-glass (3 ounces) or the full glass (5 ounces). The machines boast a selection of red and white varietals, mostly from California, Oregon, Washington and Australia and offer white varietals from Pinto Grigio and Riesling to Viognier and Chardonnay to red varietals ranging from Pinot Noir, Grenache and Shiraz to Cabernet and Meritage blends. The selection is quite impressive with many boutique labels that are (for the most part) fairly unfamiliar to the general public – but that is part of the fun of the entire experience, and it is done with the intention for guests to sample wines to which they may not otherwise have access. It can be a difficult decision to commit to a $50 bottle of wine if you have never tasted it and are unfamiliar with the label. The beauty of the wine machines is that you can actually taste the wine before you purchase a full glass or bottle…no $50 or $100 commitment, just a one-ounce taste priced as low as $1.84.
The amount of wine dispensed in your glass is completely up to you. If you wish to access the wine machines for a self-guided tasting, you may purchase a Parallel wine card for $2.50 and pre-load it with the denomination of your choice. Like a supermarket card, the Parallel card is yours to keep and is good forever. You can add money to it at your discretion and if you ever lose the card, they can track it for you to find out how much money is left on the card, cancel it out and issue you a new one! How cool is that?!
The food is thought out and designed as elegantly as the wine, and like the wine in the self-serve machines, it is designed with “Tapas-style” inspiration - meaning it is designed as small plate-portions for tables to order a handful of plates for the pleasure and enjoyment of tasting. If you are looking to pair wine and food together, the menu is cleverly designed to pair the food with the wine instead of the traditional wine with food as in many restaurants. Being a wine bistro, Parallel prefers its patrons to find a glass of wine they love and then find the food with which it compliments. For example: if you are drinking a Chenin Blanc, they recommend the Avocado and Hummus mousse to compliment it. If you are sipping on a nice McCallan 12 Year…the seared Foie Gras with scotch reduction, brioche and warmed figs will make that McCallan 12 Year sing.
Executive Chef Matthew Mohler and Sous Chef Brandon Snow came to Parallel Wine Bistro from D.C. where they created world-class cuisine under the direction of Chef Alain Ducasse in his restaurant Adour at the Hotel St. Regis. Your taste-buds will not be disappointed as flavors of wine and well-paired food dance in perfect union on your palate.
For those of you who like to frequent a dining establishment, Parallel could be the perfect place for you – their menus – both wine and food – have considerable changes made to them every two weeks, so your taste buds will never be bored!
Parallel also boasts a large out-door patio with full wine and food service as well as live music every Thursday through Sunday beginning between 6 and 7 pm and ending between 10 and 11pm. The musicians vary each weekend and are talented, local acts playing music ranging from reggae to Dave Matthews and John Mayer. Word of advice: The patio is first come/first serve, so if you want a spot, you’d better get there early!
Parallel Wine Bistro is also hosting two wine dinners in the near future (and considering how fantastic I’ve heard their first wine dinner was, my advice would be to book your reservations as quickly as possible!). There will be a Salexus wine dinner on the 27th of July featuring the vineyard proprietor/winemaker as well as five courses to be perfectly paired with the Salexus selection. In addition to the upcoming wine dinner, there will be a Cass wine dinner on the 17th of October, so book your seats now if you want a fabulous wining and dining experience!
Info:
Parallel Wine Bistro
43135 Broadlands Centre Plaza
Suite 121
Broadlands, VA 20148
Tel: 703.858.0077
Reservations: No
Large parties welcome
Private Parties: Book in advance with owner Jason Bursey
Gluten-Free options available upon request
Hours:
7 days/wk
Monday-Friday: 4pm-11
Saturday: 11am (Brunch)-Midnight
Sunday: 11am (Brunch)-10pm
website: www.parallelwinebistro.com
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