Story and Photos by Daniel M. Walker, Contributing Writer

The Essence of Italy in the Heart of Clifton

 Some may wonder, �Why only write positive reviews of restaurants?� That is not my raison d�etre. To borrow from an old adage, �Life is too short to drink bad wine.�

I have strong feelings that �Life is too short to write about bad restaurants.� Instead, my mission is to travel the back roads of Virginia and find the best dining experiences for our Cooperative Living readers.

A good case in point is Trattoria Villagio in Clifton, Va., which is now at the top of the list of great dining experiences in our state. What makes it worth writing about?

My mom, the quintessential food critic, always said a memorable dining experience is made up of many exciting indulgences. On my visit to Villagio, I drove into the charming village of Clifton, which has the feel of a Norman Rockwell painting � a beautiful, quaint village of period homes and shops.

In the early 1900s, Clifton became a summer retreat for the wealthy who wished to escape the heat and humid conditions of Washington, D.C. The locals also say Nancy Reagan often escaped to Clifton during her husband�s presidency. The building that houses Villagio was originally the Buckley Store, built in 1900, where you could buy everything from a pen to a plow.

Villagio is a local establishment owned by Marcus and Colette Silva, who actually live within view of the restaurant.

�This is our community and we want Villagio to be something special,� says Marcus. Jeremy Pitner, Villagio�s manager, notes that Marcus wants Villagio to offer an authentic Italian gourmet experience, from the food, to the d�cor and artwork on display, to even the restaurant�s physical arrangement.

There is a section in the restaurant where customers can watch a chef prepare the various antipasto dishes. Also, there is a separate area called The Market, where you can mix your own olive oil, order take-out, or purchase Italian food items. In the mornings, many of the locals come by and watch pasta being made in The Market. During warmer weather, many diners gravitate to an open courtyard in the back of the restaurant with a fireplace, which often features musicians. During my visit to Villagio, the little surprises kept coming and I had not even started to order my meal!

When visiting a new restaurant I always like to ask what dishes are the favorites of either the customers or the staff. I can usually find something from this list I think I will enjoy. Jeremy cited an extensive list of menu items from which to select. I settled on Branzino al� Cartoccio.

This filet of wild sea bass was prepared in a parchment-paper pouch with clams, shrimp, mussels, roasted peppers, black olives, wine, olive oil and fresh thyme. It�s difficult to describe how delicious this is. You must try it to understand. Seafood subtly evokes the essence of Italian seasonings such as olive oil, thyme and oregano. If you�d like, order a small side dish of pasta or risotto, which with the seafood makes a great combination.

For dessert, I had cr�me br�l�e. This was absolutely the best cr�me br�l�e I have ever tasted. Villagio has an amazing menu of more than 50 different items as well as tapa portions. I am keeping Villagio�s menu close at hand so I can plan my next visit for further indulgences.

Villagio is a relatively new restaurant, open for just a year. Hats off to Marcus and Colette for putting together a winning formula for a great dining experience with so much to offer.

I want to thank the numerous Cooperative Living readers for recommending Trattoria Villagio. If other readers have restaurants that they have enjoyed, let me know at [email protected].

BE OF GOOD CHEER!

7145 Main Street, Clifton, Virginia 20124  �  703.543.2030  �  www.TrattoriaVillagio.com