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Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

Girasole

Authentic Regional Italian Cusine

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About the Area

Girasole is located in The Plains, VA, in the heart of Virginia’s horse country, a perfect place to unwind from the demands of every day life. It is located only thirty miles from Reston, fifty-two from Washington, D.C., and one hundred and ninety seven from Philadelphia, PA. Nearby, picturesque towns include Middleburg, Manassas, Warrenton, Gainesville.

The Plains, a tiny hamlet (population 289) reminiscent of the lush countryside of Tuscany, offers serenity and breathtaking  views, a refreshing break from the noise of the city, be it a weekend or week-long getaway. Growth restrictions in Fauquier County, home to The Plains, have allowed the area to remain lush with horse farms, wineries and sprawling acres of green and gold farmland. Visit www.theplainsvirginia.org for a complete listing of local business, a calendar of events, and news about the town.

A strong presence of wineries dots the gorgeous landscape of northern Virginia, with the state ranking second to the largest wine producer, California.  Close to forty wineries operate in the area, many open for seasonal tastings  and tours.  Nine are located in Virginia’s version of Napa Valley ­ the Blue Ridge Wine Way.  Check http://www.virginiawine.org/regions/northern-virginia/ for specific information on events and hours.

Virginia is horse country. Northern Virginia plays host to an early May, annual steeplechase race in the Great Meadow Field Event Center, as well as polo matches, the Virginia Gold Cup, International Gold Cup, and numerous equestrian events. For the fox hunt enthusiast, The Plains is located in the Orange County Hunt and close to the National Sporting Library in Middleburg.

The Blue Ridge Mountains and Sky Meadows State Park offer mountain trail rides and hiking with rugged terrain, as well as pleasant camping facilities. A portion of the Appalachian Trail runs through the Park. Biking, fishing or bird-watching are in abundance along Skyline Drive, noted for its breathtaking valley views, winding roads and access to the Shenandoah River.

Two Civil War battlefields ­ Harper’s Ferry and Manassas Bull Run ­ are a twenty-minute drive from The Plains.

For more information on The Plains and Fauquier County, check
http://www.virginia.org/counties/Fauquier/

View of The Plains countryside
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Sep 23

Open
Rain or shine, we are open! And our generator is ready to go if needed, but so far it has only been a steady rainfall here in The Plains. Drive safe out there! Give us a call if you would like to reserve for this evening, 540-253-5501.
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Sep 14

Open
House made fettuccine with Chesapeake bay jumbo lump crab, Virginia sweet corn, and tomatoes from our garden
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#chiaroscuro #crab #pasta #summer #sweetcorn #virginia #tomato
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Sep 6

Open
Join us for a spectacular evening with @flavalentina! Celebrating the traditional varietals and rustic dishes of the region of Abruzzo! Happening this Sunday. Have you made your reservation yet?!

Sunday, September 10 at 6:30pm
4 courses of rustic Abruzzese dishes to accompany the wines of the revolutionary La Valentina winery, hosted by Andrea di Properzio, owner of La Valentina
Call to reserve, 540.253.5501

See our story for more, or click the link in our bio
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#abruzzo #fattorialavalentina #montepulcianodabruzzo #abruzzese #italianfood #rustic #regionsunknown #fromthemountianstothesea #pecorino #cerasuolodabruzzo #riserva #loveloudoun #visitfauquier #fauquierevents #theplainsva #timballoteramano #scapeceallavastese #authentic #organic #native #awardwinning #wine
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Sep 3

Open
Customers have said our tomatoes are the best they have ever tasted. Maybe it's the heirloom varietals we use, maybe it's nearly 20 years of tilling and composting the soil with all the food scraps from our kitchen, or maybe it's the lifetime of knowledge Chef Lou carries since gardening with his father from when he was a boy........whatever it is, we can't get enough and the tomatoes just keep coming and coming!

Find our garden tomatoes in many forms on our specials this week, and until the end of the summer when Chef Lou’s garden is ready for fall crops!
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📸 Tomato sformato with 24 month aged parmigiano reggiano

- Sushi grade tuna crudo tossed with confit tomatoes

- Heirloom tomatoes topped with an olive caponata
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Aug 24

Open
Not just wine! We have a beautiful selection of Italian and Belgian craft beers right now. They’re delicate and complex, and wonderfully food friendly. But most importantly, they’re cool and refreshing as summer fades into fall.
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📸 @birraalmond22 ‘Awà’ Pale Ale
Awà was inspired by the hearty peasant cuisine of the Abruzzo mountain region. It is brewed with indigenous heirloom grains and orange peel from neighboring Calabria. Awà is an elegant ale that perfectly reflects the beauty of the Abruzzo region!

📸 @dedollebrouwers ‘Arabier’ Pale Ale
Bitter, aromatic beer with a balanced and smooth overall taste. Aromas and flavors of candied citrus peel, apricot, and banana. The taste is strongly dominated by the hops. 

📸 @dedollebrouwers ‘Boskeun’ Belgian Strong Ale 
Brewed with pale malt, Golding hops, cane sugar, and refermented with native honey. Aromas of yeast, grass, and honey. Spice and tart fruits herald the flavor, which features fruit and malt with a balancing tartness and the grassy, herbal notes of hops. Smooth, rich ,and powerful beer that packs a punch.
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Aug 19

Open
Life changing mussels steamed with shallots and white wine 💫 On our featured specials tonight, we’ll see you soon!
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Aug 13

Open
Roasted local beets with wild purslane, orange zest, and hazelnuts, tossed with quince vinegar and extra virgin olive oil

We open at 4:30. Enjoy this and everything else our garden and local farmers are providing us with today on our patio oasis.
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#beets #citrus #quince #vinegar #purslane #forage #summer #patio #theplainsva #sunday #food #yum #parkinglotgarden #0km
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Aug 10

Open
Calamari ripieni, a dish that can be found along much of Italy’s coast and island regions, with slight variations on the filling and sauces. 

The tentacles are sautéed and mixed with capers, herbs, and breadcrumbs, then stuffed into the body of the calamari and cooked until beautifully tender. The savory filling is lightened with plenty of lemon zest and young pecorino. You can find this delightful appetizer on our featured specials tonight!
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#amodomio #cheflou #girasoleva #calamariripieni #familybusiness #capers #tentacles #breadcrumbs #pecorino #theplainsva #finedining #napoli #baiadinapoli #calamari #huntcountry #loveloudoun #visitfauquier summer #yum #italianfood #eaterdc #foodblog
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Jul 20

Open
Zucchini alla scapece comes from the Spanish escabeche, referring to fish, meat, or vegetables marinated in vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Associated with southern Italy, Chef Lou’s recipe comes from Lydia’s relatives in Le Marche. There are some minor differences between the scapece of Campania and the one prepared by Lydia’s family, the biggest being the zucchini are grilled and not fried. Nonetheless, when the garden has an abundance of zucchini this is one of our favorite dishes, served with a piece of our house made bread to soak up all the juices from the spicy, garlicky marinade. 

📸 Bruschetta with zucchini alla scapece, zucchini from our garden sliced thinly, grilled, and marinated with herbs and vinegar, drizzled with Saba 

📸 Pink Gulf shrimp crudo with burrata and wild fennel pollen, pea and mint purée
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#foodhistory #allascapece #escabeche #zucchini #crudo #gulfshrimp #burrata #fennelpollen #saba #summer #garden #parkinglotgarden #theplainsva #loveloudoun #visitfauquier #vafoodie #eater #marinate #vafoodie #foodgram #italianfood #comfortfood #lovelemarche #italiansinamerica
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Jul 6

Open
Squash blossoms tempura, stuffed with ricotta and sun dried tomato. From our garden and in very limited quantities.

We are back from our brief Independence Day break and look forward to seeing you this evening.
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Jun 28

Open
Cool, bitter, and the perfect summer aperitif! But be careful, one too many and you’ll be experiencing a whole different kind of haze. 

📸 Negroni bianco, made with @beefeatergin, @cocchi1891 americano, & @macchiaspiritomediterraneo
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Jun 22

Open
Chef Lou’s penne all’amatriciana is a 10! He was more than enthusiastic to deliver his penne all’amatriciana, desserts, and a loaf of bread to a customer who is hosting the one and only @reallyboderek today. 
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#almostfamous #boderek #amatriciana #cheflou #stillswooning #theplainsva #girasoleva #tommyboy
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Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

(540) 253-5501
4244 Loudoun Avenue
The Plains, VA 20198
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Hours

Monday & Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday – Sunday: 4:30pm with the last seating at 8:30pm

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