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Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

Girasole

Authentic Regional Italian Cusine

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About Us

Lydia and Lou Patierno

Chef-owned and operated, Girasole uses only the freshest ingredients to create authentic, regional Italian menus.  In the picturesque village of The Plains, Virginia, you’ll experience exceptional service, a relaxing European atmosphere, and the highest quality food and wine.

Our award-winning menus are rotated to coincide with the seasonal offerings of the area.  Produce from local farms and greenhouses, grass fed and naturally raised meats, truffles hand-selected from Italy, hand-pressed olive oils from small Italian orchards inspire Chef Patierno to create a “spirited” menu, a natural complement to his innate artistry.  The pasta is made fresh daily, be it stuffed or formed, and desserts follow original recipes from France, Switzerland, and Italy. Come enjoy a bit of European elegance in the heart of Virginia’s Hunt Country.

Chef LourPatierno of Girasole in The Plains, VA

Chef Lou Patierno

Inspired by a trip to his aunt’s home in Ferrara, Northern Italy when he was a teenager, Patierno fell in love with the lush countryside and its rich artistic heritage.  He studied art during his stay, but decided on a culinary career, where art could be part of every day.  He brings his unique brand of imagination to every signature dish he creates ­ a love of food, wine, and all things beautiful is evident in every delectable morsel.

After attending Villanova University and graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, Patierno eventually found himself at the famed Tiberio in Washington D.C. where throughout his twelve year tenure he learned from some of the most talented Italian chefs.

After spending a season working in the French countryside, Patierno decided to venture out on his own. He first opened Panino in Manassas.  Then in 2004, Patierno and his wife, partner and fellow Hyde Park graduate opened Girasole (sunflower) in the countryside of The Plains.  Already a well-respected and successful team; Lydia in the dining room with her exceptional knowledge of food and wine (not to mention her winning smile) and Lou in the kitchen with his extensive culinary training, together they brought Lou’s dream to life.

Lydia Patierno

Lydia Patierno

Born outside of Pittsburgh to an Italian father and Polish mother, Lydia Patierno’s love of food was inevitable. She was fortunate to be exposed to ethnic cooking from both sides of her family.  That love only grew when she minded her uncle’s Italian import food business while others in the family delivered the sought-after Italian provisions to the immigrant coal miners working in the vicinity.  With these experiences, it was only natural for her to be one of the few women to attend The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.

It was there that Lydia met her future husband, Lou Patierno.  After cooking school, Lydia interned for famed chef Hubert Schmeider, then worked in kitchens in Iowa and Indianapolis before returning to DC with Lou. Because few women were hired to cook in the District at that time, Lydia worked in hotel management where she focused on managing restaurants and overseeing catering operations.

In 1992, she joined her husband in opening their first restaurant, Panino, in Manassas.  Then in 2004, the winning team opened Girasole in The Plains, VA.  Together, and often with the help of their adult children, they bring a bit of old world charm and tastes to Virginia’s Hunt Country.  When not running the front of the restaurant, hosting wine tastings or wine dinners, Lydia leads small groups to Italy where they see sites and experience food as true Italians see the country.

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Mar 3

Open
We think the New York Times put it best when writing about the Tuscan dish ribollita, literally meaning reboiled. “Neither vegetable soup nor stale bread has ever tasted so good. When you serve it, you don't need anything else.” 

Well, a beautiful glass of Avignonesi Cantaloro Bianco wouldn’t be a bad addition. Do not miss our four course, fixed price Tuscan menu with wine pairings by the acclaimed @avignonesi winery, and the opportunity to taste some of their most prestigious wines, including their Sangiovese Grandi Annate, produced only in the best vintages from old vines. And like all of their wines, the grapes for Grandi Annate are grown, harvested, and vinified organically to express the best traits of Sangiovese from Tuscany. Menu and pairings available through Friday.
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#ribollita #organic #biodynamic #avignonesi #vinonobile #grandiannate #vinsanto #cantaloro #igt #tuscany #rustic #cucinapovera #newyorktimes #jamessuckling #vinous #wineenthusiast #winespectator #wineadvocate #nova #finedining #foodblog #dcdining #vafoodie #lacucinaitaliana
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Feb 23

Open
Like so many dishes in Italy, the origins and ingredients of zuppa inglese are highly disputed. The name zuppa inglese, literally meaning English soup, raises even more questions. The only thing we can tell you with confidence is that it is delicious and light and you will wonder why you never heard of it before.
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Here it is. Chef Lou’s zuppa inglese. Cake soaked in brandy, layered with pastry cream, Belgian chocolate chunks, and amarena cherries, decorated with meringue. Available now on our fixed price Tuscan menu with wine pairings by Avignonesi.
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Feb 20

Open
Chocolate soufflé and vin brûlée (mulled wine) available tonight!
🍴
Start your meal with our featured cocktail, made with cognac, orange curaçao, and dry vermouth, followed by a morel sformato with a rich sheep’s milk fonduta sauce. 
🍷
Or join us tomorrow for a wine tasting at 2:30, featuring wines from Turkey, Hungary, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy.
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Feb 10

Open
Do not hesitate to book your reservation with us for Valentine’s weekend!

View our dine-in and to go options in the ‘News and Events’ section of our website (link in bio). Call to reserve or to place a to go order, 540-253-5501 💕
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Feb 6

Open
We have a very limited amount of raspberry soufflés available tonight! Make sure to reserve yours when you make your reservation, or when you arrive. 

Vin brûlée aka mulled wine available tonight as well!

A reminder that we will be closed tomorrow, Sunday, due to the Super Bowl.
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Feb 3

Open
Persimmons + Panna Cotta
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Native to North America and Asia, the most common types of persimmon are the Fuyu and Hachiya. When ripe, they are soft and almost melt in your mouth. The taste is mild yet sweet and rich, almost honey-like in flavor, making them the perfect accompaniment to our vanilla panna cotta.
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Jan 31

Open
WE ARE OPEN! 4:00 - 7:00, Curbside pickup only. Call to order 540.253.5501. 

📷: Cozy up with veal cannelloni tonight!
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Jan 27

Open
This gnarly looking vegetable is puntarelle, or Catalonian chicory, a specialty of Roman cuisine during the winter months when you can find it in every restaurant, although it’s usually not listed on the menu. The crunchy, curly stalks are tossed in a simple lemony, garlicky vinaigrette. Although many farmers are beginning to grow Catalonia chicory for chefs, it is still quite uncommon in the US. We are fortunate to get our hands on a limited amount, but it is so difficult to share as every bite transports us to Rome. 
🥬 🥬 🥬 
Preparing puntarelle is a whole task in and of itself. The tall, bitter outer leaves are removed to reveal pale, crunchy inner stalks that look almost alien. The puntarelle hearts are separated and sliced thinly (in Italy they push the stalks through a nifty puntarelle cutter, a small grid of wires stretched across a wooden frame that slices the stalks in no time) and soaked in a bath of ice water where they will lose some of their bitterness and begin to curl. After soaking, the puntarelle are ready to be dressed and eaten. We get a little non-traditional when using the leafy stalks. Like in any professional kitchen, nothing can go to waste. We use the leafy stalks in ravioli, or pan sauteed to accompany meats.
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Jan 23

Open
When you love black pepper, you find ways to put it on everything. 

Daiquiri riff made with dark rum, fresh lime, and a Campari float, with a black pepper garnish. Currently our featured (and favorite) cocktail.
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#cocktail #bartender #finedining #daiquiri #campari #washingtonpostdiningguide #blackpepper #cheers #weekend #punchdrink #imbibe #huntcountry #middleburglife #aperitivo #rum #loveloudoun #visitfauquier
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Jan 20

Open
Burrata with peas and shaved 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, with crushed cruschi peppers
🌶 🌶 🌶 
Hailing from Basilicata, a region in southern Italy, cruschi peppers are sun dried and quickly fried sweet Senise peppers that are aromatic, crisp, and nutty. To be enjoyed on winter greens, eggs, seafood and braised meat dishes, or as an aperitivo on their own. Now on our featured specials. 
🌶 🌶 🌶 
Peperone di Senise are an IGP Basilicata sweet pepper variety. They are harvested entirely by hand under the heat of the summer months. The deep red peppers are picked, placed in baskets, and carried to a large shed where they are strung into large wreaths, or serte, and placed into open walled sheds to dry for at least 20 days. After the peppers are dried, the serte are carefully dismantled and the peppers are fried in local olive oil until they turn brick red and crispy. The peppers are then stored for use throughout the winter months.
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Dec 30

Open
Today is the last day to order for curbside pickup for News Year’s Eve. We still have some availability for dine in customers as well. Full menu linked in our bio.
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Dec 27

Open
Diver scallops, shallot buerre blanc, Sicilian pistachio salad. On our specials tonight #buonappetito

#finedining #scallops #vafoodie
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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: closed

Tuesday – Thursday: 4:30pm – 10:00pm

Friday – Sunday: 4:30pm – 10:30pm

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