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Girasole Italian Cuisine - The Plains, VA

Girasole

Authentic Regional Italian Cusine

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    • Chef Lou & Lydia
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Celebrate Valentine’s Weekend with Us!

Dine-In

Fixed price, four course menu with options in each course (See menu below).
$100 per person, exclusive of tax, gratuity and beverages. Available Saturday and Sunday night. Please note that our regular dinner menu will not be available Saturday and Sunday.
Reservations available from 4:00 to 8:30. Call to reserve, 540-253-5501.

Curbside Pickup

Choose a la carte from our fixed price menu or enjoy a romantic prepare at home dinner for two (see below). Receive a 20% discount on all beverages. Orders for curbside pickup must be placed by Friday, February 12th and picked up by 4:30 on either Saturday, February 13th or Sunday February 14th. Call to order, 540-253-5501.

Prepare at Home Dinner for Two

Four courses, cooking instructions included (See menu below).
$140, exclusive of tax, gratuity and beverages. Receive a 20% discount on all beverages.
Must be ordered by Thursday, February 11th for pick up by 4:30 on either Saturday, February 13th or Sunday February 14th. Call to order, 540-253-5501.

Fixed Price Menu for Dine-In and Curbside pickup

Appetizers
Beef Carpaccio
Sushi grade tuna crudo with winter citrus
Portobello mushrooms lightly fried tempura style
Morel sformato, a cross between a flan and a soufflé, with a sheep’s milk fonduta
Sheep’s milk ricotta ravioli with kumquat and Parma butter
Meat tortellini in a rich black truffle broth

Salads
Local greens with house smoked duck, sun dried cherries, pecans, and a balsamic vinaigrette
Escarole tossed with a house vinaigrette and croutons, hard boiled farm egg
Shaved Brussels sprouts with roasted almonds and Pecorino Sardo, tossed with mint, artisanal olive oil, and lemon
Belgian Endive tossed with apple, thyme, artisanal olive oil, and lemon

House made Pastas and Entrees
Canneloni: House made tubular pasta filled with seasoned veal
Jumbo lump crab ravioli, lemon butter
Butternut squash ravioli, sage butter
Chilean Sea Bass pan sautéed with Black Trumpet mushrooms
Pan seared Diver Scallops over saffron risotto
Venison Medallions with brandied cherries
Local milk fed veal chops pan sautéed with wild fennel pollen

Selection of House Made Desserts

Prepare at Home Dinner for Two, Four courses

Escarole tossed with a house vinaigrette and croutons, shaved 24 month aged parmigiano
House made meat tortellini in a rich broth with shaved 24 month aged parmigiano
Option of Salmon encrusted with pistachios and pan sautéed OR local strip loin tagliata pan sautéed with local mushrooms
Traditional Sicilian cannoli

*Menus subject to change based on availability

girasoleva

girasoleva
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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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