Old Town Alexandria, Virginia

On November 5, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Virginia, Washington DC6 Comments

Walking the streets of Old Town Alexandria was very nostalgic for us and reminded us of walking the streets of old towns in Europe. The history of Old Town Alexandria may not go back as far as those medieval towns, but it does have its roots in the foundation of the United States. Situated just outside of the Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C., the cobblestone streets of the city were once walked by many historic figures that influenced and shaped the country. Even today, you can still find gas lit lamps on the sides of the brick buildings that date back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

King Street is the Main Street of Old Town

Historic Streets with Shops and Restaurants

Today, of course, the streets are lined with upscale cars and tourists enjoying the variety of restaurants, retail stores, antique shops, and museums that are in the area. It is a residential area with a very walkable lifestyle, although it is a very expensive area to live in. At night the streets are lit up and the streets are full of people enjoying a night out on the town, especially during the summer, but even in the fall when we were there.

In the early days of its history, it was a busy seaport as boats would make their way up the Potomac River to deliver their goods to be sold in the Northern Virginia area. Today, the waterfront area is a bustling art district with the focal point being the converted Torpedo Factory, which houses a variety of artists selling their artwork. There are also many restaurants with views of the river where you can enjoy a nice meal while watching the yachts, river taxi, and dinner boats that make their way along the Potomac.

We had a short visit, so we spent most of our time walking the streets and stopping in a few shops and restaurants, but we did take the time to tour the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. Founded in 1792, it was an active apothecary in this particular location from 1805 to 1933. Upon closing, it was immediately purchased and preserved as a museum, with all of the original ingredients still in their glass jars almost a hundred years later. Although most of the sales of the apothecary were to other pharmacies around the area, but they did mix and fill prescriptions for many people, including George Washington and his family as they have notes from Martha Washington requesting prescriptions.

A visit to the Washington D.C. area should definitely include taking time to step back in time and walk the streets of Old Town Alexandria. Although the restaurants can be a little pricey, there are an abundance of choices and something can be found to suit anyone’s tastes. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, walking through the art district and window shopping as you walk by the various shops is still a great way to spend an afternoon.

Close-Up on the Glass Bottles in the Apothecary

Salmon Oscar

On February 28, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, Virginia9 Comments

During our trip to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, we had a very delicious meal that the restaurant called Salmon Chesapeake. It was salmon topped with lump crab meat with a cream sauce. For our attempt to replicate this meal, we went with a cross between a Veal Oscar and a stuffed flounder. We love Hollandaise sauce with salmon, so we decided to use that as our sauce, which worked out really well. This isn’t a complicated recipe at all, but it looks and tastes wonderful, so it is a perfect dish for entertaining. We ate it as a weeknight dinner with some asparagus, which made for a perfect combination. We used a packaged powder mix to make our Hollandaise sauce, but you can certainly make it from scratch if you prefer.

Salmon Chesapeake in Alexandria, Virginia

INGREDIENTS

4 Salmon Filets – 4 oz each
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon
1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 lb Lump Crab Meat – cleaned of all shells
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Mayonnaise
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Clove Garlic – minced
1/4 Green Pepper – finely chopped
1 Egg
1 1/2 tbsp Spicy Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub the salmon with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Zest the lemon over the salmon and then drizzle with the juice of half of the lemon. Place the salmon, skin-side down, onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil sprayed with a non-stick spray. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, mustard, breadcrumbs, egg, green pepper, garlic, and the juice from the other half of the lemon and mix until well blended. Transfer to the crab mixture to a small casserole dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray. Place the salmon and the crab mixture into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. If necessary, put the salmon on a higher rack than the crab mixture. Cook the Hollandaise sauce according to the directions. Remove the salmon and crab mixture from the oven and begin to plate. Spoon 1/4 of the crab mixture on top of each salmon filet and then drizzle with the Hollandaise sauce. Serves four.

Our Version of Salmon Oscar with Asparagus

The Wharf Restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia

On December 6, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Virginia3 Comments

We tend to try and find good seafood whenever we travel places and our recent visit to Old Town Alexandria in Virginia was no different. We chose to go to The Wharf Restaurant and we were not disappointed. Located on the historic King Street in the heart of Old Town in a building that is over 200 years old, it has wonderful charm as well as fresh and delicious seafood. We stopped in for lunch and were surrounded by a variety of locals, a sure sign of a places popularity.

We started with a half-pound of steamed shrimp with an herb butter and what we assumed was Old Bay Seasoning. That probably could have been lunch on its own, but we followed it with Salmon Chesapeake, which is salmon stuffed with lump crab and a crab butter cream. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the crab was fresh and delicious. Although we didn’t get dessert while we were there, the bartender told us about a local ice cream shop called Pop’s because we kept seeing people walking by the window with ice cream cones.

With its exposed beams and stone walls, the ambiance couldn’t have been more perfect. Although we were there for lunch, it would be a wonderful location to have a romantic dinner for a special occasion. Every member of the staff that we talked to were all very friendly and welcoming. We certainly hope to have another opportunity to enjoy a meal at The Wharf again on a future visit.