Wildfire and Movie Night

Sweet 'n Savory Butternut Squash Soup

A bunch of friends decided to get together last Friday night to see the highly anticipated vampire movie, Twilight. We all agreed that a hearty meal was in order beforehand if we were going to brave the long lines of screaming teenage girls on opening night. Ariel suggested Wildfire after hearing about a special deal they had for a 3 course meal at the bargain price of $35. It may seem a bit pricey, but their entrees usually range in the $20 + category.

Wildfire Signature Salad

We started off the night with cocktail orders. Wildfire has an array of signature drinks, as well as a wine and beer list. Ariel decided to go with the pomegranate martini, while Natalie chose the blackberry margarita. I settled on the passion fruit mojito and Michael opted for the bold Manhattan. Aside from the Manhattan, everyone agreed the drinks were fruity, not too sweet and had just the right kick from the alcohol.

When the soup's in the cup, sip it like it's hottt...

Once the drinks arrived, we ordered our meals. Michael decided to get a regular entree item with a soup starter. He chose the french onion soup and sirloin steak sandwich. The rest of us went with the $35 meal deal. We all had the butternut squash soup to begin with, because who can resist this sweet and creamy gourd? The soup was more savory than sweet, but very creamy and the buttery flavor of the squash came through, as well as salty notes from the cheese, and a kick from the added garlic. Michael was equally pleased with his French Onion Soup. The oozy, melty cheese layer and the smell of caramelized onions said it all. It was a winner.

Next came the salad course. Natalie and I chose Wildfire's Signature Salad which comes with mixed greens, hearts of palm, carrots, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and croutons. This was one hearty salad! Natalie and I had to stop ourselves from eating it all to save room for the main course. Ariel and Travis ordered the caesar salad, which they seemed to enjoy as well.

Travis and Michael enjoying their meals

While we were waiting for our entrees, a funny thing happened. Ariel and I began taking pictures of everything from our drinks to salads for the blog, as per usual when we dine out. This time, however, our waitress noticed and asked us what we were doing. We proceeded to tell her about our blog and in a flash the manager was at our table asking us about the blog and making sure our meal was going well. Needless to say we got the star treatment that night. Ariel and I felt like celebrities! Okay, we didn't get anything for free, but it made us think we should mention this blog more often!

Cedar Plank Salmon

After the excitement wore off, our entrees arrived. Ariel, Travis and I got the cedar plank salmon, which had a smoky flavor that paired nicely with the sweet brown sugar soy glaze. Ariel and I agreed the salmon was a bit dry, but overall still a yummy piece of fish. Micheal ordered the Peppercorn Tenderloin Steak Sandwich, which came with a hearty portion of meat, along with oven roasted tomatoes, lettuce, grilled onions and ranch sauce. Natalie savored her filet mignon. I tried a piece and the meat was so tender and juicy, with a nice char on the outside. I like a girl who likes her meat!

Natalie gets ready to dig in

After soup, salad and an entree, we were all stuffed! But dessert was part of the deal, and like I always say, "there's always room for dessert!" Natalie, Travis and Ariel ordered the seasonal pumpkin pie, while I opted for the chocolate molten cake.

A chocolate lover's dream

The chocolate cake was moist and very chocolatey, but the center wasn't very molten. The ice cream was rich and creamy and the chocolate and caramel sauces added to the decadence, but all in all it wasn't anything too special (That doesn't mean I didn't lick my plate clean!) The real winner though was the pumpkin pie. I got a bite of Natalie's and it was the best freakin' pumpkin pie I'd ever tasted. The pumpkin filling was full of pumpkiny goodness, with just the right amount of spice and it was oh so creamy and smooth. The thick layer of whipped cream was just sweet enough and so light and airy. Heavenly! We waddled our way over to the theater and staved off food comas to take in the movie Twilight. (Worth it just to look at dreamy Rob Pattinson, ladies!)

Pumpkin Pie Oh My!

2.5 out of 3 JAMs




Wildfire Restaurant
Tysons Galleria
1714 U International Drive
McLean, VA 22102
703-442-9110
http://www.wildfirerestaurant.com/second_level/restaurant.htm