A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to wine and dine at one of Loudoun County’s newest foodie havens, Copperwood Tavern.  With an original restaurant located in Shirlington, Copperwood seized a great opportunity to expand and bring their cuisine west of DC to the ever-growing One Loudoun district.  Following our visit, we can certainly say that Copperwood is the perfect addition to this bustling retail, restaurant and entertainment hub, and the perfect place to enjoy some true “farm-to-table” food.

The Venue.

Copperwood Tavern at One Loudoun features locally sourced, “farm-to-table” cuisine in a rustic, yet modern venue.  In addition to the cuisine, Copperwood has a well-stocked bar complete with local craft beers on tap, an expansive and well-thought out wine list and some creative craft cocktails.  We love the restaurant’s decor– think HGTV’s Fixer Upper and re-purposed wood, rustic picture frames with photos of adorable neighborhood dogs, plaid apolstered booths, a beautiful fireplace and lots and lots of mason jars.  Together, these elements provide a classy, yet casual ambience.  The bar is quite large (which we love) and is the perfect place for meeting up with friends after a long week, especially if you’re looking for a craft cocktail!  The best modern architectural invention, garage doors, are located throughout the restaurant, extending the dining room and opening up to an expansive patio that features several fire pits for cooler weather and evening cocktails.

If you are avid followers of our adventures then you know that we are big on atmosphere– ladies and gentlemen, Copperwood Tavern does not disappoint.

The Food and Drink.

We were invited in by Copperwood’s marketing director, Cassidy, and Executive Chef, James Duke for an exclusive tasting.  It was an unbelievable meal, complete with wonderful service, exceptional food and wine pairings, a special moonshine cocktail and a sneak peek at a few new seasonal additions to their menu!

We were greeted by our amazing server, Monahan, with a glass of the sparkling Brut Rosé from Piper Sonoma.  Bubbles are always a great way to start the meal and this wine was like heaven in a glass after a long day at the office (yes, we have real jobs by day).  Paired with the sparkling rosé was a parade of appetizers.  We sampled the Deviled Eggs (smoked bacon, chives and espelette), Fried Goat Cheese & Virginia Ham (crispy chevre with local Virginia speck, baby arugula, honeycomb, balsamic glaze) and a Golden Fig wrapped in Bacon (cooked in Chablis, thyme, basil).  All were delicious and the bubbles and slight acidity of the brut rosé complimented the savory and sweet aspects of each of the dishes.

Following the appetizers, Monahan brought us a tropical, grapefruity and slightly floral Sauvignon Blanc from Michael David Winery in Lodi, California.  The wine was paired with a seriously delicious, creamy and savory Virginia Clam Chowder (Rappahannock clams, bacon, bliss potatoes, oyster crackers, cream).  Each aspect alone stood their ground, but the pairing brought out brighter flavors in the wine and a hint of acid that complemented the soup beautifully.

After the soup course we transitioned to another fan favorite on Copperwood’s menu– the Fried Brussels Sprouts (with crispy shallots, bacon and a fabulous maple-mustard vinaigrette) paired with the Writer’s Block Zinfandel.  We seriously love brussels sprouts and these were little bites of heaven. The brussels sprouts were crispy, smoky, and the maple-mustard vinaigrette provide a nice sweetness to the dish.  The Zinfandel had the classic jammy, stewed, dark fruit characteristics making for another smashing combination of flavors.

Moving into the entrees, we were poured the first Virginia wine of the evening, the Barboursville Vineyards Pinot Gris.  The Pinot Gris offered an excellent complement to a new dish recently added to the menu– a Crab Cake served with a Fried Green Tomato, Tarragon Remoulade, Basil Aoili on a bed of Arugula.  Needless to say, this was one of our favorite pairings of the night.  The dish was beautifully composed, well-balanced in flavor and had a lovely hint of spice that paired wonderfully with the slightly sweet notes of the wine.

Another favorite compilation of the evening was a beautiful Atlantic Halibut with a Tomato Relish that was paired with a Chardonnay from the Central Coast.  The Halibut was followed by the classic Roasted Duck Breast with Crispy skin served on a Vanilla Bean pureé and Fig and Port Wine Reduction.  The Duck was paired with the Uppercut Cabernet from Napa Valley (available at Total Wine).  The smoothness of the wine coupled with the tender duck became a symphony of ingredients– everything just worked.

Although at this point we were wishing we had worn yoga pants to dinner, no meal would be complete without dessert!  Copperwood Tavern has a fabulous dessert menu and an even more fabulous craft cocktail menu, complete with a great selection of moonshine!  Monahan had a special dessert cocktail made from the bar, the Moonshine Mischief, made with butterscotch moonshine and Bailey’s.  It was paired with a slice of the Pumpkin Pie (light pumpkin filling, bourbon pecan sauce, light cream topping) and it was the perfect way to end the meal.

Throughout the evening, Chef James put together some beautiful and flavorful dishes letting the ingredients shine and speak for themselves.  His philosophy of creating simple, yet flavorful pairings by using the finest local, seasonal ingredients and adding spices and herbs to create unique aspects is evident in each of the dishes sent out from the kitchen.  We would love to see and attend future wine and food tasting dinners from Copperwood Tavern, especially considering their close proximity to so many wonderful Virginia wineries.  In short, the atmosphere is top notch, the service is exquisite, the drink menu is fab and the food is even better.  Hop on over to One Loudoun, grab a cocktail at the bar and taste what Chef James is cooking up for yourself.  Cheers!

Copperwood Tavern in One Loudoun is located at 20465 Exchange Street in Ashburn.