By the Gastronomes

Located in pretty much the “Heart of Del Ray” area of Alexandria, the original Junction Bakery and Bistro has been catering to a wide variety of locals and visitors alike since July 2016. Originally concentrating on gourmet baked goods, pastries, breakfast and lunch sandwiches and the like served in the cozy bistro in the front of the operation, last year Junction transformed the space that housed the original full-blown bakery operation into a very sleek, efficient open kitchen with counter stool dining, a large L-Shaped dining room and a full bar. They also added a large inviting outdoor space that runs along the majority of the length of the north side of the building. In addition to revamping the space, they revamped the menu to include dinner. This is why we decided to visit!

We dined the Monday before Thanksgiving so it was pretty quiet in the dining room, however, the bistro out front was alive with action – lots of young parents and their kids and the die-hard coffee drinkers. We like the fact that “they” aka “kids” were in their section and we were in ours. It isn’t that we aren’t fans of little kids, it’s just that we enjoy eating and drinking among adults.

From the Junction Libations section to the Sides choices, the menu is very diverse. There are offerings that are complex in nature mixing flavors you may not think work – think some really creative craft cocktails – as well as good old classics the likes of pot roast and G’ma’s meatloaf and everything in between. There are offerings that have flavor profiles including Southwest, Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean, Lebanese and a little Italian. It may sound daunting but it isn’t. You just have to see the full menu to get the drift.

On our visit, we chose to sit sat at the bar – as we are like to do – since it is a very casual atmosphere. All of the other tables in the new dining/bar area are high tops with a booth-like back that extends all along the west side of the room. The high top chairs have backs on them making that attractive to those of you who prefer to have some support.

The drill at Junction is that you place your order from the bar or via a QR Code (which we know nothing about since we are OLD) and a runner/server brings your meal to your seat. It appears to be a fairly efficient MO.

We had a hard time deciding on what to order so opted to just get a starter and go from there. We chose the French Onion Soup and the Beet Salad. We are both huge fans of the soup and therefore consider ourselves “self-proclaimed” experts…and the Junction version is spot on. Hearty beef broth and caramelized onions topped with a sourdough crouton and a fair amount of gruyere on top that is broiled to just the way we like it – a little bit of charring on top. We are also suckers for “presentation” and the personal tureen the soup is served in hit that mark. The Beet Salad is different than any we’ve had before. It is a fantastic combination of arugula, shaved fennel, lots of beets, halved red grapes, goat cheese and chopped pecans tossed with an amazing buttermilk vinaigrette dressing. We are also big beet fans and adding the grapes and shaved fennel to the mix was a treat. The salad is enough for two people for sure. I knew I couldn’t eat it all so did what I could and finally picked out the “good stuff” leaving the rest of the arugula tossed with the dressing to take home with me. That buttermilk vinaigrette is really, really good.

It is a good thing that we ordered the starters and waited to decide on a main course. The tureen of soup and the HUGE salad are meals in themselves. This being said, we decided to share the Pot Roast that Junction is known for. Bourguignon braised short rib served with glazed vegetables and mashed potatoes make up this entree. The sauce/gravy from the beef accompanies the mashed potatoes. We both thought this dish was great with the exception of the vegetables. They appeared to have been steamed and not glazed with anything and they were a bit al dente for us. This may have been just a misstep in the kitchen on this night and we definitely won’t hesitate to order the dish again. Once again, the portion is enough for two and we actually ended up bringing some of it home as well.

With the addition of the full-service bar, came a great Happy Hour that runs Monday through Friday between 3 and 7 pm. There are some major discounts on libations including beer, wine, rail drinks, craft cocktails and even Jello shots (while supplies last). Also on the Happy Hour menu are some tasty sounding food items that we didn’t see on the other menu. The likes of burrata with warm tomato jam and chile honey served with multigrain bread and chorizo nachos as well as loaded tots and a smash burger option and more. No buffalo wings or sliders on this menu.

If it has been a while since you have been in for coffee and one of their “Cruffins”, you might want to put Junction on your “take a break from holiday shopping” dinner list. You will not be disappointed.

Junction Bistro, Bakery & Bar

1508 Mount Vernon Avenue

703-436-0025

Junctionbakery.com