Alexandria, VA A new restaurant has arrived in Alexandria! KILN is the newest addition to the Old Town restaurant scene in the Hotel Heron at 699 Prince St. The KILN dinner menu features fire-kissed appetizers and entrées that will delight your palate. The dining room is light filled and comfortable. Tables are well spaced and the noise level is reasonable. Service is excellent. Chef Matt and Sous Chef Patrick are a welcome presence in both the open kitchen and the dining room.
A pre-opening dinner allowed me and my guest to enjoy their offerings. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails, and as a gin lover, I found the KILN’s Evermore made with gin, elderflower, bitter aperitivo, and rose to be just the right beverage to accompany dinner. It was garnished with an edible flower. My guest is a bourbon lover and thought the Soul Kitchen made with bourbon, peach, honey, black tea, lemon, and topped with red wine foam sounded interesting, and tasted amazing!
While I waited for my guest to arrive, I enjoyed the KILN bread served with cultured butter. Warm and comforting, a taste of home. I accompanied it with the Marinated Olives that had been marinated in roasted garlic, citrus, and rosemary. They were the perfect accent to my cocktail.
My guest swooned over the KILN Chilled Chioggia Beets is served with strawberry, dill, and olive oil. Even I liked it and I am not a beet person. Three appetizers captivated us with a mix of flavors. The Raw Kohlrabi Salad of local cherries, toasted almond, and a coconut-lime dressing was a new way to enjoy one of my favorite but not well-know veggie.
The big hit was the cool and refreshing Red Snapper Crudo made with plum, benne seed, and smoked oil. It’s a perfect dish for a hot summer night.
Did I mention the KILN’s Ember Roasted Sweet Potatoes with toasted pecans and a chipotle condiment. One word: WOW.
The dinner menu features fire! The Roasted Bone-In Pork was magic with charcoal onions and a harissa pork jus. A forkful of pork, onions, and jus was a perfect bite.
The Weaver Farms Coulotte Steak was served with a tallow puddle with tallow, charred broccoli rabe and shallots. Coulotte is a little know butcher’s cut with a deep beef flavor, order it medium rare or rare to enjoy the tender bite and maximum flavor.
Looking around the dining room, I saw many happy faces as the tried other menu items like the not often seen Golden Tile Fish (also known as golden snapper or bass) served with grilled kale, hazelnut, and sherry sauce. The flavor is mild and sweet, with a firm texture. Chef Matt knows his fish and this one is keeper. FYI, want to share a dish, order either the Mosner FarmsWhole Lamb Rack with jimmy nardello peppers, hazelnut, and black lime or the Shook Farms 28 oz. Strip Loin served with pommes aligot and a tallow vinaigrette. Again, convince your tablemate to share. You won’t be disappointed.
Dessert is not an afterthought at KILN. Gluttony overtook us when we saw the offerings. Milk & Honey is a dish of dehydrated milk, rosemary, and vanilla. Don’t be put off by the description. Just order it, dip your spoon in and swoon from the flavor. A slightly less adventurous but equally delicious is the Strawberries & Cream, a lovely combination of strawberries, white chocolate, and balsamic.
The Chocolate Rye Cookies went home in a napkin! The pop of the sprinkling of sea salt was perfect. Not a sweets person? Enjoy the Ewe’s Blue from Groton, New York.
As KILN moves forward, expect more innovation, fire, and smoke in the menu. Enjoy it now.
Check out the Alexandria’s Newest Landmark featuring a rooftop bar.
