Dinner at TRIO

One of the perks of writing LoCoMusings is an occasional invitation to try new restaurants. A couple of weeks ago Heather and I accepted one of those invitations and had dinner at TRIO Grill in Merrifield. In in the interest of transparency most of our meal was covered, but I can promise you we will definitely be dining there again!

Viewing the menu prior to making the trip we anticipated a quiet place with low lights and a sophisticated feel. That wasn’t the case at all. With the piano playing, baseball games on at the bar, and customers talking in normal tones it felt like a very comfortable place to gather with friends. The decor was somewhat similar to Clydes Willow Creek Farm in Ashburn, exposed beams and brick walls, but the atmosphere was totally different.

When trying new places we’ve learned to ask what the bartender likes to make. It’s funny how the quality of the drinks can set the tone for the meal so we wanted to make sure we were giving the place a fair shot. In this case it was the Platinum Mojito. Heather had one of those while I tried the Stormy Night(rum, rum, and a little bit of ginger) and simply put, they were excellent.

For starters Heather had the tuna tartare (raw tuna over avocado) and I had arancini (risotto filled with spicy sausage). So far TRIO was batting 1.000. Just the right portion size, it came out on time and was delicious. Next came salads, an heirloom tomato for her and spinach for me. No complaints, it’s hard to get too excited about salads.

Next up was the main course, filet mignon for me and porcini crusted scallops for Heather. Mouth watering comes to mind. Amazing, incredible, pretty much any other adjective which describes awesomeness! The only thing I didn’t care for was the bitterness of the asparagus, but everything else was soooo good they get a pass.

Despite being absolutely stuffed, we felt we owed it to our readers to try a dessert. The winner was the peach upside-down cake with some coffee to fight off the late hour. As with every other part of our meal it did not disappoint. Overall I would highly recommend TRIO to anyone who asked. The atmosphere, service, food and drinks were well worth the price and the drive.

Cheers,
Mike

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