Bazin’s on Church in Vienna won’t stand empty for long. In mid-to-late May, a new restaurant, Evelyn Rose, will begin serving dinner in the space. The new restaurant comes courtesy of a pair of favorites on the Vienna scene, longtime Clarity chef Nick Palermo and general manager Sam Schnoebelen. Most recently, Palermo returned to cook at Clarity under its new ownership, while Schnoebelen managed DC’s The Dabney.
Now, their goal is to feed the familiar faces of Vienna with a neighborhood bistro, named for their two grandmothers, who taught them how to cook. Schnoebelen’s grandma Evelyn, who lives in Ashburn, joked that “I’m sure it will do well in spite of me,” the general manager recounted during a phone interview.
Diners who have been enchanted by Palermo’s cuisine at Clarity will find much to love at Evelyn Rose. The chef shared an early draft of the new restaurant’s menu with Northern Virginia Magazine. As Schnoebelen put it, “People can expect to see very familiar items as well as some uniqueness. A lot of people in this area are familiar with Chef Nick. It’s not tied down to anything other than the ideas of seasonality, sustainability, and quality.”
A housemade charcuterie board will feature items such as pâté, smoked sausage, and wagyu bresaola, as well as jams and cheeses. French onion rings combine the best assets of the popular soup with the fried snack with brandied onions and red-wine-braised beef shank. As at Clarity, Palermo’s scratch pastas are available as either an appetizer or an entrée. One springy rendition includes double-egg-yolk pappardelle with ramps, roasted mushroom Bolognese, and capers.
Entrées range from the $21 Roseda Farm dry-aged patty melt with fries and $25 mango pickled dark meat fried chicken with smoked mac and cheese to a $44 ribeye and a $42 braised wagyu short rib accompanied by brown-butter rutabaga purée and caramelized heirloom cauliflower. Small daily changes will take advantage of the best products on offer in the region. “The nature around us will dictate what we put on and keep on,” says Schnoebelen. “If tomatoes aren’t good, they’re coming off the menu. If we get morel mushrooms, they’re going on.”
And drinks? Schnoebelen says that the wine and cocktail program will focus on value. “We’re going to do that by sourcing outside of the most familiar areas, with a heavy emphasis on small producers where we can transfer quality and value to the guests.”
Palermo and Schnoebelen say that they were on the lookout for a space for their restaurant since 2019. The same loyal staff that planned to follow them then will join them now. Other potential spaces, including one in McLean, came and went. But when owners Julie and Patrick Bazin decided to close their 18-year-old restaurant, they went directly to their longtime friends to let them know the space would be becoming available.
After five years looking for a home for Evelyn Rose, the business partners are moving quickly to bring their concept to Vienna. Want a preview? Evelyn Rose will be participating in Taste of Vienna on April 27.
Feature image courtesy Bazin’s on Church
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