By Uriah Kiser
Woodbridge, Va. — There’s a cozy restaurant with a mix of Mediterranean food and wine hoping to find its place in Woodbridge’s sea of chain restaurants.
Noble Gourmet opened about three months ago on Prince William Parkway, just before Hillendale Drive. An old day care center turned restaurant, it’s the brainchild of owner Saeid Rahnavard.
Skipping the all-too-common neighborhood sit down chain restaurants this week, my wife and I for the first time went to Noble Gourmet where Rahnavard was waiting patiently for us. We had our pick of tables in dining room, where we both sat and had a conversation about the day and watched cars wiz by on the parkway.
She ordered a glass of wine and a mozzarella chicken sandwich while I had a thin crust artichoke pizza. Inevitably we shared the two dishes.
The artichokes on the pizza were sweet and added distinct flavor to the added fresh tomato and cheese. My half of the mozzarella sandwich was fresh, but did not produce the same taste explosion as the pizza.
Rahnavard worked in restaurants and hotels when he was a student. Now eight years before he is set to retire, he’s come back to the business to offer the area something different.
“We have a unique combination of food and items in our café store that you’re not going to find anywhere else in Prince William County. I know because I checked around before opening,” he said.
The café store offers specialty tuna, pasta, sauces, olives, wines and beers. In the kitchen, everything is made to order.
Lodged between the Dale City and Lake Ridge neighborhoods, Rahnavard hopes the restaurant will draw many who will relax, eat and drink. Once business picks up, he hopes to expand is menu and offer tableside cooking.
“My specialty is my gourmet Caesar salad where I make all of the fresh ingredients from scratch right at the table. I haven’t seen anything offered like that around here, so if business picks up I hope to bring it here soon,” said Rahnavard.
My wife and I finished off our meal with an éclair for desert.
