Prose

Here's a good score for our fair Arlington. Prose offers a worn-around-the-edges and comfy atmosphere, exceptional food and a wide-ranging beer list. Be warned that you *must* have patience here, as it's literally a one-woman shop. Don't make any plans for after dinner-- in other words, make it a movie-and-dinner night, not the other way around. Better yet, just come for dinner. The menu is limited and probably changes on a daily basis, depending on what the cook finds at local markets and farms, but I had the very best octopus stew I've ever had, not to mention saffron flan, anchovy pie and purslane tart which were all as wonderful as can be.

As for beer, the chef bends toward uncommon offerings, relative to the usual restaurant fare. The night I visited she had a Blue Point lager, a St. Bernardus 8, *two* Scotch Ales, two beers from Oskar Blues and, the clincher... a lager *and* an urbock from Schlenkerla. Any American, not-German-food restaurant that will carry two rauchbiers automatically advances to Go, collects $200 and gets a get-out-of-jail-free card. Prices for both food and drink are reasonable. Go!