Crushin on My Man

Yesterday was my six month wedding anniversary, and Jon took me on a hot date, after sending me surprise work flowers. He even donned a tie for the special occasion. A perfect husband's work is never done.

On the way to the car, we were giggling like fools and for no good reason, except that Jon was taking FOREVER to hook up the GPS, which was hysterical at the time. Must have been the champagne, mixed with the giddiness that comes with husbands taking their wives on impromptu secret dates. I already had an inkling this night would be extra sweet.

Jon was saying, "Where are we?" And I was saying, "I have no idea." And, then, there we were. Eat Bar in Arlington. He'd discovered the place while dropping off some wine at Tallula, the fancier spot next door. In January last year, Tallula's loungey bar-in-the-back became it's rustic boho-chic counterpart. Jon had told me about it, said "You'd like it honey," and I did immediately. It makes perfect sense that this place is owned in part by the same guy who owns Evening Star in Del Ray.

The tabletops are like the tin roof of an old farmhouse, and the goth brothel lanterns cast a warm amber glow that made me feel cozy right away, and kind of like making out, which is probably why there were lots of couples there, who also must have been on hot dates, but there were also a few older folks, and even a young family with their two little ones. Could it get any warmer?

The service was pretty slow, but who cares? Clearly, this isn't a hurry-up kind of place, plus our waitress was cute and nice and smiley, and that's all that really matters. And my husband is even cuter and smilier, and really, that's all that matters. Even better, they had Higuerela, the red wine we served at our wedding, nothing fancy and all delicious, a different vintage, but no less nostalgic. And best of all, they poured our wine in perfectly giant bubbly wine glasses with extra skinny rims right next to good ole mason jar waters. I really do feel like I'm on the farm, a fancy farm. Maybe a farm in Napa, or maybe in a church that's in a wine cave on a farm in Italy; all this place needs is a stained-glass Jesus. Wherever the hell I am, Eat Bar oozes romance, and it smells amazing. I think it's the warm olives, house roasted, in at least eight shades of purple and green.

On the menu at next door's Tallula, the assortment of amuse-bouches are aptly titled "Amuse Yourself," but next door at Eat Bar, they are simply called snacks. A chorizo corn dog, a baby burger with truffle butter and onion marmalade, a bowl of maybe the most amazing hush puppies with honey butter I've ever tasted, rosemary fries. I wish I could snack like this everyday. We also had cheese and charcuterie: a soft goats-milk cheese from Humboldt and Grayson, a supple cow's mik cheese from Virginia, with house-cured tasso ham and salami, a dollop of sweet apple butter, and some yummy breads, one crispy and one soft.

And we were already stuffed up on food and love, but why stop there? Jon insisted on two desserts and a port, which I could've done without. Jon said it's an acquired taste, and I believe him, and I also believe I won't be doing much to acquire it. The homemade chewy molasses cookie sandwich with ginger pumpkin ice cream, heavenly. Apple pie a la mode, divine. And the best dessert of all, the rest of my life to celebrate half-year anniversaries with my precious man.

Tallula and Eat Bar are located at 2761 Washington Blvd. in Arlington, VA.