I, like many others who have followed the story of local restaurant County Fare, watched with anticipation Wednesday night when the eatery was featured on Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible.”
The show came to Stafford in April and provided restaurant owner Eric Green a much-needed makeover for an eatery has seen hard times.
I had lunch at County Fare on Saturday, which is now being billed as “a great American diner.”
Having spent a few years working in corporate chain restaurants, even managing one of them, I appreciate County Fare’s new local diner feel.
My lunch, the “sort of Philadelphia Cheese steak” was piled high sliced beef, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms (I ordered green peppers on the sandwich, too, but they never showed up) and the all-important fresh cut home fries. The food tasted much better than when I visited County Fare prior to their makeover.
The menu, however, is riddled with times and dates when food is served are served. The great thing about a diner, especially the 24 hour ones (which County Fare is not) is that breakfast, lunch and dinner are served all day, never leaving me wondering if French Toast or a Patty Melt is available after 2 p.m. on a Tuesday.
Breakfast is served until 11 a.m. weekdays, and some items aren’t available until 4 p.m. Making things even more confusing, we were given a “weekend menu” and in the end ordered something that wasn’t even listed on it.
The new, baby blue décor of the restaurant gives the diner a modern feel while displaying items and photos from Green’s proud time in the Marine Corps.
But any diner goer knows music – tunes that are easy to sing along with – are paramount to the diner experience. For most of visit Saturday, music was missing.
All diners need a great jukebox that lets customers select which song they want to hear. Hopefully someone with an old jukebox sitting in their basement will donate it to County Fare. We also hope Green will accept it, as he has many other bright and positive changes to his restaurant.
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LoBalbo, 37, is a former veterinarian tech and the founder of AERO, which stands for Animal Education and Rescue Organization. For the last 10 years, she and her nonprofit have taken in thousands of injured, sick or orphaned wild animals that wouldn’t survive without human intervention. She runs the licensed wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility out of her Gainesville home.
Olivia LoBalbo’s Gainesville home is a refuge for more than 1,000 hurt, orphaned wild animals a year
Insidenova.com: County staff and leading park engineers outlined the design plan for the 308-acre Doves Landing Regional Park and its adjacent Sinclair mill site during a community meeting last week.
About 35 in-person residents, plus a handful of others online, turned out Jan. 8 at the Pat White Center at Ben Lomond near Manassas for a thorough, two-hour project update meeting. Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega also tuned in virtually.
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FXBG Advance: The public was first made aware of the possibility of data centers in Celebrate VA when Mayor Devine added the topic to the July 9, 2024 Council agenda, giving the public no prior notice that the topic was to be discussed. Well before that announcement, council members had toured data centers in February, two at a time, to avoid public notice.
Also, prior to the July 9th meeting the City Manager initiated discussion with a developer to provide land for data centers.
In September the City Council supported the expenditure of $200,000 to study the infrastructure needs to provide power for data centers in Celebrate VA. A cost that should not be the responsibility of the city but by either Dominion Power or the developer. When questioned about this City Manager Tim Baroody confirmed it was not the city’s responsibility but explained that it was being done at the direction of the City Council.
Looking for a hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology? Don’t miss the 3D Printing Workshop at the Manassas Park City Library on January 16th at 5:30 p.m. Open to teens and adults ages 12 and up, this free workshop will teach the basics of Tinkercad and give participants the opportunity to ask questions about 3D printing. Explore the possibilities and take the first step into the exciting world of 3D printing!
Do you have an event you’d like to share with the community? Submitting your event is FREE and easy! Simply fill out this form with your event details. It’s a great way to spread the word and engage with local residents. Don’t wait—get your event on the calendar today!
Start 2024 on the right foot by prioritizing your mental health and well-being. At Peaceful Mind Solutions, we understand how challenging life can be—whether it’s managing stress from work, family dynamics, or navigating the complexities of the world around us. Our team is here to help you create balance and find the peace you deserve.
We’re offering a free 15-minute consultation to help you explore how therapy can work for you. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, looking for support, or just want to talk things through, this is the perfect opportunity to take that first step toward a healthier, happier you.
Scheduling is simple and convenient. Choose the option that works best for you:
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra, this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
Featuring:
