633483 Thu Jul 02 12:29:41 -0700 2009 2 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 4825060 I am a frequent patron of Willow in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, and I have found my experiences there to be consistently good. In particular, I think that Willow has one of the best bar menus in the area. I love how they rotate the selections, and the $5 price is unbeatable. I have never had a bad meal in the main dinning room, and the service has always been gracious. I took some friends to Willow last night, and we had a pleasant time with no surprises. We ate lightly with some bar selections such as the gruyere cheese puffs and the willow and scilian flatbreads. One of my friends pointed out that Willow was ranked 50-something in Washingtonian and then completely dropped to unranked for the current year. I've always been suspect of some of these rankings for years (especially Teatro Goldoni going from unranked to 20-something?). I am curious about how "political" some of these rankings become. Anyone have any idea about the criteria they use? Anyone have a bad experience there? Regardless of rankings, I want to recommend Willow to anyone looking for quality food in Arlington. Thu Jul 02 12:29:41 -0700 2009 323840 georgetownronin 1 4825454 They have a $5 bar menu? What kinds of things do they have on it? Do they have any specials on beverages too? I live nearby and am always doing happy hours, might have to check that out. Thu Jul 02 14:37:53 -0700 2009 4825060 92426 ktmoomau 2 4825553 They have an assortment of about 6-10 small plates, with each plate being $5. Honestly, you could order three things and have a great, substantial dinner for $15. I just checked the website, and http://www.willowva.com/barmenu.html is not entirely accurate, but the selection will give you an idea. I remember "Halibut Sliders" was a choice from last night. In the fall, be on the lookout for mushroom caps stuffed with housemade sausage. If you order a flatbread, I would recommend the full size version from the regular menu (the smaller version is about a third the size for $10, with the full size running $16-20). Yes, Willow does have a happy hour from 5-7pm, and cocktails and wine are $5. I think the cocktails are probably rail mixes, but I believe they "feature" moderately priced wines for $5. Thu Jul 02 15:13:18 -0700 2009 4825454 323840 georgetownronin