Reston, Virginia has an adorable town center with enough restaurants for those with various palates and budgets. Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food was fun and refreshing, and rumor has it the wait can be two hours on a weekend for dinner. We chose to eat a late lunch there and everyone was happy!
The restaurant has a retro-diner feel with amazing lighting.
Jackson’s own pale ale was tasty and smooth.
This complimentary bread was unique and delicious. The cute round rolls actually tasted like donuts and I swear that the whipped butter had vanilla beans in it.
The roasted beet salad with avocado, pine nuts, goat cheese, and citrus vinaigrette ($10) was crispy and fresh with a nice blend of flavors.
The burger was a little messy but the doneness couldn’t have been better. (Cheddar Cheese burger, mustard mayo, ketchup, pickle & hand cut fries, $9)
I ordered two sides–the spinach was definitely the lesser of the two. Not very tasty and a bit too wet. (Sauteed butter spinach, $4)
The best for last: mac and cheese with ham ($4). I am slowly becoming a mac and cheese connoisseur. I never ate it as a child, so my taste buds are still being developed. This was, hands down, one of the best mac and cheese dishes I have ever tasted. Well done on the top with a Parmesan crust but soft (not too soft) and cheesy through the center. The ham gave it a smoky flavor but didn’t overpower.
Jackson’s is affordable, tasty, and fun for everyone. Check out more reviews and information on yelp, The Washington Post, and the Mouth of Moldiver.
How could spinach possibly compete with mac ‘n’ cheese? That is not a fair fight at all!